Myth or fact

[bostogrun]

Has anyone ever changed the starter on an e36, 6 cylinder without removing the intake manifold? I was at U Pull Autoparts, the other day and found a 97 528i, I pulled a starter, vanos oil line, timing chain tensioner, cam position sensor, oil sperator and idle control valve for $25.00

I had to take the intake manifold off to get it. The starter bolts are 12mm external torques and were quite a "b_ _ c_ " get out even with the manifold off and out of the way. I have seen a few write up about changing the starter via removing the wishbone lower control arm? Can this be done? has anyone ever it?

[bostogrun]

I was changing my plugs today and noticed a little gunky whitish oil on plugs 2,3 and 4?

I changed to valve cover gasket about 30k ago and peering down the plug wells I didnt look like an obvious leak was present in any of the wells where the plastic cover mates the metal head ?

There wasnt a lot of oil in the wells just some whitish oil on the ceramic outer portion of the plugs? I did find a few of the 10mm valve covcover er bolts were a little loose so I tightened them up.

I am thinking that maybe I was a little sloppy on a previous oil change and had oil spill over the filler port and some of it may have migrated into those wells via gravity the other oil may evaporated but the oil deep in the well was trapped?

I cant imagine anyway oil could have migrated up from the combsution chamber past the tight fine threads of the spark plug up to the upper ceramic part? The electrode of the plugs (inside the combustion chamber) looked normal for a car of it's age.

[Jeron]

I pulled the starter and transmission without pulling the intake.

You need about 3 feet worth of socket extensions to make the job easier.