One more thing... (archive)

Under normal circumstances I think the oil on the threads thing is OK, however the M60 and M62 engines run very hot. A little bit of oil was inside the wells in my valve covers (from when the dealer replaced the valve cover gaskets). This was <6 months ago. It had baked into a hard carbon like solid. I would think it would do the same on the plug threads, creating a kind of threadlocker.
This is most likely the reason for the unlubed threads.

The TIS specifically states a tighened torque of 23Nm with ungreased threads. If you grease them you could potentially overtorque them.

You are correct about the plastic covers. The same holds true for the ones on the top engine cover. ALL of mine broke during removal. They were so old and brittle, they nearly crumbled in my hands (no flex whatsoever).

And once again, be careful with the coil pack bolts and the plastic coil pack cover bolts. They all thread into the aluminum, and are a candidate to strip out.

Regards,
Greg

I changed mine upon my recent purchase of e38. The caps that hide the securing nuts for the center and left/right covers are plastic. Try not to damage them as they seal out moisture from the fasteners and must be in good condition if you want them to fit securely back from where they came.

Handle the coil packs with care. Un-plug and plug with care. No prying neccessary to remove the electric plug. Should go easy by hand or you are doing something wrong.

Oil the thread of the new plug lightly prior to installation. This will aid in starting the thread and also give you a true torque. Torque wrenches and trained wrists can be fooled by thread binding. Also check each new plug for possible production damage to the thread or electrode. YOU DO NOT WANT TO DAMAGE THE SPARK PLUG THREADS.

Good luck. The first couple had me a little nervous but once you get the hang of it it's really a breeze.

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