Why do they have to reinvent the wheel?

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Mopar to ya

Mopar to ya

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Working on a Mini Cooper, and it has no compression from the sound of the engine turning over. Try to pull out a spark plugs, but guess what? They can't use a standard spark plug with a hex like everyone else, they have a 14mm 12 point freaking spark plug in it. I don't, and none of the other techs have a deep 14mm 12 point. What the hell is the matter with these car companies that they feel the need to change a design that has been in vehicles since the very first car? And to what point? It adds nothing but more expense and frustration for anyone forced to work on them.

View attachment 14mm 12 point plug.jpg

View attachment 14mm 12 point plug 1.jpg
 
I have a complete set of both SAE and Metric, deep well, 12 point sockets, for about 40, or so, years. You're welcome to borrow them. :poke:

Don't use them often, but, when you need them, you need them, and that isn't limited to just cars.
 
Look around in the trunk area. Mini is made by BMW and BMW puts a tool kit in the trunk. Yes, most of the took kit is just for laughs but but with the last BMW I had, everything for changing the plugs was in it.
 
I was so glad the day I was rid of my 2007 MINI. Never had a car been so badly designed for the consumer. And so well for the Dealership/Shop. under 72,000 miles 3 timing belts, 2 walnut shellings. Thermostat gasket leaks. Car ran me into the poor house.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Look around in the trunk area. Mini is made by BMW and BMW puts a tool kit in the trunk. Yes, most of the took kit is just for laughs but but with the last BMW I had, everything for changing the plugs was in it.
Click to expand...

Yep, the wife's BMW has a tool kit mounted on the underside of the trunk lid that has the "special" stuff in it.
 
Still not as bad as the plugs for the Ford 3 valve Triton V8s.
RoushPlug.jpg
 
Yes, but 5/8 hex. Also a two piece design. The long snout, or barrel below the tapered seat tends to seize in place and break off when they're changed. There's been at least three TSBs on how to change the plugs without breaking them, and how to remove the broken pieces when they do. Lots of companies making money off of tools to remove broken plug pieces because Ford decided to re-invent the spark plug.
 
Changed lots of them. They are marginally better than the old 5.4 that blew the plugs out. I have a time-sert thread kit because we do so many of them.
 
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