Long story short - I was changing the plugs on my M3 this afternoon and noticed that part of the tip of the rubber boot for cylinder #6 (in the back) had broken off. I tried fishing it out with a long screwdriver, but...failed.

I'm going to try using my shop vac, some vacuum hose, and a whole lotta duct tape to see if I can get the piece out of the engine. If that doesn't work, I guess I could try cranking the engine with no plug and see what happens, but with my luck today, the piece of rubber would end up damaging a valve.

My wife is due in about three weeks with our first kid, so major automotive catastrophe is not exactly an option. Any helpful suggestions greatly appreciated!

Tom

flashlight, little grabber thing (like the claw in the coin opperated games). The shop vac may work, but if there is gas......it may burn in the motor of the vac.

I haven't really been able to see down into the cylinder thanks to the angle. Although I'm sure I will be looking many more times....



Hadn't considered that!

See if you can borrow a boroscope to peek down in the cylinder before you spend too much time figuring out how to get it out-it may not even be in there. It would have to be a pretty small piece to go down the plug hole.

Good luck!

Ken

Well...I did see it. Then tried to coax it out with a screwdriver. And then it wasn't there anymore. A combination of my usual bad luck and automotive mad skillz point to it probably being in the cylinder. Peering down into the hole, I can see that there's a fair amount of carbon buildup on the piston, but no rubber pieces.

In my desperation, I did try the rubber hose and the manual method. It didn't work, but I now know what the inside of my engine tastes like. Yuck!

Also tonight, I failed at replacing a headlight on my wife's Civic. I guess I should turn my man card in right now and go join the Tsing Tao Club of America.

LOL....hang in there! Sometimes a day away from it clears your mind and brings a new solution!

I'm not visualizing size of the rubber piece very well, but, in the back of my mind I'm thinking.....rubber....petroleum....fire....steel.....no more rubber piece. It would most likely burn off.

Damon

If it is still in there you may want to try a keyboard vac:



Good luck.

Hey guys,

I shot my tale of woe to Mike Miller last night, and he replied back already, saying that a piece of metal would be a problem, but rubber will just burn up in the cylinder. He chastised me for not blowing the area clear with my compressor, and said that blowing myself up with a shop vac is not a concern. Good to know!

Guess I'll give it a shot tonight!

Well I couldn't wait, went home at lunch and got the last spark plug in. Started up, no fuss, no muss and purred like a kitten. Whew!

Thanks to everyone for suggestions!