dustinN

Today I followed Joseph Coelho's instruction on how to replace spark plugs for my 07 E63. Great write up, very easy to follow for a non-handy guy, first time ever worked on car like me. I didn't get any problem until I was trying to remove the last coil on the driver side. There was not enough room to put the 1.25' T30 torx driver in. I couldn't find any shorter one at Lowes or Home Depot. While tried to make it work, I dropped T30 inside somewhere I couldn't see it. Should I drive or should I get it towed to the shop? I need to remove the cover to find the T30. I don't want to brake something else that might cost me a lot more. I was so mad at myself for such a stupid mistake. I need an advice guys. Thanks.

seanol

Why don't you jack up the car and take off the covers yourself? They are not too hard to remove and it would save you money. Use an LED flashlight and go get that T30!

dustinN

Jack it up myself? Hmm... I don't know about that. It seems hard, i don't think I can craw under the car and remove the cover. I have only 1 jack, I think I will have some clearance issue. Thanks for your advice.

seanol

It is not particularly hard. Place your floor jack under front of car. In the middle of the bottom panel you will see a rubber block. That is the point where you place the jack.

Set the e brake, car in park. Jack it up until your jack stands slide in from the side on two more rubber blocks under the body behind the wheels.

If you do not have jack stands then do not even consider it. As for what I would do in this situation, I would find the T30. If you can't find it I would have it towed. There really is not much it could get into but I would not want it coming out while driving.

green1212

only 1 jack is necessary but if you plan on working on your car in the future to do oil changes, shocks and/or anything else that the car needs to be "jacked" up, you should invest in some jackstands to hold the car up and allow more clearance to get under the car, in this case, to remove the covers. without jackstands and the cover cannot be removed, here is last ditch effort: get a magnet on some type of extension and rub this magnet against the cover and see if you can either hear/feel the t30 bit attach to the magnet and then just drag it towards the front of engine area where you can reach down and get the t30 bit. other than that man, you may be on your way to the dealership??? take care and good luck!

dustinN

Is the jack stands you guys talking about is the one comes with car? I found one in the trunk. A lot for me to learn. It's been a long day, I'll take a good look in the morning see what I can do.

Dealer quoted my $650 + tax to replace spark plugs and air filter. So far I spent around $120 for parts and $30 for tools. I've saved around 500 bucks. I feel very good about this. Hopefully it won't cost me an arm and a leg to find the torx driver. Thank you all.

dustinN

Just have another look at the car, I don't think I am able to lift the car up and remove the cover by myself, I don't have enough tool for the job. MB road side assistance is free to MB dealership, anywhere else is $150. I tried to stay away from the dealer but I don't have any better choice.

StarvingArtist

A floor jack and a couple stands are a good investment.

dustinN

Using MB car jack, I was able to lay under neath the car. Tapping on the cover I could hear the movement of the torx and using the magnetic stick I was able to take it out. Took the car out for a spin, it seems fresh and sounds a bit louder, may be because of the new filter. Ah, I noticed that the charcoal filters had already been removed. Man, I love this site, great help, thanks.

BoostedAero

I have had a jack spontaneously fail, due to lack of hydraulic fluid (aka my fault for not checking a borrowed jack at the time.)

Any jack should not be used for more than just that, to get the car in the air. Rest on the jack stands for your life's sake. $500 bucks saved yes now go spend $150 of that on some proper "shade tree" mechanic basic key items:

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-ton-...ump-60569.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-h...nds-38846.html

Those two items will make your life a lot easier, and possibly save your life.

I am sure others will agree.

I use a small cut 2x4 maybe 3" wide to protect factory jack points + use the above listed jack stands in pairs working in the front, use the front two jack points, working on the rear use the rear two jack points. I figured this information would be useful to help cultivate your mechanical skill.

Safety first, Always!

Dublinoh

Good advice from BoostedAero and StarvingArtist, jack stands are not optional if you are working under your car.

Strigoi

Go buy jack stands, they're cheap. If you plan on doing any work that requires lifting the car they are a must. I wouldn't trust the factory jack for anything other than changing a tire. I would not get under a car that was only supported by one.

05-E55

Everything everyone said, and did you hear DO NOT GO UNDER THE CAR ON JACK ONLY!

cetialpha5

Glad you survived. As other said, never get under a car with just a jack. Even with jack stands, you leave the jack under the car too in case you're working too hard and knock one of the jack stands loose. Safety first. Just search the internet, there are hundreds of people who have died under cars due to jack failures of one kind or another.

Strigoi

If you have a wheel off, put it under the car as well. If the jack stand and jack fail for some reason it could save your life. You have thousands of pounds above you, you can't be too safe. People have died in stranger ways.

If the front of the car is up, always leave it in park with the parking brake on as well. I also like to chock whichever wheels are on the ground too.

Ls1toAMG

I also bought some new ramps to drive up on. They are plastic composite and the car is up in seconds. Great,for oil changes , plugs,pumps, heatexchanger etc