I just finished swapping out differentials on my '02 M coupe (3.15 out and 3.46 in).  As has been well-documented by others, the rearmost upper mounting bolts are very hard to access and really serve to enlarge one's vocabulary.  Now there are two holes directly above these bolts; they are vaguely 'D'-shaped and have plastic plugs in them. In order to get the bolts out and back in, I had to remove the plugs for that little bit more wrench clearance. BTW, if you can't find a 16mm gear wrench, a 5/8" gear wrench fits well. My question is: "Do these plugs need to be replaced?" (My bruised knuckles hope the answer is "no"). Happy observation: no butt cracks were observed. |
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Quote: I just finished swapping out differentials on my '02 M coupe (3.15 out and 3.46 in).
As has been well-documented by others, the rearmost upper mounting bolts are very hard to access and really serve to enlarge one's vocabulary.
Now there are two holes directly above these bolts; they are vaguely 'D'-shaped and have plastic plugs in them. In order to get the bolts out and back in, I had to remove the plugs for that little bit more wrench clearance. BTW, if you can't find a 16mm gear wrench, a 5/8" gear wrench fits well.
My question is: "Do these plugs need to be replaced?" (My bruised knuckles hope the answer is "no").
Happy observation: no butt cracks were observed. | Point of ingress for water/moisture/debris.
Tell your knuckles to "suck it up" and put the plugs back in 
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| Reply » Are these hole plugs necessary? |
Quote: Point of ingress for water/moisture/debris.
Tell your knuckles to "suck it up" and put the plugs back in | Oh, all right.
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| Reply » Are these hole plugs necessary? |
I broke mine loose a couple weeks ago when I was doing the IE Bushings. It was easier to get them out this way.
Its just kinda tight in there. oh well, I should stop complaining and just finish the stupid job.
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| Reply » Are these hole plugs necessary? |
There's a trick to those upper bolts. Start the lower ones first and leave them sort of loose. Ease your support jack down so the diff droops a little, and the upper bolts will drop right in. It's a little tougher with poly-sub bushings; that subframe just doesn't flex anymore.
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| Reply » Are these hole plugs necessary? |
Quote: | (in response to Randy Forbes) Oh, all right. | I tried. I've been trying to get one of those plugs back in for four hours now.
I give up.
All I've managed to do is to lose it inside of the frame. That and make myself ache again. It looks like the only way to replace these is to pull the diff again. and I ain't going to do that again. Besides, with the plugs in place I can't get a wrench on the diff mounting bolts.
Oh well, It'll last for a year or two without ill effects in our climate. I'm planning on the RF butt re-inforcement and dual-ear job in a year or so anyway At that time it ought to be accessible at one point.
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Are these hole plugs necessary?