oil on spark plugs [Merged 11-7] oily wire wires cover valley well wells

[kenamond]

well the thing is its not coming out of the hole itself, rather leaking around the exhaust mani gasket where that bolt is missing. im thinking oil is leaking down into the cylinders and burning and leaking from where there is no pressure from that bolt or stud. i've never actually looked to see if it was a stud or a bolt. anyone who has a 1g can you tell me if this bolt (top left bolt on exhaust mani) is actually a bolt or a stud??

With a 2g, you can pull the downpipe off the O2 housing pretty quickly. If you see oil in the O2 housing or DP, you might be right about oil in the #4 cylinder (atleast this is #4 on a 2g).

 

[perley03]

With a 2g, you can pull the downpipe off the O2 housing pretty quickly. If you see oil in the O2 housing or DP, you might be right about oil in the #4 cylinder (atleast this is #4 on a 2g).

WTF and what does this have to do with anything????
This doesnt help me one bit.........

 

[perley03]

ok here's a pic to further help me out.

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right around the area circled in blue is where oil is seeping out only when it is running.
by the way this is not my engine bay my car is 80 miles away in my friends garage getting ready for paint.

 

[kenamond]

WTF and what does this have to do with anything????
This doesnt help me one bit.........

Is your car burning oil (blue-white smoke coming from the *exhaust*)?

If your valves are leaking oil into your combustion chamber, or if you have a blown head gasket, you could get oil leaking into the combustion chamber. This will leak into your exhaust manifold, run through your turbine/wastegate, and end up in your O2 housing and DP, and with missing studs for your ex. mani, it can leak out the head/mani gasket.

Or your turbo could be leaking oil on the compressor side pumping oil through your intake, motor, and exhaust. When my turbo went, I got oil in #4 but no others.

 

[perley03]

sorry about that for some reason i was thinking top bolt.....anyways thanks for the info guys im gonna go buy the valve cover gasket kit and the exhaust mani gasket and see if i can get new studs. im gonna be pissed if i have to take the head off to see whether that bolt broke off inside or if its just missing. we'll see this weekend i guess.

 

[kenamond]

sorry about that for some reason i was thinking top bolt.....anyways thanks for the info guys im gonna go buy the valve cover gasket kit and the exhaust mani gasket and see if i can get new studs. im gonna be pissed if i have to take the head off to see whether that bolt broke off inside or if its just missing. we'll see this weekend i guess.

You won't have to pull the head to tell this.

 

[perley03]

Is your car burning oil (blue-white smoke coming from the *exhaust*)?

If your valves are leaking oil into your combustion chamber, or if you have a blown head gasket, you could get oil leaking into the combustion chamber. This will leak into your exhaust manifold, run through your turbine/wastegate, and end up in your O2 housing and DP, and with missing studs for your ex. mani, it can leak out the head/mani gasket.

Or your turbo could be leaking oil on the compressor side pumping oil through your intake, motor, and exhaust. When my turbo went, I got oil in #4 but no others.

no there is no blue smoke coming out the exhaust just burning the oil around the exhaust manifold. thats why i was WTF. i'll have to take the exhaust mani off this weekend and go from there i guess. i got a VC gasket kit and exhaust mani gasket on order so i'll replace those as well. is there a gasket on the downpipe that can be reused or do i need to order a new one and what about the gasket coming off the turbo to the j-pipe? i wanted to take the turbo off anyway to check if it has any play at all. thanks for the info guys keep it coming.
all the way

 

[kenamond]

no there is no blue smoke coming out the exhaust just burning the oil around the exhaust manifold. thats why i was WTF. i'll have to take the exhaust mani off this weekend and go from there i guess. i got a VC gasket kit and exhaust mani gasket on order so i'll replace those as well. is there a gasket on the downpipe that can be reused or do i need to order a new one and what about the gasket coming off the turbo to the j-pipe? i wanted to take the turbo off anyway to check if it has any play at all. thanks for the info guys keep it coming.
all the way

You can check for shaft play by pulling the intake pipe off of the compressor inlet (when cool) and reach in and grab the compressor wheel nut. You don't have to pull the turbo.

You can remove the exhaust mani without removing the turbo on a stock 2g or bolt-on 2g turbo. Double check if this is also true with a 1g. I'd replace the turbo/mani bolts, though. Replace the turbo/mani stud/nut with a bolt (identical to the other 3 bolts).

Make sure that if you order a VC gasket kit that it comes with the 5 gaskets and the half-moon/semi-circular seal. I couldn't find a kit with all 6 pieces and ended up getting mine at Autozone. If your VC gaskets were changed recently, you may be able to re-use the old half-moon seal, but I'd feel safer having all new stuff.

Also, the two end ex. mani. studs/nut are a different size than the other 7, so if you just get the one stud/nut pair, get the right ones.

 

[perley03]

ok sweet i figured you could remove the manifold without pulling the turbo off. i got a complete kit including the half moon and 4 plug gaskets with the vc gasket. it was like $28 at Advance Auto. thanks for the help guys, i just hope this oil leaking out the mani is just a simple gasket problem as the head was rebuilt a year ago with hardly any usage.

 

[95burgundyesi]

I am collecting oil in the valley of the valve cover. I notice most of the oil is only on one plug but I pulled it and it seems fine. The plug is tight and around the head there are no leaks. Any ideas?

 

[vinnybean]

There are O-rings around each plug hole. The ring goes in between the valve cover and the cylinder head. Changing these o-rings and the valve cover gasket will most likely take care of your problem.

 

[DSM90AWD]

If by valley you mean the spark plug hole then the the rubber plug gasket (one for each plug hole) has failed. If it is the valve cover itself (under the plastic trim piece) then either you have a bad oil cap gasket or a crack in the valve cover likely from over-torking the inner bolts

 

[iwannagofast89]

i have the same problem.......mine crack arounf the 2 inner bolts closest to the timing belt side

 

[95burgundyesi]

i have the same problem.......mine crack arounf the 2 inner bolts closest to the timing belt side

Mine is on the other side and the ONE plug boot's top is always covered with oil. Im so broke right now haha I will have to wait to fix it. I drove it for like 2 months like that.

 

[kenamond]

Mine is on the other side and the ONE plug boot's top is always covered with oil. Im so broke right now haha I will have to wait to fix it. I drove it for like 2 months like that.

The gasket set is like $45 at Autozone if that's the problem. If it is the problem, just be careful when you install the valve cover or you may create the other problem (cracked VC). That's a lot more expensive to fix.

Oil in the well can lead to arcing in your plug wire which will lead to missing on that cylinder.

 

[BoostedinSoFla]

If the oil is always in the valley and never in the the actual spark plug wells then the two things would be a cracked valve cover or a badly sealed oil cap.

 

[kenamond]

If the oil is always in the valley and never in the the actual spark plug wells then the two things would be a cracked valve cover or a badly sealed oil cap.

He mentioned that "most of the oil is only on one plug". But I now see your point. If the little drain hole in the front-right corner of the valley is plugged, the valley could fill up enough to start overflowing into the well. The OP needs to clarify if there's only oil in the well or if there's also a lot in the valley.

If it's in the valley, you should pull the plug cover off, clean everything up including around the oil cap, inspect the VC for cracks, then take it for a spin. Leave the cover off (save some time). Then see where new oil is coming from. It'll probably be obvious.

If it's in the well only, it's probably just the plug well seal.

And a new oil cap is cheap, too.

 

[-TunedDSM-]

Definitely let us know if it is the valley or the actual spark plug wells.

If it is only the oil cap, you can also just add a new gasket over the old one on the oil cap. They are only a couple bucks from Autozone/Napa/etc.

 

[95burgundyesi]

Just the valley, zero in the wells

 

[m1ch4el_b1990]

does any 1 know y my engine would have oil depositing around the spark plug wires it makes no since to me bc it's not coming threw the spark plugs and i checked to make sure all bolts are tight

 

[kmoore]

Your oil cap is leaking

 

[Locke]

Or your VC is cracked.

 

[C_Keagy]

Get another gasket for on the oil cap or get a new metal one from advanced or autozone!

 

[synthetek]

+1 for oil cap or cracked valve cover. Take off the oil cap & see if the rubber gasket is there or if its become hard like plastic if it is replace it and clean up the oil & look for cracks in the valve cover.

 

[m1ch4el_b1990]

my seal is hard as a rock so thanks