Oil on spark plugs

Tha_Unknown_One · August 18th, 2010, 5:12 pm

Yesterday I did my own oil change for the first time (yaaaay me). When I got to the spark plugs on the passenger side of the motor, they BOTH were covered in oil. So 2 out of 6 had a lot of oil on them. Anyone know the cause of this? I have heard that I may need valve cover gaskets. Is there anything else that this is a sign of? How hard is it to replace these gaskets?

mikexmayhem · August 18th, 2010, 9:07 pm

mine has a bit of oil on em too. but its all 6 lol. i would say VC gasket. and i dont believe they are too hard to change. just pop the VC off and change the gasket. just make sure the bolts are all torqued correctly

Fenix22 · August 19th, 2010, 2:16 am

The top of the plug was covered in oil, or the bottom side of the plug? If it's the top, then valve cover gasket is leaking and needs replacement. If it was on the bottom, then you have other issues, probably a leaking valve seal.

In order to replace the rear valve cover gasket, you have to remove the upper intake manifold to get to the rear valve cover. The rear takes a little bit of time to do. The front one is as simple as unbolting the valve cover and pulling it off, sticking on the new gasket and torqueing the bolts down (about 12ft lbs IIRC).

Tha_Unknown_One · August 19th, 2010, 6:49 pm

Top (Where the spark is created) was covered in oil!

89lxmorepower · August 19th, 2010, 7:19 pm

Then you need valve cover gaskets

Tha_Unknown_One · August 19th, 2010, 7:22 pm

Thank you guys, appreciate that!

89lxmorepower · August 19th, 2010, 7:23 pm

Not a problem that's what were here for

Fenix22 · August 20th, 2010, 1:45 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha_Unknown_One

Top (Where the spark is created) was covered in oil!

Spark is ultimately created at the bottom of the spark plug. High voltage travels from your spark plug wire into the top of the spark plug and travels to the bottom of it where it ultimately sparks inside the combustion chamber to ignite your fuel. I don't want to confuse you, but spark is created inside your motor if everything is functioning properly.

So if the oil is where the spark is created.. then valve cover gaskets aren't going to fix the problem..

Tha_Unknown_One · August 20th, 2010, 2:02 pm

Since you put it that way, it would be the bottom (The end inside the combustion chamber) It is on the end of the spark plug that is inside the motor, not the side that has the spark plug wire connected!

JKpgt96 · August 20th, 2010, 7:48 pm

Was there any oil on the top side of the plug also? (the side attached to the plug wire)

As mentioned, if there is only oil on the chamber side of the plug, then you have other issues to address.

Tha_Unknown_One · August 20th, 2010, 8:57 pm

Yes, it was there too. When I put the socket in to pull the spark plugs out, it was oil all over the socket as well! So yes...

JKpgt96 · August 20th, 2010, 9:00 pm

If there was oil all over the socket as well, I bet the oil ran down onto the chamber side of the plug when you pulled the plug. Your engine really would not have oil wet on the plug in the chamber. It would get burned up. And if your valve seals were leaking bad enough to coat your plug while the car was sitting, you would have a VERY poor running car.

buddah414 · August 20th, 2010, 11:04 pm

it is definantly the valve cover gaskets...this happened to my 95 gt and its not to hard of a fix but there is quite a bit of stuff that needs to come off...its not hard just make sure you have time...i did this on my car not to long ago good luck

Fenix22 · August 21st, 2010, 2:44 am

Yea, if there's any oil on top of the plug then you can get its' the valve cover gaskets. Oil on the bottom of the plug generally is burned and not wet.

94PrbGT · August 21st, 2010, 9:36 pm

I need to do this on my car as well. Kids were here this summer so all work on car went on hold.

I hear the vacuum hose nipples on the IM, where the vacuum lines connect to the IM, can be very brittle. They can break off when you disconnect the lines. Someone here said to cut the vacuum line at the nipple end a couple inches from the nipple to remove. Then once the IM is off, cut the vacuum hose end off the nipple longwise like a banana. Then you can peel it off without putting pressure on the nipples. If nipples break it's hard to fix. I am going to buy a red vacuum hose kit from www.probeaddiction.com and replace the lines while I am in there.