mak89

iTrader: (6)

So today I decided to try to do a compression test on my cylinders. Before pulling out the spark plugs I noticed 2 out of 6 had oil around it in the valley. Pulled them out and those 2 spark plugs where drenched in oil. Looked inside the spark plug hole and saw excess oil, and a mirror reflection. Car has 155k miles on it.

Did some research and read that oil in the spark plug valley is often a indication of a worn valve cover gasket.

Question is, is the excess oil in the spark plug 'hole' (not the valley) also caused by the worn valve cover gasket?

Hamster

I'm not sure on this car specifically but I know on my previous cars that the valve cover has individual gaskets around each Spark plug hole and when they go bad, the spark plug holes would fill up with oil.

mak89

iTrader: (6)

its a sc300
You are correct, did some more research and it is the valve cover gasket and spark plug o-ring.

Thanks!

Red Bully

iTrader: (3)

i could also be the oil fill it is the lowest point on the head ( when you fill the oil "overspill")

Mike813

iTrader: (5)

^^ yea i noticed some shops do not use a funnel to fill our engines, it easily spills a little backwards following the crease where the valve gaskets would go and reach all the way to the back to cylinders. usually 1 & 6 is drenched. i decided to buy myself a low profile jack so i can do my own changes now to prevent that from happening again.

just check it occasionally after you clean it up to see if anymore oil builds up now. if so then it must be either your valve cover gasket or the o rings.

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

If there is oil inside the spark plug holes, then it's probably leaking through the rubber gaskets in the valve cover. If there is oil inside the cylinders, then you have a bigger problem - piston rings. But check the rubber gaskets first, that might be an easy fix. You check for piston rings by looking at your oil level, if you're not seeing any oil burning, then you're fine.