Oil in sparkplug holes?

[I-S]

I changed the plugs in the GDI today... cylinders 2 and 4 had traces of oil in the holes, above the sparkplug. Cylinder 3 had a significant amount of oil (like enough to cover the top of the sparkplug once the coil was out).

1) Where could it have come from? It was black, so clearly it's come from within the engine, but how? Is there a gasket that this suggests is awry?

2) Is oil in here liable to cause a problem?

3) What is your favourite colour?

[psbarham]

I changed the plugs in the GDI today... cylinders 2 and 4 had traces of oil in the holes, above the spark plug. Cylinder 3 had a significant amount of oil (like enough to cover the top of the spark plug once the coil was out).

1) Where could it have come from? It was black, so clearly it's come from within the engine, but how? Is there a gasket that this suggests is awry?

2) Is oil in here liable to cause a problem?

3) What is your favourite colour?

1) sounds like the cam cover gasket has failed , there is am 'O' ring round each plug tube
2) could cause a route to earth , but electricity is lazy so it will take the path of least resistance, primarily the spark plug
3) black or blue i suppose , never been a fan of pale colours :inquisiti

[Eurospec]

Thats what i would go with. The little rubber gaskets round the plug holes.

Oh, and Purple.

Cheers,

Ben.

[Kieran]

What Paul and Ben said. I've seen it several times on the VR-4, particularly on the rear bank - I imagine this is subjected to more heat.

My favourite colour varies depending on my mood.:inquisiti

[Gowf]

Yeah i would agree with the little round gaskets.... i did the simple and by far the cheapest fix for mine: Just tightened the rocker cover bolts to a sensible torque (using the calibrated hand obviously), as for some reason mitsi think that finger tight is enough!

I'm undecided on colour but im thinking tornado nose cone black at the moment.... it has subtle orange undertones

[richy rich]

Yeah i would agree with the little round gaskets.... i did the simple and by far the cheapest fix for mine: Just tightened the rocker cover bolts to a sensible torque (using the calibrated hand obviously), as for some reason mitsi think that finger tight is enough!

I'm undecided on colour but im thinking tornado nose cone black at the moment.... it has subtle orange undertones
Yep as all have siad above and have a go doing what gowf has said just try that first. other than that it is rocker cover off replace all seals and put back together.

[richy rich]

MD333276 & MD333275 I think these are the seals. If you give me your vin number ill check.

[Wodjno]

sorry.. but i'm going to disagree with all of the above.. No disrespect to anyone intended..

i'm going to go with the rocker cover ! I had oil in the spark plug orifices the 1st time I changed my plugs.. only the rear 3 though.. I told Andy(The Vee) about my worries of some severe engine probs ! straight away, he told me to check the torque on the rear rocker cover bolts.. I did ! a nd found that I could turn most of them with just the pressure of my fingers with a socket fitted.. So I cleaned out all the oil with a soft cloth and long thin screwdriver, refitted plugs and re torqued up the rocker cover bolts.. I have changed them twice more since then and have not had any more issues with oil sitting in the sparkplug orifices .. I also re torqued the front rocker to. although it never leaked any oil and the bolts weren't anywhere near as loose as the rears! they were still looser than they should have been..

[I-S]

It's a little more complicated on the GDI - the coils sit on top of the inlet manifold which sits on top of the rocker cover, so there's a whole series of "layers" down which the spark-plug hole descends. Inlet manifold, rocker cover, head. They're about 8" deep (which became A Problem when the rubber bit of out the spark plug socket decided it would rather stay on the plug than in the socket...).

[Kieran]

.....he told me to check the torque on the rear rocker cover bolts.. I did ! a nd found that I could turn most of them with just the pressure of my fingers with a socket fitted..

That's the correct level of torque for the rocker cover bolts - No, seriously! The Jap spec service manual gives (as I remember) only 2.5nm as the fixing torque. I wonder if it's a misprint, but then my plug holes where the same - I didn't need a driver, just used my fingers!

Next time I have the inlet, I'll replace the gaskets, but yes, a little more torque on the bolts keeps things in check for now at least.

[Paul Beazer]

sorry.. but i'm going to disagree with all of the above.. No disrespect to anyone intended..

i'm going to go with the rocker cover ! I had oil in the spark plug orifices the 1st time I changed my plugs.. only the rear 3 though.. I told Andy(The Vee) about my worries of some severe engine probs ! straight away, he told me to check the torque on the rear rocker cover bolts.. I did ! a nd found that I could turn most of them with just the pressure of my fingers with a socket fitted.. So I cleaned out all the oil with a soft cloth and long thin screwdriver, refitted plugs and re torqued up the rocker cover bolts.. I have changed them twice more since then and have not had any more issues with oil sitting in the sparkplug orifices .. I also re torqued the front rocker to. although it never leaked any oil and the bolts weren't anywhere near as loose as the rears! they were still looser than they should have been..
Including Gowf who has said the same as you? So by default you are disagreeing with yourself! /pan

Gets coat......

[Wodjno]

theres always 1 isn't there !

sorry for missing Gowfs input, but I haven't any internet for coupla weeks :(
so this is via my mobile and not as easy to read as on PC, so scanned the above rather than reading completely.. :D

[Wodjno]

Isaac :-)

I also have a GDi so am familiar with the engine layout /yes

Check your rocker bolts /yes


oil can travel a long way past whatever stands in its way.. and it is by far the easiest and cheapest option :-)

As pointed out by GOWF !!! :D

[Paul Beazer]

Hello!

Only kidding mate, makes sense. Whats up with yer tinternet?

[I-S]

I'll have a look... However, today I'm acting taxi for a colleague who's 53 plate toyota has failed MOT, and am getting out riding to not be totally out of shape/form for the wales trip...

[psbarham]

That's the correct level of torque for the rocker cover bolts - No, seriously! The Jap spec service manual gives (as I remember) only 2.5nm as the fixing torque. I wonder if it's a misprint, but then my plug holes where the same - I didn't need a driver, just used my fingers!

sounds about right , the reason behind this is that if you over tighten the rocker cover it will twist slightly around the bolt holes which means that the section between the bolts doesn't get as tight . ford were plagued with problems on the cvh and pinto engine range with rocker cover gaskets pissing oil everywhere , and the average sunday drive ways mechanics cure for this was to tighten it a bit further , this made matters worse and gave ford a very bad reputation , their cure was to put a short stud in the gasket either side of the bolt hole so the bolts could if wanted be tightened to 100 ftlb's without sqaushing the gasket.

[Kieran]

If you own a VR-4 and have oily holes (oo-er!!), then panic no more.

MitsuTwitty will want £15 EACH for a spark plug hole gasket./Grrr

Camskill now do a set of 6 for £26. :afro:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m22b17s1399p11349

[peter thomson]

If you own a VR-4 and have oily holes (oo-er!!), then panic no more.

MitsuTwitty will want £15 EACH for a spark plug hole gasket./Grrr

Camskill now do a set of 6 for £26. :afro:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m22b17s1399p11349

Yes my ones arrived this week along with new rocker cover gaskets.

[Kieran]

Are they genuine or pattern, Peter?

[peter thomson]

Are they genuine or pattern, Peter?

Hi Kieran they are genuine parts. Part number on the packet is MD178940

[Kieran]

Hi Kieran they are genuine parts. Part number on the packet is MD178940

Cheers Peter - Just looked that up on CAPS and it's used on quite a lot of Mitsubishi engines - Makes the £15.00 + VAT even more laughable!/pan

[d i c k i e s]

i need to get CAPS.