Found oil in the spark plug housing?!?!!

[986FortyEight]

Originally Posted by Jaxonalden

Quote;

"One of my colleagues who is particularly mechanically inclined told me today that it is quite normal for plugs to develop leaks over time as the metal they are made of expand while the ceramic doesn't."

Are you thinking that the oil came from a leaking spark plug because the metal expanded and oil leaked around the metal and ceramic? I don't mean to debunk you friend but I have never (in my 44 years) heard of a spark plug leaking anything. If it did it would be extremely hot, highly pressurized exhaust gas. I have heard of blowing the plug out of a head because of stripped threads or just being loose but never leaking oil.

Your oil problem is from a leaking spark plug tube O-ring.

Fair enough. I am planning on changing them. Another friend from PCA told me he changed his tubes at 110k so perhaps my 120k service effort is a good time to do it.

[Jaxonalden]

You should get away with about $40 in parts and whatever it takes in time for you to pull your plugs. Your problem should be a wake-up call for the rest of us with time and mileage on our cars. I'm ordering a set of tubes and O-rings so the next time I change my plugs, I'm replacing my tubes as well.

[986FortyEight]

Originally Posted by Jaxonalden

You should get away with about $40 in parts and whatever it takes in time for you to pull your plugs. Your problem should be a wake-up call for the rest of us with time and mileage on our cars. I'm ordering a set of tubes and O-rings so the next time I change my plugs, I'm replacing my tubes as well.

Thanks Jaxonalden. I have ordered the tubes and will let you know how it went once I get them in!

Mike

[boxster_s_boy_34]

Well, like I said it was my 2 cents and I don't know a whole lot about these water cooled 6's. As for my smoke explanation; that is what I was told by Matt at Sport Haus in Reno (surely someone has heard of them because they are world reknowned for their turbo work).

[boxster_s_boy_34]

Well, like I said it was my 2 cents and I don't know a whole lot about these water cooled 6's. As for my smoke explanation; that is what I was told by Matt at Sport Haus in Reno (surely someone has heard of them because they are world reknowned for their turbo work). The more I get on here though, the more that I learn everyday, even if it is tough love. Thanks for the mentorship.

[Paul]

I'm sure he said "valve seals" not "valve seats."

But even so, nothing to do with this issue.

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by Jaxonalden

You should get away with about $40 in parts and whatever it takes in time for you to pull your plugs. Your problem should be a wake-up call for the rest of us with time and mileage on our cars. I'm ordering a set of tubes and O-rings so the next time I change my plugs, I'm replacing my tubes as well.

Absolutely no reason to swap the tubes! It's the 'O' rings which go bad... not the tubes... they're just tubes. Unless you find a cracked tube (which I have never heard of) simply replacing the 'O' rings should be sufficient.

[boxster_s_boy_34]

I just thought that I would throw in my 2 cents here. I know that flat 6's are well known for seeping a little bit of oil from the valve seats if they sit for any length of time (within a day or two is possible) and that will cause a little bit of smoke on start up. I know that nobody enjoys working on a hot engine, so I'm wondering how much oil would you say it was, and how long did the car sit prior to changing the spark plugs?



-Jeff

[Jaxonalden]

Originally Posted by boxster_s_boy_34

I just thought that I would throw in my 2 cents here. I know that flat 6's are well known for seeping a little bit of oil from the valve seats if they sit for any length of time (within a day or two is possible) and that will cause a little bit of smoke on start up. I know that nobody enjoys working on a hot engine, so I'm wondering how much oil would you say it was, and how long did the car sit prior to changing the spark plugs?



-Jeff

The two things your talking about have no relation to one another. The smoke at start up is from oil seeping past the rings and burning at start up. The oil in the spark plug tubes is from leaking o-rings that seal the spark plug tubes in the head.