Oil Surrounding Spark Plugs

[zbban1]

I went to change the plugs, but have a pool of oil around each one. Is this normal? :shrug: I put the socket down around each one and there's a good inch of oil that shows up on the socket when removed. I have not yet pulled any of the plugs as I'm not sure if I need to clean out around the plugs first or not. Haven't done much with overhead cam motors, hence the question. Guess I'll put the wires back on the plugs till I get an answer. Thanks in advance.......

[capitalcrew]

Valve cover gasket is either bad or not torqued down properly.

[tre2000zx2]

bad valve cover gasket... common problem ...easy fix bout 20 bucks at most parts stores.. .OR ..you can do like ive done sometimes.. remove it .. spray it with wd-40 and itll swell up and reseal... that should only be a temp fix though... like untill the part gets in if ya have to order it..

[zbban1]

I was kind of thinking that, and someone else locally said that it might be something called plug seals...? 99% of the valve cover is dry, just about an inch or so on the left front corner (timing belt side) that is slightly wet. No big drips or anything like that, though.

[zx2boy7]

valve cover gasket needs to be replaced. it is a pretty easy job and the gasket is only like $20

[zbban1]

Okay, thank you very much guys. I thought I remember reading it in the common problems on the old site, but honestly didn't take the time to look now....lol.

[MindSpinZX2]

It's not normal, but really common with our cars. The best way I found to get it out was like this: Don't laugh.
Use the head and long skinny tube part of a spray bottle and stick the end down in the oil. Then you can just kinda suck it out that way, I sprayed the oil into the bottle. I would do this before taking out the plugs, then change the gasket. Use RTV silicone on the gasket so it won't happen again.

[MindSpinZX2]

Shit like 8 people responded while I typed that. Lol

[zbban1]

LOL Yeah, they were quick. Wanna hear something more funny? My grandmother used to use a turkey baster for getting the juice from the bottom of the pan to put back on the turkey at Thanksgiving. Well, I got the bright idea one year to "borrow" it to suck some gunk outta something, I don't remember exactly what it was now. Yeah, don't laugh, but that'll work, too.

RTV silicone.....is there any particular one, cause if I remember right there are different colors for it? Just wondering......I have a lot of silicone tubes laying around, just wanna be sure I got the right one! Thanks!

[corby_baby]

careful with the rtv silicone, some say not to use it at all, but i say if your going to use it, use the least possible but still able to get seal.

[zbban1]

Okay, will do. Thanks.

[Blue ZX2]

Black or blue will be fine. Iv never had an issue with it.

[zbban1]

Cool, I have both. I was doing some reading in the Haynes manual and it says don't use any sealant on the gasket. I figured some would say use it and some would say not to. LOL My next dumb question would be this.....if I were to use the silicone, would I put it on the motor side or the valve cover side of it?

[capitalcrew]

Motor side. You don't want any of that coming off and getting into your valve train.

[zbban1]

Makes sense.....thanks, cap!

[capitalcrew]

Wait, what did I just say? LOLOL.

I read that wrong. Just put it on both sides if you want but try to keep it on the outside. Like, keep it so the silicone isn't on the inside where it can get into the valve train if it comes off by some random chance.

Reading>me.

[zbban1]

LMAO Okay, I understand. Put the silicone on both sides, but don't put it on so sloppily that it seeps out onto the internal sides of the gasket/engine, right? In other words, when torqued down and it seeps out a lil, it's better if it seeps out onto the outside of the motor, not the inside. Correct me if I'm wrong....lol.

Stupid thing keeps logging me out and made me try to log in 8 times before letting me post.....UGH.

[capitalcrew]

Yes ma'am, that's what I was trying to say. haha

It has been doing that lately.

[zbban1]

LOL Thank you, sir.

Yeah, aggravating as hell.

[Blue ZX2]

Yes correct, just a light film will do nicely. Yeah its not good for it to go into the motor but unless you slather it on like a R-tard you have nothing to worry about. Put light coat on both sides. clean surface area off with towel and brake cleaner or something to make sure its VERY clean. Put gasket on put valve cover on, try to wiggle it around by hand to seat it. put bolts in and finger tighten. Let sit for 30 mins and come back and torque it down.

[zbban1]

Ya mean I can't put it on like glopping toothpaste on a toothbrush? LMAO Just kidding, I know better than that and have known people to do that. R-tard is right....you should've seen the mess when they put the valve covers back on. It was an older 350 V8.....took 'em about 2 days to get all that crap off. I about died laughing.....simply amazing what some people will do trying to work on cars themselves! :eek: lol

[zbban1]

Just curious, you guys that said the gasket would be around $20...where would you be getting that price/part from? I've checked online for both Autozone ($47.99) and Advance Auto $34.98......? We've also got Murray's, Parts Plus and Napa and will be checking prices there, too, but $20 seems too good fo be true. lol

[zbban1]

Found one for $22.98, in stock, at Napa. That is usually the LAST place I call for parts because they're always higher than anyone else...lol. Guess where I'm going to get my gasket from? Hehe :ropenana:

[zbban1]

Got 'er done, wasn't bad at all. Easier than the ball joints. LOL I started it up and a puff of smoke, whitish blue, came outta the tailpipe. No permanent smoking, just that lil puff. Everything else looks good, no leaks. Have to run an errand and won't drive the Z till I can check it out, but I'm thinking it's just because a lil oil dripped down into the cylinders when I was taking out the plugs. I tried to get all the oil out from around them, but there was a LOT.

You guys think it's just from a lil in oil in the cyls? Should I pull the plugs and clean them if they need it? Will bbl to check for answers....thanks!

[mechtech]

The gasket is supposed to seal by itself, and sometimes does.
But a thin coat of premium silicone RTV on the rubber, then put it in the valve cover, then assemble, will ensure you only do the job once.

[zbban1]

6 to one half dozen of the other.....some say no RTV, some say yes. I decided to go with it, sparingly. I did notice that the old gasket I took off had silver gunk on it, but only in the middle part of the gasket and only on the bottom/motor side of it. Maybe the owner before me decided to just give it a quick fix? That's what I'm thinking......

[Canuck]

Got 'er done, wasn't bad at all. Easier than the ball joints. LOL I started it up and a puff of smoke, whitish blue, came outta the tailpipe. No permanent smoking, just that lil puff. Everything else looks good, no leaks. Have to run an errand and won't drive the Z till I can check it out, but I'm thinking it's just because a lil oil dripped down into the cylinders when I was taking out the plugs. I tried to get all the oil out from around them, but there was a LOT.

You guys think it's just from a lil in oil in the cyls? Should I pull the plugs and clean them if they need it? Will bbl to check for answers....thanks!

Unless it's still smoking it was just the oil that dripped down when you took out the plugs.

[zbban1]

Nothing more than that lil puff of smoke, so all's good.

[Canuck]

Nothing more than that lil puff of smoke, so all's good.

:partynanas:

[zbban1]

Exactly! lol

When I first saw the smoke I was like, "WTF did I do wrong?" lol