[skooter WRX]

I just changed the spark plugs in a 99 passat with 67k on it. The question is that 3 of the 4 plugs were covered in oil. But not only the plug is covered but also the walls inside of where the plug was and there was also some oil on the coil.

I know that this condition is not normal and I am fearing that the rings or valves might be leaking oil. I have not performed a compression test yet but the vehicle seems to have power. There is also quite a bit of oil in the intake track from the turbo but it seems to be fairly normal (judging from the amount in my other turbo car).

The 4th plug seemed normal a light frosty coating of ash from normal wear and tear (67k) but no signs of rich/lean condition. The other plugs looked the same after drying them off but the oil frightens me...

Any advice or answers on what might be going on would be great. :bow:

 

[Mil]

Hmmmm? do you see any signs of oil leaks on the engine.. oil fouled plugs sometimes maybe linked to oil steaming from engine and then that steaming oil and air from the engine inside the engine compartment maybe circulated while the engine is taking in that oily hot air from the intake air box.. is your air filter also covered or oily?? I'm just spiff balling here??? but maybe you might try resolving the external oil seepage ( i can't spell) or leaks... if the air cleaner is oily that maybe a good logical indicator why your plugs are fouled ... you might try checking to see if any of the bolts are loose on the valve cover/engine cylinder head cover. Good luck .. I hope my reasoning helps or maybe someone out there who can guess precisely or experienced the same can help you. _ mil Edit)))))))) DOH!!!!!! only 3 plugs are fouled.. well that external oil leak is a remote possibility.. cuz when you have oil leaks.. Oil tend to steam and get into places one being the spark plugs base where oil can seap in from when the engine is hot.. just a theory? well good luck

 

[skooter WRX]

they actually were oil fouled just covered with oil... i guess i am not explaining very well... the plugs and internal chamber where the plugs are was oily, fresh oil, still wet and slick. i am guessing that the plug washers were not sealing right and allowed blowby oil to seep through them... but this is nearly impossible for that much oil to be in that area of the engine.

like i said the plugs were covered in wet oil not fouled just wet oil the kind you would leak on the driveway.

 

[jhct]

It sounds like you have oil leaking into the spark plug tubes from the cylinder head rather than blowing out from the combustion chamber. You may just need a new valve cover gasket set.

 

[Mil]

they actually were oil fouled just covered with oil... i guess i am not explaining very well... the plugs and internal chamber where the plugs are was oily, fresh oil, still wet and slick. i am guessing that the plug washers were not sealing right and allowed blowby oil to seep through them... but this is nearly impossible for that much oil to be in that area of the engine.

like i said the plugs were covered in wet oil not fouled just wet oil the kind you would leak on the driveway.

I'm thinking compression check.. you may have piston rings going bad in 3 of those cylinders..

 

[sirwired]

My money is on the valve cover gasket, like jhct said. If it was your piston rings, you would have a fouled PCV system and nasty looking plug tips, not oily plug wells. (This of course assumes that your plugs were torqued correctly.) This should be a relatively easy fix.

SirWired

 

[skooter WRX]

That is what I was thinking also was the vavle cover gasket because the car does not burn oil and with the qty on the plugs it would be burining a qt per wk.