I Need to Replace The Valve Cover Gasket?

[VSack]

Some of you might remember me from such recent threads as "that guy who just learned what a Helicoil is" and "My wife naked for your car advice". I'm back with another question.

I swapped the old plugs out (I think they were OEM; gapped at 45) and put in new NGK TR6 coppers.

Here's some pics of the old sparks. As Brutal Metal mentioned in my previous thread, there is some oil buildup on the sparks which he recommended replacing the valve cover gasket to repair. The only pics I forgot to take were of the COP cover and top of the valve cover, which had some singe marks that I thought even before I pulled the sparks looked like old burnt oil.

I also took the opportunity to perform a compression test.

Here's the results:
5: 150 1: 180
6: 170 2: 177 (Helicoiled Plug)
7: 170 3: 153
8: 175 4: 180

The car had been warmed up, but because I'm a noob, I'd say it was about an hour between when I killed the engine and when I ran the tests. Based on what I've read, those numbers look pretty strong for an engine with 80k.

Based on this information, plus a combustion leak test performed last week that came back negative, is it safe to say that the engine is in good shape? The valve cover gasket is an important fix, but its not some massive show stopper, right?

I was considering taking my car to CarCraft this weekend, and I'm not sure if I will have the time between then and now to replace the gaskets.

Wouldn't bad valve cover gaskets show up as leaks, wet spots, or in the compression test? When I had the car at a local shop up on a lift, they said that everything looks dry and there are no pools in the garage.

Last pic that maps out the sparks based on the cylinders as well, just in case this helps. The two lower compression ones were 5 and 3 and the one with the helicoil is 2.

Is it time for me to finally kick back and have a brew while staring at my new beautiful car or should I still be in troubleshoot and diagnostic mode?

Thanks folks!








I promise one of these days my posts will stop being walls of text. :beer:

(edit: corrected the cylinder numbering)

 

[Brutal Metal]

I wouldn't completely freak out about the oil on the threads, most of us see some when the plugs are pulled but I noticed in a close up pic in your other thread that a couple looked pretty soaked? That's why I mentioned the valve cover gasket!

 

[SnakeBit]

Usually, when the valve cover gasket goes, oil is on the top of the sparkplug, the part sticking out of the head. Oil on the threads can be caused by other things, like oil getting past your valves or piston rings.

 

[cobracide]

Kick back and relax.

 

[99stanger]

Why would the valve cover gasket cause this? (I am talking about the literal valve cover gasket that basically outlines the outside of the valve cover). Or are you guys talking about one of the four doughnut gaskets that surround the sprakplug hole?

 

[01cobravortech]

I wouldn't replace it either. My plugs look very similar with the oil on the threads. Oil simply gets on the threads much like it gets on the intercooler. I'd be concerned if the electrode was covered in oil or if you had oil in the sparkplug wells.

 

[Brutal Metal]

Yes the gaskets surrounding the spark plug holes! And yup it's common to see the oil on top of the threads as mentioned!

 

[99stanger]

Yes the gaskets surrounding the spark plug holes! And yup it's common to see the oil on top of the threads as mentioned!

I can't imagine any need to change them out as they are very, very thick gaskets and likely didn't rip. Best advice I can give is to take the cop cover off flash a light down the hole and see if there is any visible cracks in the gasket (but I seriously doubt it). If there isn't, maybe just a torque down is in order??? As far as the oil goes being on the threads maybe its a case of there only being 3 threads for the sparkplug to begin with (if it has the 03' heads)... but from the pics I wouldn't be worried because it stayed a good bit away from the electrodes.

 

[Brutal Metal]

Those gaskets have been known to leak 99stanger, it isn't a common occurance but it does happen!

 

[Jomo1994z71]

I had some carbon buildup on the threads of the stock plugs with 36,000 miles, but not all the way up on the threads like yours...hmm...subscribing...

 

[99stanger]

Those gaskets have been known to leak 99stanger, it isn't a common occurance but it does happen!

Yes but leaking why? Because the gasket is actually ripped or somehow faulty (hard to believe) or because maybe the cover needs to be retorqued (I could easily understand this). Not acting like an ass here, just curious.