Spark plug seals

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Wade

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When pulled the spark plugs I had rubber seals down at the bottom of the wells where the plugs screw into the head. Few were all cracked up and deteriorated, few pieces I would imagine fell into the cylinders, I just didnt even realize they had seals down there at first. Anyhow I will rig up a small hose to my shop vac and try to get it all out but thats a different matter. Why would I have them there? If Im not mistaken, there should be no seals in that spot, so Im guessing that someone put them down there to maybe prevent oil from slipping thru the threading or something?? Has me confused why this would even happen or why someone had them there. Ive read up on the plug well seals (the roughly 2 inch seals) that attach to the valve cover causing the wells to pool up with oil and I am searching around to get those apart from the kit. Trying to find them seperately since it does not appear that I need to get the whole kit, the valve cover gaskets seem fine. Anyone have any thoughts of why someone at some time would of put rubber seals at the bottom of the wells? Hoping this is not a normal practice and Im just missing something. Thanks.
 

jmpSHO

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I have never heard of anyone doing that so I doubt it's normal. By the way if the if you're removing the valve covers I wouldn't reuse the valve cover gaskets.
 

Wade

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On the valve covers, yeah your right, just trying to put as little into this car as I can until I can figure out if its worth it. Still trying to figure out whats wrong with it, I picked it up fairly cheap. Few sensors are out, temp gauge not working, was overfilled with oil, running rich, dying at random times and not wanting to start back up for a few minutes, ect. Spotting odd stuff on this car as I take apart like it did not even have a intake manifold gaskets on it..
 

jmpSHO

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The first thing I would do is disconnect the battery, clean the MAF sensor, do the idle reset procedure then drive it a few miles and scan the codes if there are any, which I am sure there will be.
 

rubydist

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some of the plug wires are made w/ a separate rubber 'donut' piece at the bottom end of the plug boot - this can come off the wire if there is a lot of oil in the plug wells and you are left with this 'donut' thing at the bottom of the plug. I'm guessing that is what happened here.
 

SuperHO

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valve cover gaskets are reuseable as long as they're still pliable. same with the plug well seals. just smear some gasket sealer on em all the way around and go for broke. as far as not having manifold gaskets, tat could be the source of a lot of your problems.
 

itwonder

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Best to blast out the plug well with compressed air before removing the plug to ensure dirt and debris does not fall into the cylinder.
 

SHOMON

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some of the plug wires are made w/ a separate rubber 'donut' piece at the bottom end of the plug boot - this can come off the wire if there is a lot of oil in the plug wells and you are left with this 'donut' thing at the bottom of the plug. I'm guessing that is what happened here.

x2 on the plug wire seal on the bottom.
 

Wade

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Thanks guys, turns out it was actual rubber washers someone used, kind of like the ones you find in garden hoses. My guess is the valve seals were leaking down so bad they thought they should put them in instead of pulling off the intake, but heck, Im just guessing. This car is a mystery! Pulled the thermostat out and it was snipped apart, guess past owner did not want to spend 8 bucks on a new one. The rubber donut thing was pulled off and actually used as the gasket with a ton of silicone to seal the housing back shut. Im pressing on now, not going to let this car beat me.
 

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