Urgent Help needed ASAP!!

[TheDailySHO]

So this afternoon I am putting new plugs in in preparation for the Livernois tune that is coming soon. I pulled out the coil pack on the middle front cylinder and it was covered in motor oil. The spark plug is barely visible and is drowning in oil. I have a very hard time believing that this is normal as the other two cylinders are bone dry. The car runs totally normal and I have had no issues at all. Any idea what this is!?? (photo attached)

 

[Devin]

I would guess a sparkplug well seal between the head and the valve cover is shot. Have you ever removed and reinstalled the valve cover on this car?

 

[rcryniak]

woahh... that'd scare me too. Are you getting any codes for the cylinder in question? Could it be that the electrode was previously clean until you pulled it out (that it was only on the threads)? I'm anxious to hear some responses on this one too... keep us posted.

 

[Crash712us]

Have seen this numerous times. Seals where installed improperly. Whatever you do, do not remove the plug until you evacuate the oil.

 

[SHOdded]

Have seen this numerous times. Seals where installed improperly. Whatever you do, do not remove the plug until you evacuate the oil.

Yeah, we don't want hydrolock! In Gen I/II SHOs, people have used a tampon to absorb the excess oil, or you could use a pipette bulb to suction the oil out of the plug well into a cup.

 

[TheDailySHO]

I would guess a sparkplug well seal between the head and the valve cover is shot. Have you ever removed and reinstalled the valve cover on this car?

You are absolutely correct. After my initial panic subsided, I pulled the coil pack off off the adjacent cylinder. I compared the two and the oily one had the gasket either on wrong or it came up somehow. I have never had the coils off before today so it had to be from the factory. I absorbed al of the oil ( as much as I could but it was pretty clean after) before removing the plug. Im no mechanic but I knew that pulling the plug and letting the oil drain into the cylinder is probably not a smart move. I fixed the seal so it looked like the other and cleaned everything up and Continued on with the rest of the plug swap.

Crossed my fingers, fired it up, and it ran like a champ! Never did throw any codes at all so my guess is that no oil actually leaked down beyond the plug. Im going to check it again in the next day or so to make sure the problem is fixed. Thank God it was a front cylinder that I could look into and not the rear side.

Thanks for the responses! You would not believe the panic whwn i saw that oil in a place I knew it should not be. All in all a good learning ezperience and I'm glad I ordered the livernois tune which forced me to find the problem.

:shappens:

 

[rcryniak]

Really glad to hear it.

We need a new tagline.... "Livernois tunes save cars"

 

[TheDailySHO]

Really glad to hear it.

We need a new tagline.... "Livernois tunes save cars"

So true!

 

[jmr061]

I had this same issue on mine with one of the plugs. I would be shocked if you got that seal back in place to where it holds. The cover needs to come off to do it properly. Covered under warranty.

 

[TheDailySHO]

I had this same issue on mine with one of the plugs. I would be shocked if you got that seal back in place to where it holds. The cover needs to come off to do it properly. Covered under warranty.

Just ordered a new gasket and will be putting it on tommorrow. It should be fine as its not a valve cover gasket but rather the rubber gasket that rests right under the COP. It installs from the top so no need to take the valve cover off at all.

 

[SHOrod]

The service manual indicates the seals can be installed from the top side of the valve cover. However, it states to remove the valve cover to remove the seals and the instructions would have the tech also installing the seals before installing the valve cover. There is a special removal tool as well as a special installation tool. The installation tool appears to be a standard seal driver.

It will be interesting to hear how the removal process goes, if you're able to replace the seal without removing the valve cover. If that's not part of the design, I really don't see the advantage of this type of seal over the old donut style seal they used to sandwich between the valve cover and the head.

-Rod

 

[navbtcret]

I had the same thing on mine and had it replaced under warranty. Mine had about 400 miles on it when I went to change the plugs, I wasted no time putting a tune on the car. The tech did remove the valve cover to replace the seal.

 

[BamSHO]

Looks like the plug well issue from the Gen 1/2's found it way into the Gen4's. I've had to deal with it in the past. My two Gen3's I used black Permatex on the plug well seals to seal them up, didn't have any leaks. Well glad you caught it. Surprised you didn't get a misfire.

 

[TheDailySHO]

Here is the part # that I'm talking about. BR3Z6C535B. I really cant see why taking off the entire valve cover is necessary as this seal can slip off/on from the top directly under the COP. The only thing I can see is if the tube is not the same circumference throughout but I was able to press on the loose seal from the top and it looked just like the cylinder next to it. I also noticed that a lot of the oil was dark and I recently had a full synthetic oil change so I believe this has been a slow leak over the past 20,000 miles. I'll be keeping an eye on it and if it leaks again it will have to go back to dealer.

 

[TheDailySHO]

The service manual indicates the seals can be installed from the top side of the valve cover. However, it states to remove the valve cover to remove the seals and the instructions would have the tech also installing the seals before installing the valve cover. There is a special removal tool as well as a special installation tool. The installation tool appears to be a standard seal driver.

It will be interesting to hear how the removal process goes, if you're able to replace the seal without removing the valve cover. If that's not part of the design, I really don't see the advantage of this type of seal over the old donut style seal they used to sandwich between the valve cover and the head.

-Rod

Removal was easy because when I pulled up the COP it was already loose so Injust olucked it out. I put it back on with a bit of effort because when I would force one side down the other would pop up. To be safe I ordered a new one for $6 from the dealer and will replace it today. It can be removed with a needle nose pliers. Pressing the new one on from the top can be done with care by using a large socket to evenly press it on.

Hope this fixes my problem. Time will tell. Now I just need to wait for the tune email to get here so I can see the fruits of my hassle.

 

[rcryniak]

Which tunes did you wind up ordering? I started with getting a 3 (91), 4 (91), and 4+ (93), just to cover my bases, if I ever wound up in an area with no 93 availability. So, far, installed 4+ and never so much as even tried another one.

 

[TheDailySHO]

Which tunes did you wind up ordering? I started with getting a 3 (91), 4 (91), and 4+ (93), just to cover my bases, if I ever wound up in an area with no 93 availability. So, far, installed 4+ and never so much as even tried another one.

I ordered the 91 because 93 isn't always available. I'm not sure what specific tunes they send but I gave them all my information on mods etc so I will probably go with the most agressive and stay there. Thats what I did on my mustang and never looked back.

 

[rcryniak]

I'm surprised you can't find 93? BP always has it. Never been unable to find 93 in Western PA. Might want to get the 4+ 93 (or 4x 3-bar MAP if you want to replace the MAP too, etc.) and use that for most your driving, and keep the 91 as a backup for situations where you can't take advantage. From what I hear, 4+ 93 is a decent step up from 4 91.

 

[TheDailySHO]

I'm surprised you can't find 93? BP always has it. Never been unable to find 93 in Western PA. Might want to get the 4+ 93 (or 4x 3-bar MAP if you want to replace the MAP too, etc.) and use that for most your driving, and keep the 91 as a backup for situations where you can't take advantage. From what I hear, 4+ 93 is a decent step up from 4 91.

Most of the premium fuel around the Twin Cities is 92 octane so I figured 91 is safer. I guess I could ask Livernois if the 93 tune is safe enough to run 92. I received my tunes this morning and its the Ver8 with both 91 & 93. Havent installed them yet but will this afternoon.

 

[rcryniak]

Definitely call... I imagine it'd be safe, but that'd be me guessing my butt off.