Fouled Plugs and bad wires question?

[SmitsYoda]

Ok so i changed my valve cover gasket yesterday in the freezing cold. I noticed the smell of gasoline when i took the valve cover off. From where the valve cover gasket was bad oil had leaked down inside the holes where the plugs go, well that caused the tops of the plugs to get oil on them. Could the oil have gotten on the plugs and wires and cause it to run rich? When is start the car is smells like fuel coming out the exhaust. Would putting in plugs and wires fix this problem? I changed the plugs out like 30 thousand miles ago but i smell fuel on the plugs *is that normal*. I just want this dumb situation to be fixed without having to spend a fortune.

[iCorollaS03]

Your valve cover gasket should have came with new spark plug tube seals... unless you only bought the valve cover gasket instead of the valve cover gasket SET.

Smelling fuel on plugs is normal, its how you get the spark for combustion. If its excessive then it is not normal.

One way to help improve fuel economy (even if you have proper tire pressure, air filter replaced, tune up, oil changed, etc) is to check your O2 sensors. Take them out and if they look fine... clean them with a CARB cleaner spray and dry them off and put them back into the respective O2 sensor hole. If they are bad, replace them. The O2 sensors work together and tells the car to use more or less fuel depending on your exhaust gases.

[iCorollaS03]

What I said before was assuming you have already replaced the plugs and wires... and assuming they are good.

I believe this generation has the same motor as the 2003-08 Corollas, iridium plugs are original equipment for 03-08 generation... I don't know if your generation has platinum plugs for original equipment. Iridium plugs would definitely give a better, hotter, and more consistent spark to burn the fuel.

[Bitter]

Originally Posted by iCorollaS03

Your valve cover gasket should have came with new spark plug tube seals... unless you only bought the valve cover gasket instead of the valve cover gasket SET.

Smelling fuel on plugs is normal, its how you get the spark for combustion. If its excessive then it is not normal.

One way to help improve fuel economy (even if you have proper tire pressure, air filter replaced, tune up, oil changed, etc) is to check your O2 sensors. Take them out and if they look fine... clean them with a CARB cleaner spray and dry them off and put them back into the respective O2 sensor hole. If they are bad, replace them. The O2 sensors work together and tells the car to use more or less fuel depending on your exhaust gases.

electrical cleaner or MAF cleaner if anything, but the sensor element itself is inside the metal cage of the sensor and cannot really be cleaned.