I have am the original owner of a '08 Corolla S it has 80K all interstate miles and oil has been changed every 5K. The check engine light came on and it started missing. I hooked up a code reader and it was P0304. I took the ignition coil off above the plug and there was some form of liquid above the plug and the coil had crud on it. I did have an oil change about 300 miles ago at a garage and they were kinda messy could this be oil? It does not smell like it and it is darker than coolant. What should i do? Here is a couple pics of what I am talking about.
What does the underneath of your oil cap look like? Looks like coolant, especially the white/pink crust and it looks like the coolant mixed with oil and gelled. What color is your oil and coolant and how are both the levels? Ever change or clean your PCV valve? Got a pic of the spark plug?
Edit, did you ever change the plugs? Could someone have been very sloppy with the dielectric grease? Grasping, I know.
How do the other plugs look? What color is your exhaust? May need a pressure test. Ever overheat your engine or have any issues with it?
What does the underneath of your oil cap look like? Looks like coolant, especially the white/pink crust and it looks like the coolant mixed with oil and gelled. What color is your oil and coolant and how are both the levels? Ever change or clean your PCV valve? Got a pic of the spark plug?
Edit, did you ever change the plugs? Could someone have been sloppy with the dielectric grease? How do the other plugs look?
Under the oil cap is clean and the oil looks new. The coolant is orange/pink color I dabbed some on the small end of the paper towel and the larger end is the stuff that was around the plug. The coolant level is a little low, but cant remember the last time it was checked the oil level is fine. Nothing has been changed on the car except for the air filter and the oil. I have not taken the plug out yet figured I would try to soak the liquid up and get it dry, before I take it out. I am no mechanic, but figured I could at least change the ignition coil, until I ran into this mess.
Did you wash or pressure wash your engine recently? If not, get a compression test.
It's been 6 months since the engine has been washed. I would have thought it would have been evaprated by now. Also, I sent a oil sample away to Blackstone Labs at 40K and it had not water or antifreeze in the oil and ware below a normal 1.8L.
You can get oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. A failed head gasket can allow coolant in the cylinder and foul the spark plug and would produce white smoke out the exhust. Head gasket failures are really rare on the 1zz fe engines. When they do happen, it is usually caused by overheating (warped head) or not bleeding the air correctly out of the system when doing a coolant drain and refill, abused, or not having the head properly torqued from the factory. I have not heard of a cracked head/block yet on a 9th gen 1zz fe nor an issue with the intake manifold leaking coolant. Head gasket problems usually come with a misfire code and white exhaust smoke. A compression test will confirm. Engine is out of warranty, unless you have an extended one. To err on the side of caution, I would not drive this car except to a mechanic or until you can confirm it is not the head gasket. You can buy or rent the gauge and do the test yourself, depending on your ability.
Maybe someone else can comment, but that white/pink crust really looks like coolant. It also looks like the valve cover seal is shot around that spark plug tube and that must be replaced. The other option was pressure washing, or the garage had some crazy application of dielectric grease, but that does not appear to be it.
Watch the coolant level for bubbles while the car is running and with the rad cap off. Did the engine ever overheat and low low exactly is the coolant?
Compression numbers should be around 145 to 218 psi with no more than a 15 psi deviation between cylinders, tested when warm. PM fishexpo101
You can get oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. A failed head gasket can allow coolant in the cylinder and foul the spark plug and would produce white smoke out the exhust. Head gasket failures are really rare on the 1zz fe engines. When they do happen, it is usually caused by overheating (warped head) or not bleeding the air correctly out of the system when doing a coolant drain and refill, abused, or not having the head properly torqued from the factory. I have not heard of a cracked head/block yet on a 9th gen 1zz fe nor an issue with the intake manifold leaking coolant. Head gasket problems usually come with a misfire code and white exhaust smoke. A compression test will confirm. Engine is out of warranty, unless you have an extended one. To err on the side of caution, I would not drive this car except to a mechanic or until you can confirm it is not the head gasket. You can buy or rent the gauge and do the test yourself, depending on your ability.
Maybe someone else can comment, but that white/pink crust really looks like coolant. It also looks like the valve cover seal is shot around that spark plug tube and that must be replaced. The other option was pressure washing, or the garage had some crazy application of dielectric grease, but that does not appear to be it.
Watch the coolant level for bubbles while the car is running and with the rad cap off. Did the engine ever overheat and low low exactly is the coolant?
Compression numbers should be around 145 to 218 psi with no more than a 15 psi deviation between cylinders, tested when warm. PM fishexpo101
Thanks for responding. I am having it towed to a reputable garage. I was searching on some Ford forums and people have had problems with the intake manifold gasket leaking and pooling in the spark plug holes. Is the intake above the plug holes and is this possible for it to leak down on top of the plug in the 1.8?
Did the mechanic have a chance to look at it? Cracked head or bad gasket? Either way that is really rare, I guess it could have been one in a million casting issue. Coolant flows through the throttle body to cool it, but does not directly go through the intake manifold like on other vehicles.
Did the mechanic have a chance to look at it? Cracked head or bad gasket? Either way that is really rare, I guess it could have been one in a million casting issue. Coolant flows through the throttle body to cool it, but does not directly go through the intake manifold like on other vehicles.
He hasn't had a chance yet he will do it this week. I will post with the results, incase anyone else has this problem.
Coolant is leaking through a crack in the head at the base of the spark plug hole next to the threads. It cannot be the gasket... Coolant flows in the throttle body (not the intake manifold) to keep it warm, by the way.
Just spray WD-40 in the hole on the spark plug. Set socket on spark plug to work it in and out and around a bit. Remove socket, clean hole with tooth brush, rinse it out good with pressurized water, then blow it out with compressed air or absorb with towels. Spray WD-40 in and blow/wipe it out again. Remove spark plug to clean it, then reinstall. Spray WD-40 in the coil's spark plug connector, blow/wipe it out then reinstall. Add a bottle of K-Seal to your coolant. Start it up and drive it up to normal temperature. Check again if leak is in fact fixed after a few days, and clean out any coolant that may have leaked before it sealed up.
Start by draining radiator and engine block to refill with new long-life coolant and K-Seal if you're still on original coolant which is now due for replacement.
K seal sounds like a temp band aid fix, not a long term permanent solution to seal a crack in metal and last 200,000 more miles. I guess it depends on the size of the crack, which is not yet known.
Hairline crack must be pretty small. K-Seal's permanent coolant leak repair would probably work and is sure worth a try, before having the head replaced.
I took it to the shop and the problem was a bad VALVE cover gasket. It was leaking oil above the #4 plug and running down on top of it. I was paranoid that it was coolant, but after a glycol test it was discovered it was oil. I guess it was put on crooked at the factory and over time it sprung a leak. I am glad it was not a head gasket. Thanks for everybody’s help.
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