oil in spark plug tunnel

[miggz925]

i just changed the oil in my car the other day and noticed i had an oil leak, which i never had on this car before. engine has 240,000 miles and still runs strong. i couldnt find where it was leaking from so i just started refilling the oil and dropped some on the boot for my spark plug wires, pulled out number one cylinder wire and it was drenched with old oil. only in that cylingder, about 7 months ago while i worked at toyota i changed all my belts and put a new valve cover gasket and 4 new grommets and everything was fine. my mech coworker said it was the grommet around the spark plug cylinder but my manager says the head gasket. any one here have any ideas what it could be. sorry if i didnt make it to clear i know i wrote alot

[toyomoho]

Not sure how a head gasket can cause this. The spark plug tube is pressed or screwed into the head, possible this could leak. If OK before grommet change, might recheck this and perhaps add some kind of sealant as extra protection.

[poiter_mcd]

I had this in my camry and it was simply the very top nut on the outside of the chamber - that real big sucker which I think secures the chamber to the head(???) - you don't have to take the rocker cover off or anything - you can see it when you take the lead out. It was just loose.

Dunno if it's the same on the corolla????

cya
Poiter

[miggz925]

i know exactly what youre talking about on the camry but the 7afe corolla is designed differently. i dont mean the new gasket caused it im just letting you guys know what ive done to it so it could possibly help im just hoping its not the head gasket. im gonna look into it some more on my day off and take the valve cover off

[freakinbox]

rubber seal at the top of the tube where it preses on the valve cover

[toyomoho]

Use a torque wrench to snug down the large nuts over several passes.

[toyota_b]

haynes manual for tq specs or you might be able to find them on the internet...

[retiredat44]

be very careful, some of those studs are weak, don't break it!


at least on the Corolla the bit studs that hold the valve cover are small and can only take a few inch pounds of torgure. The little donut gaskets around the spark plugs holes can leak if the bolt are not tight enough.

[freakinbox]

I suggest just replacing the gasket, it shouldn't leak if you tighten it with a small wrench. They are rubber, the seal does wear out, and I don't think they are expensive, I know when I did my valve cover seal it didn't cost me much.

[azcorolla]

Yeah, there's a good chance you just need to replace the gaskets. If tightening doesn't work, get the whole set and make sure you've got this problem covered for a long time.. The set would included the ones around the spark plus, the ones around the 4 studs, and the valve cover gasket.

While you're in there you can inspect the timing belt, too.

[freakinbox]

4 studs eh? your lucky, I think mines has 3.. or is it 2? I can't remember off the top of my head :p. thats the old 4af for ya

[miggz925]

just to let you guys know i fixed the leak. it was te gromets that seal the spark plug tubes, 2 of them had small cracks so i just replaced all 4, but yeah the rolla is running fine





rolla925

[88sr54af]

I have the same problem in my car but I already have changed the groments and the seal but there still is oil in the tubes. Any ideas.