Oil In The Spark Plug Well

[Steve1578]

Finally got my torque wrench so I decided to change my plugs today. I've owned the car since September, so this is the first I'm doing so.
I went from very happy when I realized that the previous owner had purchase Accel supercoils, to then sad when I pulled the 4th plug and noticed some oil.
Doesn't seem to be coming from within the engine, no oil on the tip. Very slight on the ceramic part, most of it is sitting right where the valve cover seal is. So I'm assuming that it's a bad a seal.
Never had to replace seals, heard they're not too hard, so I'm hoping that's what it is. Looking for opinions on if it's just valve cover, and how hard of a job it would be.
Thanks!

 

[99COBRA2881]

Yeah it's a leaking seal you can see the oil on it in the pic. It doesn't look that bad, I'd monitor it but I wouldn't change it.

Which side is it on? Pass side valve cover is not bad to pull in car driver side is more difficult.

 

[Steve1578]

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Don't think it's necessary to replace though? It's on the driver side, which I was actually thinking might be easier since the intake isn't there.

 

[01yellercobra]

I've only pulled the passenger side in the car. That sucked bad enough. I'd hate to deal with the driver side. You have to move the master cylinder I believe.

 

[Brutal Metal]

compared to most plugs I take out of 4V's that thing is clean!

 

[3B99SVT]

I'm going the other way on this one. The tapered shoulder is the seat for the spark plug and you have oil on your threads. When I had a bad seal there was oil all over the rest of the plug above the seat. I agree w/Brutal that your plug really isn't that dirty. I wouldn't worry too much about it and I definitely wouldn't pull the valve cover for it.

 

[Steve1578]

I'm going the other way on this one. The tapered shoulder is the seat for the spark plug and you have oil on your threads. When I had a bad seal there was oil all over the rest of the plug above the seat. I agree w/Brutal that your plug really isn't that dirty. I wouldn't worry too much about it and I definitely wouldn't pull the valve cover for it.

So do you think it's bad that I have a little oil on the thread though? The plugs were definitely not bad, just never dealt with oil before.

 

[NastyNate420]

I'm going the other way on this one. The tapered shoulder is the seat for the spark plug and you have oil on your threads. When I had a bad seal there was oil all over the rest of the plug above the seat. I agree w/Brutal that your plug really isn't that dirty. I wouldn't worry too much about it and I definitely wouldn't pull the valve cover for it.

Im with you. I have leak on a couple of mine and get oil on the plugs above the seat. also have a lil oil in he sp holes.

 

[Steve1578]

Im with you. I have leak on a couple of mine and get oil on the plugs above the seat. also have a lil oil in he sp holes.

Yeah mine wasn't that bad. Just oil right at the top of the coil plug at the seal.