Is my motor about to blow?

Changed the plugs on my Focus tonight. The plugs are recessed down in the head. When I pulled 3 out of 4 of the plugs, I found oil in the recess. Not a lot of oil, but oil none the less. No, I did not spill oil all over the engine when I changed it.

Car is running fine.

Oil is leaking into your spark plug holes from the valve chamber. It's not a good idea to leave the oil in the spark plug holes, as it can pool high enough to damage the rubber boots of your spark plug wires, will make the plug hole really messy, and it may eventually become a fire hazard. Below is how to fix it.

Oil leaking into spark plug holes (http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/oilyplugs/index.html)

A spark plug shorted by excessive oil entering the combustion chamber is shown below. This is often caused by piston rings or cylinder walls that are badly worn. Oil may also be pulled into the chamber because of excessive clearance in the valve stem guides, or badly worn valve stem seals. If the PCV valve is plugged or inoperative, it can cause a buildup of crankcase pressure. This condition can force oil and oil vapors past the rings and valve guides into the combustion chamber.

Spark Plug Analysis (http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/engine/plugs.html)

What does it mean when my spark plugs are covered in oil?


Read more: What does it mean when my spark plugs are covered in oil? | Answerbag What does it mean when my spark plugs are covered in oil? | Answerbag (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/401440#ixzz1Cf6Q2v00)

Oil is leaking into your spark plug holes from the valve chamber. It's not a good idea to leave the oil in the spark plug holes, as it can pool high enough to damage the rubber boots of your spark plug wires, will make the plug hole really messy, and it may eventually become a fire hazard. Below is how to fix it.

Oil leaking into spark plug holes (http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/oilyplugs/index.html)
Who knew you were so damn car smart? :nerd:

Who knew you were so damn car smart? :geek:
I gave birth to a mechanic...:diva:

I gave birth to a mechanic...:diva:

Hopefully he wasn't wearing his tool belt when he was born. That woulda hurt some kind of bad. :ouch:

Is my motor about to blow?

Changed the plugs on my Focus tonight. The plugs are recessed down in the head. When I pulled 3 out of 4 of the plugs, I found oil in the recess. Not a lot of oil, but oil none the less. No, I did not spill oil all over the engine when I changed it.

Car is running fine.

I read this as when you look down the hole where the spark plug is, you see oil. All you need to do is replace the valve cover gasket and clean the oil out. This does not mean the engine is using oil. Easy fix

Hehehe. Well let's just hope it isn't a 'worst case' and is in fact your valve cover gasket.

It COULD be that your rings are worn, or head is warped, allowing pressure from combustion to 'blow by' into the oil gallery... this increases pressure in the crankcase beyond acceptable tolerance, and will blow oil out your breather, PVC, and dipstick tube.

In that case, it should be all over your engine, but not always...

If when running the car, you pull the dipstick and place a finger over the tube, and feel significant pressure... you'z gotz a problem, homeslice...

Probably just your valve cover gasket though.... :lmao:

I read this as when you look down the hole where the spark plug is, you see oil. All you need to do is replace the valve cover gasket and clean the oil out. This does not mean the engine is using oil. Easy fix

That's what it sounded like to me too.

I read this as when you look down the hole where the spark plug is, you see oil. All you need to do is replace the valve cover gasket and clean the oil out. This does not mean the engine is using oil. Easy fix

That's exactly right. Gonna try replacing the valve cover gasket, but not until March most likely as I want to do it in the daylight and I won't have a weekend day available until then.

Thanks all for your input. Panic attack averted.

Jesus...huntr1....talk about snakebit...man:huggy:

:howdy:

Jesus...huntr1....talk about snakebit...man:huggy:

:howdy:

Shoot, car has almost 150K miles on it. Only maint I have ever done is oil/filter, brakes, 1 set of plugs at about 90K, 1 clutch, 1 alternator and 1 battery and now a 2nd set of plugs at 149K. Not too bad. Gonna change the gasket in a couple weeks and get another 150K at least out of the car.

Shoot, car has almost 150K miles on it. Only maint I have ever done is oil/filter, brakes, 1 set of plugs at about 90K, 1 clutch, 1 alternator and 1 battery and now a 2nd set of plugs at 149K. Not too bad. Gonna change the gasket in a couple weeks and get another 150K at least out of the car.

:buddies:...Good car...I was just grouping it in with the Chevy...:wink:

and it may eventually become a fire hazard.

You clean up your spark plugs yet? :shocking:

Vehicle Fire on Chancellors Run Destroys Van - Southern Maryland News, Charles County, Calvert County and St. Mary's County News (http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/21354)

You clean up your spark plugs yet? :shocking:

Vehicle Fire on Chancellors Run Destroys Van - Southern Maryland News, Charles County, Calvert County and St. Mary's County News (http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/21354)

They were just trying to light their joints off the motor.