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Could the main valve cover gasket being looser cause oil to get into the spark plug well number 4 on a 4 cylinder? Wouldn't it be more the spark plug well gasket, that comes with the valve cover gasket set? The outer main valve cover gasket would only prevent oil seeping out of the valve cover/head to the outside world [under the hood] ? One of the threads in my head stripped so I have a clamp around that area keeping hopefully the required small pressure of [7ft/lbs torque] on the main valve cover gasket near the stripped bolt from leaking out.
Would that be enough to engage the spark plug well gasket right onto the spark plug hole shaft? So could my problem be more likely the spark plug well gasket [or worse yet the inner spark plug well gasket underneath the camshaft] then the main ring gasket that goes the length and width of the valve cover?
Grommet at the top of the well is most likely leaking.
If the spark plug boot is oil soaked above the plug(and not from being in a pool of oil) it would most likely be from the grommet installed in the cover that has failed. Could always clean out the well, reinstall and go for a drive. If there is oil weeping from the top down, you have found your leak.
Mike, Thank you for the advice. I'll give it a try, cleaning it and putting it back in. Is this what you are referring to? After cleaning it, and driving it, if there is oil at the red arrow then it's the top grommet. If there is only at the green mark, i have the dreaded lower grommet [ie take out the rockers and camshaft?].
Does the top grommet seal with o-rings towards the top of the spark boot That would make sense, probably couldn't be more than 1 inch down from the top of the boot right?
holmesnmanny, sounds good. I hope that's all I need. I replaced them 3 years [25,000 miles ago], with the valve cover, but perhaps I did it wrong. 3 years ago is when I was just starting out learning about cars.
According to youtube videos I need to lip the grommet up into the spark plug well, after I put the valve cover back on. With a flat head screw driver the video show some micro adjustments to the spark plug well grommets that I never did. I also used a 3rd party autozone set. Should the valve cover be honda oem, like the spark plugs should be NGK?
08-13-2015, 12:19 PM
99 MT accord Leak in spark plug cyl 4
