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Oil inside one of the spark plug

Old Jan 6, 2009 | 09:48 PM
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Talking Oil inside one of the spark plug

What can it be?? head gasket?? and i wanted to change it myself .... will it be hard????
besides,.... will it be hard to change the power steering rack? ... mine when im turning the wheel all the way to the right or left...it makes a noise like when the belt its bad.....what can this be?? thanks for your time
 

Last edited by Linkinxp; Jan 6, 2009 at 09:51 PM. Reason: Update
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 11:09 PM
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i don't know anything about a stratus, but on my son's honda accord, oil accumulated inside the spark plug wells. it was caused by bad seals under the valve cover. the seals came in a kit along with a valve cover gasket. it was easy to change and the seals simply snapped into a ring inside the valve cover.

a couple things to know. when the oil level inside his plug wells would accumulate to about an inch deep, it would start to skip. i suppose the oil becomes conductive. it even burned the end of one plug wire. for a temp fix, i'd roll up a paper towel and sop out the oil. also, if you unscrew the plug, all the oil runs into the cylinder. it doesn't really hurt anything, but it smokes a lot when you crank it.
 
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 01:30 AM
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oil inside the spark plug well/s (you pull the plug wire and see oil on the plug/wire; on S/DOHC motors only) is nothing more than a valve cover gasket.

if the gasket was replaced in the last 2-300 miles you MAY be able to reuse it. get some RTV (i like the high temp copper RTV, 600+ deg F). clean the valve cover and the head VERY good, any leftover bits can lead to a leak. pull the cover off, and the gasket, don't GOOP the gasket but, use a 1/16" bead on both sides of the gasket (smallest step of the "nipple/cone" cut at a 45 deg angle from the step to the point). the open end should point up, the solid plastic down (like this <____ , solid line being the RTV; right to left).

it's about 50 times harder than squeezing toothpaste out of the tube, slow and steady is the way. you want a solid bead around both the valve cover AND the spark plug wells. if done right, you will get some "spooge" at the gasket mating point (vale cover/gasket/head). no worries.

the only way to check is to pull the plug wires after a bit of driving.

hope this helps, happy motoring.
 
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 09:05 AM
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I am going to change the valve gasket this weekend : ) thanks so much..... Can i ask another question? what will be that sometimes when i turn my car off....the coolant reservoir starts to make bubbles sounds ......
 
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 09:12 AM
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Check your Power Steering fluid , if it's low when you crank the wheel full the pumpcan cavitate and make noise , Also check the belt it may just be loose///

The coolant noise is likely normal ...the resevoir holds extra coolant at rest it recieves it back from the radiator

As for the motor you dont say 4 or 6 the 4 is a cover gasket the V6 needs a gasket/seal kit there are 6 "O ring" seals that go in the bottom of the plug tube
 

Last edited by bad venge; Jan 7, 2009 at 09:14 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 09:17 AM
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ho sorry about that ... its a Dodge Stratus 1997 2.4 4 Cyl .. I'll check the power steering level thanks
 
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