Why is there oil on my engine block? Detailed Pictures inside.
 

I took off the engine cover for the first time since i bought the car to find this. What is it and why is there? If it helps to know, my car has an oil consumption issue. Thanks for any help.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/7446d722.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/bc6a7b32.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/da752f92.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/e238b059.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/6098558e.jpg

daaaaaamn ittt

Well youve got a couple options here.

First did you recently get your oil changed? If so then you or whoever may have done the oil change may have spilled a bit of oil down there.

Second your spark plug tube seal may be bad enough to wear it is constantly leaking oil into the tube and overflowing onto the cover ( take that first coil off and see if the tube id filled with oil.

Third and very unlikely there could be a crack in the valve cover.

Looking at the pics, check your fill cap, it looks like the oil maybe running down from the fill cap which could happen if you had the oil changed and it was not tightened all the way.

Not very likely, but given the oil below the fill cap in the pics, it might be the cause

i think its more towards spilling the oil during an oil changed.

Yep that is oil spilled during the fill process being mixed with dust and dirt kicked up from normal driving.

:sprint:but probably happened when filling the oil....:D

:sprint:

Not that I want to be an ******* as usual.....

Idiot proof way of determining if an oil mess is a spill : CLEAN IT, THEN DRIVE THE CAR, THEN LOOK.

Nothing? was a spill. More oil? Problem.

:mrgone:

I find it weird that under the coils is more wet then anywhere else, if it was spilled oil wouldn't it be more obvious in the area under the oil fill cap and above and under the nearest coil?

And if it is a tube seal leak if it was that bad wouldnt the car probably not be running from the looks of it, it would have to be a pretty hard leak?

Just playing devils advocate here :D

I suggest you pull the coils and check the spark plug tubes and coil itself if thats dry clean it up and watch whoever changes your oil spill away ;)

Thanks for all the input guys. Its comforting to know that its most likely just my bad aiming with the oil bottles. Either way i'm going to clean and drive to be sure.

yep, first rule in these situations, spray clean with gunk and water, see if the leak comes back, plus it's easier to pinpoint the source that way since you've got a lot of oil up there...

:mrgone:

I just did my alternator today and had to take everything apart. I had a bit of the same and just cleaned it.