I just did a spark plug change and 2 of the back plugs were covered in oil halfway down the threads and onward. The part where the coil pack touches was bone dry and white still (no burnt oil). I have swapped the valve cover with a 6th gen already. Any ideas as to what is around that area causing oil to pass through?

 

Old "o" ring gaskets that go around the spark plugs on the valve covers? Can't remember the actual name at the moment. Did you put new ones when you changed the valve covers.

 

From what I remember, the replacement valve covers come with the orings.

 

Yes the spark plug tube seals are built into the valve cover.

 

I was going to guess tube seals were bad but you say they are new?

 

most likely valvecover gasket is bad

 

Any chance the spark plugs weren't torqued down enough?
Was it a lot of oil or maybe residual from the coil pack that dripped down after we changed your valve covers last time?

 

This was my first thought. If its just a bit of oil, I'd wager you're looking at residual oil from before that has worked it's way down to the spark plug and likely coated the threads on install and again upon removal.

Unless you can cram something like a smaller version of Mother's Powerball into the tube, there's no 100% way of illuminating all the accumulated oil from the tube.

Question: Did you take your finger or paper towel and wipe around the top of the tube to see if there was fresh oil from the seal? If there is no oil or it looks residual, then that is likely not the source. How long since the cover change? If the amount of oil you found at the plug is light and its been a year or so, assuming the seal is leaking, then it's not a repair that I would consider pressing.

If you're concerned, you could clean around the tube seals and then apply a thin coat of black RTV since you are in there.

 

The oil was NOT in the tube, at least as far as my finger could get. It was from about half the spark plug threads downward. The oil was fresh enough to drip when I took them out. There was NO oil on the coil packs.

 

Alien fingers

 

Foreign objects yes, but not chunky ones

 

Dripping?
Only two directions it could come from. Tube or cylinder. Im still unconvinced oil on tip is not contamination from residual oil. Doubt a ring issue. Possible that oil is leaking by the valve seals and running its way out the valve and along the cylinder head to the plug tip?

Hmmm, need to pull an image of the VQ35 head. Got my gears turning!

Looked at some images. Yeah, I'm thinking it's very possible from the intake valves. Been noted as a source for oil burning so could explain your finding.

 

I will be checking the plugs again when I swap the modded UIM. Hopefully I don't see oil then.

 

Was it miss firing? definitely sounds like a leakin valve guide or rings.

no bueno....

 

I recently changed out my spark plugs and notice a good amount of oil in 2 of 6 spark plug tubes. With having a 2002 max, would I have to buy the valve cover in order to change out the spark plug tube seals? I can't seem to find the tube seals...only gaskets for the valve cover?

 

Yea buy the 2004 maxima valve cover + gasket, came out to like $40 at the nissan dealer

 

I recommend to change the valve cover and the valve cover gasket, buy the 2004 Valve cover and gasket. The same and cheaper than 2002-2003 valve cover. I bought mine at courtesyparts.com. The spark plug tube seals are attached to the valve cover and its comes with PCV valve. Use the black silicone gasket or the oem Nissan liquid gasket (gray color)around the critical area of the valve cover. One of my friend is a nissan technician and he recommend to pull out the spark plug tube seal (metal) clean the tip and the area where it seat in the engine. Reinstall it put a small amount of silicone sealant around it. I highly recommend to instal a PCV oil catcher. Try to install this Phenolic Thermal Intake Manifold Spacer Kit

http://www.nwpengineering.com/Phenolic_Spacers.html

Good Luck

 

He already has the 6th gen valve cover. it's written in the third sentence.

I would look at the VC gasket.