What could engine damage be from misfire due to oil in spark plugs

[RIboater]

Looking at a 2001 V8, which despite being on this forum for over 10 years, i know little about. I did pick one up several years back to part out that had severe engine damage from failed timing chain guides. Wow what a mess. I thought it may have been salvageable until I found metal shavings in the oil filter. Anyway....
Haven't actually gone to see it yet. owner states needs engine work. He said oil leaked into spark plug valleys causing misfires. he changed the vcgs but the "damage was done". What damage could that have caused? What might I actually want to check when i go see it?
I asked if it were driveable. he said it moves but wouldn't drive it long distance.

[Mayorchuck]

Never seen it do anything other than, eventually, foul the plugs. I wonder if something else is going on, i.e. ccv membrane bad causing smoke that he attributes to the oil in plug ports.

[sealbeach740]

Yes, oil can collect in the spark plug holes if the valve covers are leaking.
However, maybe I'm missing something here, but do people think that oil leaks down the spark plug washer, thru the spark plug threads & ends up inside the combustion chamber? Wouldn't that slight amount of oil (if it made it that far) just be burned off when the plug fires?

[XAlt]

Metal shavings in the oil filter meant nothing, that's just the chain wearing down on the backplate of the guides.

Anyways for the 01, probably just a fouled plug.

[xboss]

Possible cat damage over the long term maybe with misfires and fuel making it to the cats I thought I read that fuel can pool in them then detonate and put excess pressure on the cats.

[RIboater]

Metal shavings everywhere once i started tearing into the car for parts. the car was in pretty poor condition overall so wasn't worth saving.

For this car, i'm trying to figure out what else is up. He didn't say it was smoking so don't think it was the ccv. If a plug were fouled I would hope he cleaned out the oil while doing the gaskets. And for the cats, the V12 will shut off fuel to the skipping cylinder as a self preservation measure. Sometimes to the whole bank. Do the V8s have that feature?
I'm wondering if it might be completely unrelated to the oil leak. Like the stories of unplugging the MAF and driving away... Or maybe a coil or two making the engine run rough.
Hope to check it out this coming weekend.

[Mayorchuck]

Metal shavings everywhere once i started tearing into the car for parts. the car was in pretty poor condition overall so wasn't worth saving.

For this car, i'm trying to figure out what else is up. He didn't say it was smoking so don't think it was the ccv. If a plug were fouled I would hope he cleaned out the oil while doing the gaskets. And for the cats, the V12 will shut off fuel to the skipping cylinder as a self preservation measure. Sometimes to the whole bank. Do the V8s have that feature?
I'm wondering if it might be completely unrelated to the oil leak. Like the stories of unplugging the MAF and driving away... Or maybe a coil or two making the engine run rough.
Hope to check it out this coming weekend.

Yes.