e36 Spark Plug Threads Oily

[donb318]

I've been taking a break from my e36. There's lots of other stuff going on in my life and also with my e60. Then the dang flu has been going around. I haven't give up yet.

I have a coworker who is an ASE Master Mechanic and he was sharing some thoughts about the valve stem gaskets and such.

That was odd because my mechanic mentioned something about the valve stem something as well that he saw when he was fixing the coolant leak. Hmm.

[FiberFast]

I am not sure its relevant or been said already but I got oil on my plugs from a bad valve cover gasket. Not sure that your issue here though, did you ever do a compression test?

[donb318]

I am not sure its relevant or been said already but I got oil on my plugs from a bad valve cover gasket. Not sure that your issue here though, did you ever do a compression test?

Nope haven't done a compression test, yet. I was going to try plumbers tape on the spark plug threads first.

My mechanic was suspecting a leaky valve cover gasket as well.

I was trying to rule that out because he already changed my valve cover gasket a few months ago but that time over half of the plug well was filled with oil.

[Nanniepoo]

What brand did you use? I've had Victor Reinz fail on me in like 15k miles

[donb318]

What brand did you use? I've had Victor Reinz fail on me in like 15k miles

I have no idea of the brand because my mechanic did it for a decent price.

[FiberFast]

What brand did you use? I've had Victor Reinz fail on me in like 15k miles

Just had a euro parts one fail on me in less. Also the euro parts banana hose I got failed in less than 1000 miles. There is a moral to this story but I cant figure it out... "Oh look cheap parts!" I should mention this caused me to misfire because the heat/oil was preventing good contact between the plug and coil.

[donb318]

Update:

I finally got back to messing with my e36 today. I had some chit going on with my leg for awhile.

It was time to proceed with wrapping plumbers tape on all of the spark plug threads. I noticed a tiny bit of oil at the bottom of each spark plug well. Ok so I wrapped each plug thread with about 3-turns of tape. I then started the car and let it idle for awhile. No smoke. I then drove around at high speed for a bit. Still no smoke.

I'd say this is looking like a leaky valve cover gasket. I did not suspect that right off the bat only because I had my mechanic replace my valve cover gasket a few months ago.

[Eric93se]

don, wrapping the spark plugs with teflon tape will have no effect on the VCG.

If you not a DIY guy, buy a geuine BMW VCG or I've had sucess with the Felpro brand, but be sure to get new grommets (15? or 12?) with the gasket and give it to your mechanic. You have the 4-banger? so I don't know how many grommets you have lol.

- - - Updated - - -

Rockauto has the felpro brand, it comes with the grommets. On the M52 none of the VCG brands do that.

[donb318]

don, wrapping the spark plugs with teflon tape will have no effect on the VCG.

I meant the valve cover gasket kit which contains all of the profile gaskets. I could just change the plug gaskets but the kit is like $15.

[Thomas525]

don, wrapping the spark plugs with teflon tape will have no effect on the VCG.If you not a DIY guy, buy a geuine BMW VCG or I've had sucess with the Felpro brand, Rockauto has the felpro brand, it comes with the grommets. On the M52 none of the VCG brands do that.

You start off well, by noting that the spark plug threads have nothing to do with the vcg. And since patching the pluyg threads mitigates the problem substantially, there should be no need to look elsewhere. Then you go onto recommend vcgs for a changem, just because the OP is confused enough to think about it again. Wow.

OP, my suggestion worked. Leave it alone if you don't have big leaks into the plug wells or outside the gasket down the cylinder head. And if you do, tell me, and I will show you the simple easy way to patch this permanently.

[Thomas525]

OP, oil in your plug wells is not supposed to drip through into the chambers and get burned into black smoke. They will just collect and fill up and eventually cause misfires when the near the ignition coil. Your spark plug threads are worn - that's why the plumber's tape worked here.

Consider that problem fixed. Lets go onto the vcg, which also appears to be leaking independant of the plug threads.

Pull out all the coils and look inside each well. You will see the gasket ring near the top. Firstly, clean this ring with tissue and then tissue soaked with carb cleaner. Then use some high tem silicone sealant, put a large dollop on a finger, and ring the rings. Squeeze it in as best as you can, line the ring with your finger and the silicone at an angle to the surface. Practice and you'll get what I mean. Once you're done it will be nearly flush with the metal. Then, carefully instead the coil, tighten it down, and then go onto the next one. Once all are done, leave it for a few hours to harden. Then drive for a week and pull out one coil just to check.

Of course try to dollop up all the oil in the plug chamber with a long nosed pliers and cloth before you do this. But don't waste carb cleaner or electrical cleaner on that. Oil will naturally vapourise and leave the plug well during driving.

[donb318]

I doubt the spark plug threads are worn because I just installed new plugs.

Oil was on the threads and in the well when I pulled them today.

I had the gaskets replaced last November because oil was half filled up the well. Car wasn't misfiring. It just had low power.

[Thomas525]

The threads are worn. That's why even new plugs did not fix anything. And last november, it wasn't smoking either. Somebody destroyed your plug threads. along the way. Anyway, its fixed and it was easy.

[donb318]

The threads are worn. That's why even new plugs did not fix anything. And last november, it wasn't smoking either. Somebody destroyed your plug threads. along the way. Anyway, its fixed and it was easy.

I thought you meant the spark plug threads. How in the heck do the threads get worn on the engine?

My mechanic wants me to drive it around a lot more.

So you think that small bit of oil in the well was seeping past the threads and into the combustion chamber?

[Nanniepoo]

I would replace the VCG with a good brand since it's obviously on it's way out and will eventually cause problems.

Then you don't really even need to worry about if your threads are bad

[Thomas525]

I thought you meant the spark plug threads. How in the heck do the threads get worn on the engine?

I suspect it is due to repeated overtorquing or using the wrong plugs and trying to jam it in, etc. It is very rare, even on old engines. That said, they do sell spark plug thread adaptors, for like $3 each. Its like a cylindrical metal sleeve. It is the perfect fix here, although imo you can stick with the pvc tape since that is flawless.

So if they have an actual product for this it must happen often enough i suppose.

My mechanic wants me to drive it around a lot more.

Probably waiting for oil to seep in and then laugh at you. He must have lost his lunch after you told him about the pvc tape thing lolol. Dumb fella, could not tell that the plug socket's threads were not quite right.

So you think that small bit of oil in the well was seeping past the threads and into the combustion chamber?

Of course. I mean, you used the pvc tape on the plug threads to form a tight seal, and then the smoke stopped instantly right? And on other cars, when the wells fill up with oil, they don't smoke right ? Ergo.

The next thing you should do is to purchase some high temperature silicone sealant for like $4 at wallyworld, and do the sealing procedure I described earlier. Dont bother with a new vcg. You have wasted enough time and money on this and your workshop will probably ruin the new installation as well. It is time for some quick, cheap, ghetto but guaranteed to work methods so that you can sort put this issue behind you permanently.

[donb318]

I am going to drive it around a bit like my mechanic suggested. I've been driving my other BMW all this time. I don't think he's waiting for oil to seep in, he just wants to see if it does. I also want to see if it does as well. If it doesn't then it doesn't.