Oil on ONE spark plug, some engine issues Options

[RoadRage]

Hey guys,
Currently I have an oil leak that is pretty bad, and its suspected from the oil pump seal, I have ordered a timing belt kit and all the seals for a replacement job, but today while driving home I noticed when stopped at a red light the car with fluctuate up and down about 50rpm (from its normal 900, to about 850)

I get home and let it idle in the driveway and it doesn't do it anymore..
I take a look in the engine bay and see my pod filter is pretty dusty, So i thought that could be the cause, but I took a look at my spark plugs and one of them is very oily (it's the one closest to the timing belt)..

It was last serviced at the start of Jan and it got new spark plugs, about 2 weeks ago when the leak started, I had the gasket cover replaced thinking thats the issue, however the car still leaked)..

I started the car again thinking the 50rpm thing is me going crazy and after starting it and it gets up to normal temperature. It fluctuated about 7-8 times until it stopped and stayed at 900.. after keeping an eye on it for about 2 mins and still at 900 I turned the car off.

I'm not the best about these things and I am trying to learn new things everyday so would anyone know, is the oily spark plug the cause of these fluctuations and how come it only does it a few times then stops?
Is it possibly related with my current oil leak and if I get new plugs (I definitely am) will it stop the leak, or do i need a new cover again?
Or something else I'm not aware of

Thanks

This post has been edited by RoadRage: Apr 1, 2014 - 9:04 AM

[richee3]

Sounds like the new spark plug tube seal wasn't installed properly on that cylinder. I'd take the car back to where you had it serviced and have them fix it.

[RoadRage]

As in who installed the new spark plug didn't tighten it enough?

[ILoveMySilly97]

Sounds like the new spark plug tube seal wasn't installed properly on that cylinder. I'd take the car back to where you had it serviced and have them fix it.

+1, My dads Camry had oil on top of the spark plugs and we replaced the tube seals and the oil never came back.

This post has been edited by ILoveMySilly97: Apr 1, 2014 - 10:25 AM

[richee3]

The spark plug itself should be fine. It's more of an issue with the valve cover gasket.

http://www.store.partsdinosaur.com/product847.html

It's the rings in the picture on that page. When you had the car serviced and they replace the valve cover gasket, they either didn't replace the spark plug tube seals, put one in that's damaged, or didn't put it in properly.

[RoadRage]

Don't think they were replaced.. Don't remember any mention of them

[richee3]

They are normally replaced at the same time as the valve cover gasket since they are easily accessible at the same time. It's not a hard DIY job if you want to take it on. Since you mentioned that you just had the gasket replaced a couple of weeks ago, you should be fine to just replace the spark plug tube seals.

[RoadRage]

Called up the guy and he said he did replace the tubes..

[ILoveMySilly97]

He said he did but that's doesn't mean he did it properly.

[Galcobar]

Even if he did replace them, he could have misaligned the spark plug tube seals.

The other possibility is the oil is actually coming up from the inside of the tubes. I'm less certain this is possible, given you're running a 3SGE, but on the 5SFE the spark plug tubes are screwed into the head. The threads are sealed to prevent oil from working its way into the combustion chamber and up into the spark plug tube. Over time, that sealant degrades.

If the 3SGE has the spark plug tubes mounted in the same manner, then you may have to pull the tubes to clean the threads and reseal them. Toyota specifies a particular compound, but it's commercially available in the form of Loctite blue high-temp thread locker. The tubes themselves are fairly difficult to remove without crushing them. You can either use a chain wrench, which may damage the tubes, or use two nuts (one on which to set the wrench, and the other to lock the first in place) to achieve sufficient leverage.

[RoadRage]

I have the 5SFE engine, and will look into this.
Thanks for the advice

[Galcobar]

Huh, thought the 5SFE was North American-only, and that Australia got the 3SGE.

[Spider77]

Spark plug tube removal and install
I just did this, but here is a write up from Toyota Nation.

[RoadRage]

Huh, thought the 5SFE was North American-only, and that Australia got the 3SGE.

Ha I wish the 3SGE was around,

Thank you for the replies and the link to that write up Spider77,

I will get around to doing that,
I'm hoping to go for easy fix first of just to clean up the oil that I see and, check back on it if it comes back,
if it does, then I will know the steps to take

This post has been edited by RoadRage: Apr 2, 2014 - 8:55 PM

[RoadRage]

Ok, I am starting to have doubts I am actually leaking oil.
When I bought the car, the back of the engine block was covered in old oil,
From when I bought (Mid Dec till Mid Jan) I had no problems (or not that I noticed, I never actually looked)
I then started to notice the car is leaking oil..
I had the cover replaced and the leak still continued, which is now why the oil pump is suspected
before i had the gasket cover replaced, it was infact leaking and my oil was low
after getting it replaced and I was sure it was leak free I never looked at my oil levels, until I checked and saw it was on low,
I topped up and it's been 1 and a half week since I topped up and my oil is still full. How can I be leaking oil and it's still showing full (and I drive a lot)
This makes me doubt that when I had the cover replaced the mechanic topped up my oil (he said he did, but from the things he's said I don't think I will go back to him anymore)
Yes everytime I park I see drips on the floor from oil, but the oil only leaks when the engine is on (and hot).. this just makes me beleive its all the old oil on the back on the engine from previous leaks that stuck there..
who knows i'm having a rant
regardless I am getting it done since it is time for my timing belt change and replacing all the seals and oil pump while i'm at it to be extra sure no leak haunts me

I also cleaned the oily spark plug and will find out if oil comes back

[RoadRage]

Photos of the oil




I've cleaned it up now so I hope it never comes back