Oil Getting into Spark plug

Paulyh · 27-07-2011 1:16pm #1

OK, i have a problem, a big problem

00 Impreza WRX

I had the car in for a full service and 4 new tyres and also the revs were dropping and the odd time the car would cut out when stopping at traffic lights, the service didnt help.
So the garage changed the spark plugs and noticed that oil was getting into one of the plugs, so thats the problem.
They said there is nothing they can really do, other then a new engine :eek:.
I have no reason not to believe them as I have used them for a good while now and trust them.
But is there anything else i can do to fix the problem (as a new engine is an option financially), I just cant accept that my beloved car is gone.
I suppose i'm hoping for a miracle solution

Thanks, Paul

Henry Ford III · 27-07-2011 1:25pm

If you are lucky it's valve stem oil seals or valve guides that are going/gone. If not it might be piston rings.

Mycroft H · 27-07-2011 1:26pm

Go do a compression test

Paulyh · 27-07-2011 1:30pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

If you are lucky it's valve stem oil seals or valve guides that are going/gone. If not it might be piston rings.

Would this be an expensive thing to fix, if it is the solution??

Blue Punto · 27-07-2011 1:32pm

landyman wrote: »

Go do a compression test

thats your first move

do what the man said and that will tell you if the engine is FUBAR

Tefral · 27-07-2011 1:34pm

Could be as simple as a spark plug oil seal at the rocker cover level.

Nissan doctor · 27-07-2011 1:35pm

Oil getting in at the top of the plugs or getting onto them inside the combustion chamber?

If its onto them from the chamber then the first thing needed is a leak down test. If this is ok then replacing the valve stem oil seals is the solution and certainly doesn't require a new engine.

I recon its more a case of the garage couldn't be arsed or don't have the knowalage/equipment to diagnose the problem fully or have no experience with a boxer engine.

Paulyh · 27-07-2011 1:43pm

OK, seems to be a compression test is my first move.
I might book it into a Subaru garage so get the best verdict.

When garage gave me the bad news, they said "oil is getting into the spark plug, and that the engines are so complicated that when things like that happen a new engine is the best option", so maybe they just dont have the capacity to investigate it further.
Thanks for the advise, I wont loose hope yet! it'll probably be the Subaru garage in Lusk I'll contact, Has anyone had any dealings with them?

Nissan doctor · 27-07-2011 2:11pm

Paulyh wrote: »

OK, seems to be a compression test is my first move.
I might book it into a Subaru garage so get the best verdict.

When garage gave me the bad news, they said "oil is getting into the spark plug, and that the engines are so complicated that when things like that happen a new engine is the best option", so maybe they just dont have the capacity to investigate it further.
Thanks for the advise, I wont loose hope yet! it'll probably be the Subaru garage in Lusk I'll contact, Has anyone had any dealings with them?

Imo don't go near a main dealer, they will be every bit as unlikely to be bother spending time diagnosing or repairing the problem. They will just want the quick simple money from selling you a replacement engine aswell.

You'll be much better off contacting a performance Subaru specialist like JOMO engineering or Westward engineering.

http://www.jomoengineering.com/

http://www.westwardeng.com/

trad · 27-07-2011 2:23pm

Is it oil leaking on a plug cap casuing a misfire or oil fouling the plug?

Paulyh · 27-07-2011 3:04pm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Imo don't go near a main dealer, they will be every bit as unlikely to be bother spending time diagnosing or repairing the problem. They will just want the quick simple money from selling you a replacement engine aswell.

You'll be much better off contacting a performance Subaru specialist like JOMO engineering or Westward engineering.

http://www.jomoengineering.com/

http://www.westwardeng.com/

Where is JomoEng Based? I cant see on their website.

trad wrote: »

Is it oil leaking on a plug cap casuing a misfire or oil fouling the plug?

I think it is fouling the plug, the mechanic showed me the spark plug and there was oil on the end of it, the end where the spark comes out of. I'm not very good when it comes to this sort of thing

Collibosher · 27-07-2011 3:07pm

Paulyh wrote: »

Where is JomoEng Based? I cant see on their website.

Killucan.

ShadowHearth · 27-07-2011 3:39pm

There is very big subaru club in Ireland. I bet they would give you a hand.

New engine is silly. Even for boxer. Your garage just wasn't arsed to work on something more complicated then oil change.

livingthedream · 28-07-2011 12:32pm

As other posters have said, a new engine sounds ridiculous...

Could be a rocker cover gasket issue, Car is '00 so you could be getting gaskets starting to get a bit hard and brittle... is there any sign of oil in the actual plug well too?

Sounds like you're not too handy with the spanners so take it to an independant who knows subarus, I'd suggest maybe Rodney Evans in Delgany?

kona · 28-07-2011 1:03pm

Are those engines not a PITA to work on? maybe the garage was giving you the cheaper option? for valve stem oil seals the head will have to come off I think, and you get all the crap associated with that, timing belts/chains , head gasket, labour , all the other relevant gaskets and maybe even a water pump. You may be looking at a hefty bill. Is the exhaust smoking at all?

Nissan doctor · 28-07-2011 1:14pm

kona wrote: »

Are those engines not a PITA to work on? maybe the garage was giving you the cheaper option? for valve stem oil seals the head will have to come off I think, and you get all the crap associated with that, timing belts/chains , head gasket, labour , all the other relevant gaskets and maybe even a water pump. You may be looking at a hefty bill. Is the exhaust smoking at all?

The engine would have to come out of the car but aside from that there is nothing more complicated then an inline engine. Although obviously there are 2 heads/head gaskets etc.

kona · 28-07-2011 1:48pm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

The engine would have to come out of the car but aside from that there is nothing more complicated then an inline engine. Although obviously there are 2 heads/head gaskets etc.

Ive no experience of them so I can only go on what Ive read and seen, but I saw on TV one having a clutch changed and there was alot of labour to just get to the clutch. From a cost POV, maybe a new engine is more cost effective? assuming a solid engine is sourced for cheap.

Paulyh · 02-08-2011 12:32pm

Thanks for all the replys guys.

I dropped the car to Subaru in Lusk to get it tested, and they just rang me.
So there low compression in one of the cylinders so was told the piston rings are gone in it and will be a big job alright to get it sorted, which I havent the money to do at the moment, so its a sad day.
So what the hell do i do with the car now? Do i sell it as is, theres loads of good stuff on it, or do i shop around and see if it is possible at some point to get it sorted?
Subaru said it would be in the region of 2000 - 3000 to fix.

kona · 02-08-2011 12:39pm

Paulyh wrote: »

Thanks for all the replys guys.

I dropped the car to Subaru in Lusk to get it tested, and they just rang me.
So there low compression in one of the cylinders so was told the piston rings are gone in it and will be a big job alright to get it sorted, which I havent the money to do at the moment, so its a sad day.
So what the hell do i do with the car now? Do i sell it as is, theres loads of good stuff on it, or do i shop around and see if it is possible at some point to get it sorted?
Subaru said it would be in the region of 2000 - 3000 to fix.

Id get a second opinion TBH, If the rings were gone you will notice something was wrong before you see oil on the plugs, Hard to start, poor idle, poor running, smoke out the exhaust, blow-by coming out the oil filler cap and out the crank breathers.

If it is the rings to get a proper job done will cost you nearer 3K IMO. You may even need to replace pistons. Needless to say, your best not driving the car as you could do more damage.

listermint · 02-08-2011 12:48pm

Paul,

Dealers will tell you mad prices on things that they dont want to have come back to them. Ive found in the past some dealers actually dont have the skills to deal with issues on their own branded vehicles.

I would be more inclined to go to an Subaru forum there are plenty. The american ones can be fantastic and will give you clearer reading on possible issues. Boards as fantastic as it is is too far ranging to give you defined answers that a dedicated forum would do.

Do a bit more research before you bury your head in the sand.

Nissan doctor · 02-08-2011 1:30pm

Sign up to ISDC and go from there IMO.

Oil Getting into Spark plug

Comments