What's the best way to clean oil from spark plug wells.

[P Rock]

I'm in the process of changing my valve cover gaskets and like most people doing this, my spark plug wells have small pools of oil in them.

What's the best way to clean this mess up? Are you removing the spark plugs? If I removed the plugs, wouldn't it be bad if the oil got into the holes?

It's such a deep well and the plugs themselves are in the way of getting to the bottom of it with a rag.

Any input appreciated.

 

[LincolnTech38]

take the plugs out, no real harm letting that oil go in cylinder it will just smoke a bit/run a little rough when you start it the first time.

I then use brake clean or carb clearner sparingly to ''rinse'' out the well and then blow them out with compressed air and a rag over the hole.

If you dont have comressed air just stick some paper towels in the holes fo a litle bit.

Jay

 

[Quik LS]

I 'mopped' up as much as possible with papertowel and rags.

I then use some compressed air - I buy it buy the car form office depot (used to clead keyboards).

 

[beaups]

I wrapped paper towel around a 3/8" socket extension (6"). and jammed it in there and twisted it around.

 

[P Rock]

Some great ideas guys. I am only replacing coils number 1 & 3 since the computer says those are the ones misfiring. How accurate is this computer (the ones the dealer uses)? Just didn't want to spend more than I should. Odd thing is, coil number 1 is dry...no oil whatsoever. And that's one of the ones missing according to the computer.

 

[Quik LS]

IMO - replace all the coils and plugs while you are in there. You certainly do not want to have to go back in next month.

 

[hannibal]

I had a Probe GT that did the same thing, oil leaking into the the spark plug holes. I made up a little attachment for my shop vac that had a real small hose on the end of it, could suck the oil out of the wells no problem!! Worked really slick!

 

[LincolnLSpunk156]

hey guys.... all those ideas from mopping up the oil outta your spark plug wells are great... but I think you missed one big point that needs to be made..... the reason the oil is filling those wells is because the valve cover gaskets are leaking. If you don't fix that problem the oil is just gonna keep refilling the wells and you'll continue to blow coils..... cover gaskets are a pretty straight forward job that anyone should be able to do in a weekend or less with minimal knowlage of cars..... the amount you spend if you have to take it somewhere to get it done is even worth the money seeing as you can easily spend hundreds replacing coils everytime one blows out..... thats just my 2 sence.... that was probablly the best repair i've done on my ls... ahven't blown a coil since.....

 

[P Rock]

hey guys.... all those ideas from mopping up the oil outta your spark plug wells are great... but I think you missed one big point that needs to be made..... the reason the oil is filling those wells is because the valve cover gaskets are leaking. If you don't fix that problem the oil is just gonna keep refilling the wells and you'll continue to blow coils..... cover gaskets are a pretty straight forward job that anyone should be able to do in a weekend or less with minimal knowlage of cars..... the amount you spend if you have to take it somewhere to get it done is even worth the money seeing as you can easily spend hundreds replacing coils everytime one blows out..... thats just my 2 sence.... that was probablly the best repair i've done on my ls... ahven't blown a coil since.....

That's exactly what I'm doing here....changing the VCG's. I noticed you're from Cleveland.....whereabouts? I'm from the westside of Cleveland (North Olmsted).

 

[BatMobile]

I 'mopped' up as much as possible with papertowel and rags.

I then use some compressed air - I buy it buy the car form office depot (used to clead keyboards).

Wow, I'm glad somebody posted this. I've been conteplating about that can at office depot for months now. So it worked fine for you hah?

 

[Quik LS]

I always 'spray' the spark plugs wells free of debris before I pull the plug - don't want any of that road grime getting into my engine.

 

[02V8Sport]

old post brough back. My car just had the plug wells filled with oil. No other leaks but just the plug rings. I tightened the valve cover bolts a bit more, but Im sure ill eventually have to replace the gaskets.

I used a syringe with a long needle I got from Walgreens to suck the oil out of the wells which worked great!

 

[97stscaddy]

I tightened the valve cover bolts a bit more, but Im sure ill eventually have to replace the gaskets.

That wont do much good because of the design of the bolts. They have a metal tube around them which is to help prevent you from overtightening them and warping the cover, and mudging up the gaskets. And because of that it means that you cant re-torque the bolts to cure a small leak.
Depsite the way it looks though, the valve cover leaks are actualy fairly slow. I cleaned my plug wells out and drove the car almost 1000 miles before I got aroudn to changing the gaskets and there were only a few drops of oil in the bottoms of the plugs.

 

[02V8Sport]

I appreciate the feedback 97stscaddy! I am just disappointed that this happens even on a low mileage newer LS.

 

[97stscaddy]

Mines got 57k on it now, when I checked them the first time every single one of the spark plug wells was full to the top with oil, except for number 3, which was halfway. Judging by how slowly they leaked after I cleaned them id say they had been leaking for at least 10k miles beforehand, probably longer.
They're just cheap gaskets.

 

[Sn8kbordin]

Mines got 57k on it now, when I checked them the first time every single one of the spark plug wells was full to the top with oil, except for number 3, which was halfway. Judging by how slowly they leaked after I cleaned them id say they had been leaking for at least 10k miles beforehand, probably longer.
They're just cheap gaskets.

Mine had very little oil compared to you and it still damaged the ignition coils

 

[97stscaddy]

Mine had very little oil compared to you and it still damaged the ignition coils

It may not have been the oil that damaged them then. The C.O.P.'s that Ford used in these cars are, from what ive read, pretty troublesome on their own. Testing has shown them to have inconsistent output even when brand new. And another thing I mentioned in another thread was that I found small hariline cracks in the sealer glue used on top of the C.O.P. assembly on several of the coils on my car when I inspected them the first time. A crack in the sealer will let moisture into the coil and cause it to corrode and short. Given the number of posts related to C.O.P. problems, even on newer vehicles that werent affected by the shiddy gaskets, I think it's safe to say im not the only one whos coils have these cracks.