Oil in the spark plug well

[dpj52190]

I bought 1994 camry 6 months ago from an old white english teacher. it only has 100 k miles ....

Few days ago i opened the spark plug wires to check how the spark plugs are doing...but when i opened the 3rd chamber... i saw oil in it.. And it kinda sounds like my car isn't giving good perfomance. although i get 400 mile per tank. I want to get it fixed ..what's your advice..i mean i took it to the repair shop about 4 months ago and they replaced the gaskets....back then it was getting good acceleration. ..but i didn't check to see if there is oil in wells back then.

I'm guessing its just the gasket because the car is low in milage and was driven by a responsible person. what are the other cause it may be?

[Brian R.]

The sealant on the threads at the base of the #3 spark plug tube needs to be renewed. Remove the tube, clean the threads, coat the threads with adhesive (locktite) and torque it to 29 ft-lbs.

[dpj52190]

thanks brian for quick reply..i'll call my repair shop n get it fixed....

[Brian R.]

You're welcome. There is a '94 Camry FSM stickied in the post at the top of this forum. Download it and print the relevant page for the shop (page EG1-68).

[Mike Gerber]

You might first try removing the spark plug and cleaning the oil out of the well and reinstalling the plug. Then tighten all 4 spark plug tube nuts to 17 ft lbs in 3 even passes; first 6 ft lbs, then 12 ft lbs and finally 17 ft lbs. Recheck for oil down in that well in a few hundred miles. I have found that this usually eliminates the problem. I was originally told of this technique by a former Toyota tech. He said that the spark plug tube seals on top of the tubes, under the cam cover, flatten out with age. Oil then makes it past these tube seals and pools down in the bottom of the wells. Retorquing the 30MM tube nuts usually takes care of the problem.

Mike

[Brian R.]

Correct, that is the easiest possible solution. Try Mike's first.