Head Gasket

[rosscoe001]

I own a 93 dodge shadow and i recently noticed that it was running pretty bad all of a sudden.

I raised the hood and took a look at the top of the spark plugs and i could notice a small pool of oil around the ends. Please tell me the head gasket isn't gone on it..

If i removed the spark plugs and installed new ones would that help at all or do i need to change the gasket, if i do i have no tools or knowledge on how to do it. Is it an expensive repair?? thanks!

Rosscoe

[john51md]

Originally Posted by rosscoe001

I own a 93 dodge shadow and i recently noticed that it was running pretty bad all of a sudden.

I raised the hood and took a look at the top of the spark plugs and i could notice a small pool of oil around the ends. Please tell me the head gasket isn't gone on it..

If i removed the spark plugs and installed new ones would that help at all or do i need to change the gasket, if i do i have no tools or knowledge on how to do it. Is it an expensive repair?? thanks!

Rosscoe

Oil pooled around a spark plug is generaly a leaking valve cover gasket and not a head gasket, on the either tin or alumium, top of engine, valve cover.
Easy to replace a few hand tools.Few bucks for a gasket, just be sure you dont over tighten the small bolts, in other words, dont tighten so tight you see the gasket squish out from under the bolt area.

[rosscoe001]

Hey John51 thanks for posting a reply soo soon, and i appreciate the tip i'll give that a shot and see what happens. I was also wondering should i replace the spark plugs as well? thanks

Rosscoe

[john51md]

Originally Posted by rosscoe001

Hey John51 thanks for posting a reply soo soon, and i appreciate the tip i'll give that a shot and see what happens. I was also wondering should i replace the spark plugs as well? thanks

Rosscoe

Yes, if they are fairly old i would while you are working on it. I didnt say the valve cover WAS the cause though, only that it may be the most likely cause, because if it leaks oil out, gravity takes the oil downward, and it pools where it can, usually around spark plug holes.
Usually is a head gasket leaks oil to the outside, you will find the oil traces below the head, and below spark plugs because oil cannot run "uphill" again, gravity..
And hey, if you dont have a socket set and dont want to spend a lot to do this repair, you can always go to a place like the dollar store and buy one of those cheap sets of socket tools for about 10.00 they will work fine on small stuff like this.I buy them for light duty stuff, keep a set in the car, and when i loose some, break some, i just go buy another set LOL...

[rosscoe001]

Well i know it isn the head gasket for sure that is bone dry it's just the other thing but ur little gravity explination made alot of sense but ya i'm just going to try that and see what happens.

[john51md]

Originally Posted by rosscoe001

Well i know it isn the head gasket for sure that is bone dry it's just the other thing but ur little gravity explination made alot of sense but ya i'm just going to try that and see what happens.

WOW!!! i made sense?????? thats a first!
Good luck with it.

[jeremy06]

the oil is coming from bad valve cover gaskets.