spark plug

[sierrap615]

Originally Posted by sierrap615

the valve cover gasket is the only possiblty ....

compression test will not test the oil control rings, only the compression.

did you notice ANY change with the new valve cover gasket?

did you use a new gasket, RTV, or both? have you used RTV before?(its very easy to screw up, i've don't it a few times and still stink.

[travelair]

A drop of RTV at the timing cover joints. That was the only spot the factory deemed neccessary so that's good enough for me. I very thoroughly cleaned the valve cover groove and the cylinder head. I used the O-ring style preformed gaskets.

I think my compression is good (38mpg and never a puff of smoke) but I don't know where else the oil could be coming from. Oil leaking past the valve cover gasket would've stained the metal and there was no evidence of that happening at all.

It's only been a few weeks. If it fills up with oil again over the next few months then I'll worry. Why fix now what can be put off until later? I check my oil frequently.

A little history on this engine: When the car was two years old, my wife(long before we met) had the oil light illuminate. She pulled into an oil change garrage and paid for an oil and filter. She told me the mechanic told her that "not much" oil came out when they drained it.

In her words, she was "pretty good" about following the windshield stickers regarding oil changes. As far as checking the oil in between..... Well, the car had a rough start in life but I've made up for alot of neglect. She had 70,000 miles when I met her and it has 130,000 now. I would sure like to keep the car and am not opposed to overhauling the engine. I have a dead Lumina that I could fix, license, insure and drive while the SL was down for overhaul.

[travelair]

It was the valve cover gasket! It's been almost four months since I replaced it and I've only added a half quart. There is no trace of oil in any spark plug hole. The oil I saw on the plug threads earlier was probably the anti-sieze compound.
There doesn't seem to be any difference between 0.040 and 0.060 spark gap. I still have the bogging problem.