Oil related problems (S13)

[encasemyheart]

I changed the oil and later decided to do a compression check for the hell of it. Well I pull out the spark plug wires and in cylinder #4 the spark plug well is filled with oil.

So this sucks. I do the test and get a not surprising 167-168-170-183, so I wait about 30 minutes for the oil in cylinder #4 to drain and re-do that cylinder...turns out the compression is 167.

So it has full compression, I have no smoke out the tailpipe (except for a few seconds after starting it for the first time) full compression across the board...only the spark plug well keeps getting oil in it!! No oil in the coolant BTW and the engine feels like it has lost no power. Only thing is I am slowly losing oil, but I don't understand why the oil was at a good level before doing this? Perhaps the spark plug wire kind of kept the spark plug well sealed so it didn;t lose any more oil? hmmmm...

I suspect a faulty spark plug gasket between the valve cover and head. Any other ideas in case I'm wrong? I'm going to pull the valve cover tomorrow...

[96_S14_SE]

No your right, its the gasket, and is a common problem. Get yourself a new valve cover / rocker cover gasket set (outter and inner) and some rtv and have at it...

[encasemyheart]

Thanks alot!! I'm so happy it's not the piston rings or even the head gasket.

[Turb0wned]

yeah its your valve cover gasket for sure i just finished changing mine i had the same problem except it was in the #3 spark plug

[WDRacing]

hmm...thats some good info. I'll have to log that into my troubleshooting book.