M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: dwf08 on February 27, 2009, 02:36:49 PM

Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: dwf08 on February 27, 2009, 02:36:49 PM
i got a 91 318is its getting oil in the tube were the spark plug tube is it a valve cover gasket? or someone told me it had spark plug gaskets that go like a O ring or something can someone tell me a part # or where to get them or does it come with a valve cover gasket?
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: doitover on February 27, 2009, 04:18:18 PM
http://www.realoem.com  great resource for part numbers.

http://www.pelicanparts.com does sell the cam cover gasket with the spark plug gaskets if I remember correctly. If yours are leaking you might want to do all the gaskets around the cover bolts as well.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: max123 on February 27, 2009, 04:18:25 PM
I had the same problem - Its the valve cover gasket - easy fix.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: P. Kennedy on February 27, 2009, 10:21:32 PM
+2.  Very common problem on the M42, and an easy fix.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: Selfish on March 01, 2009, 02:01:31 AM
like everybody said, is not hard to fix. pelicanparts.com part # 11-12-1-721-876-M30
comes with the o-rings that go in the middle, 2 of them if I'm not wrong
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: JP 91iS on March 01, 2009, 12:41:22 PM
Quote from: Selfish;67407
like everybody said, is not hard to fix. pelicanparts.com part # 11-12-1-721-876-M30
comes with the o-rings that go in the middle, 2 of them if I'm not wrong

4 rings - one for each spark plug. one is a lollipop shape to go around the bolt that is near (cyl 2).
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: batsbats on March 06, 2009, 11:05:51 AM
+111111 to everyone's comments.

Just be careful when torquing down the valve cover bolts.  They do not require much force to strip the holes.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: renfield90 on March 11, 2009, 12:44:32 PM
Quote from: batsbats;67805
+111111 to everyone's comments.

Just be careful when torquing down the valve cover bolts.  They do not require much force to strip the holes.

Would you happen to know the torque specs? I'm probably going to be attempting this myself soon. My mechanic wants around 2 grand to do it...pulling the head should be fairly simple, right? I haven't done anything like this before.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: doitover on March 11, 2009, 02:28:01 PM
It is the valve cover gaskets right, not the head gasket? The valve cover bolts are 10 Nm. Two grand would have to be the head gasket.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: renfield90 on March 11, 2009, 11:42:54 PM
Yes, head gaskets. Honestly, the engine could really benefit from getting ALL gaskets replaced, but that's beyond the abilities of myself or my checkbook. I also don't feel like dropping in 3-4 times the car's value *just* to make it stop leaking oil. :rolleyes:

It's going to be my fun weekend/autocross/track car anyway, with its age and lack of care by the previous owner I'm not sure how long it's going to last.
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: dwf08 on March 15, 2009, 06:27:58 PM
got it
Title: getting oil in the spark plug tube???????
Post by: dwf08 on March 15, 2009, 06:28:28 PM
thanks