Spark plug holes filled with fuel?

[4r1ngk1ng]

Hi I have an 02 B6 A4 and I am replacing my valve cover gasket following the DIY on A4mods.com , and when I pulled the injectors, after I released the pressure, I saw the holes where my spark plugs are plugged in filled with something. At first I thought it was oil, and maybe it is a little but I believe the consistency is mostly fuel, because when i checked with a cloth it was clear. I did my spark plugs and valve cover gasket a few weeks ago, and when i did my valve cover gasket alot of oil was in the spark plug area when removing the spark plugs also. I'm wondering if this could be related, or not, or if this is normal? If its not normal are there any common problems in this area? On a side note I do have a good amount of vacuum lines revoved as well if maybe this could have contributed, though I cant see how, but I'm kind of a noob at this stuff for now. Thank you in advance, ill continue changing my intake manifold gasket while waiting so hopefully thats ok. Happy New Year!

[4r1ngk1ng]

Looks like with all this help ill be able to fix whatever is wrong for sure :) sick!

[daihashi]

I doubt it's fuel, it would have a distinctly strong odor that you would notice before you soaked anything up with a rag. A little oil on top of the pistons can be normal due to wear on valve seals and such. What you are seeing is more likely to be coolant than it would be oil. Coolant/water could mean a blown HG, crack in the head, or warped head; any of which could be minor at the moment, but will continue to get worse if it is one of these problems. Have you done a compression/leakdown test?

[4r1ngk1ng]

I doubt it's fuel, it would have a distinctly strong odor that you would notice before you soaked anything up with a rag. A little oil on top of the pistons can be normal due to wear on valve seals and such. What you are seeing is more likely to be coolant than it would be oil. Coolant/water could mean a blown HG, crack in the head, or warped head; any of which could be minor at the moment, but will continue to get worse if it is one of these problems. Have you done a compression/leakdown test?

No, I haven't done a compression leak down test, nor know what it is. The color is clear indside the holes. I smelled it and it smelled like fuel to me. Though I could be wrong ill double check. What made me notice was a small bit of what looked like fresh oil on top of the valve cover, thought it was oil in the holes the spark plugs are in, then dipped a white cloth in each hole and all were clear. There is actually no coolant in the system at all right now i just did my timing belt and decided while the front end was off that I could replace a few hoses and I would have more room to work. Then I noticed it after I took off the injectors. Maybe it was there before that and I just failed to notice. Thanks for the reponse man.

[Mr.Avant]

I can't see how fuel could enter your spark plug holes...

Did you use something to clean the engine/valve cover area after you finished doing the valve cover gasket?

Is it possible that you used alcohol/brake clean to clean the area and it is residual left over in the holes? I could see how one could confuse that with the smell of gas... It evaporates fast (not when in a sealed space such as the spark plug hole) and gives off a good odor.

That's a total shot in the dark. But worth asking.

I would also assume coolant would leave a color on the rag (depending on type of coolant) and has a completely different odor than that of gasoline.

[daihashi]

Did you pull the water pump, thermostat, and blow out the heater core with compressed air? Thats the only way there will be no water/coolant in the system. ..

But that's besides the points. The water/coolant would be on top of the pistons from the last time you pressurised (ran) the motor, even if you completely drained the system.

Just to be clear, your talking about in the actual spark plug wells, right? Not the holes on the around the spark plug holes on the valve cover?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[4r1ngk1ng]

I can't see how fuel could enter your spark plug holes...

Did you use something to clean the engine/valve cover area after you finished doing the valve cover gasket?

Is it possible that you used alcohol/brake clean to clean the area and it is residual left over in the holes? I could see how one could confuse that with the smell of gas... It evaporates fast (not when in a sealed space such as the spark plug hole) and gives off a good odor.

That's a total shot in the dark. But worth asking.

I would also assume coolant would leave a color on the rag (depending on type of coolant) and has a completely different odor than that of gasoline.

No, I just wiped it down with a rag. I'll double check the smell, because like I said I had just removed the injectors when i tested it with the rag. Not that I was using the same rag, maybe it was on my hands.

Did you pull the water pump, thermostat, and blow out the heater core with compressed air? Thats the only way there will be no water/coolant in the system. ..

But that's besides the points. The water/coolant would be on top of the pistons from the last time you pressurised (ran) the motor, even if you completely drained the system.

Just to be clear, your talking about in the actual spark plug wells, right? Not the holes on the around the spark plug holes on the valve cover?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

No I didnt blow it out, or remove the thermostat, so i guess there would still be some in the system. I sm talking about the valve cover gasket is on and the valve cover is on as well as the sparq plugs in and the coil packs. The substance ( I'm thinking most likely coolant now ) is almost filling up each hole where the spark plugs are enough to overflow on top of the valve cover.

[daihashi]

No, I just wiped it down with a rag. I'll double check the smell, because like I said I had just removed the injectors when i tested it with the rag. Not that I was using the same rag, maybe it was on my hands.



No I didnt blow it out, or remove the thermostat, so i guess there would still be some in the system. I sm talking about the valve cover gasket is on and the valve cover is on as well as the sparq plugs in and the coil packs. The substance ( I'm thinking most likely coolant now ) is almost filling up each hole where the spark plugs are enough to overflow on top of the valve cover.

Just to be clearer, do you mean the actual hole that the coils go through... or the area/quadrants around the hole?

If you mean the actual holes, but with the spark plugs and coil packs still in place.... not the piston tops, then that seems very odd. You would not be likely to get coolant or fuel there in that scenario.

Here is a picture for reference of the areas I'm talking about:

[diagnosticator]

Hi I have an 02 B6 A4 and I am replacing my valve cover gasket following the DIY on A4mods.com , and when I pulled the injectors, after I released the pressure, I saw the holes where my spark plugs are plugged in filled with something. At first I thought it was oil, and maybe it is a little but I believe the consistency is mostly fuel, because when i checked with a cloth it was clear. I did my spark plugs and valve cover gasket a few weeks ago, and when i did my valve cover gasket alot of oil was in the spark plug area when removing the spark plugs also. I'm wondering if this could be related, or not, or if this is normal? If its not normal are there any common problems in this area? On a side note I do have a good amount of vacuum lines revoved as well if maybe this could have contributed, though I cant see how, but I'm kind of a noob at this stuff for now. Thank you in advance, ill continue changing my intake manifold gasket while waiting so hopefully thats ok. Happy New Year!

There can only be oil from a leaking valve cover gasket, inside the spark plug wells. No way for fuel to accumulate there, no way for fuel to get into the plug wells from the exterior, even if it was somehow put into the plug wells from the outside, it would evaporate from the heat. No way for coolant to get in the plug wells, there is no coolant that can leak into the wells. Besides engine oil, the only other way for liquid to get into the plug wells is from washing the engine just before removing the coilpacks, etc. There is often fuel on the firing tips of the spark plugs, but that is a completely different scenario than oil in the exterior spark plug wells, on the outside of the spark plugs. The firing tips are "inside" the engine when the spark plugs are installed, with the rest of the spark plug exposed to the engine exterior in the plug wells with the spark plugs installed.

[MikeWire]

Not to mention that if it were fuel, near the coilpacks, you'd probably have a nice toasty engine fire.

[daihashi]

Not to mention that if it were fuel, near the coilpacks, you'd probably have a nice toasty engine fire.

S'mores made by engine fire are the best tasting s'mores.

[Charles.waite]

^^ I think Dan might know a thing or two about engine smores...

[4r1ngk1ng]

[QUOTE=Charles.waite;8314037]^^ I think Dan might know a thing or two about engine smores...[/QUOTE

Sounds cute we should all have smores together. On me. Im pretty sure its water...my buddy detailed my engine, and im thinkin he left water, so i dont think he knows what hes doing. Glad this is figured out. Im going to clean it up, if it happens again then i know its not water. yay!