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Hi all

Have got a few questions I want to ask before deciding wether to scrap the car or not. A couple of days ago I started the car after it had been stood over the weekend and it started missing, nothing serious so trotted of to work and it cleared up after a few miles, Tuesday was the same, but yesterday I think it was only firing on 1 cylinder seriously, it sounded like an old dump truck and struggled to get up the slight slope at the end of the road, so turned round and called out the AA. When he got here he started her up and she purred like a kitten, no fault codes came up either. As the service reminder was showing 150 miles he suggested giving her a service but was as much as he could do. Went out this morning and the same happened, dumper like noise so I switched her off straight away and restarted her again she ran smoothly.... so decided best thing was to give her a service, dropped the oil, that looked fine, changed the plugs..... Aaahh. As I pulled each plug it was covered in fresh oil, and lots of it. looked like each one had been dipped in the stuff. Had a look round and couldnt see any fresh oil anywhere, but I did spot 2 big holes between the spark plug holes that were filled with oil.

So first question, are these holes supposed to be blanked off, and question 2, If its not these holes causing the oil on the plugs, what else could it be. Thers no sign (mayonaise) of head gasket problems although thats no garentee. And finally, it is possable that the spark plug tubes had some oil already in there and as I've taken them out they have got covered, but if thats the case, what else could be causing the poor running/starting problems?

I know thats quite a lot to answer, but I need to know if the engines stuffed an it goes to the breakers or if its a simple(ish) fix, in wich case I'll keep her.

Thanks

Dan

Is this the 2001 2.0 petrol? If the plugs were covered in oil it should have smoked like crazy but you don't mention it. I'm not sure about these holes of which you speak, any chance of a pic?

Sorry mate, Yes it is the 2.0L petrol D9. She didnt have any more smoke than she usually does first thing in the morning, and it usually clears as the engine warms up. Will try and get a pic of the holes.

Fisrtly, I don't think you have a stuffed engine.
The oil on the plugs is not from inside the cylinders but from outside.What is happening is that the oil is getting in the plug leads and drowning the spark (as if it were water).
I think you have an oil leak from the rocker/cam cover or from oil seals where the plug holes are (not entirely familiar with this engine) ...look at it this way, on the Ford Focus Zetec there is an issue with bad starting/misfires caused by water coming up from the head core plugs seeping into the plug holes drowning out the spark (water also comes through the washer jets too on those causing the same fault) but anyway....oil is drowning out the spark....sort out your oil leak.

Cheers for the input Jasper, but I cant see where the oils leaking from. The cam cover gaskets are dry and the spark plug holes have a tube inserted that sticks out about an inch so I cant see how anything can run down into them, and it doesnt have plug leads it has a plastic bar with 4 coil packs(?) that seal against the tubes which again are dry. The only other place where the oil has gone are in those 2 holes near the plug tubes.

Tried to upload a pic but says "board quota reached"

you say you took the plugs out,did it run any better when you put them back in.
check the breather pipe on the right hand side of the rocker cover hasnt split and is leaking vapourized oil.
a pic of the 2 holes would help

Get yourself a photobucket account, upload your pics, then link to them with [img] tags. Or just put the links and I'll sort 'em for ya

A puff when you start doesn't sound too good but nothing like you'd be getting if the head gasket had gone enough to coat your plugs in oil.

Sorry but you have me confused....was the oil on the inside of the plugs or on the outside? If it was inside then as Steve said, you would have serious smoking issues, but if it was on the outside it would be as I said earlier, oil drowning the spark.
Was the oil all over the threads? Oil is getting in somewhere.

Which engine is yours? Engine reference?