High HC ppm..leaking oil..and a sparkplug is covered in it!

funkyfreak · Post by **funkyfreak** » May 14th, 2007, 10:52 pm

AHHHH!!! It's Dying!!! Help I don't want it to go but damn that sounds expensive!

So heres the story, went to get emissions test and failed horribly. HC ppm was bad & I'm blowing some smoke during startup..oh and it's leaking oil all over the place.. I haven't found out where yet, gotta shampoo it... Here's the emission test results for the HC ppm :

2500 RPM Idle
limit 200, reading 369 reading 283

SO then I decided to see if I could see where the leak is.. too oily (been sorta leaking for a bit, now its bad).. then I decide to pull the spark plugs.. cyl 1 seems ok..cyl 2 spark plug is covered in oil!! and when I look into the chamber I can see oil! Now I'm thinking the head gasket is done (leaky oil??) and the chilton book says valve seals or piston rings!!! WTF!!!

Um... soo since I have no idea what this would cost for a mechanic to fix... I can bet that I don't have the cash for it.
Sooo what am I looking at here folks??
Is this something that an intelligent man with some tools and a little knowledge and fast learning can do?? (I have been doing minor repairs on the car already and have a decent knowledge of how one works)

or does anyone have an idea of the 'repair shop' cost or leads on an engine??

Thanks
funkyfreak
'96 mx-3 4cyl DOHC auto.

SuperK · Post by **SuperK** » May 15th, 2007, 11:08 pm

um, you said pull the spark plugs...

was it the tip of the spark plug that was covered in oil? the diode? Or was it the upper portion to which you connect your wires that was covered?

If your tip is drenched, you've definitely have a problem.

Valve seals will let oil leak into the chamber over time. Such as, if you leave your car setting for a bit, the oil goes drip drip drip... and when you start the car up, get ready for some smokey fun!

As far as leaking oil, if it's just the engine looks greasy, oil will leak from the bottom of the distributor.
Valve cover gasket will also leak both all over the engine and in the spark plug chambers. If you pull the wires and look into the chamber and see oil, that's just a valve cover gasket.

I do believe you should get your compression tested.

If your head gasket is blown, a shop charges about 1.5k US to R&R the head.

It's usually more expensive to fix a B6 than it is to replace it. There is an unusually high estimated work time on these engines compared to most.

funkyfreak · Post by **funkyfreak** » May 16th, 2007, 7:19 am

Yes it was the tip of the plug.. like where the diode is. It was only that plug too.. all the others seemed ok.. and the car isn't misfiring @ all - also there is no trouble codes at all either.

- I shampoo'd the engine yesterday but now its's pissing rain sooo...
-when the oil was leaking (dripping) it seemed to be dripping onto the top of the exaust manafold and then burning off.. But I also get smoke out the tailpipe when started.
- I may very well have an issue with the valve cover gasket as I know that I had a problem with that before too.

hmmmmmm.. damn car. such a pain!

if the rain lightens up today I may be able to get the compression test done.. I think I have a tester in the basement.

SuperK · Post by **SuperK** » May 16th, 2007, 10:35 am

your valve cover gasket is dead, jim.
you can get a gasket kit for about 40 bucks, includes head gasket, valve seals, valve cover gasket and bunches of other goodies off of ebay. Make sure it's for the B6 DOHC

otherwise, dealer charges about 35 for just the valve cover gasket.

On top of that, you'll have a bunch of other seals and gaskets to continue your ever-so-expensive replacing.

good luck, that compression test might help you out. I'd prolly vouch for a ring being worn. meh, not fun.

torpedan · Post by **torpedan** » May 26th, 2007, 10:41 pm

Better late than never eigh?

If your HHC ppm is to high your car is either having trouble igniting all the fuel or your cat is not functioning well. Even in a rich running situation a cat will clean up a lot of it, but it can only do so much before it starts to take a tole.

If your getting smoke on the start up oil is getting into the combustion chamber somehow, in some cases its as simple as a PCV valve, but I would be willing to guess its the valve stems. When your car idles for a whle and you hit the gas do you get a plume of smoke too? That usually is a good stem indicatino, if you get lots of smoke the higher you go in the RPM band it might be the rings, but still oculd be the stems.

Either of which are not easy things to fix, frankly it might be cheaper and easier to just drop in a junkyard motor instead.

Its still possible to pass emmisions with that problem though, you really have to bite the bullet and check your maintence routine. Not chaning your oil, having old spark plugs, cap, rotor, wires, a faulty o2 sensor or a leak into the intake stream (among other probelms) could easily cause that problem. Frankly it might be cheaper to bribe an inspector instead of fixing your car, also pending your income level and state there maybe free help for you. I know texas has a plan where they will help fix your car or give you a waiver if its near impossible to get the car to pass inspection.

coindex · Post by **coindex** » June 1st, 2007, 9:56 am

my opinion, your piston rings are more likely shot. Best to rip the engine apart give it a good overhaul and see what the problem is