Hey everyone.

 

I was doing regular maintenance today and found when I pulled out my ignition coils on my 1.8T in order to upgrade to Iridium spark plugs.

The bottom inch was covered in oil.

So I am replacing the suspect, valve cover, gasket tomorrow.

 

I would just like to know how I am to clean the oil from the ignition coils or if I should just leave them?

 

Thank you

I would use Isopropyl alcohol and let it dry a LONG time to avoid any fume fires, failing that carb cleaner.

I would use Isopropyl alcohol and let it dry a LONG time to avoid any fume fires, failing that carb cleaner.

 

+ 1

 

I would also make sure the spark plug seating and the bore walls were clean and dry. 

Thank you both. haven't figured out how I'm going to dry out the spark plug hole yet. Not much room in there is there. Just have to keep stuffing cloth down there until its all gone i guess. 

Twisted kitchen towel soaked in IPA or carb cleaner. Once you get it down the tube, use a long screwdriver to move it round if that makes sense.

brake cleaner,easy and fast

Sorry for the noob question,

 

And apologies for posting in stribers92's thread.

 

I am also facing the same issue with my vrs.

 

Why and how does oil reach the spark plugs.

 

I am asking this specifically due to the reason that today, while getting the timing kit replaced, the mechanic told that spark plugs would need replacing as well as the tappet cover seals that were leaking. Also, the coils, two of them in particular also had slight traces of oil on them.

 

I am totally unaware of how it should be on a vrs. My vrs has done 59000 kms as of today.

 

Should I get the spark plugs replaced. Does oil leak to reach spark plugs or is it normal in a vrs? What should be done to resolve this issue? 

 

I anticipate a quick guidance since the car is lying at the workshop undergoing work.

The usual cause is that the seals around the plug holes fail in the cambox gasket seals. This would involve renewal of both the cover gasket and the plug seals as they come as a pair normally, and you have to remove the cover gasket to get accsess to the plug seals. The other way oil finds it's way in is if somebody has not been careful with an oilcan when filling or topping up the oil, and has spilt it on the cambox and not been bothered to clean it off again.

 

The plugs are worth replacing at that mileage, but the coils may clean up, unless they have some other damage due to the oil.

Thanks Phil, for the prompt guidance.

 

Though I was wondering what if only the spark plugs are replaced, the coils cleaned and put back and the cover is not opened up.

 

Would it cause any damage. 

Will probably just fill the plug tubes up again if they are leaking and contaminate your nice new plugs. on a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty of job, the cam box gaskets are about a 2 1/2, so should not cost very much in labour to do properly.

This would imply that I MUST GET the seals and the gasket also changed. Got it Sir.