No start

[The Juggernaut]

Motor is an 89 7M GTE

Cliffs:Car struggles to start, next day won't start. Pulled plugs...didn't look good, some had oil on them. Mechanic friend said let's replace the valve cover gasket and plugs. Replace them, car runs great for a day, next day struggles to start, today it won't start. Same as before.



So I've been having issues with this car not starting or having a little trouble getting started. Anyway my mechanic friend and I pulled the plugs and found that one of them was covered in oil and a couple others didn't look too hot. So he said order a valve cover gasket and tube seals. I found out from the dealer there are no tube seals. I buy a valve cover gasket and 6 new bosch plugs. We put the gasket and plugs in, and it fires up like its brand new. I'm happy. Next day I notice it struggles a little to start just like before we replaced the plugs and gasket. I go to start it today and no start. Same problem as before.

So what gives? Somebody here told me that it could be my valve stem seals and I was also told to do a compression check. Well I didn't do a compression check because I found out from a supra owner I know that the gasket and plugs fixed his problem, and it sounded similar to mine. Anybody have an idea as to what it is? Or what could be causing this? When we replaced the gaskets, I noticed a paper like gasket that was in between the valve covers that laid over the spark plug holes that didn't look terrible, but didn't look great either. Sorry for the long post.

 

[92TealSupra]

What plugs had oil on them. Start from the front of the motor as #1 and go back. It's possible your head gasket may be leaking oil into your cylinders, or your valve stem seals are from, but from the sound of it, your problem lies in the oil on the plugs, valve cover gaskets don't really matter the oil won't seep past the plugs once they're in.

Anyhow let me know and we can get this rolling.

 

[The Juggernaut]

It was #4, 5, and 6. 5 was the worst. 4 and 6 weren't too bad, but 5 had oil dripping off it.

 

[92TealSupra]

It was #4, 5, and 6. 5 was the worst. 4 and 6 weren't too bad, but 5 had oil dripping off it.

Did you do a compression check on the motor? it possible your valve seals are shot from the sounds of it man, lets hope pistons rings are fine.

 

[mk4s4bkfst]

do a compression test then post back. from what u telling us right now could be few different things.

 

[figgie]

Guys,

this is a technical forum. Please post technical facts. A spark plug DRENCHED in oil is due to oil dripping down to the spark plug galley FROM the valve covers.

The Juggernaut

Valve cover GASKET?

It should be Valve cover GASKETS. Two of them not one

 

[92TealSupra]

Guys,

this is a technical forum. Please post technical facts. A spark plug DRENCHED in oil is due to oil dripping down to the spark plug galley FROM the valve covers.

The Juggernaut

Valve cover GASKET?

It should be Valve cover GASKETS. Two of them not one

good poin problem found hehe..

 

[The Juggernaut]

sorry i forget the plural form. there were two gaskets

 

[dumbo]

Guys,

this is a technical forum. Please post technical facts. A spark plug DRENCHED in oil is due to oil dripping down to the spark plug galley FROM the valve covers.

The Juggernaut

Valve cover GASKET?

It should be Valve cover GASKETS. Two of them not one

weird oil would leak past plugs... and. cause it not to start.. at all. and he changed the valve cover gaskets,


and the tube??? those stupid allen key plugs he mentioned?



can oil get into the chamber past the spark plugs??

 

[92TealSupra]

Have you done any tests yet? results?:3d_frown:

 

[grimreaper]

third valve cover... mine coats my back plugs within a 1000 miles or so. tossed in a few oil plug gaskets and oil stays where it belongs.

 

[The Juggernaut]

Have you done any tests yet? results?:3d_frown:

No, I'm in the process of moving this weekend so I probably won't get to it until this week sometime. I don't have a compression tester either so I unfortunately won't get to it until I borrow one.

third valve cover... mine coats my back plugs within a 1000 miles or so. tossed in a few oil plug gaskets and oil stays where it belongs.

Care to elaborate on where said third valve cover is?

 

[grimreaper]

its the tray that the plugs and plug wires go through in between the two valve covers. there are four 14mm allen head bolts (big ol allen head) that holds it inplace. those bolts go right into the oil passages in the head.

try this for a diagram: nun, the n's are valve coves and the u is the third valve cover in the valley

 

[The Juggernaut]

its the tray that the plugs and plug wires go through in between the two valve covers. there are four 14mm allen head bolts (big ol allen head) that holds it inplace. those bolts go right into the oil passages in the head.

try this for a diagram: nun, the n's are valve coves and the u is the third valve cover in the valley

I think I know what you are talking about. It looks like it's a paper gasket somewhat?

EDIT: REPLACED ALL 3 VALVE COVER GASKETS. STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

 

[The Juggernaut]

Ok, I'm bringing this back from the dead. I got lazy over the winter and didn't really mess with the car much. Anyway, finally got around to doing a compression test and poking around a bit. Here's what I found...

Compression test yielded good results, the lowest was 160 and the highest was 174. I left the paper in the car so I can't tell you what the exact results are (it's not at my house). When I originally pulled the plugs, I looked down into the spark plug holes, and saw what looked like a puddle of oil on top of the #5 piston. I could see a reflection of my eye in the hole, and I'm pretty sure the top of the piston doesn't have mirror like properties. This was the only cylinder I saw this happening in. This was also the one that scored a 160 on the compression test.

Upon starting the car after getting it back together, I could hear two distinct knocks. One that was more faint that was coming from the bottom end, and one that was much louder coming from the head, that seemed to originate towards the #4,5,6 cylinders. The one coming from the bottom end I could only hear when idling, it's possible it was occurring all through the power band but I couldn't tell. The one from the head was only between 2000 RPM and 2300 RPM. My mechanic friend who was with me had a theory that the knock may have developed from burning off all the oil and running the car on low oil. I had started it a couple times and ran it, but didn't think it was burning THAT MUCH oil.

Is my best course of action just rebuilding/replacing the motor? Or is there a better/less expensive alternative? I used to work for a Lexus dealership and still get cheap parts and know a mechanic willing to replace the motor but not rebuild. I don't have the know how or the time to do the rebuild or any major undertaking myself.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be as thorough as I could. I'm pretty sure that's everything though.

 

[The Juggernaut]

Here's the compression test results as well.

1 165
2 170
3 173
4 174
5 160
6 168

 

[carter]

If i remember right (in my book), the compression is good. I'm also having the same problem as you, i just don't think i have that much oil on top of the piston and mine sounds like its tryin to get all the oil out of the combustion chaimber.

Good look on yours tho, I'm about to go look at mine