Took out the spark plug covers today and noticed one was filled with oil, only one. This is on a 4 cylinder. It hasn't been misfiring or anything but this seems like a problem that needs addressing. Any ideas where to look or what it could be?

 

It's probably your valve cover gasket. Replace it. I stick with OEM gaskets when it comes to stuff like that. I paid $15 for mine which includes the valve cover and spark plug area. I think if you go to the dealer they are about $25... still cheap in my opinion for something you won't have to do for a very long time afterwards.

I just replaced mine only because I had the valve cover off and was painting it. I replaced mine back 4 years ago with the same thing that was happening to you. I had oil in one of the spark plug holes. I had a weird shake/stutter on start up.

Not a hard job but bank on a couple hours. It's BEST if you remove the upper intake manifold otherwise you are going to be cursing trying to get to the rear side bolts. While you have other stuff off inspect and replace.

I did my injectors and EGR tube as well since those were original and 186k miles them.

-Nigel

 

Firsr of all, thats a damn good looking engine cover. Secondly i took my plugs out ane cleaned them up and noticed the oil was seeping out of whatever is between the middle plugs. Sorry that I don't know the proper name, I'm still learning, but in between the center two plugs is some sort of electronoc plug that connects to somethint that goes into the engine and the oil appears to be seeping out of there and leaking into the adjacent plugs. My oil level is also a little high. Is it possible there is just too much oil and it's seeping out through that device? Possibly an oil sending unit?

 

That is most likely the CHT(cylinder head temperature) sensor.

Not too expensive to replace, under $25 for Ford Motorcraft replacement(factory)

But I would still do valve cover gasket

No, overfilled oil pan wouldn't cause it, but not good to run engines above FULL line on dip stick

 

Yes, you're right, that is the CHT sensor. If it's only leaking out of there however, wouldn't that imply I only need to change that and not the entire valve cover gasket? Or should I just go ahead and replace it anyway, and do I need to use gasket maker?

 

I think you can get a long socket in there to just change CHT sensor so if that solves the problem then leave valve cover alone.

I just like to take stuff apart :)

 

Yea change the CHT sensor. I did that because my temp gauge was going wonky some time ago.

PLEASE NOTE THOUGH: DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE CHT SENOR IN THE BLOCK!!! I can NOT stress that enough. It's made of brass and it's EXTREMELY easy to snap it off in the block... ask me how I know.

I was screwing it in and gave it slightly more force than what was needed after it was tight. I should have stopped. Instead as I was just slightly going a few mm more, it snapped. Luckily it was new so I could easily extract the threaded portion out of the block.

Change that and see if the oil goes away. Seems like it should. If not do the valve cover gasket. What year is your 2.3L and how many miles? Mine's an 01' and the first time I replaced it was when it was bout 110k miles or so. If you have higher mileage and or higher year it might be worth your time to do both at once just if nothing else you don't have to revisit it...etc.

-Nigel

 

Mines an 04 with 235000 km so like 150, 000 miles. I'm gonna xhange my gasket because i already got one coming in anyway but I think my cht sensor can wait for now as it's a pretty easy change right? Just unscrew it like a spark plug?
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Mines an 04 with 235000 km so like 150, 000 miles. I'm gonna xhange my gasket because i already got one coming in anyway but I think my cht sensor can wait for now as it's a pretty easy change right? Just unscrew it like a spark plug? Also I don't have a check engine light, maybe i should just tighten it.
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how did you get the paint to come out so nice ? Is it just pray paint or did you take it some where . I will be doing my valve cover gasket soon as well