HELP!!! Spark plug replace - and found this...... Thoughts?!

[SoulXB7]

I was driving yesterday and after about a 5 minute drive, the engine started reving while ideling, and seemed to be firing irregularly. So i thought either serp belt, or spark plugs.

Went to replace the spark plugs and found this...

The four...

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/SoulX208/IMG_0465.jpg

Down to 2...

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/SoulX208/IMG_0466.jpg

And the nasty one...

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c87/SoulX208/IMG_0467.jpg

What are your thoughts? No bs posts (ie. oh your screwed....) lol

[b7kevin]

ya so... clean her slap on that coil. Call it a day.

I've seen 1.8t's with half the tube filled with oil before they started misfiring, ie bad valve cover gasket, specifically the inner gasket. That could residue from anything, I would check it in 1000 miles to confirm or deny this.

[agkellyboy]

If you can log, check misfires on 4. See how the new plugs work and if the seal is good down there it could be valve cover gasket.

[SoulXB7]

So what should I do to clear up this oxidation/rust/ corrosion inside here?

@agkellyboy - can't log.

[b7kevin]

Degreaser on a rag. Work like a dream. Honestly it could be a valve cover gasket, but that looks like nothing to me other than something picked up during the life of the engine. Clean it up, replace ur plugs, pull that coil in a few miles and if there isn't residue ur fine.

[SoulXB7]

Thanks kevin. So say in a few miles the problem persists and I do have to replace the valve cover, what am I looking at cost/labor/difficulty wise?

[fly300kts]

You need a new gasket. During the replacement, clean the area

phil

[B72.0T]

My valve cover gasket was replaced around 40K miles. My dads 1.8T it just went recently. His we replaced at 65K.

[b7kevin]

difficulty, maybe a 2. All It takes is at most a flat head and like a 10mm socket. Buy the gaskets from some place like ecs or world impex.

There is a tightening order for the valve cover, you SHOULD search for it here but more or less the pattern starts in the center and works out to like the corners.

I never followed the pattern on my 1.8t and that valve came on and off pretty much weekly. Swapping cams, chain tensioners, then numerous powder coating due to boredom etc. Never had a leak either.

I also come from the school of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." What you have there is a minute oil residue, you really have no reason to not just wipe it off and see if it returns. If the leak isn't bad I honestly wouldn't worry about it to much.