Advice Needed - Oil in spark plug tube

Hello there. Relatively new to the forum, but absolutely love my truck. I bought my 2014 Tacoma used in late 2017 with 44K miles. It just passed 60K miles - 62.3K last weekend and I was performing the 60k service. At the time, I found oil in the middle cylinder on the drivers side. When I pulled out my spark plug socket, it was covered in oil, so much so the rubber gasket in the socket fell out.

I thought since I was barely out of warranty, I would take it to the dealer and see if Toyota might cover the cost, assuming it needed a valve cover gasket/spark plug tube gasket. The dealer I took it to said the valve cover gasket was in good shape, but instead the leak was being caused by a lower gasket pressed into the bottom of the head.... $6K estimate to fix....

I am by no means a ASE mechanic, just your average handy guy who likes to work on his own vehicles. However, I dont see how a leak on a gasket below the spark plug, would cause oil to rise above and get into the spark plug tube. Logically/mechanically, that makes zero sense. I guess if there is an oil galley running near there it is possible, and I am not familiar with the head design, but I still don't see how that is possible.

For now, I have sent Toyota Customer Service an email - asking for their help, and I plan on getting a second opinion. I wanted to post here and to see if there are any master mechanics who post here or if anyone has had a similar experience. Ideally, I would love for Toyota to cover the costs since this more than likely was present prior to warranty expiring, but we shall see.

Any help advice is greatly appreciated. If I am going to spend 6K - it is going to go into a supercharger ;')

 

The spark plug tube will have to be removed and resealed. They make a tool to actually remove the tube, then clean the threads and put a high quality sealant and reinstall. Toyota has a specific sealant they use if you wanna use oe type.

 

Time for both Valve cover gaskets with Spark Plug Tub Seals to be replaced! Just did mine in Feb. 2019 with same problem and now is fixed ,no more leaks. Go to another shop,Dealer is screwing you!

 

Does the head need to be pulled to pull the spark plug tube?

 

I believe you just remove the valve cover and replace them. Get a new gasket for the valve cover too.

When replacing the valve cover gasket, make sure you don't stretch it while installing. Push straight down, rather than running your finger over it.

 

I believe so. The actual tube screws into the heads. At the bottom sometime the oil will seap in thru those threads.

 

Just talked to my Toyota mechanic, plug tube seals.

 

Thanks!

 

I don't think the Tacoma 1GR-FE uses the older style removable spark plug tubes. You should just have a gasket seal between the valve cover and the casting of the cylinder head and the valve cover. In other words your mechanic is full of poop.

( disregard the arrows as these images were taken from other posts. )





This is the old style below. Notice the individual tubes for each spark plug that is installed into the head: Notice that what holds the valve cover to the head is the spark plug tubes as there are no bolts or bolt holes around the head. There would be a large nut that screws onto the top of the tube to hold the valve cover on. You can see the threads at the top of the tube.

 

yes, that's probably what he meant. when he said tube seal. I just explained wrong. good pick showing old and new style.

 

Yeah and the mechanic that said 6K to basically replace the valve cover gasket that comes with the new spark plug seals is crazy as bat poop. If the mechanic doesn't know that the engine doesn't have the seals and tubes (old style) I would stay VERY Far away. The mechanic is an idiot.

Or maybe take the information provided and make him look it up and show you where six thousand dollars worth of work is going. I would love to hear his explanation, It would be funny as hell.

I would go to another dealer If it were me.

 

Thanks a million! Really appreciate the help.

 

and good luck.