I wiped off the side of the block today and after doing an oil change observed the oil collecting around some of the sparkplugs... It doesn't seem to be coming from the valve cover but from around the plugs??? Are the plugs loose.. is there a paste or something I need to apply around the plugs to prevent this?

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

I don't think oil will come out of the plugs, there is an anti-sieze compound you can use on them. Available at most auto parts houses. I would re-check, re-tourque or replace valve cover gaskets. I use high heat (red) silicone on both sides of the gasket to help with the seal.

When looking for the leak, keep in mind oild will never flow up. Nor will it come out the spark plug holes, thats the port to the combustion chamber, that much oil there working out the plug threads and the engine would not run. Almost always a valve cover gasket.

Mark & Steve .... Thanks for the tips... I'm going to order a new valve cover gasket and retighten. I couldn't get an oil change yesterday from these guys up the street cause I'm leaking too much oil??? I don't know what their problem was and I now have had the pleasure of doing that myself.. geez what a mess.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

Those gaskets are pretty robust - I would take it off and look at it before I ordered a new one. This is not a pressure seal and we are deling with aluminum, so be sure you follow the torque settings: 5 Nm = 4 ft-lbs. You could also have a crack in the valve cover.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

I tightened it and applied some sealant.. there is no longe oil pooling around the plugs and overall it's leaking much less oil. But it's still dripping quite a bit. This engine is giving no end of trouble besides this but I'm determined to find the sources.. I found a UV dye kit.. you put the dye in the oil and then use some special glasses and light to view where the dye leaks through the system.. sounds pretty neat.. hope it actually works.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

Any idea how new is the valve cover gasket that is now on the car? They do harden and lose their pliability over time. New gaskets are relatively cheap. I would get one for good measure. Then, be sure its lip is properly around the valve cover. Torque to specifications.

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Douglas
1959 M-B 220S cabriolet