How dose a bad valve gasket cause oil to go up to the spark plug chamber???

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Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

What motor are we talking about here?

The valve cover is higher than the spark plug holes on every engine I can think of......

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

The spark plugs go through the center of the valve cover = there are six ring seals = one for each spark plug passage through the valve cover + the large roughly rectangular outer perimeter valve cover gasket..

Leaking valve cover spark plug passage ring seals is common...

Oil leaks through the ring seal area, and drools down pooling around the spark plug = if the plug is loose, every intake stroke sucks oil in.

On rare occasions, I have been forced to use a ShopVac to suck out enough oil to find the spark plug.

I'd think that a mityvac or topsider would be less messy.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

The identity of the motor is highly confidential, and even if it wasn't it would be a lot of trouble to post it. It's really more sporting to just take wild shots in the dark anyway.