I have a '98 Vectra 1.8 which is running a little lumpy. It's done 80k so I went to change the spark plugs and found that all but the plug next to the timing belt were drenched in oil. Doesn't look good to me, is this the head/head gasket? Is this a 'known' failure for a Vectra? What is the likely cause?
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As I dont know the car.apart from have you checked out the water ie has it oil in it.is the oil clean if you take off oil filler cap is there any mayonaise ie oil/water mix.if oil/water clean would possibly think either oil control rings have failed or holes in the pistons.as I say dont know the car so may be wrong.
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Thanks for your respnse. Oil and water appear fine.
Oil control rings - please excuse my ignorance, what are these? Is this the piston rings or something else. Sounds like I'm in for some big bills...
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I have exactly this problem on my 130k 2 litre Omega; haven't found the root cause yet; but I suspect it's due to the cam cover breather pipes getting blocked. This leads to excess pressure in the cam cover; and oil gets forced past the gasket into the spark plug recesses. Must admit I don't know the 1.8 engine particularly well, I'm assuming it's similar to the 2 litre.
So for starters I'd check that the breather pipes from the cam cover and crankcase are clear, if they are then maybe the cam cover gasket is on the way out.
Just for now I've resorted to sucking the oil out with a length of plastic pipe every few thousand miles...only got a mouthful of oil once :-(.
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I have a '98 Vectra 1.8 which is running a little lumpy. It's done 80k so I went to change the spark plugs and found that all but the plug next to the timing belt were drenched in oil. Doesn't look good to me, is this the head/head gasket? Is this a 'known' failure for a Vectra? What is the likely cause?
Do you mean the combustion side of the plug or the exterior of the plug? If the former, then you have a fairly major problem and probably require major engine work. If the latter, then the problem is fairly minor and you're looking for a leaking rocker cover gasket, or similar.
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Common problem on many modern engines where the plugs go through this cover instead of through the side of the head.
Not head gasket, as this is not sealing here. It will be the cam cover gasket. Get a new one, and clean mating surfaces well, and apply some gasket sealant which says it is suitable for this on the packet. Don't put so much on that it will squish out, just a thin smear.
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The exterior side. The rocker cover gasket does look to be seeping, also, as suggested by one of the other responses, one of the breather pipes was blocked. I'll fit a new rocker cover gasket and see how I get on.
Just to ensure I do have to spend some money - the exhaust fell off my aged Xantia this afternoon...
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If the oil is on the outside of the plug it's the cam cover gasket that that needs replacing. You can get rid of the oil with a kitchen towel rolled into a tube, it's much easier than letting it go down the (spark) plug hole. Don't forget the O rings under the fixing screws.
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