Hi all,

I noticed sluggishness on acceleration so checked my spark plugs. 1 and 2 are fine, 3 and 4 are covered in oil. I've cleaned them off and car feels a bit better.

Anyone got any ideas why I have oil on plugs 3 and 4 but not 1 and 2? 

There's a silver plug next to 3 and 4 which is also covered in oil so my best guess is that has given up?

 

Plugs 3 & 4 are totally separate from 1 & 2 in the head.  The cam cover gasket is probably leaking on the 3 & 4 side.  The whole gasket will need to be replaced if so, part number 1141575.

The threaded hole is for a cylinder head temperature sensor that was not fitted to your model.

49 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Plugs 3 & 4 are totally separate from 1 & 2 in the head.  The cam cover gasket is probably leaking on the 3 & 4 side.  The whole gasket will need to be replaced if so, part number 1141575.

The threaded hole is for a cylinder head temperature sensor that was not fitted to your model.

Thank you ever so much. Had a feeling it would be something like that after some Googling. Don't think I'm skilled enough to replace gasket cover, might have to call around some garages. My self taught home technician skills end at spark plug changes when it comes to the engine.

Is it fairly straightforward for someone willing to give it a go?

48 minutes ago, Eli_P said:

Thank you ever so much. Had a feeling it would be something like that after some Googling. Don't think I'm skilled enough to replace gasket cover, might have to call around some garages. My self taught home technician skills end at spark plug changes when it comes to the engine.

Is it fairly straightforward for someone willing to give it a go?

Yes, it should be straightforward.  No more than 1 hours labour.

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Yes, it should be straightforward.  No more than 1 hours labour.

Lovely, I'll look into this. Thanks a bunch!

On 7/5/2025 at 12:03 PM, Eli_P said:

Lovely, I'll look into this. Thanks a bunch!

UPDATE! So I bought a gasket and had my brother help me fit it. Car turns on again afterwards which is a good sign. 

Old gasket was very worn and lots of oil around the edges of cam cover. So far it looks like you were right 🙂 @TomsFocus

On 7/5/2025 at 12:01 PM, TomsFocus said:

Yes, it should be straightforward.  No more than 1 hours labour.

So I've driven a few hundred miles since fitting new gasket and no sign of any leaks yet. Good stuff. 

It also seems to have fixed an issue with odometer display not working properly - I previously posted about 

Thought that issue was solved months ago but it odometer stopped displaying properly again weeks later. Even had an electrician come and look at my car who suggested re manufacture of the cluster (I was going to get round to that after my leak). Now my cluster works better than ever. 

I never thought that one piece of rubber in the engine would cause so much carnage and replacing it solve so much 

Good to hear the leak has stopped now.

I think the cluster fault is more causation than correlation though.  It is possible that something else removed and refitted while doing the gasket has cleaned up a previously dirty electrical connection somewhere.

27 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Good to hear the leak has stopped now.

I think the cluster fault is more causation than correlation though.  It is possible that something else removed and refitted while doing the gasket has cleaned up a previously dirty electrical connection somewhere.

Ahh yes could well be. I'll keep an eye on it but there's definitely some improvement 

On 7/14/2025 at 1:34 PM, TomsFocus said:

Good to hear the leak has stopped now.

I think the cluster fault is more causation than correlation though.  It is possible that something else removed and refitted while doing the gasket has cleaned up a previously dirty electrical connection somewhere.

Leak has come back, ugh. Is the gasket supposed to come with other bits? It was just the rubber that goes round the edge of the cover. I've read something about o rings which mine didn't come with? What are o rings and where would they go? 

Below is what I bought 

2 hours ago, Eli_P said:

Leak has come back, ugh. Is the gasket supposed to come with other bits? It was just the rubber that goes round the edge of the cover. I've read something about o rings which mine didn't come with? What are o rings and where would they go? 

Below is what I bought 

That's a shame.

That gasket is all that's needed there.  No o-rings in that area for this engine.

O-rings are just round rubber washers, but they have a round cross section as well, whereas washers generally have a flat cross section.

They can be found on injectors and many sensors as well as various other places.  Just one example shown here.

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That's a shame.

That gasket is all that's needed there.  No o-rings in that area for this engine.

O-rings are just round rubber washers, but they have a round cross section as well, whereas washers generally have a flat cross section.

They can be found on injectors and many sensors as well as various other places.  Just one example shown here.

Ahh okay thanks. I've just checked and the bolts for cam cover might have been a little loose. Oops. Ill monitor and see, but atleast i know what o rings are and will check them anyways 

is it a VVTI version ? the cam sensors have O rings - and have to be disturbed to do the gasket (why they aren't in the pack is ridiculous)

on hers and pretty sure I need to get two the one at the back gearbox end I think is weeping

1 hour ago, Botus said:

is it a VVTI version ? the cam sensors have O rings - and have to be disturbed to do the gasket (why they aren't in the pack is ridiculous)

on hers and pretty sure I need to get two the one at the back gearbox end I think is weeping

As far as I'm aware, Ti-VCT was not available with the automatic gearbox on Mk2 Focus.  So just one cam sensor in the back of the head for this engine.