LegacyZ

So I'm still a FNG with these things, but I have a 1980 280ZX and my wife said it took a few tries to start the other night. It's been driven minimally by her aunt (the original owner) for the last few years, so I figured maybe it just needed some general tune up tweaking..

I pulled the plugs one by one and they all look good, but the third plug from the rear had oil on the exposed portion. Not the electrode half that goes into the head, but the half the sticks out of the engine. and not like road grime oil, but clean oil..

My speculation is that maybe the head cover gasket has a slight split there or something? anyone run across this before?

I can rebuild vintage VW engines all day long but some of the modern **** escapes me..

thanks!

ken99

It's no sin to remove and replace a suspect cam cover gasket, especially of it is 35 years old. Pull the cover and inspect the gasket. I suspect a PO have already done so and pinched the gasket by over-torquing one of the bolts near plug #4. If it didn't leak immediately, this creates a weak spot where leakage will begin as the gasket ages. Make sure the cam cover flange is straight and clean before re-installing with a new gasket. Yes, I recall the old flat four VW rocker arm covers always leaked no matter what a person did to seal them up.

LegacyZ

haha, yeah I know it ain't a sin, it just looks like a PITA with how much crap crosses over that cover..

VW valve covers are easy to make leak free, just gotta be sure the heads are flat, the valve covers are flat, yours bails are good, and you have good cork gaskets. I haven't had drips for years..