98 626 2.0 58k miles changed spark plugs and noticed nbr 4 plug has oil on it. (threads and head). What am I looking at here? Is this a major problem?
Thanks for any help.

 

At 58,000 miles it's probably not a worn piston/cylinder so it's probably a gasket leak of some kind.

How fast is it burning oil? That will tell you how serious this is.

Given that it has oil on the threads is it possible that this spark plug hole is stripped (or cross threaded) and so the plug isn't fitting properly? I'm wondering that because it's possible that oil dribbled on the outside of the engine during an oil change, and then went down the hole.

Z.

 

Probably a valve cover gasket if the oilis on the wire end of the plug

Are you puffing blue smoke at start-up or while running? @ start-up would be valve guide seals, smoke while running is typically piston rings.

 

this is the first time plugs are changed so wouldn't believe that threads are crossed. I change oil every 6 months about 3.5k miles I haven't noticed any signs of oil burning or leaking in the 6 month period I never need to add oil. I have notice the car is idling rough at times that was why I changed plugs to begin with. The gaskett that might need to be replaced, how big a job is this?

Thanks again friends

 

Valve cover gasket shouldn't be too bad, pull theplug wires and anything on top of the valve cover, remove the valve cover, remove gasket and replace

Ifthe valve cover gasketwas leaking though, you'd have oil down the outside of the engine.If you need a new head gasket, you have to remove the cylinder head. A big job if you're not familiar with working on engines.