Misfire Due to Oil in Cylinder #1

[BRIANGEE]

Alright, So I've been chasing down an intermittent misfire on #1 which would throw codes and finally found out the culprit after doing every other test in the book, swapping coils, swapping injectors, compression test even smoke tested it with a home made smoke machine... this thing would only miss for 30 seconds on a cold start so I figured maybe it was intake leak and as things heated up it was sealing itself up. So I was about to take the potato into the mechanic this morning thinking I've checked everything I can check and realized now that I have one of those little inexpensive boroscopes I want to pull the plug and check for any liquid on top of the piston (link below if anyone is interested in one). Low and behold I finally found the cause of the miss:



Now I'm glad it looks like oil and not coolant and that the piston is not steam cleaned if you know what I mean. But now I'm thinking I'll start with most inexpensive and least time consuming like the PCV valve and then the valve cover gasket. I've read about it possibly being a valve seal as well so I wanted to get some thoughts on this here on the forum. It looks like a fair amount of oil... do you guys think it could be valve seals and is there a relatively noninvasive way to check for that?

Any pointers and direction would be appreciated. Oh, also a few details: there is no oil in the spark plug well yet it did look like the threads of the plug had a little oil on them but I'm not sure if that could have just been the anti-seize had liquified since I had changed out the plugs about 7 months ago.

 

[BRIANGEE]

Here is a link to the boroscope I mentioned... and for less than $20!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00STB0EW6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[stamp11127]

It is a bad valve seal if it is only that cylinder, only real question now is the condition of the valve guide - how much wear does it have?
If you feel lucky you can snake the scope down the intake runner and look at the stem & valve. If it isn't wet then it is the exhaust valve.

 

[JExpedition07]

On the 24 valve 5.4 the pcv valve is built into the valve cover and is a non serviceable non maintenance item, not sure on the 16 valve.

 

[BRIANGEE]

It is a bad valve seal if it is only that cylinder, only real question now is the condition of the valve guide - how much wear does it have?
If you feel lucky you can snake the scope down the intake runner and look at the stem & valve. If it isn't wet then it is the exhaust valve.

Makes sense... I don't know if I could get that lucky with that camera... things kind of a pain in the rear for even simple areas to get into.LOL

 

[1955moose]

If your changing out the one cylinder, you can put a air compressor hose made for that purpose into spark plug hole. Then use a small outside spring compressor, and change out those 2 bad seals. Stamp is correct, as he always is, if it was piston rings, you'd have more than one cylinder fail. Their is a compression leak down test you should do or have done to be sure. Valve guide seals rarely fail, but its very possible.

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[BRIANGEE]

Called the mechanic today to see how much they would charge to do the seal because I don't have the time right now.$1,700 and would need the vehicle for 5 days. Said they were going to remove the head. I figure I will just have to find time now. Or check with another shop LOL.

 

[BRIANGEE]

This is a followup to conclude this thread for posterity's sake. What looked like oil turned out to be coolant. I had to add UV dye to determine that. Chemical had gasket tester came out positive. Head gasket failure on this most lovely piece of..... equipment.

 

[1955moose]

Oh dude really a head gasket/ gaskets? That's a decision maker, cause you got to figure out why it failed, and on top of that, you got to be sure the cylinder walls as you know aren't cracked.How bizarre. Sorry for the news.

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[Trainmaster]

Just so I can worry too... how many miles on this gem?

 

[BRIANGEE]

Just so I can worry too... how many miles on this gem?

'bout 165K

Shop A wants $2700 + incidentals such as coolant, hoses etc... so figure $3000.

Shop B are well respected retards and want $4500, said the whole engine needs to removed (no it doesn't), and includes COPs (What?!), spark plugs (say what?!) and new radiator hoses.

At this point I have no choice but to drive it still. The misfire is getting worse (it started doing it while idling at stops). But it's not overheating, it's not bellowing smoke - so I think I'll keep giving her some green brew for now and take my chances. To be honest I'm intimidated at attempting doing the head gaskets on this thing on my own but the prices above are a deal breaker for me. It's either a DYI project or nothing. So in the meantime I decided to refocus my attention on my Honda Odyssey which has bent valves from a broken timing belt. That thing looks a whole lot less intimidating and I'm already about an hour and half away from pulling the first head.

I am really sore about the Expy though. It recently got a new fuel pump, alternator - has a used fuel tank. Dang, I've only had it a year and it's been nothing but trouble but I always hoped to turn it into a reliable vehicle but it's been anything but. I don't know... I'm also tempted to just throw down the money for the mechanic to do his thing and knock on wood that my problems are over with this thing... but right now I've absolutely got to have a reliable vehicle for the family and it looks like that might be the honda that was just about ready for the bone yard LOL!

 

[1955moose]

Shop B is covering their arse! You never reuse spark plugs, hoses, or belts/ unless like new. The Cops are due to the misfire, and possibly of getting wet. Last thing they want is a comeback. Brian bite the bullet, and do yourself. You'll never be happy unless you do. I'm 63 with a bad back, and I wouldn't pay anybody. Very few are going to do it right like you and I would do. Arizona starts to cool down in October, maybe limp it till then.

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