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Oil in spark plugs-valve gasket change

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by golfmk681, Jul 30, 2018.

  1. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    05AC6BDC-7041-4021-B9D8-B4353F7E4BCB.jpeg 779B32CB-BFF4-4C30-80EE-752E430F8BD2.jpeg 05AC6BDC-7041-4021-B9D8-B4353F7E4BCB.jpeg So did my spark plugs this weekend and found this... see attachments. I’m not really surprised so I figure this might be a decent weekend project. Gaskets are arriving tomorrow as well as pcv valve since it’s going to be accessible anyway. Anyone changed their gaskets before? Any extra tips? I looked on YouTube and found very little videos on this subject for 2gen prius.
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 golfmk681, Jul 30, 2018
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Those plugs actually don't look bad, might be able to reuse after cleaning them up.

    The gasket however seems to be non existent. That's a lot of oil getting through
     
    #2 JC91006, Jul 30, 2018
  3. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    Ya I already threw away the plugs lol

    In one of the pics it looks like the gaskets in the sparkplugs are drooping into the cylinder.

    Anyone know what the sequencing is to tighten the bolts, and what the torque specs will be. I'll document this DIY project, hopefully it'll help someone out.
     
    #3 golfmk681, Jul 30, 2018
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    1. Use a bead of FIPG sealant at two places, where the engine front cover attaches to the cylinder head. When the engine valve cover is in place, the sealant will secure the three-way joint between the front cover, cylinder head and engine valve cover.
    2. Tightening torque for the valve cover hardware is 7.4 ft.-lb (or 89 in.-lb).
    3. Tighten from the center of the valve cover, then progressively move out. The corners should be the last to be tightened.
    4. The tightening torque for the bolts that secure the ignition coils is 80 in.-lb.
    5. There is no tightening torque spec for the PCV valve, but do not be excessive about it. Note how much force is needed to remove the valve, and certainly do not exceed that amount when tightening. It should be really easy for you to remove the PCV valve while the cover is off the engine.

    At least two owners have posted about making a hole in the valve cover due to poor technique and the use of the wrong wrench. Don't be the third.

    6. If you want to check valve clearance since you have the valve cover off, the spec when the valves are cold is 0.007 - 0.009 in. intake and 0.011 - 0.013 in. exhaust.

    The following photos were taken in April 2007 and are of my 2001's engine. I felt like measuring valve clearance, so I took off the valve cover. I also replaced the PCV valve while I was at it.
    P4280016.JPG P4280020.JPG P4280021.JPG
     
    #4 Patrick Wong, Jul 31, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2018
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  5. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    Ummm where is the cyclinder head? Lol Trying to figure out what you were saying about the sealant. Did you use rtv sealant on the engine block? I’ve been watching toyota camry valve gasket install since I couldn’t find Prius videos.
     
    #5 golfmk681, Aug 1, 2018
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Looks like it is time to define some terms:

    Cylinder head: Contains the engine valves and the camshafts. The intake and exhaust manifolds are bolted to the cylinder head.
    Engine block: Below the cylinder head. Contains the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons.
    Engine front cover: Located adjacent to the passenger-side fender and covers the camshaft timing chain. It also contains the engine oil pump, incidentally.
    Engine valve cover: This is what you are removing. It is bolted to the top of the cylinder head and also to the top of the engine front cover. Hence it is necessary to apply two small beads of FIPG sealant (aka RTV) at the seams where the front cover touches the cylinder head.
     
    #6 Patrick Wong, Aug 1, 2018
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  7. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    Lol oh ok lord help me. Ya I was watching this install and this guy put a dot of sealant where the engine and the chain meet. It was not a consistent bead around the cyclinder head aka “metal box with oil in it”
     
    #7 golfmk681, Aug 1, 2018
  8. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    Ok new gasket is in the car. Not too bad of an install. Taking off the wiper shield tray helped out tremendously. Car is sitting waiting for the 24 hrs period to cure just to be safe. Hopefully this will help with the oil issue in the sparkplug wells.

    Last picture is the tightening sequence I used. I couldn't find the prius one on life so I just used this method going from the inside and alternating to the front and back bolts, then corners last. I bought an inch lbs torque wrench since I've needed one for years now; my foot lbs torque wrench has served me well over a decade or longer. Torque to 89 in/lbs. So far so good. I finished this in about 3 hrs, I had to take time off to buy RTV and the torque wrench.
     

    Attached Files:

    #8 golfmk681, Aug 4, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2018
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  9. golfmk681

    golfmk681 Active Member

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    Lastly, I'm going to do back to back oil changes since I am pretty sure old gasket material and other crap probably fell in the engine. I have a fomuto drain valve so this makes changing the oil super easy. I'll change the oil once tomorrow, then another on Wednesday. I plan to start the car at 3pm since that's about the time I put the gaskets in with RTV.
     
    #9 golfmk681, Aug 4, 2018
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