Oil in spark plug hole

[turbominor]

Changed the plugs on my w202 c180 last night and number 3 was full of oil, the area below the plug cover was spotless.

Is there a gasket at the bottom of the plug hole ( under bottom of rocker box?

 

[shandy]

There are sealing rings where the cam cover seats on the cylinder head at the base of the plug holes, cam cover needs to come off to replace them.
No.35 in this diagram,http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as....418&VIN=*&CT=M&cat=19K&SID=01&SGR=075&SGN=08

 

[u34rb]

oily spark plugs

I have this problem with my 1987 190E 2.6 petrol. A compression test indicates that the head gasket is sound.

Discussing this problem with MB, I was told that this is a common problem caused by oil leaking past the oil seals that surround each valve stem, (below the valve springs), at least in the case of my 1987 straight six ohc engine. The cause is, apparently, that the original oil seals dry up because they are not accoustumed to the additatives in modern engine oil.

MB told me that they have a special tool that they can use to replace the seals without removing the head. And that the modern replacements should last.

Anyone have experience of this job?

 

[shandy]

Your 190e is a completely different design from the c180 which has centre plugs and can suffer this effect when the seals between the cambox and head at the base of the plug holes leak. I don't dispute what you have been told but leakage past the valve stem seals should not cause oil to collect in the plug holes, yes the valve stem seals can be changed without removing the head.
Geo.