Spark Plug length + OIL in hole

[uumode]

Bit cheeky asking here I guess, as it's to do with my Polo

I bought some sparks from GSF car parts and they gave me some Bosch Platinum ones which are supposed to fit my car - see below, and compared to the OEM removed plug it's longer! Does that matter i.e. in terms of mechanical fit and sparking point which will be deeper?

I also discovered in one of the existing spark plug holes oil/or fuel?
(Left hole is a typical clean one and three look like this, but the image on the right is the rogue one)

which left my spark plug tool covered

Do you reckon this is because the VW dealer crossthreaded / damaged the thread when putting in the spark plug? I checked if the spark plug was screwed in properly and it was tight. What's happening?

If it's of any bearing I also found some oil on my air filter and in the air filter housing. Older generation Polo's are notorious for getting blocked breather pipes so it 'might' be that or something to do with the spark plug? The car's done 68k miles and is 4 years old, so I don't think it's a worn engine (yet). I don't know why I have an oily spark plug?

 

[grober]

Oil on the outside of the spark plug is from an external source like your breather pipes or a leaking cover gasket not normally from inside the engine. I WOULD be concerned about clearance of your new plugs, but really depends on the design of your cylinder head/ piston crown. GSF are usually pretty good but why dont you cross check yourself. I also notice your old audi plug is a multiple earth plug compared to the single earth bosch. For both reasons I would check again.

 

[uumode]

Darn...

I looked more closely at the photo I took of the 'clean' plug I removed and noticed that on the rim of the hole there is oil.... and oil on the 'clean' spark plug's rim too (first picture) - which probably means that all 4 sparks will probably have evidence of oil, but one in particular has oil all over

Unblocking a breather could be expensive business? I don't think it's a gasket as it doesn't look to be a leak on the top, but there is oil on the air filter.

 

[nickmann]

Option a) - they are only slightly too long, will work, but carbon buildup on exposed thread may cause pre-ignition and make them hard to get out later on.
Option b) - they are much too long and will hit the piston crown

Feeling lucky?

In all seriousness if it were me I would go to the dealer and buy either one plug for comparison, or just get the whole set while I'm there. If you get the wrong ones from a dealer after ordering against your VIN then it will be clear who is to blame. It may be less straightforward at GSF.

 

[Will]

I'd agree - take no chances, you're saving the labour by doing the work yourself, be sure to use the correct parts

On a side note, are you sure that the old plugs are correct too

(very unlikely I know, but a thought..)

Good luck,

Will

 

[grober]

Good point Will. Wouldnt be the first time!

 

[Dieselman]

The oil appears to be coming from the cam cover seals.
You need to check the breathers are clear and that the cam cover is tight.

If the oil still leaks fit new seals.

 

[silverarrow]

so many plugs on vw range took me on my ex girlfriends gti 3 attempts to get correct plugs and that was a main agent
i find main agents not helpful unless they are doing the work
i would be surprised if the plugs are correct

 

[jgevers]

Hi,

If your Polo is 98 onwards it is most likely that the car should have Bosch F7HPP222. If the car is older the plug is most likely a Bosch F7LTCR. If it a new type FSI it should be Bosch FGR6HQE0.
If you give me the engine number (should be a 3 letter combination like AKK, AKP, ANW, AUD, AJV, ARC, AHW, AUA, APE etc.) I should be able to give you the exact plug number.

The oil leak will be rocker cover.

Regards,

Job

 

[jgevers]

Just to add, on the Polos with motorised throttle body it is very important to clean and re-adapt the throttle body at service time. The throttle body does carbon up and eventually will start having idle problems and eventually the throttle body will start sticking and allowing the motorised part to go faulty.

regards,

Job

 

[uumode]

Hi,
If your Polo is 98 onwards it is most likely that the car should have Bosch F7HPP222.

That's the spark plug that GSF car parts gave me for 98 on, and it's pictured above (but the text is upside down). I took the plugs back to GSF for a refund but as they were GSF car part's correct specification - (it was the inherent design of platinum plugs that made them longer I was told). I was charged a 20% restock fee, but didn't want to take the risk with the longer spark plug. The spark plug I pulled from the car was fitted by a main dealer and has a VW/Audi badge on it so can only assume these are the originals, so I'm just going to replace them with the same NGK (multi earth) ones at £4 each that last 40k miles according to the service schedule. The Bosch platinum single earth cost £7.64 each.

But before I replace them I need to sort this oil on sparks and air filter problem out. My local mechanic was/is on holiday so couldn't get hold of him yet for advice. Thanks for all the advice so far, they are very useful pointers, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the knowledge of VW in this MB forum! - Quality!
(Was also trying to source a VW specialist in the Berkshire area who knows VW inside out)

If you give me the engine number (should be a 3 letter combination like AKK, AKP, ANW, AUD, AJV, ARC, AHW, AUA, APE etc.) I should be able to give you the exact plug number.

Job

It's AUA 0132 040 - a 1.4 16V 75 BHP (I returned the plugs but purely out of interest if they were the correct ones, although they were longer) ... do you work for Bosch?

The oil leak will be rocker cover.

Thanks for the extra avenue of investigation

 

[jgevers]

Hi,

The NGKs will work fine.

No, I don't work for Bosch but my garage is classed as a Bosch Service Agent/Bosch Car Service.

All it means that we operate with Bosch guidelines and get regular training to keep up with the latest systems in modern cars.

regards,

Job