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Oil around spark plug boots?!


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Hi all-

I'm working on my timing belt, and I pulled the spark plug boots in order to pull the plugs, and at the top of the boots there was a fair amount of oil, on all of them. Have you ever come across this? I've searched, but didn't see anything.

 

2001 Outback Wagon, 2.5 4/cyl.

 

Thanks!

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ah yes...just need to do the spark plug tube seals...they arent that hard to do...and if your doing your t-belt.....might be a good idea to do the idlers/water pump/tensioner/ any seals which are leaking.... while your in there...how many miles are on the car?

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Thanks for your quick reply!

 

I'm doing the water pump, thermostat, oil-pump seal, and all the idlers (cam seals if needed). It's got 116k on it now, yes the t-belt is overdue...but so far so good right?

 

You said spark plug tube seals? Is that under the valve cover or on the boots themselves. When I pulled the boots, the oil was all at the top, above the oring, but some trickled down to the bottom of the boot after being pulled from the head. It's normal for oil to be there?

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Ditto on all the repsonses, and yes you will want to replace the wires as mentioned, as per the oil soaked ruber will swell up and wil be a pain in the bahooky to get back on the plugs. You will need to order (from the factory) valve cover seal, plug well seals, and valve cover bolt seals, to do the job properly. Happy wrenching :banana:

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I also recomend the spark plug well seals, bolt seals, cam seals, crank seal and oil-pump O-ring, with the timing belt. Get the California belt if there is a difference, as it is a 100K mile belt where the fedreal belt (if there is a difference) is only a 60K belt. Water pump is a good idea, and you will want to replace the thermostat and gasket with genuine Subaru when you do this job. For reasons of space, you will likely want to pull the engine out to have more room to work. If your car has a manual transmission, now would be a good time to replace the clutch as well (get a full clutch kit, with TO berring, pilot berring, pressure plate and disc. Also get the two retaining clips to hold the TO berring onto the transmission shaft), as they usually last 120K~160K miles on average. . .

 

Oh, and where do you live in NorCal? I'm just east of Antioch. . .

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