Oil leaking problem....maybe??

[GalantEVOII]

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o24/fluentfiya/Galant/Image001-1.jpg

Well I took off my exhaust manifold and I find one of these wet. I tried to smell the fluid to see if it was oil or not but I can't get a smell out of it. Is this normal or am I having an oil leak due to a bad valve seat or something related?

I have misfires and a putt-putt-putt-putt-putt idle, a very very very mild sulfur smell and it looks like my 02 sensor is burnt.

[Stewi]

oil in the exhaust ports can mean a bad headgasket or a bad valve stem seal. Typically its a bad valve stem seal.

is it leaking like its wet inside there? The black is just carbon buildup from the engine which is normal, but in the pic it looks wet which would be the oil. If it was fuel, you would know it by the distinctive smell.

[troubled4g64t]

if its fuel the wet stain would dry up rather quickly but oil would stay w/ the wet look

[GalantEVOII]

I figured oil. The head gasket has been replaced almost a year ago.... So it sounds like a valve stem seal. Would it also cause a misfire in that cylinder also?

[SPD_FRK]

If you are getting a misfire, pull the plugs and see how they look. If they are covered with oil then it could be a valve stem seal, otherwise it could be some adly worn piston rings letting a lot of oil blow by the piston/s. When you pull the plugs out definitely do a compression check as well just to be sure that portion is still in good working order

[GalantEVOII]

Common sense told me to pull the plugs. They were dry but then again, there was this brown stuff dried up as if it was burned on. I will re-chec them today

[mrg7243]

that brown is good if i think i know what your are saying, brown spark plugs mean your car is fueling right its not over fueling or under, and you are getting a complete burn

[GalantEVOII]

Good to hear.. but you know what.... i do need to replace my 02 sensors. I got bad mileage and misfires... I look at a full tune up coming soon. I just hope my cats are okay. I got news that my first cat on the exhaust manifold is shot but I dont see it overheating.... you know... when they glow bright red...