Miata Mailing List: April 1998, Message #10

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>From: Jason Wassman and Satori <jgarcia@pacbell.net>
>Subject: Wear and Tear
>Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 23:52:17 +0000
>
>Bored this evening, I pulled my old plug wires and checked the plugs.
>Numbers 1 and 2 looked great, a little white but very clean but the gap
>seemed to increase about .02". (Engine was off for almost 20 hrs.)  The
>3rd and 4th plugs both were very clean, except for a thin film of oil in
>the treads and up to the inside of the washer.  Oil rings going? I'm
>really surprised, because the car seems to be running very well. Oh
>well, the plugs looked pristine compared to the old plugs in my 240z
><vbg> I trust I still have many more miles left.  I hit 75,000 later in
>the day today.
>
>Jason and Satori
>Riverside, Ca

Jason,

The most likely cause is that the cam cover seal is weeping oil down into   
the spark plug holes, rather than oil coming up from the combustion   
chamber.

First try tightening the cam cover. (not too much, those bolts dont take   
much to break).
If that doesnt fix it, get a new seal from PBC, Roebuck or wherever.

Fletch.