2012 Ford Escape 2.5 i4 oil on spark plugs

[Jeep_Riot]

The second and third spark plugs had some oil on the tips and threads. Car has 50k miles. It has a slight jerkiness when cruising around 40mph. I think the jerkiness is gone, but the oil on plugs left me a little worried.
Should I lose sleep over this?

 

[blufeb95]

Was there oil around the plugs when you unscrewed them like it's leaking around the valve cover and wicking down the threads.
If that's the case then I wouldn't think changing the valve cover gasket on a little 4 banger would be all that big of a deal.

 

[Jeep_Riot]

Was there oil around the plugs when you unscrewed them like it's leaking around the valve cover and wicking down the threads.
If that's the case then I wouldn't think changing the valve cover gasket on a little 4 banger would be all that big of a deal.

Just around the electrodes and first few threads of the plugs.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Maybe it's time for a new valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals. The tube seals are included with the valve cover gasket. Do you have any pictures of the spark plugs?

The job is probably easy on your car. Just be glad you don't have a transverse V6

 

[meep]

The second and third spark plugs had some oil on the tips and threads. Car has 50k miles. It has a slight jerkiness when cruising around 40mph. I think the jerkiness is gone, but the oil on plugs left me a little worried.
Should I lose sleep over this?

If it’s not something like the gasket suggestions above, I’d be aware of it but not lose sleep yet. Do you know it to consume oil? Does it burn any on startup before the cat-con is warmed up? You do want to figure out if it’s coming from outside like a gasket issue or something internal.

50k miles is pretty young for oil fouling.

oil fouling will eventually harm the cat-con. when it gets bad, the car won’t run on the cylinders which are fouled.

oil gets in to the cylinder typically from worn rings or worn valve seals.

m

 

[Jeep_Riot]

These are the four plugs.

 

[miden851]

then its time to change that valve cover gasket; fel-pro makes decent gaskets around $25

 

[tig1]

I can't see oil on the plugs.

 

[mattd]

There is zero evidence of oil burning on those. The oil you saw is likely from spark plug tube seals leaking.