Oil in sparkplug well

[Ike]

Hi,

I'm attempting a valve adjustment for the first time (by me), following the Clymer manual and some other pages on line.  When I pulled the plug wire on Cylinder 2, it was wet with oil.  After removing the cylinder head cover, I couldn't find the rubber gasket for Cylinder 2 that sits under the head cover around the sparkplug well.  That well has oil in it to the top of the plug.

If this gasket was not installed last time the cover was off, is it possible the engine would run smoothly with oil in there?  I'm certain all 4 cylinders were working fine.  I need to remove that oil with a turkey baster or something, right?  Otherwise, it will drain into the cylinder when I change the plugs.

Any advice is most welcome.  Thanks for your expertise.

[Mettler1]

  A baster will work but I didn't have one handy so I used paper towel to soak up the oil. If it ran fine before just clean everything up. Make sure you get the plug wires all the way on the plug. Also make sure the 4 dowels are in the valve cover that hold the gaskets in place. You can get new gaskets for the plug holes from Murphs'. Lots of parts for the Concours. Good guy and fast shipping for free. 

  Look here for Murphs'.  http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_105&products_id=34

[Ike]

Thanks.  I'll order the parts and fingers crossed, it should be good to go. 

[Cholla]

If the seal isn't on the valve cover or head its either lying on the head under the cams or...down by the crank along side the cam chain. Worse yet, in the crankcase. Back in 2000 at the NationalI spent a couple hours in hotter than the hinges of Hades gate heat extracting one from the bottom of the cam chain area. Took a few beers to get that job done!

[Ike]

Yep, I took the pickup coil cover off and there was the missing sparkplug gasket.  In perfect shape too, so I don't need to replace any of them.  The valve adjustment went smoothly.  Thanks for the tips.  Now to put it back together . . .