So,

I pull my spark plugs to find oil puddled in 3 out of 4 of them. I also noticed oil on the tips of the 3 wires. You can probably imagine how badly my car was running at this point (chug chug...)

No oil on the other sides of the plugs (thank God).

Obviously the little O-Ring seals that go around the spark plug tube holes in the valve cover are the culprit, right?

So I decide to take a closer look at one. Put a pair of pliers up to it and pulled. It shredded into little pieces.

My guess is that these are the stock seals and have never been replaced in the engine's entire 180,000 miles because they are NOT coming off. Seems like they glued themselves onto the valve cover.


Anyone got any tips on removing them without damaging the valve cover?

Anyone have ANY idea where I can buy a new set? Advance Auto can't even order them. AutoZone can order them, but they come in a pack with the valve cover gasket which I already have 3 of and don't want to spend 4x the price for something I dont need.

I have a 94 Honda Accord EX.

 

They usually come in a set with the valve cover gasket, so I don't think you will be able to just buy the grommets.

 

Hey I had the same exact problem one day, right before work. But i only had ONE plug/wire boot have oil all over it. If you go to the Honda Dealership in the parts department they have'em. It only cost me $1.75 or so for each gorrment. I never could get the other 3 O-ring seals off, so before i totally jack'em up i just left them on........... they were'nt leaking (yet) so i took the other 3 gormments back to Honda. So far they still have'nt leaked yet and the new one is working fine. The only problem i do have is the wire that had the oil on it kinda got Swollen..... i dont know if thats a good thing or not but everything seems to be ok. Did this happen to you or anyone else?

 

I bought them individually for the GSR at www.acuraautomotiveparts.com.

 

you can buy them one at a time from honda, same as the si, and mine came out easy, all 4. Now my friends ex did not want to come out without ripping so i dont know why mine slide out with one finger, and his have to be chizzled out?

 

I can tell you exactly how to get them off. Go to auto zone, or wal mart, or any other parts or home improvement store and buy a heat gun. Usually about $20.00. Heat the old grommets up real good and use a thin flat screwdriver to get them out. That should help you out alot. And like everyone else has said, you can get the grommets individually at the dealer. Good luck!!