Oil on 2 of 4 glow plugs!?

Hello everyone!

Discovery 94, 300tdi ES

When setting my valve clearances last night, I removed the glow plugs (to make it easier to turn the crank)and to my shock found oil on the glow plugs 3 and 4, )numbers starting from the front of the engine).

Surely thats not right....
Is it piston rings or seals?
Could this problem have a detrimental effect on compression and therefore power?

she is slugish when i accelerate from 60 to 70, dont get me wrong Im not expecting her to act like an 09 plate but ya get ya my drift.

I would much appreciate any help and advise!

Test those two glow plugs and check that they are working.

Your glow plugs only work when starting so it's unlikely to have any detrimental effect on normal running.

Paul D said:

Your glow plugs only work when starting so it's unlikely to have any detrimental effect on normal running.

Click to expand...

yes I know but could oil fouled because they are not working.

Just thought we'd start with the easy things first

it could be oil that has gone down the holes they screw into. these holes in the head are quite deep and while the glow plug is fitted any oil from rocker gasket leaking or spilt oil when topping engine up could have gone down these holes and when you removed the glow plug the oil will have got onto the tip making it look like it was fouled with oil.

Hello 3lliot
I have just checked the cambelt on my 97 300TDi commercial and found the same on mine except mine are no2 and no3 cylinders.I really dont think the answers you have recieved so far are realistic because the glow plugs have to screw down to make a seal within the combustion chamber therefore oil cannot escape into the combustion chamber from leaks outside of the engine.
However,I did find that two of the glow plugs are open circuit (ie not heating)I did not mark the glow plugs before pulling them so I cannot say if the two defective ones were no2 and 3.I really cannot see how the glow plugs would be covered in oil if they were not working unless they are getting covered in oil from the valve guides being worn and allowing oil to seep down onto them.
I still have not found the solution but will be keeping an eye on oil cosumption and exhaust colour when I scrap my dear old V8 on lpg at the end of Sep.