Honda Car Forum

and is that why my car won't start...it only starts when i push it because it is an manual trans.NOT "OLD" i meant to type "OIL" as in motor oilit is a 1990 honda accord LX 2.2 16 valve

It could also be broken piston or piston rings either way its not good

Year make and model would have helped in the diagnosis.Replace the valve cover gasket, which is leaking and causing the spark plug tubes to fill with oil.Broken Seal is what you have and the reason its not starting is the spark plugs arent firing. A way to check to see if your pistons and can shaft are working put a rag in the spark plug hole and turn the car over if the rag comes out your engine is fine.

Don't put any rag in your spark plug hole!. If you mean you have oil seeping into the sparkplugs from where the wire connects,(the tube where the plugs go) then it's the plastic grommets on the inside of the valve cover. Take off your valve cover, replace the four plastic gaskets and the valve cover gasket if it's torn or leaking oil onto the outside of the head. Take of your starter and take get it checked. That's why it only starts if you push start it. That is only if you already checked to make sure your battery is still good. Other than that if your car starts and run then it's minor problems. Yes, the oil will cause a misfire and have your car running like crap. Best of luck. No it's not the distributor either, or your car wouldn't start to begin with.