got2run5

My civic has around 190k miles and recently started to go through a tad of oil - half quart every 1000 miles. I decided to do a compression test to see if there was anything I should be addressing. The results came back on a cold engine: 160, 150, 160, 163. There is a drop on the second reading, but to my knowledge, that isn't an earth shattering drop. However, when pulling the plugs,I noticed what looks like some carbon build up (or rust?) around the plug tubes, and the tubes themselves are pretty ugly looking where I remember them being nice and silver 50,000 miles ago. I'm thinking I might need to replace the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals based on the fact that in the last year, my engine bay has become sooty/oily. My other idea is that the PCV valve might not be functioning appropriately. Anyway, here's some pictures below, and an extra bonus as a result of me being in summer car withdrawl. Looking for other opinions before I go on a rockauto shopping spree.

ezone

2 blackened plugs....that's soot. The plugs weren't tight enough when last installed. Their gaskets don't look quite squashed either. The other two plug gaskets do look a little bit squashed...but not quite as much as I like to see.

Rust came along after the combustion leakage allowed condensation in the tubes.. Expected--due to the leakage.

The electrodes don't scream oil drinking, but how long (mileage) have those plugs been installed?

Also, use NGK or DENSO plugs.

got2run5

Nice observation. One of the plugs was actually only about hand tight. When I put them in about 70k ago (autolite plat), I didn't have a torque wrench or a brand preference. The ones I put in today are NGK plats and I torqued them to 13 ft-lbs. Considering my mistake, do I replace the tubes due to them being rusty, or just continue to run it?

ezone

You can't replace the tubes AFAIK.
Clean them out as good as you can and run it.

got2run5

I think they can be, but I don't think it's something I want to try to tackle since it seems like they're pressed in. Thanks for the diagnosis.

ezone

Honda doesn't sell them separately from the head, and no mention of removing in the FSM......

I've never had a reason to consider trying to remove one. The oil leaks into the tubes that I've encountered have been due to the rubber rings in the VC.