Ugh, you're right. Well, hopefully the lower gaskets will be okay for a while, yet -- I'm not eager to go to all the trouble of removing the intake manifold again. On to replacing the upper radiator hose to stop a leak where the thermostat meets the engine block, and then the shredded gear that raises and lowers the front dirver's seat!

 

A leaky valve cover gasket does not have to leave the oil in something that will cause the oil to burn and smoke..

What the other member was referring to is that the oil can leak down into the socket port and foul out the coil pack causing a misfire..

This is easy to identify because when you pull out the coil pack off the plug, you will see the oil all over the coil pack shaft end where it slides over the spark plug, and then if you look down the spark plug Port, you will see oil all around the spark plug before you remove it.. this oil just sitting in the port can cause a misfire.

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If you were only changing the spark plugs, you would only need to change the upper gaskets.. no reason to change the lower unless there was a suspected reason to break the motor down further..

 

I'd counter that ^^^ statement with, you're already into the engine, for the minimal cost and effort to replace the bottom gaskets for future peace of mind - I would.

 

Changing them would certainly be an "option".. there would be no argument there.. and probably the best thing to do for peace of mind.. But it would not be a "necessity" for someone whose goal was just doing a spark plug and coil change (not according to JTIS).. there is no mandatory call to change these lower gaskets when performing a simple spark plug and coil change.. even if a good idea while already at that point.

The point in my post, specifically addressing his post after being already finished, was that you do not have to tear down into the lower in order to access and do the spark plug and coil change.. it would be an owner option to tear down, but not a necessity for the spark plug change.. it's really pointless to get into a debate over discretionary preference.. plenty of people do the spark plug and coil changes without getting into the lower and have no problems.. it really comes down to a personal and discretionary risk mitigation issue that everybody has to assume for themselves (what give someone that piece of mind, beyond following the service manual recommendations).