Found oil in the spark plug wells and thought it was due to a bad valve cover gasket install. I did it a couple years ago, but didn't notice these holes next to the top of the wells until now. All holes are on the intake side / driver side. There's no hole on top of #1, but it's everywhere else. Even between each spark plug. Are these normal? Should there be a seal inside that is missing? Or is it time to get a new car? 2002 gs300

In each picture, the holes are towards the top.

(Front) Only a hole on the left, which is plug 2.

(Mid) Circled one, but it's even on the middle

(Rear)

 

Yes those are meant to be there. There is a hole at the back of the head that those drain out of in case it was to flood in there. I don't know where your oil came from in the spark plug holes, but I'm pretty sure it didn't come from there. I'd suspect the valve cover still. It looks like it is wet in the upper left of the last pic you posted.

 

I checked one side and it does look like it's leaking towards the rear like you said. I'll redo the gaskets. Thanks for clearing things up!

 

I'm also changing out the lower oil pan because it was dented in. Been driving with it for a while now. Would that cause the oil to overflow into the spark plugs?

 

I had the same problem too, oil in the spark plug but don't have a gasket leak. Changed the gasket anyways. It's only been 100 miles and I'm too lazy to check the spark plugs well again. I might check it soon to see if there's oil in there again.

 

Not a chance.. you do only fill your oil to the mark on the dipstick right? The only way a dent in the oil pan could cause oil to come out of the top would be if the engine was completely filled to the brim of the fill cap, then the pan got hit, and oil forced out somewhere.

 

I get you. They don't make it easy to change things. Why did they have the throttle body in the way like that?? I did my lower oil pan & gasket and thought it would be quick and easy. Nope. Had to unbolt the engine mounts and jack up the engine (no hoist available). At least I got it all done, I'm happy for now.

Yeah, I only fill up to the dipstick mark. Since I changed the lower oil pan, I found out the tube/ oil strainer was dented too. Maybe that messed with how the oil was being pumped into the engine block. I just bent that sucker back into place. We'll see how that goes.
After finishing everything, it looks like it's leaking quite a bit in the front where the pulleys are. I'm thinking head gasket leak. Oh well. That will be for another time.
Thanks for everything guys!

 

That's very much more likely to be cam seals and/or the vvti sprocket seal. Oil leaks heavily from the front when the vvti seal goes.

 

@TrueGS300 - So in the middle and rear one should have the same cutout slits in the same spot between plugs 3&4 and 5&6. I had the head done and never looked at it till now. Work was done years ago but just getting back around to it. Is that normal or would the builder for the head do that for a reason or did he mess up? He has been doing heads for 30-plus years and believe he made the heads for the first v12 2jz. People don't hate if it wasn't the first one I know he did it many years ago but that's not the point just want to know if they should be there. Just would like to make sure before I keep going on my build. Thank you