VR6 - Single Oily Plug!

[SW VR6]

My mate's 98 VR6 Golf has always used a lot of oil, but doesn't seem to smoke and there aren't any obvious leaks uderneath the car. Can sometimes smell oil in th cabin though..

Anyway, last week it started missing, so we whipped out the spark plugs and found that the bottom left one (sorry for the non-technical description!) was fouled with oil. All the others were fine. Not sure exactly what this means, but I know it's not great news!!!

Can anyone give me any pointers?

Thought I remembered someone posting about this and mentioning rocker cover gaskets?? Could this explain why oil is fouling the plug in question? And could it leak oil without depositing it on the floor?!!  Or is there another explanation?

Would like to have a look over it but not really sure where to start.

Any advice appreciated..
Cheers

[N-Wales_vr6]

Happened to me few months back! Valve stem seals have gone im afraid meaning a full strip down! Best thing to try is clean existing or buy brand new plug and run it for 1000 miles or until misfire returns, it will run sweet as straight away though but dont be fooled if misfire returns quickly then seals are definately shot!

Good luck cos it starts to get expensive from now!

[AudiA8Quattro]

Probably a knackered piston ring.

[N-Wales_vr6]

Probably a knackered piston ring.

That too.. forgot about them! mine were also shot!!

[Burnsy]

Yep if the piston ring is knackered it may cause a slight groove in the boar allowing the oil to creep up through this groove causing the plug to get oily.If this is the case then you will need to have it rebored but then you need to have all six done and new pistons so could be expensvie .Then again you could end up with a 3 litre vr6