So I'm in the middle of changing plugs for the first time on a 2000 5.4 liter.. (just about 100k miles) Doing the drivers side first .. the first 3 plugs all come out normal enough, the last plug (closest to the steering wheel) comes out covered in oil, the socket is covered in oil.. man, lots of oil. I cleaned off the socket and put a new plug in. I've changed plugs maybe a handful of times in other vehicles and not exprerienced this - is it normal, or a sign of a larger problem?

Thanks for your help,
Todd

 

Might just be a leaky valve stem seal...

 

If I interpet you correct, the plug tip is normal but the outside body is coated.
If so, the plug well is getting oil from some source.
That should show around the top of the boot seal area.

 

Well, i'm not exactly sure! I think the plug well was dry when I removed the COP, but can't remember for sure if I examined that last plug well.. What I think happend was when I removed the plug, there was pressure that pushed oil up into the well and coated everything as I removed the plug. It doesn't seem like a plug could function properly if there was ever that much oil around it, which makes me think something is amiss somewhere..