Nissan altima gle (2000) and for the past 3 weeks it has not gone over 55. The car was running ok before but was idling rough. A mechanic replaced the intake manifold gasket, the MAF sensor and the fan sensor. I decided to change my spark plugs when I noticed the idling was getting worse. The spark plugs had oil on them and now a month after the new ones are burned (like ashy tip, black thread) and dripping oil again. I think is the oil not letting my car accelerate in the highway. I considered changing the valve gasket, cables and cap for the spark plug. A mechanic told me not to bother because the motor is a lost. Is he right?
Did he do a compression test?
The oil on the first set of plugs, was it on the tips or the sparkplug bodies?
It looks like your mechanic could be right, it appears that the rings are gone. However, I would check the PCV valve before making a final decision. Its a long shot but at the price, its well worth a look. Also pull the valve cover and check the oil return holes in the head, just in case they are sludged up. Check for any pooling of oil around the intake valves.
not sure if he did the compression test. The oil in the first set was sort of all over, same with the second set. What should I look for in the valve, just the gasket?
This is sort of a second direction the car is taking. Initially I was concern about the shaking and got a P0325 code, the knock sensor. Bought the piece but I was never able to locate the piece. I went with the spark plug bacause that seemed an easier solution to try, that’s when I ran into this oil issue…can’t believe I might loose my car! 
I’d take it elsewhere for a second opinion. I suspect your guy is correct, but there just isn;t enough information here to validate it, and with something this important it’s always a good idea.
Warm the engine up, remove the valve cover and look for pooling of oil around the valves. Also find you PCV valve and pull it out and see if it is all gunked up.
How many miles on this car? If it is in good shape otherwise, it might be worth putting a remanufactured engine in it.
This is how the spark plugs looked yesterday I took them out
he did break the fan sensor when taking out the manifold…maybe he damaged the PCV valve?
The car has 197 but the car is in perfect shape otherwise…just bought last summer and started with this issue after the mechanic changed the intake manifold gasket
I’ll take the valve and the cover out to check for those isses. Will post info in a bit
Its not the mechanics fault. If the PCV valve is gunked up, that took a long time to happen. Also, you need to replace that knock sensor IF you find out that the oil problem is due to the PCV valve or sludge on top of the head. Did you just buy this thing?
“The oil in the first set was sort of all over”
That sounds like the oil is collecting on the outside of the plugs and the plug boots & wires.
In that case it’s the valve cover gasket and o-rings.
I bought the car last summer. It ran excellent. I check the cover but couldn’t get the top bolts out. There is oild everywere! now that I’m looking in I top the cable cover to check the ignition rotor (which I shold replace, I mean its not in great shaoe) and there was burned oild there as well. I really think it’s the gasket allowing oil to leak into the spark plug and all around it for that manner. I’m so frustrated with these 2 bolts!!! that’s all I need to remove the cover
should it be this hard to remove the cover or is it the oil contributing to the issue?
How many miles on the car?? Until you get around to doing a compression test, everyone is just guessing, including your “mechanic”…Are the plugs located in wells in the valve cover? Are those wells full of oil?
Ok there should be a plastic engine cover, then a metal valve cover under it. About this ignition rotor, you have a distributor? I thought this engine was COP (coil on plug).