General Smell of oil in car
- Thread starter Retroboy
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General Smell of oil in car
Unless someone has spilt a load of oil in the boot, the pong of oil is usually caused by an oil leak which is dripping onto something hot enough to burn it off, such as the exhaust.
If it's being burnt, the smell should disappear over a longer run. Oil doesn't stink if it's just leaked onto the engine case, since oil doesn't evaporate/burn at those kinds of temperatures.
So... look at the exhaust manifold and follow it down to the sump. Look for any oil drips or stains where it's landing and being burnt.. then see if you can follow it upwards to any obvious leaks.
Candidates for a leak are around the front of the engine (since you have the exhaust manifold there) and the right hand (gearbox) end of the engine where you have the piping to the EGR valve etc. Oil anywhere else won't land on such a hot surface.
Also look around the sump. They don't have a gasket, just sealant, so they can leak and obviously the exhaust passes under the sump.
Meanwhile also check the exhaust flexible section and around the braided cover. If you have a blowing exhaust, you might be getting the exhaust gas smell inside the cabin, and confusing it with "oil".. since burning Mobil One or Shell Optimax diesel produces pretty much the same kind of fumes.
If you jack the car up slightly and start the engine (check it's in neutral..
) you may be able to feel around the flexi with your hand to see whether you can feel a blow... but obviously exercise extreme caution down there. moving belts, pulleys, hot exhaust and the car balanced on a jack.. what can possibly go wrong..?
Ralf S.
If it's being burnt, the smell should disappear over a longer run. Oil doesn't stink if it's just leaked onto the engine case, since oil doesn't evaporate/burn at those kinds of temperatures.
So... look at the exhaust manifold and follow it down to the sump. Look for any oil drips or stains where it's landing and being burnt.. then see if you can follow it upwards to any obvious leaks.
Candidates for a leak are around the front of the engine (since you have the exhaust manifold there) and the right hand (gearbox) end of the engine where you have the piping to the EGR valve etc. Oil anywhere else won't land on such a hot surface.
Also look around the sump. They don't have a gasket, just sealant, so they can leak and obviously the exhaust passes under the sump.
Meanwhile also check the exhaust flexible section and around the braided cover. If you have a blowing exhaust, you might be getting the exhaust gas smell inside the cabin, and confusing it with "oil".. since burning Mobil One or Shell Optimax diesel produces pretty much the same kind of fumes.
If you jack the car up slightly and start the engine (check it's in neutral..
) you may be able to feel around the flexi with your hand to see whether you can feel a blow... but obviously exercise extreme caution down there. moving belts, pulleys, hot exhaust and the car balanced on a jack.. what can possibly go wrong..? Ralf S.