can anyone help? after a reasonably hard drive when i stop to let things cool off before turning off engine there is a strong smell of engine oil in car. the only thing i can see under bonnet is a slight rocker leak on drivers side. i don't seem to be losing any oil either and car is running like a dream. only mods are 57i bailey evo d\v and scorpion de-cat system.could rocker leak be causing this.

 

Yep,mines doing the same and the bloody rocker cover(drivers side)is leaking on the exhaust.

 

Mine was aswell but just had timing belt done and asked them to replace it and they told me that it just needed resealing and bolts tightened.
Not sure if they are correct but will know very soon - been quoted £90 to replace offside gasket.

 

thanks lads not too bad then. thought i had major prob for a mo!

 

Just subscibing to this thread cause I have the same problem and would like to know the solution.

I've got a full Scorpion De-Cat and the car runs fine too , it's just the smell

Matt

 

Common fault on these cars. The oil drops on to the hot headers and burns so you get a smell but never see anything on the groung under the car. It is not always the cam cover gasket but the rubber half moons which should be replaced at the same time.

 

You might want to check the oil level in the transmission with transmission dip stick. My dealer overfilled once by over a litre. and after a run on the autobahn in Germany it had worked its way out and gave a horible smell of transmission oil. Of course as he was the only one to service the car I went back to him and had it drained to the right level.

 

Nother common place to leak is the crank seal behind the timing cover, Builds up behind the cover & drips onto the front pipe.

Dean

 

Cheers lads. gives me something to do tomorrow instead of cutting the F@#*!ing grass again! definately looks like drivers side rocker cover now. Good job there is plenty of access room. NOT!!!!!

 

I have this. Stinks of burning oil when you park up, and sometimes you can see small wafts of smoke - no noticeable oil loss though. I got them to check it at my last service, and it wasn't the rocker covers in my case.

Gotta go in for a full engine-out op. Luckily i bought the extended warranty (phew!!!)

Andy

 

I'd like to confuse everyone by saying that :
shortly after a service (on my sport), drove about 50 miles,
stopped at services on motorway ; to see some smoke drifting up from under the bonnet. called AA out, they couldnt see any problem.

Drive the 3 miles left to work & calls up my garage, they're
understanably not sure, oil levels appear normal all other fluids ok. No leakage. I look at the underside and can see some discolouration, oil has leaked onto the exhaust.
Take back to garage, diagnosos : faulty seal on oil filter.
Obviously only evident when pumping oil under pressure.

 

Just an update on mine, another 1-2k miles down the road and it now smells even after a "light" run. Still no evidence of any oil loss though?
Will book it into the garage next week, hopefully it's nothing major.

 

the oil loss only has to be minute. when i put in my new (legacy) engine it constanmtly had a burning oil smell. i checked levels all the time and it never moved. it wasnt till it took the engine out i noticed it. a few drips a day is all it takes so you wont notice it. but ti doesnt half stink!!!

 

Mine's been the same for yonks. Occasional drips onto the heat shield of the exhaust - oil level never changed - it doesn't take much. Finally had the driver's side rocker cover gasket changed a couple of weeks ago..'tis still smelling, but not as bad, so I'm hoping it's burning off slowly,,,

 

I had the same problem on my WRX last week

Changed the rocker gasket (About an hour...ish)

Problem gone, its not a difficult job, so don't let the dealers rip you off!

If your feeling brave have a go yourselves!!

Myk

edited for spulling!

[Edited by Myk - 5/18/2003 9:23:55 PM]

 

Would have a go but I have zero idea, as in I don't even know where that rocker cover gasket is (although obviously on the drivers side )

 

Fair enough, best leavin it to a mechanic, if you hadn't have been so far away i'd have offered to do it!

Myk

 

Cheers for the offer though
I'll see what the garage says
It would only be a 6 hour round trip for me to you

 

I don't think anyones mentioned this, but also check your powersteering resevoir for leaks. Typically they can leak around the bottom o-ring and onto the top of the engine block. This can lead to a nice pool of oil which smells when engine is hot and can smoke if you drive hard or some of it drips onto headers when you corner hard.

Cheer,

Andy

 

scrappydog

you are a star...I have had a oil buring smell for an age.. replaced the front crack shaft bearing seal...checked the rocker covers and just didn't know where to go from there....!!

My power steering fluid is leaking 4 sure....I have ordered the o rings from Scooby doo...

cheers

Ian

 

I've got the oil leaking problem - just found some evidence that its getting onto the road - just a few drip. Wonder how safe this would be under pressure though?

Is it an engine out job to fix?