Hawkeye D

Hi all,

2007 STi
After a spirited drive, I get a slight burning smell in the cab...more so if I sniff the turbo side of the TMIC bonnet scoop - I know, must look a freaking weirdo lol

I can't see any smoke, not loosing coolant. I had my PCV deleted about 5 years ago, and I do see a fine layer of oil on top of the block...but I'm wondering if it's the turbo seals starting to weaken.
Sort of smells like possibly burning oil, or plastic.....

With the smell it gives off, I'm surprised I'm not seeing any smoke.

Only rebuilt last year, no gaskets look like they are leaking, the only area of slight wetness is the oil drain from the turbo to the sump, but it's been like that for a few years....so why the smell now?

I can't think of a way to pressurise anything on the driveway that will show anything up?
Unless it's just a breather that's rock hard and perished....

Anyone else had a burning smell that could suggest what they found?

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

turbo oil seals failing will usually result in blue smoke on tickover when warm

stamina_daddy

iTrader: (3)

If you can get your hand down the side of the engine and feel the edge of the block where the rocker cover gaskets are?
were the rocker gaskets genuine?

Hawkeye D

Yes they would've been genuine.
Looked around a few weeks ago, mint.

Looking around on Google....I wonder if I have a split inner CV boot throwing out grease onto the exhaust....I do smell it radiating from the OSF wheel...

Tigger23

I had that exact thing happen to me, had a little bit of smoke and burning smell from the grease thrown up onto the exhaust. You'll see it immedietly if you can get under the car, or just hold your phone underneath while videoing. Only cost £60 to have repaired.

Hawkeye D

Yes I see a new genuine boot isn't expensive.
The smell did seem to get worse the other day when I was driving on a terrible local road with big speed humps. Wondering if with the drive shaft moving up and down and nearer to the exhaust I could smell it more....

Hawkeye D

Ok, so this evening I set up a torch on the drivers side turret / airbox area. You can see a puff of smoke at around 30 seconds into the video. Trouble is, by the time I get out the car it's stopped smoking, just a slight smell and I cannot trace the cause. Very frustrating.

The engine did want to stall just before the smoke puffed out....must be a breather...but where? They feel tight on the driver rocker cover. May try fixing my phone somewhere to see if I can trace it that way.....

My CV boots inner and outer are dry, I looked over the weekend.

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

just get someone to rev the car while you look (or film) down in round that area.

Hawkeye D

Ok so today I went through the wheel arch liner where you'd do the 02 sensor and have found oil on the drivers rocker cover gasket area,

BUT, only on one corner....nearest the turbo oil drain. My oil drain has been weeping for a few years from the top, but maybe now it needs sorting finally.

Hoping it's not the rocker cover gasket as it's a fairly fresh build - surely not.
Where does the turbo drain feed to? Into the head I think? Is it press fit or a flange with a gasket? It's wet with oil around there too. I can hardly see anything, needs to be up in the air and undertray off jobbie.

One of the exhaust nuts is wet where the exhaust flange meets the head. I' think I can see where the turbo oil drain feeds back in, but I'm just not sure, if that's what I can see, it's wet too. That whole corner looks mucky, and clean oil too - it's been happening a while. Only recently started smelling and seeing the smoke.

ARP head studs have hopefully not let the head start lifting..... I want it to be either turbo oil drain making the mess, or rocker cover gasket.
I've never seen any oil smoking at the top of the oil drain, which surprises me.