cs2000 Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) Ok, so, over the past few days once warm there has been a strange burning smell coming through the air vents. I sat the car on my driveway this morning, fired it up and simply let it warm up. Once almost warm the weird smell starts. Almost smells like a plastic burn, but not exactly, and defiantly isn't an electrical burn. The smell isn't noticeable when driving at 30mph but comes back as soon as you stop. If you turn the fans off it clears after a few mins. Now, I had a look under the car on the passenger side as the small is REALLY bad there and almost non existent on the drivers side, and there are several rather oily looking components, especially the rubber boot on the CV joint(? I think, im not a mechanic). I touched it and it feels oily, but smells like general dirt rather then oil, almost odorless, but it could be a few days old. Now have no idea what it could be or where its coming from Edited June 25, 2013 by cs2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2orry Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 The dip sticks are a pain in the arse on zeds chances are you didn't press it by the holding finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 That's what I thought, im just wondering why the smell isn't of burning oil, but definatly looks suspect. il have to get the engine cover (plastic) off and see if I can see any better where its touched anything that's hot. I suspect its dripped down onto the exhaust as it smells more on the passenger side and the lower you go the worse it gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 always good to keep an eye out for plastic bags which have melted on your exhaust... happend to me in my old car once, brutal. smell lasts ages too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 Yeah I did try and have a look at that but im in my full work get up (suit and tie) and it was in a public car park. Il try to get under the car when im back home but its gonna stink as it will still be hot! Ive just had a thought. I believe the smell started after giving it a fairly large chunk of beans and then coming to a stop at a roundabout. Im leaning more to the dipstick need replacing. Perhaps as the oil pressure rose from the aforementioned bean giving that it popped the stick loose and tadaa, nasty smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianphampton Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 always good to keep an eye out for plastic bags which have melted on your exhaust... happend to me in my old car once, brutal. smell lasts ages too! What Winkj said +1 - I've picked up a polybag on the zorst a couple of times and it take ages to burn it off - and it's really tricky to see as there's not much room underneath, unless you can stick her up on a lift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) OK, so had it up as high as the jack + axle stands can manage and this is what I saw (photo is taken from front passenger side wheel area looking backwards across to the rear drivers side) All soaked in an oily black sludge. Now. It feels like oil, but is essentially odourless. If I look up, I can see the exhaust and a heat shield, this has a little oil on it, but its stains where its obviously burnt away. On my drive home tonight as soon as I stopped the car at home I jumped out and popped the bonnet and could see really really feint whisps of smoke rising from just behind where the dipstick sits, which best as I can tell is where the exhaust heat shield is. Defiantly no carrier bags stuck to anything. So, do we still think its oil from the loose dipstick, despite it smelling nothing like oil, I mean, does it loose its smell over a week orso? Edited June 24, 2013 by cs2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 (edited) So this morning, followed the same routing and again came the small once warm, got too the car park, popped the hood and again there were wisps of smoke coming from around the oil dipstick area. I cant locate exactly where as there's too many wires and pipes in that area, looks like I need to get it looked at Ive given Kaizer a PM, see if he can offer any advice, and if not il be going there. Whatever its burning seems to not affect any fluid levels, ive literally checked clutch, brake, coolant and oil levels and nothing seems to have dropped as far as I can tell, so I guess its safe to keep using as it appears to not be loosing anything , not that I have any choice as it takes me to work 70 miles every day Edited June 25, 2013 by cs2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 id be getting it checked ASAP. looks like theres a lot of engine oil leaking out of somewhere . it sounds like its leaking onto the exhaust manifold.maybe the rocker covers burst or the gasket away. something definitely not right and potentially dangerous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 (edited) well its got to do a 2hr drive to Luton tomorrow, sit for 10 days and do the same journey back and then do a week or work trips. Have no choice with it being a DD. As I say, Ive PM'd Kaizer and will have to book it in there. It looks like a lot of oil, but I cant even tell on the dipstick that any has been lost, plus it has no odor at all Is there a potential is could just be the gasket on the rocker cover that's gone? Edited June 25, 2013 by cs2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 yeah it could be. I think its quite a common thing to happen. zmanalex sells replacement rocker covers and id imagine gaskets aswell. id get it checked before ordering some though. just keep checking the oil because you don't want the engine to go bang. just hope the oil doesn't catch fire on the manifold. maybe take a fire extinguisher with you just incase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs2000 Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 Yeah, Ive been reading online and see its a common place for oil to leak, regardless of engine make or type so is a possibility. I have messages kaizer again and raised that as a possibility. plus, the rocker cover is directly above the exhaust heat shield which could be where the burning is coming from. I would be very happy if its just a sub £20 quid seal that's gone, but looks too far down for me to do myself so im guessing a few hundred in labour. I have a fire extinguisher for the car but its sat in the house, think il be taking it with me, but as far as I can tell the leak is very small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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