Hello guys;

My car has been smelling like burnt oil but I can not find a leak. I did change my oil recently (10 days ago) and I did clean the exhaust..... I also replaced the starter about 15 days ago and used a lot of lubricant on the bolts that I needed to remove.

I have looked at the oil pan and can find no drips. I have looked at the cam covers and can find no leak. I did find what appeared to be dried dripped down oil close to the left side where the transmission and transfer case are, but I think that may just be the bolt loosener I used to remove the starter.

I don't think its transfer case fluid because the smell seems to come from the engine compartment and not from underneath the car. Also, my understanding is that transfer case gear oil has a very particular smell, and also that if the transfer case was spewing something from its vent, it would coat under the car. To me it seems like the smell is coming from the engine compartment.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!

 

Spike, normally the burning oil smell comes from the area around the passenger front tire. A lot of times it is a little bit that got on the exhuast pipe by the oil filter, but I recently had a member over and we found that he had a leak on the valve cover that was coming down over the engine and dripping on to the exhaust pipe around the corner from the oil filter. We fixed the oil leak (gasket moved on the VVT piece) and all was good after we cleaned off the excess oil.

I would take another look at that corner and see what you can find.

 

Chris;

Thanks for the reply.

I tried again to run run my finger thru the valve covers with no luck. With the hood closed and the air recirculate of, the smell comes into the cabin and if you step outside you can smell it near the windshield. As hard as I try I can't find a leak anywhere.

 

Try the power steering pump line on the drivers side near the front of the car.

 

I had the same problem and couldn't figure out where the oil was coming from.... seemed that the transfer case was getting dripped on and getting blown on the exhaust as I drove...... turned out to be a front crank seal that was leaking. Had it replaced and was good to go.