Hi Everyone,

This post has probably been answered, but I could not find the information. I have oil pan leak. I am going to get it fixed, however, I also have a burnt oil smell and smoke coming from the passenger side headlamp. When I open the hood I cannot tell where it is coming from. I believe the oil pan drips on the exhaust closer to the driver's side. Do you think this is still the oil pan gasket or do I have something else wrong? I do seem to see it more when the Defrost/Air Conditioning is on, but I am having a hard time troubleshooting it.

Has anyone else dealt with this and knows off the top of your head?

Thanks,

David

 

Do you see smoke coming from the headlamp? Or from somewhere else near the headlamp?

 

Smoke when headlamp is off?
Possible a loose ground around there somewhere arcing?
Are the rear caps on the headlamps fitted secure?

 

hlgeorge: When the hood is closed I see smoke coming from between the two headlights. I have the headlights on. Not the high beams. When I open the hood the smoke is too thin to pinpoint. Tried a flashlight and could not see anything.

Insane: yes the backs are secure. Just fixed a twitchy headlight and so I checked those.

I appreciate all the help I can get.

 

If you open the hood does it smell like oil in that location? If not, maybe you have a slight coolant leak. Check around by the water pump. Could be a sign it is about to go.

 

Yes good point..What does this smoke smell like?..Burning wires, or hot coolant, or burning oil?

And...Does it only appear when the headlights are on?...Try keeping them off while investigating, while engine is running.

 

It definitely smells like oil, and the smoke is light enough that I do not think I would be able to see it with the lights off. I will check with a flashlight. As for the Waterpump, Is there an easy way to check that? I do not remember seeing much rook to reach or look down there.

Also, I have recently replaced the front valve cover gaskets because they were leaking into the spark plugs. I thought that might fix it, but it is still there.

Thanks again for all the help. I will report back.

 

My oil pan leaked for a very long time and I never remember seeing any smoke or smelling any oil. Was generally such a small amount I wouldn't even have to top off between oil changes. Have you noticed your oil level actually dropping? Or do you notice any drops on teh ground under the car?

 

Plenty of oil under the car. Definitely a larger leak. However I have only had the car for a little over a month and the oil dropped by maybe 1/2 of a Quart. I saw a lot more oil evaporate from my isuzu trooper that didn't leak The last time I was under the car, I noticed a lot of oil on the bottom of the oil pan.

 

That's quote a leak if it is from the pan gasket.

 

I have heard about Air conditioning compressors going out. Anyone know if that would cause a leak or smell? There is oil on the bottom of the air conditioner compressor but it could have rolled off of the oil pan gasket.

 

The A/C compressor oil is a light yellowish color and there isn't enough in the system to ever coat the bottom of the oil pan if it could even get to it from where it hangs and engine oil would be brownish...

However, since you mentioned oil on the bottom of the compressor..that means the shaft seal is leaking and so is your refrigerant charge,,so expect issues with the A/c cooling good in the near future.

 

No chance my oil pan is leaking to the point it has seeped down to the a/c compressor is there? Or am I just dreaming there are fewer repairs than originally thought.

 

Thinking about the smoke from the headlight. There is water in there and I am wondering if the smoke is actually steam.