I've had my S3 for a couple of months now.

When I first got it, there seemed to be quite a burning oil smell and the driver's side cam cover seemed to be the culprit. I ordered cam cover gaskets and D-plugs and installed them.

I can't say that it helped with the smell much, but it wasn't too bothersome as I mostly drive freeways at non-rush hour times. Yesterday we took it for a long trip in stop and go traffic, and there was a strong smell of burning oil when stopped for traffic lights.

When I got home I let it cool and opened the hood for an inspection. There was no evidence of any leak at the cam covers and I couldn't see any areas on the exhaust where there was evidence of dripping oil. Looking at the exhaust pipes from the side of the car, I couldn't see any evidence of drips onto the exhaust pipes either. (will put it up on ramps in the next couple of days and crawl under it to verify)

The front of the engine around the breather is caked with a disgusting mix of oil and dust. I wondered if a clogged breather was pushing oil up through the dipstick tube and dripping it onto the cat, but there's no telltale spots on the converter. and the area around the dipstick tube is dry. Ditto for the oil cap.

I'm going to get some gaskets for the breather next week and clean it all out, but since I cant find any evidence of oil dripping anywhere onto the exhaust, I'm not hopeful that this is the source of the smell.

Any suggestions on diagnosing the source of the smell? The traffic was stop and go and max 30 mph between lights yesterday - is there any chance that the smell was the diff seals leaking onto the rear brake rotors? The car has less than 60K miles on it (but is 34 years old) No drips on the garage floor near the diff either.

 

Hmmmm.

There might be a years-long build up of crusty, caked oil on the exhaust manifold....hidden under the heat shield....as a result of prior cam cover leaks, if the leaks were severe enough. But since the manifold get so hot you'd probably see a few wisps of smoke as the oil burns off.

Gear oil from the diff migrating onto the discs is certainly possible.

Cheers
DD

 

any power steering pump or hose leaks?

hose connections at the rack ?

chances are the engine breather needs servicing.

 

What I can see of the ps pump from topside is dry, and I checked the level several times in the couple of months I have owned it - no change.

It is dry at the rack tower and nothing on the ground under the rack

Breather is on the list for maintenance as soon as I can get some gaskets, I it so encrusted with oil and dirt there I'm curious to see if a PO put it back together without gaskets and the fan isn't blowing oil back to the exhaust manifold under the heat shield where I cant see it.

 

before removing the breather cover or hoses, degrease the area with engine eegreaser hosing it off with water. Use a hair dryer to dry the area and belts or place a table fan to dry.

the area always gets grimey with oil. Also check the air filter for contamination and the oil filter head at the rear passenger side of engine.

 

Another lost post. will I ever get it???

check down under. ATF from the driver's side of the transmsssion.

But,as others have said. the breathe for the sump. An "elegant" jaguar design ???

Carlr...

 

UHG agin!!!

Driver side transmission Lreaking ATF. Brief post.

Carl

 

Carl it has been like that since the XK engine was designed. Instead of a PCV breather at one valve cover, they have the front breather.

the 3.4, 3.8 liter engines before the 4.2 liter have identical breathers and they vent into the air filter canister too.

the radiator fan helps keep the area full of grime.