Burnt Oil Smell in Cabin

Hello all, I am smelling burnt oil in my cabin, only when Im stopped at a red light. If I close the fresh air to recirculate I smell nothing. I dont have any oil spot in the driveway at all. I dont even see where the oil is running from. Any suggestions?

Check the passenger side CV boot.

Look for drips on up pipe.

I have same problem, check passenger side valve cover, it drips right down onto manifold and burns off before it will hit the ground. That is more than likely where your leak is from, and or the oil cooler.

I have same problem, check passenger side valve cover, it drips right down onto manifold and burns off before it will hit the ground. That is more than likely where your leak is from, and or the oil cooler.

 

Yep, what he said.

 

These cars are known for that.

 

Check this forum, lot's of talk about this recently.

+1 for the oil return hose on the bottom of the turbo... mine looked like this. After I removed it to clean it up, it leaked more. Replacing it this weekend.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8179122412_ccc4d4ee22.jpg

 

You have to pull the turbo to get at it, but the replacement part is around $10.

To make it easier to install the turbo, pick up 5 bolts that hold the up pipe bracket to the block. Use them in place of the studs on the up pipe.

 

You can thank later.

 

Makes lining up everything much easier.

 

Use anti-seize compound on all the nuts and bolts.

I have same problem, check passenger side valve cover, it drips right down onto manifold and burns off before it will hit the ground. That is more than likely where your leak is from, and or the oil cooler.

 

Or it could be that the passenger side CV boot closest to the engine has ripped open and throwing grease on exhaust and everywhere else.

 

I've replaced all 3 items since I got my Car ~ 4 yrs ago...

(Orange rubber seal at oil cooler, CV boot/ shaft, valve cover gasket)

With my luck the oil drain hose on the turbo will go next.. At least I already have the new hose. The guy at the dealer says to me when I bought the hose.... "Those never go bad..."

Hello all, I am smelling burnt oil in my cabin, only when Im stopped at a red light. If I close the fresh air to recirculate I smell nothing. I dont have any oil spot in the driveway at all. I dont even see where the oil is running from. Any suggestions?

 

Had the same problem last week. Turned out to be the passenger inner CV boot, as others have said. Split open and was slinging grease onto the downpipe.

 

Just replaced it this weekend. If you decide to swap the axle out completely...do yourself a favor and get the $8 axle seal from the dealer. My buddy and I replaced axle and somehow during removal/install, the spring inside the lip of the seal got pinched and caused the fluid to drip out the side of the trans. Re-did the job today and replaced the seal. No more leaking fluid.

This seems to be a never ending battle. I just replaced the passenger side valve cover gasket... And guess what, I still smell a light oil burning smell. Last I checked the driver's side wasnt leaking but maybe it is now... So damn annoying.

Remember the car is 8 years old. Nothing last forever.

 

At least most of the normal problems are fairly easy to fix. Or at least all the how too's are here.

I had the smell and it was a leak from the oil cooler gasket above the oil filter.

edit: and the passenger side VC gasket, and a torn CV boot.

It was my CV boot and passenger side valve cover gasket. The stealership wanted $1700 for both jobs. Tires Plus did both for $400 and now no more oil smell.

Remember the car is 8 years old. Nothing last forever.

 

At least most of the normal problems are fairly easy to fix. Or at least all the how too's are here.

 

I had a Jeep Cherokee that was 12 years old and had 140,000mi on it before I sold it. Never had to replace any gaskets or seals on it. There was some seepage but no outright leaks.

 

The heat from the turbo on this engine is definitely what has degraded the items I have had to change. And the fact that the exhaust wraps around the whole engine... Any oil leaks end up on the exhaust and results in that wonderful aroma.

 

If all those other items have failed , how long before the oil seals on the turbo fail?

 

Any tell tale signs?

I just noticed today a burnt oil smell on mine, but I was speeding.....needless to say, I don't smell it when I am going at the speed limit. Maybe I was pushing it too hard and it's just normal? That didn't make sense hahahaha. Smelled burnt oil, I was speeding, slowed down because I got worried.

Here's my list..

 

 

Power steering pump leaking from bearing behind pulley... Drains down the front of the timing cover onto exhaust... Along with the power steering hose going into the ps pump. On pump number 3.

 

Turbo feed line, dripping onto hot ass turbo.

 

Pass side valve cover gasket leaking onto up pipe

 

Inner cv boots both sides torn and spraying crap all over everything especially the down pipe. These are replacements number 1 and two .

 

Turbo coolant line going ino turbo leaking onto hot ass turbo... Burning off and eating the inlet.. Boy was that a damn nightmare to replace..

 

All work done by yours truly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next on the list... Front main seal leaking inside timing cover dripping onto exhaust.

 

Oil cooler orange o-ring leaking.

 

Turbo oil return line.

 

 

Hopefully that will stop all the effing smoke from coming out of the hood scoop. This car only has 85k on it!!! What a piece of crap. Sorry I'm a bit irritated at the moment I just finished te pass side valve cover and turbo feed line.

^^^ This!

Here's my list..

 

 

Power steering pump leaking from bearing behind pulley... Drains down the front of the timing cover onto exhaust... Along with the power steering hose going into the ps pump. On pump number 3.

 

Damn.... I've got this issue too. I can't tell if its bad enough to actually drip on the exhaust yet but the timing belt cover does have an oily stain down the front.

What's up with that? My 140,000 mile Jeep had no power steering leak, none, dry.... But this GT is fun car to drive though...

I'm actually rather tired of it myself I'm going to look at appliance cars this weekend with my wife.

This is my second Legacy, first with turbo. Smelled oil in both of them and contributed significant $$$ to a few dealers and garages to get them fixed. Seems like they tell me what it is, repair is done, not long after, smell oil again. Frustrating! Just had all CV boots and turbo replaced and still smelling oil. Will try to check the aforementioned ideas though. Thanks all!

Or you could do this...

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=vortex+blue+tsx+wagon&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=fY3KUK63LYiwigLmtoH4DQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i|0;d|e1SmHEOE7rZxeM:

Would a leaky valve cover gasket cause excessive oil consumption? I notice after trips from Chicago-Detroit that I'll be down about 1/4 quart, with noisy valves upon starting up. FWIW I have the burnt oil smell at idle too. Just replaced passenger CV boot because it was slinging grease just like everyone has been discussing.

Or you could do this...

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=vortex+blue+tsx+wagon&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=fY3KUK63LYiwigLmtoH4DQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i|0;d|e1SmHEOE7rZxeM:

 

HAHA I'm not the only fan.

Got the same problem. So just to confirm, it's usually the inner boot? My WRX did the same thing. Ended changing the entire axle. That's not necessary, right?

Got the same problem. So just to confirm, it's usually the inner boot? My WRX did the same thing. Ended changing the entire axle. That's not necessary, right?

 

Seems to be a subi thing. I leak no oil and have no problems to speak of. Get the smell if I drive the car hard.