Oil Stink and smoke after cold starts

Our 2005 Legacy GT(147,000mi) just had plugs and a coilpack replaced recently at 145k.

 

After sitting a nite and then driving a bit you get a terrible smell when stopping of burning maybe oil. Also some what appears more white smoke out of hood scoop and a bit out of passenger side wheel area. It really stinks. My wife does a 45 min drive on highway to work and there it stinks too when stopping

 

Drive the rest of the day nothing really.

 

I saw a few things it could be searching LGT.com. The mechanic looked briefly and said everything is dry. Oil level is perfectly fine after 2k on it.

 

Ideas with these symptoms?

Could be a few things.

 

- Passenger side valve cover is leaking and dripping on the Uppipe.

 

- Coolant leak around the turbo leaking down to the Uppipe, or a general coolant leak on or around the motor.

 

 

Best option is to warm it up and let is idle until you spot where the smoke is coming from, then check all around that area.

Jack up the car. get a flash light and look around the axle boots for grease. Look around for oil on the valve covers.

 

You have over 500 post, you should know what to look for.

Jack up the car. get a flash light and look around the axle boots for grease. Look around for oil on the valve covers.

 

You have over 500 post, you should know what to look for.

 

Axle boots fine. Valve cover was clean after driving it on lift. I have not checked the valve cover though with a cold motor.

Spark plug tube seal maybe?

 

Based on the limited info, we can deduce this smell was not there prior to spark plugs being done. Did they ONLY do the plugs and coil pack? Did they change the oil, etc? If they did, wait a couple days, if the smell goes away, you're fine....just means oil on your manifold from the change.

 

Another option is possibly the o-ring on the power steering inlet (top of the pump). That hose can get bumped pretty easily when you're working around that area and if the o-ring is old and brittle, the seal can break. Causing a power steering fluid to leak onto the hot engine and burn off. You typically would notice your power steering making noise/not working correctly and/or the fluid in the reservoir would look "frothy" (because it is sucking in air) after you drive for a while.

Spark plugs, coil pack and oil changed and when it started 2000miles ago. T

 

The PS is interesting because I did not look there. Also I read elsewhere on internet PS fluid burns with a white smoke color which the color my wife sees. I will check the PS fluid and see if frothy.

definitely burns white. It is also a pretty distinctive smell (read: doesn't smell like oil). After the car has been driven and is warm/hot, pop the hood. There will be smoke coming from the front of the power steering pump and/or front of the engine (because it drips down) if that is the case. Again, the fluid might look frothy and/or the reservoir will be more full as well...depends on how large the leak is. Also, keep in mind that the p/s fluid will only be frothy and/or inflated when it is hot, so just dont check it when cold.

 

If that is the case, go to the dealer and buy a new o-ring (will cost you <$3) and pop off the 10mm bolt holding that line on and replace the ring....simple. There will be a good amount of fluid that leaks out so have rags stuffed there and extra ready.

Pressure check the cooling system and see if you developed a leak at a coolant hose connection-maybe on the turbo tank or to the turbo itself.