Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Oil smell in car

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2000 Z 3

    Oil smell in car

    I have a 2000 Z 3 2.3 with about 52,000 miles on it. Recently I have been getting an oil burning smell coming through the vents into the car. I have had the vcg changed, but still the smell is there. I have read some of the forum posts about this and some say to change the ccv valve? Not sure where that is. Has anyone experienced this problem lately and what did you do to fix it?
    thanks
    tom

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    159
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Roadie
    Valve cover gasket. Replace it, fixed.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2000 Z 3
    Already did that! It still smells!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Los Gatos CA
    Posts
    4,246
    My Cars
    1987 325is, e34, Z3, e39
    I had this problem with a M54 in an e39 -- what I thought was a burning rubber smell (really burning oil) only after going up a steep hill. The root cause turned out to be a crack in the valve cover, probably caused by a shop tightening the nuts in the wrong order (outers before the inners) a few years ago. Diagnosis was complicated by leaks from my first replacement attempt -- a too-thin likely-counterfeit valve cover gasket. That was only fixed by buying a Goetze gasket in the original package w/ hologram sticker from autohausaz.
    Last edited by djb2; 07-19-2014 at 12:48 AM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Springfield, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    1,233
    My Cars
    1998 Z3 Roadster
    A faulty Crankcase Ventilation (CCV) valve will cause excess oil burning, but it will be through the exhaust system. You wouldn't notice it while driving, but you would smell it around the back of the car after a good, long drive where the exhaust system is fully warmed. It's more likely that you have an oil leak around the engine, most commonly onto the exhaust manifold or down the back of the engine. A careful inspection usually reveals the source.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Los Gatos CA
    Posts
    4,246
    My Cars
    1987 325is, e34, Z3, e39
    The valve cover is the #1 suspect for a burning oil smell. The engine is tilted back and rotated to the passenger side. Any valve cover oil leak follows the gasket down to the rear right corner, where it drips on the exhaust manifold by the catalytic converter. Normally the smoke is blown back by the airflow, but when stopped it rises to the cabin air intake at the cowl.

    The other common oil leaks are the oil filter housing and VANOS supply hose, both of which drip sloppily down the cool left/driver's side of the engine.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Springfield, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    1,233
    My Cars
    1998 Z3 Roadster
    You said that you had the valve cover gasket replaced; did the mechanic tell you if there was a leak and where it was? Maybe your problem is fixed, but you have to wait for all of the old oil to burn off.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    St Pete, FL
    Posts
    122
    My Cars
    Z4 3.0i E89
    Rear main engine seal?
    Do you smell it more in stop and go traffic?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2000 Z 3
    Quote Originally Posted by uuJIMtq View Post
    Rear main engine seal?
    Do you smell it more in stop and go traffic?
    i notice it more when stopped.
    thanks

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    159
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 Roadie
    Quote Originally Posted by nanneyman View Post
    i notice it more when stopped.
    thanks
    That sure sounds like the valve cover gasket. Did you replace the gasket yourself or did a shop do it? I've done a bunch of them and I like to think I'm a decent wrench head. I changed the valve cover gasket on my girlfriends 330... was all done and was plugging the O2 sensors back in and on one the cable slack had changed. Didn't seemed right so I traced it around the back of the engine... I had the cable pinched between the head and the gasket. If I hadn't found that it would have surely leaked. What I'm saying here is make super sure the valve cover gasket isn't still leaking. Get a light and look at the heat shield that covers the exhaust manifold. Not much room to see in our little cars but look for any wet oil on the heat shield toward the back of the head. Maybe even try to reach in there and try to touch it to see if there's any oil... highly recommend doing that om a cold engine.
    Last edited by Cheshire2002; 07-21-2014 at 02:34 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2000 Z 3
    thanks! A shop did the VC gasket and I stopped by and told them it was still smelling. I'm going to take it back next week,
    It is hard to see anything on these cars, but I'll get a good light and check it out. I appreciate all the help!!

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •