I Smell Burning Oil

[Geezer]

Hi everyone,

I have to admit that this is a generic post. I have posted this on a couple of other forums and hope that someone might be able to put me on the right path.

We have recently had the engine of our 95 850 T5 rebuilt after a meltdown. The engine has only done about 5000 kms since the rebuild, but I have noticed that after or during a reasonable amount of round town or open road driving I can smell hot oil. I have even noticed blue smoke coming out from under the bonnet on the r/h side if you are sitting in the car.

I have investigated several times by stopping when I've noticed the smell or seen the smoke, but I have not been able to locate the source of the smell or the smoke. Under bonnet (engine bay) and engine is very clean and I can't see any obvious signs of oil anywhere (haven't got under the car yet). Exhaust colour is almost perfect grey and no blue smoke from the tailpipe at any time.

Can any offer any clues as to where the smell/smoke is coming from?

Looking forward to your replies.

Geezer

[jim_from_surrey]

split crankcase ventilation pipe maybe although wouldnt have thought it would create much smoke

get underneath and check you dont have an oil leak onto the exhaust/cat - these get very hot.

gearbox seal can leak and oil get blown back onto cat

is it using a lot of oil?

[Geezer]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your reply. No, there has been no noticable drop in the oil level. I will have to get under the car at the weekend and see if I can spot anything, asyou suggested.

Will also check around the head gasket, rocker cover gasket and any of the oil lines to the turbo as well as breather pipes. As I said in my original post, the visible smoke only seems to come up from the r/h side of the bonnet. I am not sure if it was generating smoke from the turbo onto the exhaust that the smoke would only appear from the r/h side. I was thinking maybe the crank seal? Anyone??

[audimadmike]

I had something similar on my Audi V6, when stationary in traffic jams smoke would come out from under the engine bay, when you lift the bonnet wasn't so visible.
It was the head gasket slightly leaking oil onto the top of the cat which is why it was difficult to trace as all evidence was burnt away!
A high speed run made it more noticeable as the wind speed blew it onto the exhaust.
Changed gaskets and the smell and smoke vanished.

Mike