Burning oil smell...a few questions...

[Mark_H]

Hey guys, I'm trying to help my buddy diagnose some issues with his '87 Acura Integra. It's bone stock, 200K miles and meticulously maintained for the past 10 years.
It smells STRONG of burnt oil up front in and around the engine bay after it's been running for a while. The car runs and drives as perfect as before this issue started. There is ZERO smoke out of the exhaust, in fact the exhaust looks and smells totally normal.
There is a small oil leak as well that I haven't found yet, and the car doesn't seem to "burn" through a lot of oil.
Anyway, if there is any info you guys can pass along as far as potential issues let me know.
Thanks.
Mark

[mavvrik]

Check your oil pan bolt, your oil pan, your oil filter, and your oil pan gasket. If you've done a recent oil change you'll deffinitly want to check the bolt and the filter. They may have not been put on correctly.

If you see that it is coming from the pan, you tighten the bolt, and it is still leaking, than it is probably the oil pan gasket. If the car is still running on the original pan and the gasket hasn't been changed for over 30,000 miles than the gasket, or pan, or both probably need to be replaced.

[M@]

^ Same things I was going to suggest. My first guess would be the oil pan gasket.

[J.Dub]

Or if it is really bad it could be the rear main seal.. But check the oil pan gasket and etc from above and go from there.

[mavvrik]

^ Word

[Martian]

Is the PCV system still routed in the stock fashion, or does he have a lil breather filter on the valve cover? Whens the last time the PCV system was maintained?

[hrcDSM719]

Oil pan gasket could be seeping oil onto the exhaust, or valve cover gasket could be doing the same, or distributor o-ring, or?

Climb up underneath it after you give it a good cleaning underhood to try and determine the source of the leak. It could be anything, but most likely its just oil falling from something leaking onto the manifold or b-pipe, creating the burning smell.

[Deceptakhan]

Hrmm, I have the same smell, but only when I hit Vtec.

[Mark_H]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm hoping it's just a leak, that would kick ass. I hope to have it on jack stands here in the next day or two. I'll keep you posted on what I find.


Is the PCV system still routed in the stock fashion, or does he have a lil breather filter on the valve cover? Whens the last time the PCV system was maintained?

It's 100% stock vehicle. I see where your going with this, so yes I'll throw a new PCV valve in while we're at it.
Thanks.

[sdca]

I would crawl under the car with a flash light, and look for any oil leaks. Because oil may be leaking and dripping onto something hot causing the smell?

[Mark_H]

I would crawl under the car with a flash light, and look for any oil leaks. Because oil may be leaking and dripping onto something hot causing the smell?

That was mentioned above by 4 different people. Thanks.

[sdca]

LOL, yea i know i saw it after i posted.

[Mark_H]

LOL, yea i know i saw it after i posted.

Or your just trying to up your post count posting worthless stuff...

[hrcDSM719]

Thats not necessary, some people jus dont read good....Haha

[Deceptakhan]

Thats not necessary, some people jus dont read good....Haha

Tru.

Hey Mark, I was thinking it could possibly be something leaking onto something, thus burning the oil you are smelling.

















:p

[accordturbo91]

oil leak