Ok wife and I went on a short drive (usual Saturday errands) to our local supermarket its about a 6 mile trip and is all interstate (we live in downtown, so have to drive out to the suburbs... I know right...)

Anyway, not during the actual drive but once we got to the market and parked we could smell what I thought was buring oil or exhaust. The rear end exhaust doesnt have a burning oil smell or any smoke by the way...

I have noticed this in the past but have always chalked it up to the shiny stuff they put on my motor at the detailer burning off the headers... But it hasnt been to the detailer lately. I did have the oil changed recently (500 miles ago when they rebuilt the gearbox) I have checked all of the obvious things, oil cap is in place oil level is good, no leaks anywhere that I can see. Th only other variable change is the cabin filter (also changed out with the oil change) the old one was a carbon filter and they put in a plain standard paper cabin airfilter.

So with all that said, I am wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar? is this a common thing maybe related to the cheap paper cabin filer of should I be looking deeper possibly an issue with one of the exhaust manifolds, maybe a cracked manifold or bad manifold gasket?

Any ideas or similar experiences would be welcomed!

 

I have a same burnt oil smell. It's mostly noticeable upon start up after the engine is well warmed. Though the cam cover and spark plug well gaskets were replaced, there's an oil leak somewhere. You'd need to use a rod with mirror or some sorts to spec out the area under the bottom lip of the cam covers.

 

In the UK it has been noticed that the flexible part of the exhaust can leak causing fumes into the cab

 

Hi Rick, cbharley has the STR (mentioned in avatar). I like barney's suggestion of an exhaust leak, likely more evident when pipes are cold, not expanded.

 

My old eyes missed that, my apologies. Post deleted

 

That is an interesting concept... I may have to take a look at that a little more closely... Bfsgross - sounds like we both may have a similar issue yet again. I will look mine over and post what I find. Let me know as well if you find anything, we can "compare notes".

 

Has this been brought up before? Seems like not and that itself would be odd.

A thing to check is: is it exhaust or is it burnt oil or what? The burnt oil we do hear about every now and then.

 

Exhaust should not have a burnt oil smell unless the car is using oil??

Run your hand along the underside edge of the passenger side cam cover. Since the cabin filter intake is at the bottom of the windshield on the passenger side. This is the area to concentrate on. Even if the gaskets have been changed there is still a chance some oil is hiding out there.

One other thing. When ever I service my car I must get my oily hands on the exhaust somewhere because I usually have a bit of an oil smell for several engine cycles after wards.

Maybe a little oil from the change 500 miles ago?
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Exactly - if it's burnt oil it is not exhaust. That's why I posted.

 

Great advice guys! I will try running my hand along that passengers side cam cover today and let you know if I find anything.

That said, based on what jagv8's comments it would seem to make sense and is more probable / likely that oil somehow found its way onto the exhaust. We have had the car torn down quite a bit lately with the gearbox rebuild and some of the other work (oil change, plug change intake upgrades etc).

 

Funny.... I noticed this issue recently myself.

I was sitting at a light - sun shining into the cabin and I noticed faint smoke coming into the cabin for about 5 seconds. (I would suspect the smoke was drawn in via the cabin filter as the HVAC was running at the time)

After I shut the car off I opened the hood and noticed faint smoke (definitely oil smell to it) for a few seconds as well coming from the rear of the engine...

I'm suspecting slight oil leakage from the passenger side cam cover gasket (any other areas I should look at) - going to check this out as advised above. I changed the driver's side cam cover gasket last year but not the passenger side as it was not leaking at the time. (I have all gaskets to properly change it though)

 

So... It looks like I do indeed have a leak on the rear passengers side cam cover... I am going to order replacement parts today and work on this one over the holiday break.

That said does anyone have any step by step instructions with photos and possibly a list of tools / parts needed and recommended for the job?

 

Weirdly I also have noticed this. I have a 2002 S type R with the same burnt oil smell coming into the cabin most noticeably when the engine is warm and I'm stopped in traffic.

 

Give it a check and report back. You have a very early STR. Can you post the last 6 digits of the serial number?
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Took the car over to my trusted Indy Mechanic today and confirmed, its a leaking valve cover. Only the passengers side is showing signs of leakage right now, but they recommended changing both. Cost quoted for both sides with parts and labor $860 out the door.

They are also going to be replacing all of the gaskets, seals, grommets and cam cover bolts so there is no chance of it leaking for a good while.

Based on the comments on this thread, looks like all of us with the 03-05 STR's are starting to see the gaskets failing right about the same time / mileage...

Oh well, guess I have to put off those Mina Gallery pipes for another couple of months... :-(

 

Are you 100% positive your cat is titled as an 02 STR? I am extremely curious as my STR has a manufacture date of 05/02 but is titled as a 2003 model. I was almost positive the STR made its debut as an 03 model, would actually be kinda dissapointed (sad almost) to learn something different. I have always been proud of the fact that I had one of the first runs of the FSTKAT!!

 

Er, whoa the horses on that indy mechanic charging parts and labor of $860 for cam cover and sparkplug well gaskets. I paid a bunch less in parts and labor. 9 months ago my 03 STR recieved the same work. I provided a regular mechanic the parts (cam cover gasket kit from Jagbits.com: part no. AJ812402-KIT $200. Labor is 4 hours @ $69/hr. = $276 for a total of $476. Any competent mechanic can perform this low tech job. Either indy mechanic is charging $175/hr or ripping you off.

 

Er ah... Well thats interesting... I have used this shop since the factory warranty ran out... Now I wonder what else I have been overcharged for...

Me thinks I will get a second opinion tomorrow. Going to give the guys that just did the gear box a call and see what they would quote to do the job... $475 - $500 sounds A LOT better to me, and at that I may be able to still pickup the Mina exhaust I have been eyeing for the past 6 months!!

Thanks bfsgross!

 

This is an operation that can be completed in less than three hours by a competent Technician on a cold motor.

Have you considered replacing the cam/valve cover gaskets and spark plug grommets yourself?

 

NBcat, thanks for the support in uncovering the labor criteria for this repair. cbharley, nbcat makes good sense in a DIY here. The passenger side cam cover is well exposed whilst the driver side has a few vaccume lines and wires transversing it. However, you may be like me... "Been there done that, now I want someone else to do it". Again, for a skilled mechanic this isn't a complicated part swap. A fairly competent mechanic can knock it off in 3 hours. The national average hourly rate for auto mechanics is $70/hr. x 3 hrs. = $210. Cam cover kit is $200. Tell the mechanic of your choice: "Yeah, I know it's only a 3 hour job, but this month I'm too busy to get to it".