somethings burning.

bandit12

Member
 southampton
got in the Z today after 4 days of not using it, i live 2 mins from work and do 4 12hr night shifts so the car doesn't move whilst working, anyway i sat for a while letting it warm up when i could smell burning oil, popped the bonnet and there was smoke coming off the rear exhaust manifold :o couldn't see any leaks, floor under the car was clean and the oil level was spot on. i couldn't smell burning oil when i parked up after the last time i used it. went for a blast to get petrol and when i got home the burning smell had gone :? i park on a slight incline and the car is reversed in, thought maybe this might be a factor? any comments/suggestions would be welcome. :thumbsup:
 
bandit12 said:
got in the Z today after 4 days of not using it, i live 2 mins from work and do 4 12hr night shifts so the car doesn't move whilst working, anyway i sat for a while letting it warm up when i could smell burning oil, popped the bonnet and there was smoke coming off the rear exhaust manifold :o couldn't see any leaks, floor under the car was clean and the oil level was spot on. i couldn't smell burning oil when i parked up after the last time i used it. went for a blast to get petrol and when i got home the burning smell had gone :? i park on a slight incline and the car is reversed in, thought maybe this might be a factor? any comments/suggestions would be welcome. :thumbsup:

Unless a small spillage from a recent oil change has found its way onto the manifold there really shouldn't be oil anywhere unless you have a small gasket leak ?
could be upper cam covers or chain cover ?
both almost impossible to see unless car on ramp with undertray off .
what engine / mileage is your Z ?
 
It's the 2.5. Just over 68000 on the clock 03 plate. I will see if it happens again, if so I have a mate who is a mechanic with full workshop facilities, he does me a good price only charged me £30 to supply and fit a cam cover gasket on my 2.2 vectra.
 
We used to suffer this with large diesel engined generators. When a generator was lightly loaded, or run off load too much to see if it was running ok, A lot of the engines used to suffer from a phenomenon called SLOBBER. this was the term used when the engine never reached normal running temperature because it was being run unladed (sort of idling)

This would appear as a direct result of unburnt oil and fuel lining the exhaust track and weeping out through any joints in the system.

The remedy was easy. Run it under load (at least 3/4 load for an hour or so, and the problem disagreed. I suggest that you don't rip it apart until you've give it a good run.

as you have already said its not got time to warm up, i suggest that this is the problem If it runs ok and idles ok.


Dario
 
My Z4M is a weekend car so not used for a couple of weeks at a time and I've noticed a slight burning smell when first setting off which quickly disappears. Not sure what it is but it doesn't worry me.
 
Mrbodger said:
My Z4M is a weekend car so not used for a couple of weeks at a time and I've noticed a slight burning smell when first setting off which quickly disappears. Not sure what it is but it doesn't worry me.
probably the tyres, if you're setting off quickly enough :evil: :driving:
 
i've got a 70 mile round trip tomorrow, all motorway and dual carriageway so will give it a blast, up to 70mph of course :wink: hopefully it's nothing serious, i dont think it likes sitting around for 4 days so might let my wife use it a couple of days, :o
 
try little periods of it not in 6th. let the engine generate some heat for a period of time. say 4-5k rpm
 
This happened to my 2.0... Apparently a rubber seal had begun to perish so there was a very minor oil leak onto 'a hot part' of the engine... Also smelt a burning smell occasionally. Fix was cheap & easy with my indie...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
bandit12 said:
i've got a 70 mile round trip tomorrow, all motorway and dual carriageway so will give it a blast, up to 70mph of course :wink: hopefully it's nothing serious, i dont think it likes sitting around for 4 days so might let my wife use it a couple of days, :o

I'd get accustomed to the burning smell :P
 
Mrbodger said:
bandit12 said:
i've got a 70 mile round trip tomorrow, all motorway and dual carriageway so will give it a blast, up to 70mph of course :wink: hopefully it's nothing serious, i dont think it likes sitting around for 4 days so might let my wife use it a couple of days, :o

I'd get accustomed to the burning smell :P
:rofl:
 
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