what a smell?

93-Spec-Edn · Post by **93-Spec-Edn** » January 4th, 2006, 2:26 am

Hi

I have a 93 v6 mx-3. When I drive i get a smell of burining oil inside the car, appears to be coming from around the heating vents or somewhere in that area. My rear valve cover gasket is leaking a bit, but should the smell be coming in? Is this dangerous to have fumes in the car?
Also i have no blue smoke, and never have to top up oil.

Thanks

ps. Also i have no catalytic converter. Dont know if this has anything to do with it?

93_mx3_gs · Post by **93_mx3_gs** » January 4th, 2006, 2:33 am

If the oil smell is really bad, you may have oil leaking down onto your exhaust pipes which reallys tinks like hell.

You might want to get that repaired as soon as possible because the leak might go from small to major and suddenly, you're like some unnamed person who runs out of oil while driving and it kills your motor. The KAT really has nothing to do with it but isn't exactly wise to ditch it.

Other than that, the smell coming in isn't exactly deathly but after time can make you sick and drowsy and could compromise your judgement and reaction times which could lead to a crash or fatal accident.

bad_sk8er87 · Post by **bad_sk8er87** » January 5th, 2006, 12:17 am

What I think it is - The oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, the fumes are swept into the a/c vents thus getting into the car. I think . . .

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » January 5th, 2006, 1:38 am

Try placing the vents on recirculate and see if that helps. Other than that get new valve cover gaskets.

93-Spec-Edn · Post by **93-Spec-Edn** » January 5th, 2006, 2:10 am

Thanks for the posts. I will defo try the recirculate thing. Is it possible a plug or something is missing on my firewall?

markmclean · Post by **markmclean** » January 5th, 2006, 5:47 pm

Leaking motor oil (highly flammable) onto your exaust system (extremely hot) can have more annoying consequences than the fumes slowing your reaction time or making you drowsy. It can also leave you along side a freeway watching a raging car-b-que without so much as a hot dog or a marshmallow to commemorate the event. Check the valve cover gasket as well as the dipstick seal.