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        General >> Problems >> Just a wee Annoyance ! 
        
(Message started by: PJDavis on Jan 17^th, 2010, 3:43pm)

Title: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 17^th, 2010, 3:43pm

Here's a wee problem that my car has that maybe someone has come across or not, I have plenty of guesses and ideas about what it could be, but nothing really stands out as a solution, and to be honest it's not a great problem just an annoyance! 8)

When the car is sitting stationery, either after a journey or having stopped at lights etc, and just starts to get warm because it is, a smell very like burnt oil whafts into the interior. It doesn't last long, just a couple of mins, and as the car gets hotter the smell goes. I have had the car sitting for half an hour, and the smell remains away. Now the smell can only be described as if one was dripping (not constantly, but occassionally) fresh engine oil onto the exhaust manifold. I only recognise the smell because I'm a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, and as part of the job I demonstrate 'quenching' to the students that entails cooling chisels in a wee bath of fresh engine oil, (we can't get whale-oil!)

I have checked the engine for any fresh oil staining, and obviously the exhaust manifold, and exhaust all the way down to the bottom of the cat, no marks. There is no staining on the drive by the house or at my regular parking spot at work. The oil-filter is tight, and the crank breather hose in good condition with no splits. The car has very recently gone through the MOT and nothing comes out of the tail-pipe. When I open the bonnet the smell is very slightly apparent, but more so if I bend right over and put my head as low as I can above the starter motor. Still, having had the car on the four-poster at work and looked underneath it, there is no leak or fresh oil on the engine or gearbox and the car doesn't 'use' oil from anywhere.

Now then, this started about 1500 miles ago just after I changed the Auto-'Box fluid and filter for the second time. I changed it for the second time because the previous owner was informed by a garage (aye a back-street garage) that his pipes to the 'Box were shot. So the previous owner allowed this back-street garage to do the job and on finishing they put the wrong Auto-Box-fluid in! This smell problem didn't occure after the first fluid change! However, the student idiot that was helping me change the second time spilt about 7 litres of used transmission fluid all on the underside of the car, and particularly on the lower portion of the cat and exhaust! I didn't think that after 1500 miles it would still stink, would it? I've been on a couple of long runs. (As a side issue, there is nothing really wrong with the Auto-Box, it works fine, but I was told by a FORD mech' that it might be better to change the fluid to the proper stuff!)

The only single slight weep, (not ever dripping) that I have is from the thin front radiator which is the auto-transmission fluid cooler isn't it? It's really only a slight darkening of the fins on the Rad'. I have even gone out in the dark, and run the car up to temperature, waited for the smell to come, and shone a torch into the engine compartment from below to try and see even the thinnest of whispy smoke in the torch-beam! Done the same in the passenger compartment, NOTHING!

So, anything or ideas, or if someone has come across the same thing, I would be happy! By the way, the car is and runs fantastic, I drive it quite hard and still get about 27 mpg. I haven't been far enough West yet, and on my own to see what it'll do flat out on the clock, but I have seen 130 mph on a short stretch locally! ;D

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Jonnycab on Jan 17^th, 2010, 4:56pm

Could be the rocker cover gasket is leaking oil at the rear & is burning off as it drips down the back of the engine :-/

Is it defo engine oil burning or autobox fluid ?....autobox fluid really stinks when it hits something hot.

I recently had a real bad smell of burning autobox fluid & traced it to a leaking autobox sump gasket, which was dripping onto the exhaust. The reason it was leaking was because the bolts holding the sump cover on had worked loose (a couple were only finger tight).

I had the autobox oil changed a couple of years ago, & although I trust the garage to torque the bolts up properly, maybe the cork gasket had shrunk/compressed slightly & the bolts needed to be re-torqued. Anyway, I re-torqued them & that seems to have stopped the leak from the gasket & the smell of burning oil :)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by adam on Jan 18^th, 2010, 1:15am

The smell of "burnt" ATF and engine oil is quite different.
If you can distinguish which one it is, it will narrow down your search. ;)
From reading your description, odds on that it is an ATF leak ::)
Check the Auto cooler pipes integrity.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 18^th, 2010, 7:13am

Almost positive that it's engine oil smell, but will look for what has been suggested once the ice and snow allows me to get the car up the ramp into the college workshop! However, it's not really a horrible rancid smell like I would expect the atf to be.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Simmo on Jan 18^th, 2010, 7:46am

Have you checked the plugs re leaks in that area ?.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by NormanHall on Jan 18^th, 2010, 12:18pm

Mine does that, only on occasssions, there is a tiny leak from the bottom of the bell housing and drops on to the exhaust, generally when I am stationary and facing up a hill

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Jonnycab on Jan 18^th, 2010, 1:04pm

on 01/18/10 at 12:18:37, NormanHall wrote:

Mine does that, only on occasssions, there is a tiny leak from the bottom of the bell housing and drops on to the exhaust, generally when I am stationary and facing up a hill

Sounds like you might have what I've got....a leaking rear crankshaft seal ;)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 18^th, 2010, 3:25pm

Had the car up on the works ramp just half an hour ago, nothing! No leaks from sump, no leaks from back of rocker cover, nothing dripping onto exhast. The smell is most prevelant when I'm bent right over the off-side of the car with my nose right low and above the starter area. Just a wee bit of smell in the cabin, and the car was idling for about 20 mins. Not losing oil anywhere, and oil / coolant clean as a whistle. I'll try the area around the plugs as suggested in a next day or so, or next weekend. :)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Jonnycab on Jan 18^th, 2010, 3:50pm

Oil filter not leaking is it ? :)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Simmo on Jan 18^th, 2010, 4:01pm

Could it be the 'infamous' weep from the hose from the power steering reservoir?. This has a nasty habit of dripping on to electrical connectors and the alternator. ;)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Malcolm73 on Jan 18^th, 2010, 9:50pm

An entirely different smell generally confined to the cabin is a leak from the heater matrix.

Some years ago another smell occurred after a plastic bag attached itself to the hot exhaust system

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 18^th, 2010, 10:21pm

The oil filter was amongst one of the first things I checked, it's ok. I had the leak from the Power Assisted Steering Reservoir, and replaced the hose along with new clips, it's ok now as well. I did think of the heater matrix, and still consider it, but can't see how oil can get to it? Also, the smell does come from the engine bay as well as stated earlier from the off-side above the starter. The smell isn't very strong or anything, just more of a whiff, one wouldn't need to open the window because of it. I asked the Gal if she could smell it and the answer was "yes". I told her I reckon I could 'over-power' the smell with a small to medium powered 'fart' :P I got the usual eyes roll, with a facetious, "hmmm, I bet you could!" I have to keep looking, and can only wait to see what develops.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Malcolm73 on Jan 19^th, 2010, 12:55pm

I did not make myself clear about the heater matrix. The matrix has finned aluminium tubes which contain engine coolant and antifreeze. The tubes are attached to small plastic header tanks. The joint between the tubes and the plastic can fail releasing a tiny amount of water / antifreeze mixture which evaporates and causes a smell. Products of evaporation can seal the leak but not permanently so the smell can be intermitent.

There is no realistic way that oil will find a way to the heater matrix.

There will be no noticeable drop in the level of coolant at the reservoir in the engine bay.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Jonnycab on Jan 19^th, 2010, 2:26pm

A leaky heater matrix usually gives a curry like smell :)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by Tompion on Jan 19^th, 2010, 5:36pm

Have you checked the aircon drains are in place, which should allow water out but not fumes in:
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/acdrain.htm

Also check all bungs etc are in place between the engine compartment and the cabin.
And plug up holes (except drain holes) between the engine compartment & the battery/wiper/cabin air intake area.

Obviously won’t cure any leak but may stop the smell getting in.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by tootman318 on Jan 19^th, 2010, 7:33pm

on 01/18/10 at 22:21:56, PJDavis wrote:

Mr Davis, 130mph and wind from the trousers. Not the best example for younger people!!! Hope you are well

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 19^th, 2010, 9:04pm

Nah, it's not the coolant thing, I know what coolant smells like and it happens at all temperatures once the car has got to working temperature, the smell also goes away even after the car has got so hot the fans come on. All my carpets are dry, another thing I checked early on, however I will be looking for those drain thingy's that 'Tomp' talks of! Aye, the wife is becoming a 'scorpio-widow'! She says it's bad enough when we're in Malta and I'm working on the Zodi', ::) now over here I've found another Ford to work on! I say at least the weather over there is good all year round! 8)

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by PJDavis on Jan 19^th, 2010, 9:21pm

Hey Toot, aye, for 130mph read about 120 + ! I still reckon 'old Movvy' would do a true 130 though, it felt like it had quite a bit more in it! And all the best for 2010 to you and yours, Peter.

Title: Re: Just a wee Annoyance !
Post by tootman318 on Jan 20^th, 2010, 7:18pm

All the best Peter, speak soon. Darren