Oil smell from heater vents

[Joseph_S37]

Hello everyone

Yesterday afternoon, I checked my cars oil level, and noticed it was the smallest bit low, so I poured some in. Now when the car gets up to temp and I have the heater on, the blowing air has a strong oil smell, almost like the oil is burning or something! This it self worries me!

But also, very odd, but when I start it up now, it sort of rumbles and sits at a higher rpm for a few seconds, then goes does to normal and quiets down again. I'm not sure how worried I should be about this.

Are these related in any way?? Could topping the oil up have anything to do with this?? Obvioustly I want the smell to go away, since I have the heaters on constantly!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

-Joseph

 

[Ken42]

Probably spilled some oil on the exhaust manifold.
You can (when the engine is cold) look for some spilled oil and
wipe it up. Or just let it burn off on its own.

As for the other part not a clue. Unless you are getting some oil into the intake some how???
Ken

 

[spasm3]

First did you spill any? You are topping up because your care either burns it or leaks the oil. Since you smell it entering the air system from under the hood , its partially a leak. Check the valve cover and if not done already, the pcv valve. It helps if you tell us the make , year and mileage of the vehicle in question.

 

[Joseph_S37]

I don't believe I did spill any, it was a half full bottle to begin with so I got it right up to the fill hole while pouring. Also Pcv valve was replaced just at the start of summer. Also it was down maybe half a liter, but the oil have been in 7500km already, so the leak can't be very bad IMO if there still is one...

Also it's a '93 Camry with the 2.2l 5s-FE, 279500km on it

 

[stubbakatt]

Check for leaks, just in case

 

[demarpaint]

Either a spill or a leak onto some hot exhaust part, like a mainfold, and you're smelling through the vents.

 

[fsdork]

I'll second spasm's recommendation to check the PCV valve. I experienced the same type of oil smell you are describing with my Accord, and it turned out I had moved the PCV out of the way while I was under the hood.

Of course, a spill or leak is also a possibility.

 

[Eddie]

Did you replace the oil fill cap?

 

[Joseph_S37]

alright thanks guys, i'll give the PCV valve a quick look over when I get home tonight, as well as look for oil on the exhaust.

and no i didn't replace the oil fill cap

could an oil leak anywhere else besides onto the exhaust cause this??

and any ideas about the higher idle for a few seconds?? It only happens when I restart the engine while its warm

 

[SuperFast]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Did you replace the oil fill cap?


+1

Ive foergotten to replace the il fill cap a few times. i noticed slightly more noise, no loss of power and no light on.

Amazing, how it can drive w/o it! (I also once had a friend get drunk and elave ti off for a day or two, in a different car. Then ptu a rag in there. wowzers. That engine was a survivor!)

 

[Joseph_S37]

Omg guys... I did forget to replace the cap...


First time I read that, I thoguht you were asking if I bought a new cap, and it was the new plastic smell... so I instantly said no.

But yeahh.... gonna have to wash the engine now and the underside of the hood... But thanks for solving my mystery!

boy do i feel dumb right now

 

[mechtech2]

The good news is that you found it.
And maybe a few days or weeks earlier because you asked.

 

[Joseph_S37]

Alright guys, problem #2 now...

i don't know if I should start a new thread, but I need answers asap so I might if this doesn't get any soon...

ok so I put the cap back on, but everything under the hood was covered in oil! So seeing as it was slightly warm out today, i popped into the car wash to clean that down. The only thing I bagged was the alternator. After that, the car would no longer start. after waiting a bit, and tinkering, it finally started. But rough at first. On the drive home, it the rpm started flickering then it died. After about 20 attempts, it finally started up again, but was very weak while finally making it home. I had to keep the RPM above idle or it would flicker and die. The distributor cap was dry underneath, as were the spark plug tubes.

I have a space heater on it now, but what else could be causing this?? Where should I focus the heater?? I drive 30km one way every day, so i need it to fire up tomorrow and not die at any point along the road.

Thank you again, and if I dont get responses soon i'll probably start a new thread for this. Hope I dont need to.

Boy do I feel like at idiot at this point in time.

Anyways
Cheers
-Joseph

 

[JetStar]

Oil smell from the heater vents, sounds like my first car. A '65 Corvair.

 

[ltslimjim]

You need to go back over all of your electrical wiring and check your fuse boxes as well.

Did you PRESSURE wash the engine? It is always possible watered was forced into a place you don't want it. Check for any water anywhere that it could possibly have gone to puddle.

 

[rslifkin]

Check the TPS. After changing a flaky one on my sister's 94 5S-FE Camry a couple weeks ago, I could see how water could get in there and cause issues. When her TPS went, it would periodically just not idle unless you gave it gas (computer not opening the IAC when it should have), so it would just stall out when coming to a stop.