Ex0r

Okay, here's the deal. About a month or so ago (Might have been a bit longer), I replaced my intake gaskets on my car. Well, recently, once the car is at running temp, and the vents are open (heat is turned to defrost or vent, or mix), you can smell something burning. I am assuming it's oil. Recently a couple of times my low oil light has came on, but after you turn the car off and back on, it goes away. I only notice it when the vents are open, and you can smell it only faintly when the hood is open, or when standing outside the car. I checked all the areas I could see on the top end (since we didnt touch the bottom end), and you can't see any oil sprayed anywhere or anything. It looks like there might be a collection sitting on either end of the lower manifold (In that little recess between the two halves in the front and back), but I can't tell if it's oil or water. The spot in the front could have been from when I changed the oil and got some on the block.

The car doesn't have any performance problems, than again I try to drive it as little as possible (about a mile to and from work a day). Is it possible it's leaking somewhere, or could it just be excess oil that spilled out during the oil change burning off? If that were the case, shouldn't it have been burned off by now?

Oh, I forgot to add. I changed the valve cover gaskets while I was at it,and the one on the left side(With the oil filler neck), got pinched sort of and I had to take the cover back off and readjust it. Is it possible it's leaking from here? I can't see any oil on the block or anywhere around where it would be shooting out.

It also appears that my low coolant light came one once, too, but only once. Is there a spot where the two are by each other, where they could both be leaking out together? The oil is NOT milky, so I don't think it's the head gaskets or anything. Is there a chemical I can put into the engine and run the car for a bit (hour or so), and check for oil leaks that way? I know they make a uv die you can use with coolant to check for coolant leaks, but what about for oil?

SeeingRed

Is oil dripping out from the valve cover gasket and dripping on a header? I can't think of why you'd smell oil through the heat though. If anything, you'd smell coolant.

Ex0r

whatever the smell is, its not a normal smell. It smells like something is burning. I looked at both exhausts, neither have any grime or anything on them. I cleaned them when I removed them to replace head gaskets. I am not sure where the smell is coming from either. All I couldthink was when then vents are open, air from under the hood is being sucked in and out the vents causing the smell only when they are open.

I am almost positive it's oil and not coolant, I don't know why coolant would have a burning smell like that. Not only that, but one of the times my low oil light was on, I added some, and when I removed the cap, there was smoke coming out of the filler neck. There was some oil inside the tube that was charred and black. I am using 5w30, ,which is what autozone said I need to use. Maybe it's too thin?

SeeingRed

The oil weight is fine. I always ran 10w30 in my 5.0s, but 5w30 won't hurt. Is the smoke coming out of the filler neck coming out steadily or puffs?

Ex0r

it only did it that one time. I added some oil to it and it doesnt do it anymore. It did it in a steady roll when the cap was open. Didn't do it long though. It may have just been that excess oil burning off inside the filler neck. Once I opened the cap, it rolled out for a few seconds, than stopped.

SeeingRed

So basically it's not doing it anymore? Just an anomoly?

Ex0r

no more smoke, no. Smell,yes.

SeeingRed

Is it sweet smelling?

Ex0r

no not at all

DRAGUL

Maybe it is the blower motor you are smelling. Could be the windings inside motor burning which smell real bad. I have had this happen before