TwoTonic

I'm now getting puffs of oily-smelling smoke from the right/rear corner of the engine-- after the car warms up. It must be oil spilling on the exhaust manifold/convertor on the right (US version, passenger ) side of the engine. It's coming from the rear corner and I don't think it smells like transmission fluid.

The archives' search sounds like it could either be the cam/valve cover gasket, or possibly a deteriorated camshaft seal on the back side of the motor.

Any thoughts on how to zero in on it?

Thanks,
TT

A8QUATTRO

same problem has a burnin oily smell and a lil smoke when the engine is hot. its the valve cover gasket. u will see the lil leak with a flash light. get the whole valve cover gasket kit.i need to replace mine im at 98,000 miles
ben

icsamerica

double check the rear cam seal too,

diogeniS8

Ussually these 3 are done together with the timing belt job. Cam seals and cam tensioner seals invole a lot of work so you may want to clean up the engine and see where the oil comes from. If its from the valve cover gaskets just do those, but if its from the cam seals or cam tensioner gaskets just replace all the gaskets and seals so you don't have to get in there in the near future again. Cam seals will require to take the timing belt off, so you may want to consider doing that too. When was the last time you did the timing belt. Also if the timing belt got wet you definetely want to do that too.

TwoTonic

Wish I knew when (if?) TB was done. Car is at 140K; I bought it at 125K but with no service records.

Is there a good 'tell' on whether the TB was likely done? Broken seal on the covers? Telltale scratch?

TwoTonic

I'll try to get a light shined in there to see.
Thanks