Smell of burning oil (I think) from tail pipe - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

ptabred · 11-23-2021, 07:34 PM

Hey guys I just recently purchased a 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited manual transmission with around 61,000 kms. I had the car inspected by a mechanic shop when I bought it and they told me that the car's oil was low and that it could perhaps be leaking. I haven't noticed any leaks from the car and I had the oil changed at a shop a few days ago and they told me that the car was in perfect condition and there was no leakage of any kind. Today I drove over a really bad bump on the highway and when I got home I noticed a burning oil type smell coming from the exhaust. I couldn't smell it from the engine bay as it was coming from the back of the car. I will be monitoring the smell and oil levels to see if anything abnormal pops up. I was thinking maybe some oil was shook around the car and may have seeped through from somewhere as I went over the bump. I wasn't driving the car particularly hard either. This is the first time I have noticed the smell. Any thoughts as to what it could be?

NoHaveMSG · 11-23-2021, 07:50 PM

Check the front timing cover. Very common that they leak from there, the valve cover, or the avacs solenoids on the timing cover. Also possible they spilt oil during the change and the header runs right under the engine.

JohnH · 11-23-2021, 10:54 PM

welcome from another BC guy. Funny thing, my car was brand new out of the showroom, and I would sometimes smell a bit of oily/burning smell. I am a professional tech and I cannot find anything wrong with it, nor does it always happen. With my car I suspect it was just some sort of packing grease/oil on the exhaust. Some sort of corrosion inhibitor kind of thing. It doesn't do it anymore

alex87f · 11-24-2021, 01:04 PM

Check the triangular plate at the back of the passenger-side head. Manual 86's tend to have a small drip there, which leaks right onto the header (or the overpipe?).

Rub your finger at the bottom of the plate, if there's oil clean it and re-test a couple of days later.

You can either purchase aftermarket plates with a gasket (should be about $100), or re-seal the existing plate with a heat- and oil-resistant sealant.

ptabred · 11-24-2021, 05:30 PM

I checked out the cam plate cover and it looks clean. I also checked the timing cover and there didn't seem to be any oil residue around. I'm gonna monitor the oil levels and the smell and see if it happens again. I have no idea what it could be. I've never seen any oil spots underneath the car either.

Tcoat · 11-25-2021, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptabred

Hey guys I just recently purchased a 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited manual transmission with around 61,000 kms. I had the car inspected by a mechanic shop when I bought it and they told me that the car's oil was low and that it could perhaps be leaking. I haven't noticed any leaks from the car and I had the oil changed at a shop a few days ago and they told me that the car was in perfect condition and there was no leakage of any kind. Today I drove over a really bad bump on the highway and when I got home I noticed a burning oil type smell coming from the exhaust. I couldn't smell it from the engine bay as it was coming from the back of the car. I will be monitoring the smell and oil levels to see if anything abnormal pops up. I was thinking maybe some oil was shook around the car and may have seeped through from somewhere as I went over the bump. I wasn't driving the car particularly hard either. This is the first time I have noticed the smell. Any thoughts as to what it could be?

It is a strong possibility that they spilled a bit removing the filter or refilling. Just a couple of drops off the old filter or the end of a funnel can cause enough smoke to smell. The timing is right.

soundman98 · 11-25-2021, 09:48 AM

once is an anomaly, repeated times is a pattern. i wouldn't worry about it. this car is relatively easy to fill, but some of my previous vehicles, i've spilled oil while refilling, and it'll take a couple weeks to burn it off due to my limited drive times.

check the level from time to time, enjoy the car, sometimes watch behind teh car on hard launches for blue smoke. as long as nothing significant appears, i wouldn't worry about it.

Ultramaroon · 11-25-2021, 03:32 PM

All good stuff. As long as there's oil on the dipstick, you're safe. As long as it's between the marks, you're golden.

humfrz · 11-27-2021, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptabred

Hey guys I just recently purchased a 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited manual transmission with around 61,000 kms. I had the car inspected by a mechanic shop when I bought it and they told me that the car's oil was low and that it could perhaps be leaking. I haven't noticed any leaks from the car and I had the oil changed at a shop a few days ago and they told me that the car was in perfect condition and there was no leakage of any kind. Today I drove over a really bad bump on the highway and when I got home I noticed a burning oil type smell coming from the exhaust. I couldn't smell it from the engine bay as it was coming from the back of the car. I will be monitoring the smell and oil levels to see if anything abnormal pops up. I was thinking maybe some oil was shook around the car and may have seeped through from somewhere as I went over the bump. I wasn't driving the car particularly hard either. This is the first time I have noticed the smell. Any thoughts as to what it could be?

Hell, back in the day, when people smoked in cars, we wouldn't notice a little oil burning off the engine -

right @Tcoat?

Tcoat · 11-27-2021, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humfrz

Hell, back in the day, when people smoked in cars, we wouldn't notice a little oil burning off the engine -

right @Tcoat?

You mean like yesterday?

Ultramaroon · 11-27-2021, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

You mean like yesterday?

Exhale BEFORE you get in the car.

humfrz · 11-28-2021, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Exhale BEFORE you get in the car.

You ain't no fun -

Boomerang · 11-28-2021, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humfrz

Hell, back in the day, when people smoked in cars, we wouldn't notice a little oil burning off the engine -

right @Tcoat?

yep

soundman98 · 11-28-2021, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomerang

yep

the backfires were a little more potent in that arrangement.

i can see how automotive regulations quickly moved the exhaust to behind the driver position.

11-23-2021, 07:34 PM	#1
ptabred Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited Manual Location: British Columbia Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Smell of burning oil (I think) from tail pipe Hey guys I just recently purchased a 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited manual transmission with around 61,000 kms. I had the car inspected by a mechanic shop when I bought it and they told me that the car's oil was low and that it could perhaps be leaking. I haven't noticed any leaks from the car and I had the oil changed at a shop a few days ago and they told me that the car was in perfect condition and there was no leakage of any kind. Today I drove over a really bad bump on the highway and when I got home I noticed a burning oil type smell coming from the exhaust. I couldn't smell it from the engine bay as it was coming from the back of the car. I will be monitoring the smell and oil levels to see if anything abnormal pops up. I was thinking maybe some oil was shook around the car and may have seeped through from somewhere as I went over the bump. I wasn't driving the car particularly hard either. This is the first time I have noticed the smell. Any thoughts as to what it could be?

11-23-2021, 10:54 PM	#3
JohnH Professional wrench Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2020 BRZ ST RS Location: BC Canada Posts: 114 Thanks: 57 Thanked 37 Times in 28 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	welcome from another BC guy. Funny thing, my car was brand new out of the showroom, and I would sometimes smell a bit of oily/burning smell. I am a professional tech and I cannot find anything wrong with it, nor does it always happen. With my car I suspect it was just some sort of packing grease/oil on the exhaust. Some sort of corrosion inhibitor kind of thing. It doesn't do it anymore __________________ 2020 BRZ Sport Tech RS World Rally Blue '18 TS Suspension, camber bolts, custom align Perrin intake pipe, custom airbox/cold air Gruppe-S UEL header/overpipe Wayne Rom Stg 2 tune

11-25-2021, 09:48 AM	#7
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	once is an anomaly, repeated times is a pattern. i wouldn't worry about it. this car is relatively easy to fill, but some of my previous vehicles, i've spilled oil while refilling, and it'll take a couple weeks to burn it off due to my limited drive times. check the level from time to time, enjoy the car, sometimes watch behind teh car on hard launches for blue smoke. as long as nothing significant appears, i wouldn't worry about it. __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

11-25-2021, 03:32 PM	#8
Ultramaroon 義理チョコ Join Date: Sep 2014 Drives: a 13 e8h frs Location: vantucky, wa Posts: 31,868 Thanks: 52,132 Thanked 36,519 Times in 18,920 Posts Mentioned: 1106 Post(s) Tagged: 9 Thread(s)	All good stuff. As long as there's oil on the dipstick, you're safe. As long as it's between the marks, you're golden. __________________ service manuals

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11-24-2021, 01:04 PM	#4
alex87f Meow Join Date: Aug 2017 Drives: GT86, Volvo 996 Location: France Posts: 532 Thanks: 314 Thanked 444 Times in 236 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Check the triangular plate at the back of the passenger-side head. Manual 86's tend to have a small drip there, which leaks right onto the header (or the overpipe?). Rub your finger at the bottom of the plate, if there's oil clean it and re-test a couple of days later. You can either purchase aftermarket plates with a gasket (should be about $100), or re-seal the existing plate with a heat- and oil-resistant sealant.

11-24-2021, 05:30 PM	#5
ptabred Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2021 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited Manual Location: British Columbia Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I checked out the cam plate cover and it looks clean. I also checked the timing cover and there didn't seem to be any oil residue around. I'm gonna monitor the oil levels and the smell and see if it happens again. I have no idea what it could be. I've never seen any oil spots underneath the car either.

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