burning smell?

[orengutan]

this only happens when I drive for a little bit, and only really noticeable if I have the fans on (more so if the heat is actually on).

started about two weeks ago. the only thing I've done was replace the cut off valve in January after it failed post fuel filter change.

it *seems* to smell strongest around the oil refill cap, but I'm not completely sure. I cleaned the obvious potential leak points from grime and have been watching them for the past day or two, but nothing significant yet there.

thoughts?

I don't seem to be burning oil, btw. I had a change done about two months ago (it was at a fast oil change place, but with my oil - 5w40 synth - and my own stock filter) and the levels don't seem to have changed.

[Doug]

Assuming that there is no oil leakage onto the exhaust manifold, have you checked  the connections of the crankcase ventilation system to make sure that you are not getting blowby leakage? You would smell that.

[orengutan]

I'd like to say that makes sense because it sounds highly rational. I've been checking the oil level for the last while and its exactly at the same spot it always was.

I'm assuming I'm looking for a cracked hose somewhere? or is there a valve that can fail involved?

[bajacalal]

Make sure the hoses and such that come out from the valve cover are not only intact but also unplugged. I have seen them clog up with carbony goo (on other cars) forcing the crankcase pressure to be vented elsewhere.

[Rabbit on Roids]

make sure the timing belt tensioner is in good shape. the one on my GTI siezed up today. but it didnt sieze up until i got it off and it cooled down. it was hotter than crap while it was still on the engine. my car would not have made it home from work today. god im glad i work at a junk yard...

[Patrick]

make sure the timing belt tensioner is in good shape. the one on my GTI siezed up today. but it didnt sieze up until i got it off and it cooled down. it was hotter than crap while it was still on the engine. my car would not have made it home from work today. god im glad i work at a junk yard...

You're lucky. I smelled it, couldn't find it, and the siezed pulley broke the belt at 40 miles an hour. You can imagine what it did to the head on my AAZ...........

[orengutan]

upon further reflection, I don't think its burning. I think its just the smell of oil.

there's also quite a bit of grease/oil around the connector from the ccv and the big intake. I cleaned it up a nd any other obvious grease spots. will wait and see..

[orengutan]

ok. some time has passed, the temperature has risen, and I have no excuse to not look at it.

it appears that some oil IS leaking. I may have lost around 3-4mm on the dipstick since the last post. tops.

there's usually a drop or so from somewhere in between the dipstick and the powersteering.

the last bit of work that was done was the cutoff valve and this started maybe a week afterward, so I'm wondering if something could've accidentally been damaged in that process.