Venomized03

OK guys/gals... I am a Asst Service Manager for a big GM dealer in Florida. I have a customer who has been bringing in his 2009 Corvette since it was new. Now has 16k miles. Since the day he bought the car, he has been getting a oil smell only when coming to a stop after driving for a few minutes. Obviously the first few times he brought the vehicle in, we suspected maybe some oil was spilled when changing the oil. After we carefully changed the oil a few times, we now know it has nothing to do with oil spill. After we change the oil, the smell is extremely strong at stop lights. It stays there for a good 2k miles then slowly gets better.

I was not asked to put up a thread, but since I am on this website daily, I figured "what the heck" I might as well try to help GM and my customer out alittle bit. Has anyone had this problem, or heard of this problem? I did a search and couldnt find anything that sounded like my these symptoms...

THANKS IN ADVANCE

JASON

b4i4getit

Not enough information here. Does this car have the dry sump ?

EyeMaster

I've always had an oil smell after I change the oil in any car because I spill here and there. I don't know how to do one without spilling any oil.

Is it really strong? Maybe try washing the engine bay?

Venomized03

sorry, no sump

Venomized03

Def have not spilled 1 drop of oil after changing the oil the last few times. Already washed the motor down a few times, this car is BONE dry. No oil residue or anything, anywhere on vehicle.

The odor is extremely strong when oil change is fresh and within the first 1000 miles of oil change. The smell starts to wear off slowly after that.

b4i4getit

Trace the PCV system. That is were the problem is.

ChevyDave

I've read many posts about burning smell after first oil change and all swear NO oil was spilt and all swear NO overfilling. So many it actually seems to be a 'design flaw' somewhere.

BUT... i did come across one that found oil in a unusual place. Read post #33 & #36. He found "where the tube that goes into the valve cover may have slight seepage when putting oil through it". That would be a design/manufacture flaw, or at least common in a unusual place.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...l-smell-2.html

Venomized03

Thanks guys.. Ill have the tech do some more checking. All other ideas are appreciated

lennieorr

I have the same problem with my 08 base model. I do my own oil changes and do not spill a drop. Checked the base of the fill tube and no sign of leakage. Dealer has checked it and can find nothing. No resolution to the problem.

franman69

Change my own oil on my 2007 coupe.. no smell afterwards.. there's some residue on the bottom of the oil pan and back by the diff, but no active leaks I can find (previous owner used speedy lube!!)...

RabidVette

I can't shed any light on this, except to say that I am currently experiencing the same thing. I also believe it to have something to do with PCV, but haven't looked into it yet in any detail.

sandmark

i have the same issue. 09 coupe

Venomized03

Hmmmmm crazy stuff

CO Lightfoot

Watch your Techs when they remove the oil filter.

Maybe if they let the filter drop, some oil splashes back up onto an exposed surface. Or, maybe they leave an oil residue if they wipe around the filter area.

Or maybe it's the filter itself (oil stained, cheap paint?).

Anyway, this is must be a preventable issue... I change my own oil, never any smell.

JCtx

If it's only after an oil change, I'd bet cash money on splashed oil from the oil filter change. Exhaust is right there, and oil fumes rise and are sucked by the HVAC intake. Look there.

But doesn't hurt to check all PCV hoses, especially if there's a catch can in there. Good luck.

Venomized03

This is 100% absolutely NOT a oil change issue. I was there for the last 2-3 oil changes that we had the tech perform. We also had a few chevy reps and 1 chevy engineer here at time of oil change. Believe me when I say there was NO oil spilled/splashed ect... Those were the first things we addressed. Its far past that issue

ChevyDave

I think most of us agree with you 100%. There are too many with this same issue, so it has to be a design/manufacture/oddity flaw in something. Something is failing (operating not as designed) and its NOT sloppy workmanship during oil/filter change.

We all are wishing you a solution, and be sure to post when you figure it out. I hate it when someone posts a problem and never the solution.

Good luck... dont give up... we are pulling for you!!!!

(too bad there isnt a radiactive/color/florescent-die you can add to see where its coming out!)

JRHAWK9

I had the same issue with my '08. It disappeared after I put a PCV catch can on. I also read it worked for another forum member as well. No idea why or how it worked, but it did. Maybe it was just a coincidence....who knows, but I don't have the smell anymore at all.

I have always changed my own oil and have never spilled any.

b4i4getit

I am a bit surprised that a dealership that services these cars and a GM engineer that was present can't figure this out. All excess oil goes through the PCV system and finally the exhaust unless you have a catch can installed. When you are at the stop light you are smelling the burnt oil because it is pooling around the car since you are not in motion. You don't smell it when you are moving because it is all behind you.

Venomized03

I am pretty confident it has something to do with the PCV system too, BUT we cant be selling catch can setups to make a smell go away that shouldnt be there anyways. If it were my choice, I'd say lets try it out, but I know what the ultimate answer would be from the reps.... "NO" lol