Motor smell in cab
03-22-2020, 07:09 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
Did you just perform an oil change? My C6 and 2015 C7 suffered from a burnt oil smell emitted through the vents for as much as 1000 miles after an oil change, but for some reason isn't nearly as noticeable in my 2017 GS. There have been some threads on the subject in both the C6 and C7 sections for several years but AFAIK there has never been a solution.
03-22-2020, 07:16 PM
#3
Did you just perform an oil change? My C6 and 2015 C7 suffered from a burnt oil smell emitted through the vents for as much as 1000 miles after an oil change, but for some reason isn't nearly as noticeable in my 2017 GS. There have been some threads on the subject in both the C6 and C7 sections for several years but AFAIK there has never been a solution.
03-22-2020, 07:21 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
A leaky valve / head gasket can drip oil on the manifold or headers and create this smell. When you smell it, pop the hood and look around.
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Avanti (03-22-2020)
03-22-2020, 07:59 PM
#6
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
could be lots of things.. electrical, mechanical, fluid leaks, oil , coolant, etc. fluids and electrical have unique odors.. rubber has uniqueness.... a stuck caliper with a burnt rotor, Rubbing inner fender well. a tight ( failing ) bearing on one of the accessory drives electrical issue are also unique in their odor.l
03-22-2020, 08:23 PM
#7
Race Director
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If it's "burnt oil" smell it has to be oil leaking onto the exhaust... somewhere. If that bad it should also be smoking as it burns off. Find the smoke! Best of luck! 
03-22-2020, 08:44 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Normal, the cabin filter is right next to the dry sump oil fill, that is if you’re just smelling oil not burnt oil. If you switch from fresh air to recycle cabin air it will be better . If you are really having oil burn off the exhaust find the leak as stated above
Last edited by BlueDevilZ51; 03-22-2020 at 08:49 PM.
03-23-2020, 04:41 AM
#9
Heel & Toe
Originally Posted by neogenesis
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter Minnicks
By tightening the nuts on the oil cooler system, were you able to get the smell to stop? I have 2016 Z51 and have had oil smell in cabin since first filter change mainly when I stop I pick it up in the cabin. I am TQ ing filter to 18 foot pounds now.
Second question did you take the car in for service to have issue corrected. If so did the smell go away and what service did they actually perform.
Best Regards Walter Minnicks
Walter,
after snuggling up those bolts, I have not seen any additional leaking and the smell has completely abated. I’m confident that was the issue. I still took it to the dealer about a week later since I had already made the appointment to have them look at it and make sure there was no other issue I was missing (ie common gasket failures,etc). They said it all looked good and we are going to coming ie to monitor it. But so far, no other issues. Do you happen to see any oil on the undercarriage?
Joe
It has been a few week weeks, I did tighten oil cooler bolts they were 1/4 turn loose and tightening, checked mating surfaces with blue light no oil noted. Tightened bolts on cooler added 1/2 turn to all those. One thing I did not there was a light oil staining on bell housing lower left side corner cleaned all surfaces of the cooler with brake clean and drove 10 miles, came back and still had slight smell from under car drivers door.
Was reading a posting and notice some people mentioning loose oil pressure send unit. I sprayed the back of the engine down with brake clean let dry for awhile drove 10 miles very little oil smell then. Ordered new valve cover gaskets for replacement and will remove other top hardware to access oil sensor for slight leakage from. Will keep you updated.
Thanks for the update. Let me know if you find anything interesting when you do the swap. I haven’t had mine back on a lift since I tightened everything, but I haven’t had any of the smell back either. I’ll check it out real close when I change the oil next.
Joe 3/8/2020
FYI
Okay here goes, did tighten the bolts on the dry sump oil cooler mounting flange(2) bolts to the block, and also the finned oil cooler unit bolts this seemed to stop smell coming from that area (good). Went to order new gasket and on Ebay found many companies offer the metal gasket, which makes me think this must be a common issue, going to wait for a little warmer weather to replace gasket to complete that task.
Second, I was still getting a little oil smell after securing cooler flange bolts, I worked in the aircraft biz for 36 years, and one night recently a thought came to me to check all the vent lines to and from oil sump can and other engine connections. Doing this this proved valuable info,one line the right line from the top of the sump can was totally block internally. How I found this out, I applied 100 psi I air to all the sump lines, I found the right side line/adapter there was a very high pitch whistle at the plastic intake manifold adapter point. After applying air several times what ever was in there went away and so far has my oil smell issue. Did pull 90 degree bend on air intake and checked for blockage a both points which was found clear. I have had a issue with this for 3 years now, I did the work because I do not like the dealership really working on my car, beside that my corvette has been one hell of an excellent car.
Best Regards Walt Minnicks
Walt,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter Minnicks
By tightening the nuts on the oil cooler system, were you able to get the smell to stop? I have 2016 Z51 and have had oil smell in cabin since first filter change mainly when I stop I pick it up in the cabin. I am TQ ing filter to 18 foot pounds now.
Second question did you take the car in for service to have issue corrected. If so did the smell go away and what service did they actually perform.
Best Regards Walter Minnicks
Walter,
after snuggling up those bolts, I have not seen any additional leaking and the smell has completely abated. I’m confident that was the issue. I still took it to the dealer about a week later since I had already made the appointment to have them look at it and make sure there was no other issue I was missing (ie common gasket failures,etc). They said it all looked good and we are going to coming ie to monitor it. But so far, no other issues. Do you happen to see any oil on the undercarriage?
Joe
It has been a few week weeks, I did tighten oil cooler bolts they were 1/4 turn loose and tightening, checked mating surfaces with blue light no oil noted. Tightened bolts on cooler added 1/2 turn to all those. One thing I did not there was a light oil staining on bell housing lower left side corner cleaned all surfaces of the cooler with brake clean and drove 10 miles, came back and still had slight smell from under car drivers door.
Was reading a posting and notice some people mentioning loose oil pressure send unit. I sprayed the back of the engine down with brake clean let dry for awhile drove 10 miles very little oil smell then. Ordered new valve cover gaskets for replacement and will remove other top hardware to access oil sensor for slight leakage from. Will keep you updated.
Thanks for the update. Let me know if you find anything interesting when you do the swap. I haven’t had mine back on a lift since I tightened everything, but I haven’t had any of the smell back either. I’ll check it out real close when I change the oil next.
Joe 3/8/2020
FYI
Okay here goes, did tighten the bolts on the dry sump oil cooler mounting flange(2) bolts to the block, and also the finned oil cooler unit bolts this seemed to stop smell coming from that area (good). Went to order new gasket and on Ebay found many companies offer the metal gasket, which makes me think this must be a common issue, going to wait for a little warmer weather to replace gasket to complete that task.
Second, I was still getting a little oil smell after securing cooler flange bolts, I worked in the aircraft biz for 36 years, and one night recently a thought came to me to check all the vent lines to and from oil sump can and other engine connections. Doing this this proved valuable info,one line the right line from the top of the sump can was totally block internally. How I found this out, I applied 100 psi I air to all the sump lines, I found the right side line/adapter there was a very high pitch whistle at the plastic intake manifold adapter point. After applying air several times what ever was in there went away and so far has my oil smell issue. Did pull 90 degree bend on air intake and checked for blockage a both points which was found clear. I have had a issue with this for 3 years now, I did the work because I do not like the dealership really working on my car, beside that my corvette has been one hell of an excellent car.
Best Regards Walt Minnicks
Walt,
03-23-2020, 11:36 AM
#10
Racer
My friend has a new Grand Sport and had the same problem since the day he drove it home from the dealership. At the first oil change (500 miles), one of the things he asked them to check was the smell you described.
There is an oil cap, under the plastic valve cover on our cars. It's not used because of the dry-sump system. The dealership found the oil cap hadn't been installed from the factory. They installed a new oil cap, the smell went away. I think the oil cap is under the plastic cover on the passenger side, but not positive about which side. If you decide to check I can ask him.
Regards
There is an oil cap, under the plastic valve cover on our cars. It's not used because of the dry-sump system. The dealership found the oil cap hadn't been installed from the factory. They installed a new oil cap, the smell went away. I think the oil cap is under the plastic cover on the passenger side, but not positive about which side. If you decide to check I can ask him.
Regards
03-23-2020, 01:38 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
My friend has a new Grand Sport and had the same problem since the day he drove it home from the dealership. At the first oil change (500 miles), one of the things he asked them to check was the smell you described.
There is an oil cap, under the plastic valve cover on our cars. It's not used because of the dry-sump system. The dealership found the oil cap hadn't been installed from the factory. They installed a new oil cap, the smell went away. I think the oil cap is under the plastic cover on the passenger side, but not positive about which side. If you decide to check I can ask him.
Regards
There is an oil cap, under the plastic valve cover on our cars. It's not used because of the dry-sump system. The dealership found the oil cap hadn't been installed from the factory. They installed a new oil cap, the smell went away. I think the oil cap is under the plastic cover on the passenger side, but not positive about which side. If you decide to check I can ask him.
Regards
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thompstl1 (03-24-2020)
03-23-2020, 07:27 PM
#12
lucky
[QUOTE=king off the hill;1601175306]Car runs great but burnt smell coming through vents . When i stop very bad. Any ideas guys?? 2017 z[/To follow up guys dealer found oil coming from oil cooler adapter also noticed bolts were lose torqued and ok 2017 Z MILES 4500 SO YOU GUYS PLEASE CHECK YOURS.
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thompstl1 (03-24-2020)