Smelling Oil

[FM2n]

Honda FIT 2007 @ 7500 miles

Previous filter: Purolator Premium Plus
Current filter: Supertech

I'm starting to smell more oil than usual. I've been using Castrol Syntec 5-20 as it was what I had in the stash. Worked great. Changed my oil recently and used 5-20 Semi-Syn Castrol. I am now smelling oil in my cabin more than I'm used to. Should I dump the oil and put in Motorcraft 5-20? I am a VERY light driver and never exhibit jackrabbit starts.

 

[dave1251]

Take it to your Honda dealer. Changing your oil will do nothing for you.

 

[Jet]

Oil leak likely causing your smell. Look around under your hood and especially under the vehicle. You'll likely find a wet spot.

 

[427Z06]

Another possibility, if you don't spot a leak, is that some oil got onto the frame while being changed and it's occasionally dripping onto an exhaust pipe.

 

[Titan]

Could it also be some "cosmolene" or other surface protectant that has gotten hot and runny, which is dripping on your exhaust pipe or something else very hot? I've had that happen before...it fooled me until I found a pool of the stuff caught in some creases on top of the engine and slowly dripping onto the catalytic converter.

 

[sw99]

I thought you were talking about actually sniffing it

I have a habbit of taking a nice big wiff of fresh oil before I dump it in. The new Rotella 15w40 has a nifty scent to it... So i'm wierd

 

[gedcruise]

Rotella 5W-40 has a distinctive scent as well.

 

[i30krab]

I personally like the smell of royal purple oil. I tried all the major brands and RP gives you the biggest high for the longest time. Anyone for an oil sniffin get together?

 

[OriginHacker21]

I change the oil in my car a lot - and I drive a lot (220 miles every work day).

When I spill the oil on a fillup (I don't use a funnel so it happens now and then), even just a little bit - I can usually smell burning oil for the first 1k miles or more.

sw99 - you're not alone. I love the smell of oil. I like to think I can open my oil fill cap and tell how many miles is on the oil just by smelling it.

Who needs a UOA?


Also --- I've been using full SYN for quite some time now (Amsoil, GC). Recently I've been using TropArtic Semi-Synthetic. It is a lot easier to smell that oil on a takeoff than Amsoil or GC. Seems like it gives off a lot more "odor" than the full synthetics. But I noticed this too with a semi-synthetic vs a full synthetic. - especially on the takeoffs from redlights/stop signs.

 

[Rob Taggs]

I'm an oil sniffer. The worst smelling one is Trop Artic. It smells like rotten eggs!

 

[psudaytona]

Better not mention sniffing motor oil too loudly...walmart might hear you and add age verification on quarts and jugs next like they do with carb cleaner and FI cleaner

 

[OriginHacker21]

True - TropArtic doesn't smell all that great - but $1.72/qt at Wallyworld... can't resist that especially when Mobil 1 is $7+/qt and Castrol Syn is $6+/qt. Going to do a UOA on it. Once in the engine TropArtic smells a lot better.

 

[fpny]

I just pick up 5 quarts of Mobil 1 at Target for $4.09 a quart (not on sale). M1 is coming down in price quickly.

 

[RedDart]

FM2n - I would check to see if you have a small oil leak coming from the oil filter gasket. The two times I have smelled oil from my 2002 Impala was when I had small leaks from Delphi made ACDelco filters. Both of those times the leak started and stopped before I could intervene. I stopped using Delphi made ACDelco filters after those incidents.

 

[FM2n]

It looks like it was just leftover from the oil change. Did a thorough check today and all is well. I no longer smell the oil after having all areas wiped down. Considering that oil burning smell can get into the cabin quite easily, isn't it bad for your health? Much like turning on the heater after laying an egg.

 

[OriginHacker21]

Quote:

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Much like turning on the heater after laying an egg.

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Who in their right mind does that???

Always roll down the window, ALWAYS. Wow, still laughing.