LS Oil smell

[jesseekaa]

I have a 2002 LS V8, and sometime when I hit the brakes hard or go up steep hills, I can smell a burnt oil odor inside the car. I have had my car to two different mechanics and they both say they can not find any leaks. Also they have checked the engine for any clogged hoses and they find none. The smell only last for about 2 or 3 minutes and then it is gone. Does anyone know what might be the matter. Thanks

 

[Quik LS]

likely leaky valve cover gaskets - which were re-designed in mid-2002.

it only takes a very small amount of oil to hit the headers to cause the smell - and it is very difficult to see unless you are familar with the issue.

 

[NateRW21]

hmmm not sure... the whole thing about when you hit your brakes hard or go up steep hills.... Not sure why it would do that when you hit your brakes...

How about if you floor it on level ground?
If it does it then, you might have any number of things wrong; blow by on the rings, bad valve guides/seals.

Does it emit a blue smoke when you really get on the gas? (even a small blue smoke)

I would have a leak-down test done on it to check for good sealing on your valves and rings. That would also be a great time for the spark holes to be checked for oil. (LS's are known for faultly cam cover gaskets that allow oil to seep into the spark plug/coil on plug holes that run right through the cam covers).

 

[lseguy]

Valve Cover Gaskets need replacing.

 

[Osaín]

I'm not sure if mine ever made it to the headers, but I'm pretty sure that most of the burning was happening inside the plug wells. I was probably carrying about half a quart total in all the wells! It seemed to smell more when I put my foot in it. Plugs get hotter-oil sitting in the wells-burning oil. It's a vicious cycle.

 

[Quik LS]

and sudden deceleration or hard load (driving uphill) creates the largest VC pressure - so it would make sense that it would leak then.

 

[segxr7]

It sounds like leaky VC gaskets are causing oil to pool up on top of the valve covers. Then when you brake hard or go up a steep incline, it spills out and hits the exhaust.

 

[mholhut]

That would have to be alot of oil and one heck of a leaking gasket to pool on top of the VC's! I'd think a mechanic would catch that. Usually the VC gasket seep between the head and the VC causing a slight odor, but more frequently, it's the O rings around the plug wells start to fail. You'll have to remove the coil covers, remove the coils and check the wells for oil.

 

[NateRW21]

See everyone... cam covers (valve covers) would have been my first guess too, but if her mechanic "looked for leaks" he'd have seen it; which is why I didn't mention anything but having oil in the plug wells, which "shouldn't" have a burning oil smell (given that the oil isn't burning; just hot). But with so many people on the same track and the general lack of trust I have in your "adverage" mechanic, I'm thinking maybe my first intiuition might not be that far off course...


Take the care to another mechanic, describe the symptoms and explain how LS's are known for bad cam cover gaskets... But for your own sake, ask around to find a good mechanic; not all are equal and just because they are a dealership doesn't mean anything!


But on this topic... I myself went to change my plugs out a couple weeks ago and found oil in the wells so I'm due a new gasket kit on both sides... Anyone know where I can get the best price on the entire kit? (only my well seals are the problem, but hell... do it all...)

 

[JohnnyBz00LS]

I got the oil smell usually after a hard romp then coming to a stop, sometimes I'd even see a small amount of smoke rising up from the passenger side cowl (where it gets sucked into the HVAC system resulting in the smell inside). If you romp on it hard and keep moving, the VC gaskets still leak but you can't smell it due to moving air keeping it away from the HVAC intake. New VC gaskets cured it all (smoke and smell), and my plug wells were dry. Could not see any bad leakage above the exhaust manifolds prior to the gasket replacement (only small seepage), but that is definately where the smell was coming from. Do plugs and COPs while you are at it (if they are still factory originals) because they are doomed to fail eventually too.