(this is for a 5tth gen prelude)

So I noticed today, that it *seems* that after driving the car around, when I come to long stop light or pull into my driveway and sit for a little bit, I get an oil type of a smell through the vents. I only notice it at idle after driving, and I haven't gone past 4K RPM's (i.e. not engaging VTEC) at all since I picked the car up from service a week ago [read below]

Notes: I changed the oil this past saturday so it's possible that some of the old oil that splashed over the block/exhaust/etc is burning off, but shouldn't that only last no longer than a day and burn off rather quickly? (I drove 30 min highway round trips on sat, sun, and today)

1 week ago, the dealership replaced the timing belt and all the other seals (crank/cam/valve cover) that go along with that. They also changed the M/T fluid, and I noticed a bunch of it on the side of the transmission itself (they must not have cleaned it up or possibly a leak/didn't tighten the fill/drain plug?) while changing my oil... I didn't really notice the smell after I picked it up, but I might not have been paying attention.

The oil is a super high quality 5w40 (so the weight is a tad on the high side) but I've used it before so I don't think that should be an issue.

So, could it be:

Just residual oil burning off?
Some seal they replaced incorrectly, is leaking owing to the smell? MORE SPECIFICALLY, would a leak from one of those seals, leak onto a hot surface (i.e. exhaust manifold) and cause the smell (i.e. it is physically close enough to a hot surface to burn off and cause the smell)?
Trans fluid "burning off" the side of the housing?
Something with my oil selection (doubtful, but just putting all the info out there)

Thanks!

 

Oil spilled during the change should have burned off after the first drive or two. How long did you drive it so far and did it reach normal operating temperature for any extended periods of time? I'd just pop the hood and give everything a good look around and make sure you don't see any leaks. If you can't find any just check the oil to make sure it's topped off then get on it a little to heat things up. If you still smell oil after that, you definitely have a leak.

 

I had the same thing occurring to me for a while before the oil cooler o-ring when out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by no1knows908 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oil spilled during the change should have burned off after the first drive or two. How long did you drive it so far and did it reach normal operating temperature for any extended periods of time? I'd just pop the hood and give everything a good look around and make sure you don't see any leaks. If you can't find any just check the oil to make sure it's topped off then get on it a little to heat things up. If you still smell oil after that, you definitely have a leak.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah I would think it would have all burned off as well.

It's been chilly on monday and today, but sat and sun were warm out and I drove each day for at least 30 minutes on the freeway each way (so 6x 30min freeway drives not including today).. and that is concerning that I still have a smell... I assume it was up to normal operating temperatures (at least by the coolant temp gauge it was; given the weahter on sat/sun (70's) and the lenght of the drive AT highway speeds I would assume it was at operating temps.

I'm going to poke around sometime tomorrow/thursday when I get a chance. It' is colder today/tom so I really dont want to go out.

I thought I was just being paranoid, but I'm getting a teency bit worried.

If by friday/sat (and after get on it) it still has a smell then I'm going to assume it is NOT residual oil and is a leak somewhere

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CHK4TIX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had the same thing occurring to me for a while before the oil cooler o-ring when out. </TD></TR></TABLE>

You know I have a replacement o-ring, but never needed to put it in. So in your case it was weeping a little bit (hence the smell) then completely gave (I hear when this thing goes a lot of oil leaks out). Ya think the 5w-40 could have set it off or is it just a coincidence?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rocket30004 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You know I have a replacement o-ring, but never needed to put it in. So in your case it was weeping a little bit (hence the smell) then completely gave (I hear when this thing goes a lot of oil leaks out). Ya think the 5w-40 could have set it off or is it just a coincidence?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You are correct, it just weeps for a bit, then it leaks like a sieve. When mine went out, I thought I had somehow blown a hole in the back of my block. I couldnt see a hole so I filed it back up with oil. I started the car and lost 2-3q in less than 5 minutes.

If it is the rear o-ring is the problem, I think it would be just a coincidence with the oil being 5w-40

 

Does smoke come out of the engine bay/underside of the car.
I'm leaking form my oil cooler ring, it burns off giving the oil smell when the car is at a stop and smoke elevates from the underside and the hood when its opened after driving.

Lift the car up, spray the oil filter area down with brake cleaner and start the car and watch for oil dripping from that area, that will tell you if it's the oil cooler or not.

 

Thanks for the info guys...

Here's more to the story: I'm leaning towards a leak because I noticed some fresh oil spots where my car was parked today (and was pretty sure that it was clean before, but will verify again tomorrow morning in a new parking spot).

I also checked the oil level (drove the car, let it sit for ~5mins, checked the level) and it was spot on, just a hair under the top dot.

As I mentioned earlier, there was a crap load of fluid on the trans case when I was under there changing the oil... I wonder if that is the source of the leak? What color is Honda MTF?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ’95 BA8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does smoke come out of the engine bay/underside of the car.
I'm leaking form my oil cooler ring, it burns off giving the oil smell when the car is at a stop and smoke elevates from the underside and the hood when its opened after driving.

Lift the car up, spray the oil filter area down with brake cleaner and start the car and watch for oil dripping from that area, that will tell you if it's the oil cooler or not.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Haven't noticed any smoke. I usually do spray the axles and exhaust down with brake cleaner after my oil changes but the can ran out as I was spraying it this time, so I figured there must have been some oil left, hence the smell - but starting to think that's not the case. The earliest I can get to cleaning it and looking for a leak is this thursday... hopefully it's something benign

 

I would definitely go with the oil cooler o-ring idea,,,