often times I smell oil while driving my 2012 R60 (Cooper S ALL 4), and sometimes the smell it's kinda strong (burning oil, maybe from turbo). do you smell oil while driving? I am not sure why this happens, not normal is it. I change the filter cabin thinking maybe needs to be changed, smell still there. Others times no smell at all. my car has 77k miles and the oil is changed regularly and checked every 2-3 fill-ups.

 

Our does it as well. Probably some seeping at the oil sensor or the like. I have seen that noted on other posts. I have just never gotten around to verifying it.

 

I think if you brought it into the dealer they would say "they all do that" LOL. Mine does, too. When you think about how many fast-spinning oily bits there are on these cars, I'm surprised they don't smell like an oil barrel. Someone posted an amusing point on this subject elsewhere in this forum which basically said that these are complex mechanical machines and some amount of oozing should be expected out of the seals, especially components that spin at 100's of thousands of RPM like the turbo. Make sure that the turbo cooler (pumps coolant around the turbo, even after the car is shut down) is in good shape. That part was recalled at one point, too, on certain cars so make sure that that recall was done.

 

If you bring it to the dealer they are more likely to say it needs a new valve cover, etc. $500 and up repair, along with a laundry list of other items. I'd find a good indy mechanic and have it checked out if you can't do it yourself. Driving around smelling burning anything in a car is not wise.

 

at your mileage there's a laundry list for gaskets that begin to weep, have you looked underneath ?

 

Check out the transfer case too, my car was stinking and the t case was leaking.

 

Mine was the valve cover and the oil canister gaskets. Now I just have some small seepage around the oil sensor. Not very noticeable. But was really bad before I replaced the canister gaskets. Where it's located it drips oil straight onto the exhaust. When I would stop there would be actual smoke coming from under my hood.

My crank seal was also leaking. But that was replaced when I did the timing chain.

 

I had a smell in my car too that I originally thought was an oily smell. It turned out to be the thermostat housing was leaking everywhere. I replaced the housing, the thermostat and some of the collant hoses and there is no more smell....

 

You know what!? Now that I think of it ours has maybe mostly to completely gone away as well after changing out the thermostat and related parts. Never thought of that.

 

did the fan come on when parked?

 

What's the scoop with that, fan? I am noticing mine coming on when parked and not sure its ever done that?