2003 Oldsmobile Aurora oil burning smell

JSISKIND

MEMBER
2003 OLDSMOBILE AURORA
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
95,000 MILES

After the engine has been running for a while, the is a smell of burning oil. I, ve changed to a synthetic (Mobil One). Although the oil smell has lessened, the is still a smell. I was told be a mechanic that ther is a design issue with the way oil flows to the cylinders in the Northstar 4.0 engine.

Is there any suggestions how to mitigate or eliminate this problem?

2 Replies

ERNEST CLARK

MECHANIC
1,730 POSTS

You didn't say if the smell was coming from the tail pipes or the engine compartment.

Unfortunately, the Northstar V-8's are notorious pieces of junk. But there's not much you can do other than take it to a mechanic.

If your smell is coming from the tail pipe, then your valve guides and/or piston rings are worn excessively and oil is getting into the combustion chambers and being burned out of the exhaust.

If the smell is in the engine compartment, then you have a leaking seal/gasket somewhere on your motor.

Changing to a newer, and slightly thicker oil will only reduce the leaking temporarily. Once your oil gets some mileage on it, it will thin out enough to leak again.

Adding oil additives is like buying a bottle of snake oil back in 1875. They're just thick oil bottled buy a company to get rich off of people who know nothing about cars.

The manufactures spend billions of dollars every year in development on their products. They are sure to recommend whatever oil your car needs. (Synthetics are good) And NONE of them recommend oil additives. That ought to tell you something!

Either way, everything is expensive on these cars, and many mechanics don't even want to work on them. Having said that, a burning oil smell from the engine compartment is sure to be a LOT less expensive than a burning oil smell coming from you tail pipes.