# Burning oil smell



## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

I have a 14 Cruze 2.0 TD. Bought it new. Currently have 369000 miles. Been a great car. Lately I have noticed a smell of burning oil inside the car, as well as out. Slight wisps of smoke from under the hood. I opened the hood and the smoke is coming from the gap right by where the hood latches. 

No oil on the floor of my garage, and I just got it back from getting an oil change, the techs said there was nothing wet that they could see. (These are oil change techs, not mechanics, I’m sure they didn’t look very hard). 

I’m sure that oil is leaking from somewhere, dripping on something hot, and burning away, there’s no dripping on my garage floor. 

Otherwise the car runs great. I use it for work, and I’m going to run it till it dies, and whatever I can do to prolong that, I will do. 

Thoughts? 


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## joshpjost (Jul 22, 2013)

Woah 369K! Are you leading the pack for most miles (since diesel ditched the forum)?


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

No idea. Just joined today. 


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

[email protected] said:


> No idea. Just joined today.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Welcome aboard!welcome:

Consider changing your cabin filter to start.

*Heat Is Causing A Bad Oil Smell?


Cruze Cabin Odors, Sources, and Resolution Summary


2013 Cruze oil smell from heater*

Post a picture of your odometer and earn your first badge:

High Mileage Badges

Don't forget to introduce yourself and your Cruze here.


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## Rivergoer (Mar 30, 2017)

I’d take a peek around the turbo, it’s located at the front passenger side not far from the hood latch. 

There’s an oil line that feeds into the turbo and if it leaks can burn off as you describe without leaving any oil on the driveway.

Congrats on the high mileage, that’s awesome!


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

I will look around the turbo, but the oil smoke seemed to come from the drivers side more than the passenger side. 


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> I will look around the turbo, but the oil smoke seemed to come from the drivers side more than the passenger side.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Look for leaking transmission cooler lines and or seals (drivers side). Have you changed transmission fluid yet? If not I HIGHLY recommend it, there is an excellent how to on the DIY section of this forum. There is no such thing as a "lifetime" fill. I'm quite sure at your milage that transmission oil is black as coal and thin as water. Amsoil has the best price for AW-1 compatible fluid.. you need the 2.5 gallon jug. 

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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

HOW TO: Service "Lifetime Fill" Tranmission fluid for Diesel AW AF-40-6 Transmission


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

I’ve never changed the trans fluid. I’ve heard that you’re not supposed to after so many miles. Any truth to that?


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> I’ve never changed the trans fluid. I’ve heard that you’re not supposed to after so many miles. Any truth to that?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I wrote the article on changing the tranny fluid. At 369K, If it ain't broke I wouldn't mess with it honestly. If the transmission took a dump tomorrow you'd probably be thrilled you got 369K on it....I doubt a few drain and fills would hurt anything but it seems to be running fine. I'm guessing that's 90% highway miles anyways and if so it's probably made less shifts than mine with 60K driving around the city lol.


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

Yes. Majority is highway miles. And it’s running and shifting just fine. Always has. Here’s the cool part. 

In 369,000 miles....

1 battery
1 set of brakes
4 sets of tires
2 DEF tanks (heater)
1 set of wheel bearings
1 small oil leak (not this one)
1 coolant leak
1 alternator 
3 timing chains (100k service)

This car owes me NOTHING! 


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## Mw548 (Feb 16, 2017)

Did you ever find the cause of this? I have a small leak around vacuum pump area thinking I’m smelling a small whiff of it sometimes as well. While investigating I also had to put a zip tie on one of the vacuum lines due to it falling off the fitting in vacuum pump and throwing a p2598 code.


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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

Well done to get to 369k miles, that's very impressive, if you would like a badge to designate your achievement, please take a pic of your odometer reading. Again, Congratulations!


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

Brad,

Did you change the brand of oil recently? Some of the guys here that switched to Mobil 1 ESP reported an unusual smell afterwords.


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## Roger Ramjet (Oct 11, 2018)

[email protected] said:


> Yes. Majority is highway miles. And it’s running and shifting just fine. Always has. Here’s the cool part.
> 
> In 369,000 miles....
> 
> ...


That's a beautiful thing. And only 1 brake job? You must have waited until they were almost screamingccasion14:


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2019)

Nope. I actually had lots of pad and lots of rotor left. I could have left it alone...


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

I have 235500 miles and still running original factory brakes . Good to see another high miler


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## sailurman (Sep 29, 2016)

Almost 130K and mine are still great also.


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## TheRealHip (Sep 1, 2014)

BDCCruze said:


> Brad,
> 
> Did you change the brand of oil recently? Some of the guys here that switched to Mobil 1 ESP reported an unusual smell afterwords.


That's the oil I use and no smell.


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## CMPotter (Sep 24, 2021)

[email protected] said:


> Yes. Majority is highway miles. And it’s running and shifting just fine. Always has. Here’s the cool part.
> 
> In 369,000 miles....
> 
> ...


You inspire me! I have 204K and change. No desire to have a different car. Do you do your own work?


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

CMPotter said:


> You inspire me! I have 204K and change. No desire to have a different car. Do you do your own work?


OP has not been online for about seven months so it may be awhile, but maybe you can start a thread for yourself documenting what you have done to keep her going so long, here.


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## 15cruzediesel (Sep 30, 2019)

Wow. Maybe the OP will give an update.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

15cruzediesel said:


> Wow. Maybe the OP will give an update.


Anything is possible. Let me know when he returns.


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