wf758

I've noticed one or two drips a week of oil on my garage floor. Jacked the car up this evening and found the left side (driver) heat exchanger to have quite a bit of oil on it. The right side (passenger) heat exchanger is mostly clean. Does anyone know what this implies?

Thanks.

garrett376

The short: it implies an oil leak. Likely locations in order of good to bad: valve cover gasket, oil return tube seal, oil line into case leaking, timing chain cover gasket, cylinder head to cylinder leak, through-bolt leak.

Hope for the valve cover gasket leak. Best way to figure it out is to clean it up, then run it while it's up on jackstands to look for the leak as it occurs.

boxsey911

I get oil on mine too and guess this is the reason thatl I get a slighty oily smell in the cabin. On mine the leak is coming from the valve covers. If it's only minor I would wait until you get the car serviced as the covers have to be removed when adjusting the valve clearances.

wf758

i get that slightly oily smell in cabin too. Thanks for info guys.

TR6

I always thought of that as just part of the 911 experience!

boxsey911

Yes, this weekend my bro' popped round in his new 997. It was the first chance I got to go in his car and for him to go in mine. He mentioned the oily whiff and I couldn't resist replying, "Yes this is how a 911 is supposed to smell!"