coskier Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Let me preface this by saying I'm an idiot. I've got a 2011 with about 50K miles. The last time I changed my oil I forgot to put the sealing ring on the drain plug before refilling with new oil (DOH!). Every day since, I constantly get the strong smell of burning oil, especially when driving up hills or lots of stop and go traffic. I'm assuming the missing sealing ring is the problem, but I'm curious if anyone else has ever had this happen to them? I check my oil level every time I fill up and after 1000 miles, it still shows full so it must be leaking out very slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Altland27 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Yeah its the missing seal I have a bad one and mine leaks out very slowly but doesn't give up a burning smell though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I'm wondering if the smell is oil that dripped on the exhaust during the oil change, or maybe cv boot grease that has flung onto the exhaust system. I don't think the lack of a crush washer is the issue since you aren't losing any oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orndog Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Oil plug drips don't generally hit exhaust but it is possible. apexi might well have hit it with oil on the exhaust from the change. In my experience torn CV boots have a much different smell than oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 That's what I was thinking, I don't think an oil drain plug drip would hit the exhaust. I know every time I change my oil filter, I get some oil on the exhaust. I do my best to clean up the spilled oil, but there could still be residue or some could've gotten between the heat shields. I also agree that cv grease smells different than oil, but I wasn't sure if the OP could be confusing the cv grease smell with oil smell. Probably not, but you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coskier Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 I put it up on the ramps today after work to see what evidence I could fine. I found the oil filter had worked its way a little loose and was dripping slowly on the exhaust. There was definitely oil slowly leaking out around the drain plug as well, but couldn't see where it would be hitting anything really hot to cause the burning smell. I double checked the plug was as tight as I'm comfortable with. Dipstick still showing full, so I'm not overly concerned. Thanks for the replies! I ordered one of these to make changes a little easier: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VCB9WC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]Amazon.com: Fumoto F-108N Engine Oil Drain Valve: Automotive[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orndog Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Oil filters don't just work loose. Only a few possibilities - crappy/wrong/damaged filter, didn't tighten properly, didn't clean gasket on filter or plate on engine, the stud itself is loose. I have seen many loose studs over the years and always give mine a quick check before I install the filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coskier Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 I picked up the cheapest filter which was a Wix, so I won't rule out a crappy filter, but I also won't rule out that I just didn't get it tight enough to start with (most likely). I'll double check the stud the next time I swap out the filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian3676 Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Wix makes a good filter. One of the better ones you can buy in terms of a basic filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orndog Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 This ^ Wix is good. OEM is good, so is ACDelco and Purolator. Avoid Fram of course. Just follow all procedures and you should be good from now on: Wipe base plate, check stud, lightly oil new gasket, tighten per directions on side of filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Oil filters don't just work loose. Only a few possibilities - crappy/wrong/damaged filter, didn't tighten properly, didn't clean gasket on filter or plate on engine, the stud itself is loose. I have seen many loose studs over the years and always give mine a quick check before I install the filter. They might not work themselves loose, but temperature has a lot to do with how well the rubber gasket seals. If it's not tight enough, then colder weather will cause the rubber gasket to shrink enough to allow a leak that usually goes away after the engine warms up and the gasket expands again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orndog Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 They might not work themselves loose, but temperature has a lot to do with how well the rubber gasket seals. If it's not tight enough, then colder weather will cause the rubber gasket to shrink enough to allow a leak that usually goes away after the engine warms up and the gasket expands again. Yeah... see also "didn't tighten properly". If it was, it wouldn't work loose due to cold weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Yeah... see also "didn't tighten properly". If it was, it wouldn't work loose due to cold weather. Exactly, I agree for sure. I used to follow the "hand tighten only" rule when I was young, until I had one spew oil on start up one cold morning. Put a filter wrench on it and it was way too loose. It was then that I realized that tightening an oil filter by hand, in a hard place to reach, with tendinitis in my wrists, and slippery oil covered gloves, was probably not the best idea for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orndog Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Yep. Disclaimer here is you're not supposed to use a wrench to tighten, but I agree sometimes you have to. Just realize that overtightening can also cause leaks by squishing and/or screwing up the gasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Giovo Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I used Subaru oil filters on our 2010 Impreza and if they were not on just right they would leak - when the engine is cool try rubbing your fingers around the oil filter and see if there is any oil leaking and falling onto the exhaust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelbuilder_25 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 The other thing is that Subaru uses filters that are a pretty small diameter relative to many other filters, so again, harder to tighten correctly. IIRC, the Subaru filters suggest gasket contact plus 7/8 of a turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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