Burnt oil smell - how long?

[Sonic Boomer]

At a bit over 200 miles, I am beginning to worry. I know it is common to smell burnt oil from a new car as residual oils used as preservatives on the engine and components is heated and burnt off. It is never real strong, but how long should I expect to wait before addressing it with the dealership?

Thanks!

 

[fivespeed302]

Mine has 140 miles on it and it smells like melted plastic when you stand outside right after shutting the motor off. I think it will be gone by 1,000 miles or by the time the new car smell goes away.

 

[theenico]

I'll let other people chime in as well, but mine never had a burnt oil or melted plastic smell (the interior had the normal off gassing new plastic odors).

I would only give it a few more miles before taking it in. They don't wipe oil or cosmolene on components anymore as a preservative.

 

[laborsmith]

My experience matches theenico report. Furthermore, part of the pre delivery inspection includes a road test that should burn off any residuals.

I would give it another three miles and if the odor remained take it in.


Laborsmith

 

[Eric Smit]

I concur with laborsmith and theenico.


-Eric Smit

 

[Sonic Boomer]

I would give it another three miles and if the odor remained take it in.

Laborsmith

Aha! So, three is the magic number!

I drove it for about 50 miles today and the smell seems to be gone. I am leaving open the possibility that the wind was blowing the right way to keep the fumes out of the cabin, but the only time I was certain I smelt burning oil, I attributed it to an Audi A4 in front of me that put out a light wisp of smoke as he pulled away from the light. Way too thin to see any blue, so it may have been steam. In any case, I'm calling it good until I have another observation away from other traffic (sitting in a parking lot or in the driveway).

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Gimpster]

FWIW my car smelled like burning oils or something for maybe a week/500 miles too. Then again I'm accustomed to that smell if you look at my sig hehe.

 

[Sonic Boomer]

FWIW my car smelled like burning oils or something for maybe a week/500 miles too. Then again I'm accustomed to that smell if you look at my sig hehe.

Good to know. I just ran out and smelled it again when I parked the car. The odor is now very slight, so I'm hoping it is simply a bit that got spilled. If not, it is a very small leak. A little oil goes a long way when it comes to odors!
I'll give it 500 miles and hopefully the smell will gradually die off in that time.

 

[Machine]

catalytic converters and new exhaust can smell when new.

Modern turbos, especially ones like ours that are really small and have a converter 2in off the discharge get hot, really freakin hot. Like 1500-2000F hot. Even the slightest bit of grease (which is naturally in the metal from the forming process) will burn off, and can smell.

I just hit 100 miles and its just starting to go away. I smell it all the time when I'm doing PDIs on new cars.

 

[Sonic Boomer]

catalytic converters and new exhaust can smell when new.

Modern turbos, especially ones like ours that are really small and have a converter 2in off the discharge get hot, really freakin hot. Like 1500-2000F hot. Even the slightest bit of grease (which is naturally in the metal from the forming process) will burn off, and can smell.

I just hit 100 miles and its just starting to go away. I smell it all the time when I'm doing PDIs on new cars.

Thanks for the info!
While there definitely is still an odor; I'd probably never notice it if I wasn't trying to.