Z18XER - oil dripping onto exhaust manifold, causing smoking when engine hot - where is the leak likely to be coming from?

[pad]

Hi all

Had my vectra c a while now, and about 5/6 months ago i started noticing a smell of burning oil, there is oil dripping onto the exhaust manifold, it looks like its dripping from somewhere around the oil filter however when i last changed the filter it all looked good, its almost like its running down the engine block from somewhere and pooling on the mount for the exhaust manifold (so its the hot mount where the oil is burning rather than the pipe itself).

Anyone had this before? I tried using the search feature and found quite a few posts of burning oil smell but none that i could see that mentioned it dripping onto exhaust manifold.

I saw another post that mentioned the injector seals, are they easy to inspect?

It doesnt seem to be drinking the oil too quickly, just a bit annoying having to have the recirculation on all the time, and when stopped at traffic with windows open the smell can start to waft in.

Any advice hugely appreciated.

cheers, pad

[CLUB04]

Is it running down from the rocker cover?
Best thing to do, if you don't know where it's coming from, is clean it all up with brake cleaner and run the engine to see where the fresh leak is forming from

Sent from my H8416 using Tapatalk

[troutybrown]

Either cam cover or oil cooler. Common problem.

[beavor-bob]

Either cam cover or oil cooler. Common problem.

Welcome to the forum.
Cam cover gaskit, is cheapest & easiest to do - make sure you get a good one, the cheapo Ebay less than £12, are useless. That is the first job to do.
The oil cooler, is difficult to get at - the Exhaust manifold has to come off. The complete cooler, is cheaper now than when mine was replaced.
As Troutybrown says, they are a common Z18xer problem, along with camshaft position valve, Thermostat & housing + Temp sensor. Water pump at 100,000 miles.

Otherwise, they are great little engines - & economical for a petrol car of it's size (I get 44.1 MPG) so long as I don't exceed the speed limits All 4 springs replaced, Great CD30 Radio on MW, Radio Caroline can be received Near Birmingham.
I recently had a new Radiator fitted, another high mileage fault.
Coil packs I've had fail.
Well worth keeping going, never much rust in these.

[Johnathan]

Hi all

Had my vectra c a while now, and about 5/6 months ago i started noticing a smell of burning oil, there is oil dripping onto the exhaust manifold, it looks like its dripping from somewhere around the oil filter however when i last changed the filter it all looked good, its almost like its running down the engine block from somewhere and pooling on the mount for the exhaust manifold (so its the hot mount where the oil is burning rather than the pipe itself).

Anyone had this before? I tried using the search feature and found quite a few posts of burning oil smell but none that i could see that mentioned it dripping onto exhaust manifold.

I saw another post that mentioned the injector seals, are they easy to inspect?

It doesnt seem to be drinking the oil too quickly, just a bit annoying having to have the recirculation on all the time, and when stopped at traffic with windows open the smell can start to waft in.

Any advice hugely appreciated.

cheers, pad

How did it turn out? My recently bought 2007 one has similar symptoms. dealer claimed he'd had the rocker cover gasket changed... nothing to prove that really happened. Burning oil fumes can't be healthy!

[troutybrown]

How did it turn out? My recently bought 2007 one has similar symptoms. dealer claimed he'd had the rocker cover gasket changed... nothing to prove that really happened. Burning oil fumes can't be healthy!

Can you see oil seeping between top of head and cam cover if it's dry then oil cooler seals. If it there is oil wipe off and see if it comes back.

[beavor-bob]

I had 2 attempts to cure cam-cover oil leakage, the first one was a useless gaskit, the second one was good, & still is after 2 years or so.
As Trouty says, the Oil cooler can cause problems in the same area. It's buried behind the exhaust manifold. Best replaced, as they warp.