The Plot Thickens...What Is This?
 

Ok guys, spent some time chasing my previous vacuum leak situation and have some more findings for analysis.

First, and this may be unrelated but may not be, I always have the burning smell after a drive that smells like tires or rubber. Usually longer drives but sometimes shorter too. My searches tell me that is mostly normal for these cars due to heat and engine placement. Well I'm trying to explain that to my wife and she points the white smoke coming from the right rear wheel area. The smart alec she is, she says "I suppose that's normal too?".

I investigate and appear to see something that looks like its covered with oil or some kind of fluid near the muffler inside the wheel. I take these pictures. First is for location help, other two or closer and are taken through the wheel. I don't have time to get into it today so it sits for a few days.

1:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/1.jpg
2:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/2.jpg
3:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/3.jpg

Then I finally had some time to get under the car and look. I should mention I still have the cold idle bounce that remains briefly until the car is warm or seemingly switches from choke to run (in simple terms). I found playing in the garage that it gets worse in gear. I put the car in reverse and the idle bounced harder, physically bouncing the engine (had the cover off so I could see). I crawled under the car and observed these two pipes appeared to have a fluid on them and this metal bolt and part also had the same substance. First photo provided to show proximity to oil sump coming under from rear right of car, next three are of tubes and part.


4:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/4.jpg
5:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/5.jpg
6:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/6.jpg
7:http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5...rummer17/7.jpg

The pipes I wiped off which is why you see those two rub marks. My suspicions were initially that the oil fill tube was leaking and this was the cause for all my issues, but after inspecting the tube with my hand, I didn't see where there was a giant split in it or anything obvious. Could this still be the cause of my fluid? What are these parts pictured? Any help you guys have is great.

Car goes to the indy on the 19th, but any advice you have towards solving is appreciated by both me and my pocket book.

looks like spark plug tubes leaking and sounds like a motor mount bad as well as other things.

Would spark plug tubes cause the 1128, 1130 codes? I can certainly see how it would cause the idle issue at startup. I also suspected a motor mount change might be in order.

I had those two codes in the past, did the usual suspects, maf cleaning, etc... and I also had oil seeping in those same places. I did plugs and tubes, and it solved the oil seeping, and also the codes haven't come back. I don't know if it is related. If oil could seep out, could air leak in? Does that even make sense. I also did several other repairs at the same time, new fuel filter and new passenger side post cat o2 sensor, so it may have been one of those other things...

Steve

The burning is definitely oil on the cats.

If you take the wheel off -- you might be able to determine if the oil is above or below your spark plug tube. It is not hard to replace the orings there and they do go bad.

If you can't tell -- I would use some simple green -- clean up the area and look for the source
after a few days.

Be careful -- those cats get really hot.

Mike

is your car a tip?

My vehicle may have had this issue, the smell seems familiar, was always puzzled at the oil never ending on the ground but leaving a smell. Any noticeable drop in oil level over time,


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A misfire due to oil in the sparkplugs can cause a misfire code.



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Yes its an 02 tip 2.7

Check the bellows tube on the bottom of the AOS.

Another vote for spark plug tubes. Easy DIY fix.

Burning smell, like others said, definitely oil on exhaust parts/cats. White smoke is also most likely the oil burning, that is if the white smoke came from the wheel area and not the outlet of the exhaust pipe.


Looks like there's fresh oil near your plug tubes so that's where I would start with my investigation. Definitely check the plugs themselves as well.


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Thanks for the advice fellas. Ordered plugs and tubes and will being swapping them all next week. Hopefully that clears up all my issues. Will keep you all updated.

Replacing the plug tubes is a good idea, but remember the law of gravity. Don't focus as much on where the oil is ending up. Start high on the engine, oil filler tube, AOS and it's tubing. The codes indicate air leak. Air leaks in, oil leaks out and is running down the side of your engine. I'll bet you also have a pool of oil on top of the engine below the oil filler tube.

Update and I need some advice. Took the car in to get looked at because I thought for sure it was the oil filler tube. Saw some gunk at the joint leading to the engine. My guy called me today and says he thinks its a result of a bad o2 sensor based on the readings he's getting from them and wants to replace two of them at a cost of 968 bucks...

Every thing ive read on this issue is telling me to run away and take it elsewhere. Most of the things I've read say its never the o2 sensor and its usually vacuum leak or maf. If I spend almost 1000 bucks and the car is still not fixed my wife is going to have a heart attack. Advice? Is my guy right or just misled?

Wow! Take it somewhere else and get another opinion. If your mechanic is honest he'll respect your concerns.

O2 sensors throw CELs.

They cost about $50 each. Super easy to swap.

O2 sensors do go bad on Boxsters, and performance does step up a bit when new ones are installed. As mention do it your self and save dome money

It sounds like spark plug tubes are bad, i've seen (in some rare cases) the tubes themselves crack. I'd start by taking out the tubes and having a look at them, as a few people mentioned they aren't very hard to access and very easy to do at home!