Engine Failure Imminent?
 

Hi all, earlier this week I noticed oil consumption and the burnt oil smell in my engine. Since then I got a coolant light this morning that indicates too little coolant. I read up on this and convinced myself I'm about to suffer some serious intermix and need a new engine. However, my coolant gauge did not come on when I cold started the car about 8 hours after I shut it off when the low coolant was flashing.

I checked the coolant when it was cold, it looks normal for the most part, albeit a little bit orangeish milky, but just from normal coolant aging. I stuck a clean screwdriver in the reservoir and there's no chunks or anything, but it seems just a little cloudy. I just changed the oil as well, and when I pulled the dipstick out, oil looks normal on it, no contamination that I can see, but it smells acidic. Should I suspect the worst? Or am I just being paranoid?

You're being paranoid and drawing huge conclusions with way too little evidence. You're also starting way too many threads. Just my two cents. You need to take this car to a mechanic before you drive yourself crazy.

Oil leak or P/s leak ,grease from cv boots on to hot surface like exhaust manifold ?

Sorry about the threads. I suspected a power steering leak, but there's nothing on the block that suggests that liquid has been spilled on it. It's possible cv boots were leaking, but that doesn't explain the oil consumption.

If AOS is bad, it will consume oil by sucking it into the intake manifold and burning it with the fuel, thus smell oil burning.

Did you ever confirm you're actually burning oil by looking at the dipstick, not the digital?

Dipstick levels are good. But it smells like the project boxster that I had that had intermix. That's what worries me as well.

Yes, once I had a small leak from the AOS that ended on tol of the passenger side exhaust and created small fumes (and a hell of a mess... LOL)

I don't notice a lot of vacuum from the filler tube, and AOS looks clean.

If your dipstick level is good, then you aren't consuming oil. Have you crawled under to look to see if there's an oil leak from somewhere?

Just crawled underneath the car, everything looks dry, save for road dirt and mud. Should I try adding a UV visible dye in the oil and then checking with a light?

No, that's not recommended. If you aren't seeing an oil leak and you're still convinced that this thing is using oil, then either get a nanometer to check the vacuum to see if your aos is suspect or just replace it if it hasnt been done.

Or...drive it like you stole it. Sounds to me like you're becoming a Porsche hypochondriac. Life is short. All engines will fail eventually. Just drive the thing.

Just opened up the oil filler cap, sounds like a good vacuum, AOS replacement here I come.

They fail, it's a known part that fails and the symptoms vary, it's not that expensive just a pain in the a** to fix.

Get your hands dirty
 

Make a listing in a note pad or book of every level, write it all down. Jack the car up, take off the back wheels and remove the cover...look at everything top and bottom you can. You have a phone right ?

Take pictures , start a history...look for something leaking or out of place or melted for that matter.

Damn Frustrating - Chasing Shifting Symptoms
 

Please ignore...thought I was drafting a new post