Hi all, I have a 01 996TT and I know its fairly common for our cars to omit a quick puff of white smoke upon start up and they have been known to consume some oil but I have recently noticed almost a "burning oil" smell usually just as I turn the car off and exit the car. I can smell it near the rear tail, I don't see any visible leaks, no spots on the garage, I have been monitoring oil levels and have noticed no oil loss. Any explanation? The car just turned 47k and I have never smelt this until the last few weeks. Suggestions other than taking it in and having a tech sniff around?

 

Have you had or not changed oil lately? Do you have a lift available to search around under the car?

 

I had it changed within the past year (not recently) but I have not put a lot of miles on the car in the past year. No lift......gonna have to take it in I fear just to be safe

 

Turbo banjo fitting leaking? Check around the turbo oil resevoirs.

 

I've got the same issue, no evidence of oil leakage anywhere. It's just a slight burnt oil smell around the rear of the car when I shut her down. Oil level is fine, 24k miles, oil changed last year, due for another soon.

 

You guys ever figure out where the smell was coming from?
I just noticed this today.

 

Are you allowing the car to idle for a minute (or two) before you shut her down after a boosted run or are you just shutting it off?

 

Yes I am.
Also to note, I smelled this with in the first mile of my commute. I stopped at an ATM and smelled it.

 

There is 400+ lbs of hot engine with gallons of hot oil and hot coolant right behind you, with God only knows how much tranny, diff and drivetrain and exhaust hardware there. Plus don't overlook big fat hot tires and brake hardware, too.

You are going to smell the odors these items emit under some conditions.

Also, the exhaust headers reside in a dirty place and trash or scraps of paper or plastic will get kicked up/blown up as the car goes down the road and if any of these pieces touch the hot exhaust they can stick and char and smell.

Most likely what you smell then is normal.

But you have to be sure so get the car safely in the air and give the underneath a good inspection for any sign of fluid leak. It is the only way to be sure.

 

There is an odor that's fairly common on the 911, as far as I know. Some say it's the cosmoline coating, some say it's the tire dust onto all of the super hot hardware stuffed back there.

I was worried about the smell for a while myself after I bought mine, but the car has a clean bill of health, and oil consumption within normal limits too. So, even though I don't know the source of the odor for sure, I'm not going to let it worry me.

 

I've noticed that too. The car defiantly has its own smell when its hot but this was oil for sure. I've owned quite a few ****ty cars in may day so I know what it smells like...lol

But good news...I've driven the crap out of it over the past two days and no more smell.
I installed a set of headers today and didnt really notice any oil leaks.

 

i had same problem, 2001 911 cab, Porsche shop said needed to have engine pulled & replace valve cover gasket=$900! had my local mobil station look at it when I took for mobil1 oil change(real good guys, excellent mechanics). it was the small donut gasket & loose nut on top of valve cover gasket, they reached in & fixed it, total cost=nothing! this smell has been eliminated for one year now. mobil station, w. yarmouth, ma (cape cod)
/s/ 911george