So yesterday I test drove a 05 Boxster S 6MT. Gorgeous car, but there was something that left me baffled. After the car parked I went to do a quick walkaround to get my last opinion on the car and smelled a horrible oil smell. From what I gathered on here through the search function was that the smell is indeed normal-ish, and very very common. To me the smell was of burning oil, and reminded me of my old days when I had many Dodge Neons with blown headgaskets that seeped oil, on top of the exhaust manifold. The car was not driven hard at all during this test drive, 22k miles, and I can definitely drive stick so that rules out the clutch.

Can anyone confirm that this is the reason for the smell?

 

my '05 boxster s does the same, but i'm not sure it's burning oil. the smell reminds me of a mix between melting plastic and hot brake pads.

 

yes, w/in reason it is normal... cosmoline burning off... My CS has 16K miles and I still smell it when I park in the garage.

 

My 996 did it and my CS does it, especially after spirited drives. It gets very hot back there, so hot rubber/brakes/plastic etc. smell. I call it happy porsche smell.

 

I have a 01 996tt, just took it on a "spirited drive" and while I was letting cool down at idle, I to was slightly smelling burnt oil smell.

 

Well it can be normal. As others have correctly pointed out there's a lot hot hardware right behind the cabin.

Engine. Drivetrain. Exhaust. Tires. Wheels. Brakes. A lot of heat.

Engine cases and many drivetrain/suspension components treated with cosmoline. Generally this outgase less and less as time goes by but car doesn't have too many miles on it and some cars treated to an exceptionally heavy application of the stuff.

Best advice I can offer is get engine/drivetrain nice and hot. 30 minute test drive/ride. Run with A/C off. Arrive back at starting place and with engine idling expose engine compartment. Stay away from engine compartment fan. It might come on even if engine off.

Shut off engine. Hover over engine compartment looking for any signs of oil vapor rising from engine. Listen for any sounds of fluid hitting hot exhaust pipes. Shine light all over engine looking for any signs of oil wetnesss. Use your nose. There will be a likely strong smell of a mix of ozone, rubber, and oil. You should smell no coolant/anti-freeze and no acrid whiffs of a fresh hot oil leaking onto to a hot exhaust.

Places to look: Front and rear of both heads. Check the cam cover where it mates to head. Check cam cover seals and plugs on end of heads.

Check every spark plug tube.

Look at back of engine, passenger side, at AOS where it connects to crankcase with large pleated rubber hose. Trace hose from AOS to intake manifold where it connects right after throttle body.

Ideally you'd like to have car on lift so you can raise car while engine hot and look under car at engine. Most leaks if there are any will show up from the oil stain coming from above.

Nice to have the cabin engine access panel removed as well so you can see the front of the engine.

Sincerely,

Macster.

 

Sounds pretty normal to me.