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Oil leak / hot oil smell


colinnwn
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I've had the normal amount of oil loss for Pathfinders (about 1 qt per month), no drips on the ground I see. After driving a while when the engine is hot, I occasionally have a hot oil smell while stopped at lights, but no smoke.

 

I've had it to 2 mechanics. The first mechanic replaced the valve gaskets. That slowed the loss for a while. The 2nd mechanic re-tightened the valve covers, and said I have leaks at the oil pan, and at the rear main seal. I haven't addressed those yet. I'm debating which to do.

 

Under the engine I see oil on the alternator, and also down and further back. But I can't tell where it is coming from. I have the manual transmission engine, so it isn't coming from the oil cooler. It doesn't really look like from the oil pan gasket though. The leak looked higher up on the engine block.

 

I wouldn't be surprised on the main seal, but I couldn't find where it would come out. And I don't expect to do it until I need a new clutch.

 

Has anyone redone the oil pan gasket? I was thinking of replacing it just to see. It doesn't look easy to do.

 

I also noticed the cover between the power steering pump and the pulley for the radiator fan (I have an electric fan), looks damp. I wasn't sure what this covers, and if it could be part of the oil loss problem, because it is straight down to the alternator.

 

 

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Mine is doing the same thing. I think it is the passenger side cam seal. It's hard to see from the top, but that would be my guess. I'll know more when I decide to change the timing belt.

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I think OP has the 3.5L.

 

My dad added a quart a week to his '03 and we never saw a drop of it on the ground. Hopefully your external leaks are all that's wrong. I'd expect to have to pull the engine to get to the pan and rear main, but never having torn into a 3.5, I don't know.

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Yeah it's a 3.5. I'm not about to pull the engine on my own. I'd suspect it'd be pretty expensive to do at a shop. But at some point I'll probably take it in to get quoted.

 

If that's the case, this won't be getting fixed. It's mildly annoying to smell the hot oil, but not $1k annoying. Once it comes time for a new clutch, based on the cost to replace it, I'll decide whether to fix it all or retire the truck.

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