Oil Burning Smell After Headers?

Gamester · Aug 8, 2017

Hey guys,

So every since I had my ARH LT headers installed I have notice a slight burning oil smell when idling stationary for a while. We checked everything over for any exhaust or oil leaks and haven't found any. Anyone else experience this and have any idea where the smell could be coming from possibly?

-Thanks

Bobbo · Aug 8, 2017

Could it possibly be the smell of unburnt fuel? With no cats or high flow cats, you can sometimes get a slight fuel smell.

Johnnymac2k6 · Aug 8, 2017

subscribed...I have the same odor, and im pretty certain its not a header leak. I'm running catless. but i swear i smell it as much by the engine bay as i do at the rear.

Ajwalk2008 · Aug 8, 2017

They use oil in the tubing bender. The residual is probably burning off

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WilliamS · Aug 8, 2017

Ajwalk2008 said:
They use oil in the tubing bender. The residual is probably burning off

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I was going to say oil from the install as things get greasy pretty fast when installing headers. How long has it been since you installed them?

Pull Ya · Aug 8, 2017

If you had to modify or move the location of the dip stick you might take a look at that to make sure it's properly aligned and the tube doesn't have a crack in it if you had to bend it.
Jay

Johnnymac2k6 · Aug 8, 2017

Mine have been on for 6+months. Didn't touch the dipstick. Just changed the plugs last weekend. No wires, or plastic, or anything anywhere near my headers. put a wrench on the bolts and they literally cannot go any tighter. No signs of leaking anywhere. Doesn't leak a drop of anything.

I had even called JBA on day 1 and asked them if they put a coating on the raw stainless ones...and nope.

I have been around race cars and hotrods since i was 12. The gearhead in me tells me its foolish to think its anything other than a header leak...but i'm really not seeing that.

No oil on my plugs to indicate blowby or bad rings...

I have pretty much learned to live with it. Truck runs like a beast, so its pretty much Whatever at this point. lol

Gamester · Aug 8, 2017

Ajwalk2008 said:
They use oil in the tubing bender. The residual is probably burning off

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These were coated by JetHot and have been on the truck for about a month. Not really sure where it is coming from as I don't see any leaks or smoke coming from anywhere on the engine or exhaust.

Only 25K on this truck, so no seal or blow by issues... Not sure why the smell is there and even noticeable in the cab when the windows are rolled up, so it is pretty strong and definitely a burning motor oil smell...No recent oil changes, so no oil has been spilled on anything either...

WilliamS · Aug 8, 2017

Gamester said:
These were coated by JetHot and have been on the truck for about a month. Not really sure where it is coming from as I don't see any leaks or smoke coming from anywhere on the engine or exhaust.

Only 25K on this truck, so no seal or blow by issues... Not sure why the smell is there and even noticeable in the cab when the windows are rolled up, so it is pretty strong and definitely a burning motor oil smell...No recent oil changes, so no oil has been spilled on anything either...

Wait you are supercharged. There could be other issues. Blow by from the forced induction, hows your catch can look? Pull the intake tube off the throttle body, is there any oil residue in there? As well is that a sealed headunit or does it have an oil feed and drain?

Check around the PCV valve for weeping as well.

And last edit, removing cats will allow a lot of new fun smells.

wink · Aug 8, 2017

I've had ARH LTs, no cats, on my Jeep for about 5 years. Mine did that too at first, but it doesn't anymore. Mine are not coated. Probably just something that needs to burn off, as suggested above. I had a blower before the LTs. The blow by is very minimal on the Jeep, but way worse on the Ram with no blower. Rarely ever get more than 1/4" in the catch can on the Jeep after 3k miles, but in the 2500 miles I've driven the Ram, it's got about 1/2". Never any odors from my Jeep except from the exhaust.

wink

Gamester · Aug 8, 2017

WilliamS said:
Wait you are supercharged. There could be other issues. Blow by from the forced induction, hows your catch can look? Pull the intake tube off the throttle body, is there any oil residue in there? As well is that a sealed headunit or does it have an oil feed and drain?

Check around the PCV valve for weeping as well.

And last edit, removing cats will allow a lot of new fun smells.

I don't do catch cans, but I will more closely inspect those hoses as that is a good thought, the blower is a self contained unit with no leaks, and yea I didn't have cats on my last truck with headers either and don't remember smelling anything like this so consistently.

Thanks

WilliamS · Aug 8, 2017

Gamester said:
I don't do catch cans, but I will more closely inspect those hoses as that is a good thought and yea I didn't have cats on my last truck either and don't remember smelling anything like this so consistently.

Thanks

Just pop off the intake elbow and look both on the hose side as well throttle body. As well pcvs are my enemy when you go forced induction they usually add a healthy shine to the motor with a mist of oil.

Gamester · Aug 8, 2017

WilliamS said:
Just pop off the intake elbow and look both on the hose side as well throttle body. As well pcvs are my enemy when you go forced induction they usually add a healthy shine to the motor with a mist of oil.

Yeah, that's what I meant by saying I'll check the hoses, I bet it could very well be something like that. Thanks

Aileron516 · Aug 9, 2017

mpress2570 · Aug 9, 2017

All new anything exhaust related will give you a smell for a little while while you break in the metal. I got a smell when I did my exhaust that I could explain as a hint of burning brakes with a hint of burning oil. Took about 2 weeks to fully go away

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Gamester · Aug 9, 2017

mpress2570 said:
All new anything exhaust related will give you a smell for a little while while you break in the metal. I got a smell when I did my exhaust that I could explain as a hint of burning brakes with a hint of burning oil. Took about 2 weeks to fully go away

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I know, but as mentioned, they have been on for over a month now, so it's not that. Thanks

Garrett Reid · Mar 18, 2020

my truck just started "the smell" about a month ago, out of no where, my motor mounts need to replaced so originally i thought it might be that but just today i was walking by my truck into work and i noticed through the wheel well, there was smoke(not exhaust) comming off of one of the header bolts, could my headers be shot? or maybe a cracked bold causing it?

Lyle Longboat · Mar 18, 2020

What gaskets you use? Could be a defective bolt maybe? Should try swapping bolts, or, check your gaskets. Remflex are said to be the best. I have Felpro gaskets in and they work great, no leaks. I personally would have went with Remflex if I would have heard about them before purchasing the Felpro.

Lyle Longboat · Mar 18, 2020

Raising thread from the dead! lol I’ve done this several times without noticing the last date posted on. That’s alright hope you get this found out and fixed!

Oil Burning Smell After Headers?

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