Went into Fields in Illinois for a car wash - damn salt! When I rolled down the window I smelled a burning odor. The SA told me the wait for a wash is nearly an hour. At which point I asked him if he could smeel something burning.

Of course I got the "No". He stuck his head in the car and still said no. He then called a tech over. The tech asked me what the problem was and I told him. He told me to pop the hood so he could check the driver side valve cover. Sure enough, oil was all over the engine side. He said that they have had quite a bit of G's coming in for service due to the valve cover gasket blowing. As a matter of fact they are on back order - driver side only.

I called Motorwerks in Barrington and they will see you me tomorrow, then probably monday for loaner (none available at this time).

I also asked the tech to check the oil - over a quart low! Added the oil and drove it home. My poor G is incontinent.

G35 Coupe 5AT, DP, Tire and Wheel Pkg., Aluminum Pedals, Clear Corners, missing turbo<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by ramborami on 02/10/04 06:46 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

Good luck with your 'appointment' tomorrow.... Incontinence at such a young age is truly a shame... lol... She'll be back on her feet and diaperless b4 you know it. [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Sounds like a more common issue than i was aware of. Thanks for the heads up. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black>

 

Hey myG35ZX, Can you explain to us exactly where this "driver side valve cover gasket" is located???

I always get that burning smell as well.... hmm...and last time my oil was about 1/4 to 1/2 qt. low...

thanks for the heads up

<font color=green>-Rambo</font color=green>
G35c-6MT-DG/Willow/HyperGround/BorlaExhaust/350Z-intake

 

RR. The oil filler cap leads directly into the driver's side valve cover which is black. It's almost hidden under all that wiring and plumbing but it's there if you look with a trouble light. The cover is about 2" deep and covers the valve train which sits atop the head. Between the head and the valve cover is the gasket you're asking about. If it leaks, you'll see oil dripping down the side of the engine and possibly on the ground. The gasket can also leak to the upper side of the engine below the upper intake plenum.
If your engine is going thru 1/2 quart of oil between changes, and there's a burning smell, you've prolly got a bad gasket.
Time for a trip to the dealer to be sure, and b4 it gets worse.
G/L bro.

<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black>

 

Does this have anyhting to do with the slip light. Sometimes I have a buring smell, but the it was the slip in cold weather.

Now you have me worried!

"What if there is no tomorrow....There wasn't one today!!!" Bill Murry

 

I only noticed the smell during hard driving or sustained driving - say 5 hours or so (between fillups). Motorwerks asked me to bring the G in for them to verify (another dealership diagnosed) tomorrow. But no repair until the gasket arrives - 1-2 weeks.

I will check the level daily and drive her easy.

BTW - no oil on the gorund; even after 1 qt out. I think the underbody thingy caught it. I will ask motorwerks to steam the engine and her thingy.

G35 Coupe 5AT, DP, Tire and Wheel Pkg., Aluminum Pedals, Clear Corners, missing turbo

 

It is the valve cover gasket leaking. The dealer has ordered a new one - two weeks out. The tech said the leak is slow and is not bad. Just heads up, I though the smell was snow or just caused from the cold. I recommend a look to everybody, smell or no smell.



G35 Coupe 5AT, DP, Tire and Wheel Pkg., Aluminum Pedals, Clear Corners, missing turbo

 

Thanks for the heads up. I have been having the burning smell for over a week now and I thought I was crazy.

03.5 Sedan/B. Silver/Prem/Winter/Aero/Tint/Rims
69 Chevelle Hard Top BB/4.11's/Posi

 

Thanks guys, I checked the link to the valve cover discussion and I will take the cover off tomorrow and see is I can detect any leak in the valve cover area. The only thing though is that I don't remember the car having a burning smell if my situation is due to a leaking valve cover gasket.

Any one else have this type of loss of oil problem?

 

No loss of oil that I know of. I have 3600 miles on my G and I do get a burning smeel. I have had an oil change at 2000 miles. I havent noticed any leaking drops of oil but then again I havent been checking for it. I will pay more attention to these details in the following weeks and then post any findins here.

'04 G coupe TB Graph 5A (all options except NAV and SAT).
No Mods.....yet

"Hello Everybody...My name is Black and I am a G-oholic."

 

OH MY GOODNESS!!! NOOO! Ive had the burning smell every since i had my tires rotated at about 8.5-9K miles. im at 10300 now. i thought there was a plastic bag stuck to my exhaust, but I changed to the stillen dual and the smell is still there. holy crap. im gonna check my oil levels today and take it in to the dealer asap. omg omg omg. you guys got me freaked out.

G35S 6MT
Technosquare ECU
350Z Springs & Struts
JWT popcharger + Z-tube
Stillen True Dual Exhaust
6-wire ground kit

 

I actually DID get a plastic bag stuck to my exhaust!! I better go and check too then...crap...also you should be able to feel it by running your had along where that gasket sits and if it comes up oily....

Why only the drivers side? Did Infiniti misshape that gasket, or something along those lines?

03 G35c 6MT, DG/Graphite, Prem, Nav, Aero


EDIT: SON OF A BITCH Its dirty there, seems to me oil is grabbing the dirt like it happens when one has an oil leak...do most dealers know about this? It is bad near the dipstick, but I can see the dirt on the bolts farther back too...the other side is dusty but its not like the driver side, you can tell that there is oil there, not just dust...here we go again...I can't seem to get into a car without having some sort of major issues come up...first the TL's tranny, then the syncro issue, (which I have luckily avioded) and now this...ARGH!! My worry is that when I take it in they will say its only cause of the dipstick...<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by Gilgamesh on 03/15/04 05:14 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

TTT

anyone? is there a copy of any TSB or anything of that sort?

03 G35c 6MT, DG/Graphite, Prem, Nav, Aero