minor oil leak/seep on engine

magicbastarder

1.2TSi (petrol), 2012 octavia. i noticed what i'd call a 'two stroke smell' in the car a few times in the last couple of weeks while driving, thought it might have been from the car in front but after the third or fourth time, figured that was too much of a coincidence.

Anyway, i popped the bonnet and there certainly looks like there's a seep from around the black plastic cap, and i've arrowed where i can see 'moisture' - certainly not water as the engine had gotten up to pretty much full temp by the time i took this photo. any idea if that's anything serious or a routine job if i bring it to a mechanic?

i checked the oil, levels look fine and it doesn't look unusual, and there's no sign of oil under the car where i park it in the driveway.

Stallingrad

If you are not losing significant amounts of oil oil I would be inclined to give that area a thorough degrease and clean and just keep an eye on it. You will then get a better idea of exactly where it is coming from and how fast or slow the leak is, and whether it warrants action.

magicbastarder

Cheers, it's been happening at least two weeks I suspect and oil levels still look ok so the leak isn't significant anyway.

geotrig

any work done recently , could be just spillage from been topped up that is burning off , as above i'd degrease and monitor , doesnt look major from what you describe.

magicbastarder

last serviced in May, NCT in June, so nothing recent.

as an aside - this is the second time i've had a minor leak in the engine bay like this, with the same effect of the two stroke smell in the cabin occasionally - last time, about four years ago, it was the result of hitting a massive pothole hidden in a puddle, so hard it actually broke the oil breather pipe so oil was again slowly leaking onto the engine and burning off.

The Continental Op

Get a piece of card to fit and hold it in that area while someone revs the engine to see if there are any oil splatters on it to indicate where the leak is?

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122625126#Comment_122625126

i was passing the place of the lad who serviced the car for me in may, and he essentially sent me on my way with the same advice.

and i haven't gotten the burning oil smell in the last week or so.