Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
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- mountainmummy
- Bongolier
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Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Hi all.
Just taken the van out for a quick run and noticed a slight hissing noise when under strain (accelerating, driving up hill). It's very faint, quite hard to hear but definitely new.
When I got home I checked coolant (perfect) but did notice hot oily smell beside passenger side door. Like hot engine.
I'm thinking possibly manifold stud. Does this make sense? Would that explain noise and smell? Also if it is, how urgent is it to get this fixed?
Sara.
Just taken the van out for a quick run and noticed a slight hissing noise when under strain (accelerating, driving up hill). It's very faint, quite hard to hear but definitely new.
When I got home I checked coolant (perfect) but did notice hot oily smell beside passenger side door. Like hot engine.
I'm thinking possibly manifold stud. Does this make sense? Would that explain noise and smell? Also if it is, how urgent is it to get this fixed?
Sara.
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- mountainmummy
- Bongolier
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- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:30 pm
- Location: Stirlingshire
Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Just done thorough search on here.
Hiss could be the turbo, not noticed it quite as much before, will try tightening seat clips.
Still wondering about smell, just like hot engine, but by passenger side door rather than bonnet.
Will do some seats up investigation tomorrow if it ever stops raining.
By the way, where would I look for manifold stud? Just in case.
Hiss could be the turbo, not noticed it quite as much before, will try tightening seat clips.
Still wondering about smell, just like hot engine, but by passenger side door rather than bonnet.
Will do some seats up investigation tomorrow if it ever stops raining.
By the way, where would I look for manifold stud? Just in case.
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Passenger side of engine, you'll see where the manifold joins the head.
I'm sure someone posted good pics a while back. Let's hope its just the seat not clipped down.
I'm sure someone posted good pics a while back. Let's hope its just the seat not clipped down.

- Northern Bongolow
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
a hiss could be the stud broke sara but it could be other stuff too so dont panic.
lift the seats and check the seals are fitted to the bottom of the hatches ok, they can roll off. check the rocker cover gasket isnt leaking, if it is this it could be the oily smell. the leaking oil runs to the rear of the engine and can drip onto the exhaust and burn off.
check the big black pipes that go from the air filter housing, the clips may have come adrift, check them round to the turbo then forward to the inter cooler then back to the inlet manifold. look for the obvious. (bit of crawling about in the rain needed.)
the exhaust manifold studs can break, and sometimes but not always you can get a whistle. have a look at this link. it shows how to check.
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ud#p418217
lift the seats and check the seals are fitted to the bottom of the hatches ok, they can roll off. check the rocker cover gasket isnt leaking, if it is this it could be the oily smell. the leaking oil runs to the rear of the engine and can drip onto the exhaust and burn off.
check the big black pipes that go from the air filter housing, the clips may have come adrift, check them round to the turbo then forward to the inter cooler then back to the inlet manifold. look for the obvious. (bit of crawling about in the rain needed.)
the exhaust manifold studs can break, and sometimes but not always you can get a whistle. have a look at this link. it shows how to check.
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ud#p418217
- mountainmummy
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Thanks all.
Will go out tomorrow and have a good delve. Sadly married a man who's fab with the kids, not a bad cook but can't do DIY or mechanics.
Luckily I take after my dad
Will go out tomorrow and have a good delve. Sadly married a man who's fab with the kids, not a bad cook but can't do DIY or mechanics.
Luckily I take after my dad

Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- BongoBongo123
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Turbo sprang to mind as it is water cooled I believe. Try running it with the passenger hatch open listening when cool and then later when warmer at operating temperature and see (from a bit of a distance) if there is anything obvious smoking/steaming ? Obvious but worth just looking for anything untoward. Pop ear plugs in and try revving it a bit if it seem only to do it under load, it should be loud enough to hear any hissing still through ear plugs.
They call me light foot.
- Northern Bongolow
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
try taking a good full engine, each side picture, then one around the rear of the alternator, then post them on here, maybe we can spot something.
check the 3 belts are ok too, watch yer fingers, with the engine not running of course. sometimes the belts can whistle or the idler/tensioner pulleys can whistle, with all this water around it could be muck on the belts or a pulley bearing seizing up. try spraying a bit of wd on the belts and the tensioner bearing.
check the 3 belts are ok too, watch yer fingers, with the engine not running of course. sometimes the belts can whistle or the idler/tensioner pulleys can whistle, with all this water around it could be muck on the belts or a pulley bearing seizing up. try spraying a bit of wd on the belts and the tensioner bearing.
- mountainmummy
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- mountainmummy
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- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:30 pm
- Location: Stirlingshire
Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- BongoBongo123
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
If I find something oily that should not be I clean it up then keep an eye on it. (Now you have a reference photo) The engine compared to mine seems to look very similar. Quite clean looking in fact. I know that is not an immense amount of help. Did you run it and listen/observe ?
I even have the same broken dip stick top !
I will check my turbo for comparison the hatch is open.
I even have the same broken dip stick top !
I will check my turbo for comparison the hatch is open.
They call me light foot.
- mountainmummy
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Hi
Checked oil, fine half way between high and low. Don't seem to be using more than normal.
We had cambelt replaced last year. Coolant level fine.
One of the clips under the seat is quite loose, will have a go at tightening it.
Still need to find out why roof light flashing so might pop it down to the garage for a once over. For peace of mind if nothing else.
After such a rotten winter last year, determined to get out in it as much as we can this year.
Sars
Checked oil, fine half way between high and low. Don't seem to be using more than normal.
We had cambelt replaced last year. Coolant level fine.
One of the clips under the seat is quite loose, will have a go at tightening it.
Still need to find out why roof light flashing so might pop it down to the garage for a once over. For peace of mind if nothing else.
After such a rotten winter last year, determined to get out in it as much as we can this year.
Sars
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- mountainmummy
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
BongoBongo123 wrote:If I find something oily that should not be I clean it up then keep an eye on it. (Now you have a reference photo) The engine compared to mine seems to look very similar. Quite clean looking in fact. I know that is not an immense amount of help. Did you run it and listen/observe ?
I even have the same broken dip stick top !
I will check my turbo for comparison the hatch is open.
Cheers
Yes I had a listen with the hatch open but I think I'm at the limit of my mechanical ability. Will give it a good clean nevertheless.
Sara
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- BongoBongo123
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Same size image hopefully so you can compare:

Our turbo has oilyness lower down it might be normal for y.o. diesel ?


Our turbo has oilyness lower down it might be normal for y.o. diesel ?

They call me light foot.
- mountainmummy
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Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
Thanks for the photo to compare.
They do.look quite similar (to my completely untrained eye) my turbo looks a bit oiler but might have been like that for ages.
Sigh, think I'll give the garage a ring in the week. Can't hurt to have it checked over.
They do.look quite similar (to my completely untrained eye) my turbo looks a bit oiler but might have been like that for ages.
Sigh, think I'll give the garage a ring in the week. Can't hurt to have it checked over.
Why, oh why did I chose such a naff forum name????
- BongoBongo123
- Supreme Being
- Posts: 1694
- Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:14 pm
Re: Slight hiss/whistle burning oil smell passenger side.
If anything yours appear a bit cleaner though I have stood mine in the same spot for 10days so it is a tad damp. Not that appearance alone can diagnose the problem. Yes a good plan, a hassle if you cannot go any further with checks yourself, it will maintain Bongo piece of mind.
They call me light foot.