Engine oil everywhere

Guys I need your help. About two weeks ago I was driving and noticed a burning rubber smell but I figured it was the car in front of me, so I dismissed it. Fast forward a week and I noticed some oil on my driveway so I popped the hood and lo and behold I have oil everywhere in the engine bay,needless to say I was pissed and frustrated because it's a damn taco, it shouldn't be leaking anywhere! I inspected a few things to make sure no hoses had holes anywhere and noticed oil in the filter cap holder thingy, is it possible that my oil filter croaked on me and need a new one, I have a manual and sometimes I take her out for a little "spirited driving" is it possible I may have blown a gasket maybe, I'm at a loss, need yalls expertise. Thanks in advance.

 

How is your oil level on the dipstick?

 

between full and empty at the moment

 

So oil is at normal level. Is that oil in the filter housing? try to tighten the oil filter, maybe it didn't get tightened properly after oil change

 

If you don't have white thick smoke out of the exhaust, then it shouldn't be a blown gasket

 

Since the oil is at a safe level, I would leave the hood up, and start the engine and see if you can identify the source of the leak with the engine running. If you can't I would shut the engine off, clean your engine bay real good and then start the engine again and try to identify the leak.

If you changed your oil recently there is a decent chance your old gasket from your oil filter is on there...or, that the gasket from your current filter failed.

At that point simply replace the oil filter, clean engine bay, top of oil, start engine and check for leaks again.

 

No white smoke, thank God

 

Yea I tried that, hopefully that'll work

 

I changed the oil about 2300 miles ago, I'll have to do the cleaning detail over the weekend. I'm thinking it may be a failed gasket from the filter.

 

Put a cap full of AC dye in your oil, run it at night and shine a UV light all over the engine.

 

Filter gasket usually fails only, like Kidthatsirish said, if there's an old gasket or piece of it left. And when you'll install new filter don't forget to rub the filter gasket with a bit of new oil.

 

Thanks guys ill take all what you said into consideration, hopefully it's something simple like just replacing the oil filter, so that'll be a tomorrow project, what's a good oil cleaner? , I hate having my engine bay looking this way

 

Either the filter is loose or there is an issue with the gasket. Sometimes the old gasket doesn't come off when changing filters and they are doubled up, leading to a leak.

 

from the pictures, I see oil in the filter catch thing, but to me it seems where the filter meets the housing is clean. Did you clean around the filter before taking these pics?

 

No I didn't unfortunately

 

who did your last oil change? Is it possible they didn't clean out the oil filter catch thing, and just recently maybe while you were driving some of that drainage sloshed around?

 

How about P/S fluid level? Transmission fluid level?

One of those pics looks like the leak is close to the radiator? There is oil cooler lines for both power steering and Transmission that go up to that area

 

The second to last picture looks like the leak source is there somewhere but it’s hard to say.

Put on some clothes you don’t care about, this is gonna get messy.

Like kidthatsirish suggested, start it, look for the leak. If the fan looks oily, then it’s gonna fling all over as the leak gets on it.

Brake cleaner or carb cleaner will clean the oil off.

 

There is an oil cooler sandwiched between the filter and the base. It or it’s seals could also be the source of the leak. Clean well, start engine and observe

 

IMHO I would after cleaning the area remove and replace filter . Be sure to not double gasket the filter.