Last Friday I had put some oil in my 2003 ford escape. I had put in half a quart, but couldn't see anything registering on the dipstick. So I had added a little bit more. Now every time I drive, I can smell burnt oil, and I notice that what looks like smoke (like when a car would overheat). How long does it take for that to go away? I've never done this before. And I'm just trying to get some answers. Please help!!!!
3 Answers
Most likely the smoke is coming from spilled oil over engine that gets burned once the engine gets hot. However depends how much oil you putted in your engine, if it is too much you might have a problem.
First you should re-check the level, and getting a friend to help read the dipstick may well be a good idea.
If the level is above the full mark then it may need reducing. It is difficult to give a definitive answer here, but I would suggest that if the level is more than a 1/4” (about 6mm) then you should remove some.
If the level is ok, then it may be due to a leak which should be checked or some was spilt, in which cleaning would be a good idea.
To remove oil, removing the sump plug works but you have to be deft... another possibility is using a pump with a tube going down the dipstick tube.
answered Aug 14, 2019 at 5:05
You didn't say how long you have had the car, which matters because if you have had it a while then it's probably some oil you spilled and sometimes it takes quite a long time to burn off. If you recently bought or acquired the car then you have to look deeper into it. People do odd things when they're trying to get rid of a car... (sawdust in transmission to quiet noisy gears, stuff put into cracks to stop leaks, oil additives to gum up the cylinders for low compression.)
