[RENN Sleep]

So I took my car to get detailed today. It looks great. Wonderful. I drive about 5 min down the road and I notice (probably for the first time since the car is pristine) a few dark flecks by the passenger side intake. It sure looks like oil to me. It's literally five to seven specs, nothing major. And there's definitely no leaking beneath the car.

I check my oil-levels just about every morning. As of right now, I'm still full. Generally, I need to add a liter every 1-2k miles.

Should I be worried about anything? Or am I panicking for no reason....

Thanks in advance.

 

[wreklessracr]

I'm not sure i understand your question. you had it detailed. you drove the car. then took the engine cover off and see what you think is oil on the passenger side intake manifold?

 

[RENN Sleep]

I'm not sure i understand your question. you had it detailed. you drove the car. then took the engine cover off and see what you think is oil on the passenger side intake manifold?

No, no. I meant the side vent/intake just behind the driver and passenger doors. There were a few dark specks there which I only noticed after driving away from the detail.

 

[Poorsche x]

No, no. I meant the side vent/intake just behind the driver and passenger doors. There were a few dark specks there which I only noticed after driving away from the detail.

My '08 just has a fan there that circulates cool air through the engine compartment. Nothing that could leak.

 

[RENN Sleep]

On the passenger side? I guess it could have been miscellaneous guck from the road?

 

[delman1012]

Seems unlikely that it would be an oil leak from your car. Could be something kicked up from your front tire. Maybe dirty water left behind in the rim from the wash? It is usually pretty black and sooty looking from the brake dust.

 

[wreklessracr]

the product they used may not have been rubbed in all the way. i'm sure you have nothing to worry about. thats a cooling fan on that side. intake is on the drivers side.

 

[NorthernDriver]

Is that much oil consumption normal? About a quart every 2k miles?

 

[Webfiero]

A few drops of an unknown hydrocarbon from an unknown source doesn't sound too worrisome. Why not relax and just keep an eye on it. The next time you have the car serviced I'd guess they'd spot anything serious leaks when the tech does their inspection.

 

[TenaciousD]

Your car could have a giant oil leak and none of it would end up on the side of the car on the passenger side. Far more likely you picked it up along the way from another source. Just drive on and enjoy your car.

 

[Blessed]

Detailed the tires? My guess is any type of slinging of tire dressing in turn is what you are seeing as either product and or the product attracting dust etc.

 

[husker boxster]

Is that much oil consumption normal? About a quart every 2k miles?

Generally, I need to add a liter every 1-2k miles.

I would say this is a bit excessive on oil consumption. Might be an AOS starting to shoot craps. I don't think it's related to your exterior spots, but consuming that much oil should be something looked into.

 

[NorthernDriver]

I would say this is a bit excessive on oil consumption. Might be an AOS starting to shoot craps. I don't think it's related to your exterior spots, but consuming that much oil should be something looked into.

Okay that is what I thought as well !

 

[boxzilla]

Okay that is what I thought as well !

Unlikely unless you AOS was involved in the Kennedy assassination!

 

[boxzilla]

I would think it might be some "grime" (hence the blackness) from when they compounded your vehicle that was hidden under the trim around the side vent...Just like when you wash your car and then drive it to find drips on your door from something like your mirror......

 

[Hassan]

It's most likely tar from the road

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[boxzilla]

Certainly an option, I have many small chips around that side vent vs my driver side vent. I believe the fan draws objects into the area. Perhaps bring the car back to the detailer and they can determine if it's tar by employing one of their tar cleaners?

 

[RENN Sleep]

I would say this is a bit excessive on oil consumption. Might be an AOS starting to shoot craps. I don't think it's related to your exterior spots, but consuming that much oil should be something looked into.

I misspoke when I said a "liter." I bought the car about 5k miles ago. After about 2-3k miles I needed to add a quart of oil. I then noticed that my oil measurements on the computer were about 1 quart lower after 1-2k miles (the computer, as I'm sure you know, shows 4 white bars when oil is full; after 1-2k miles, it went down by 1 bar, meaning I have the option of adding a quart). I did the service at 60k miles before I added any more oil, so I'm keeping track of my levels every other day.

 

[RENN Sleep]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems like I over-worried. I'm going to keep on enjoying the car .

 

[Spokayman]

I misspoke when I said a "liter." I bought the car about 5k miles ago. After about 2-3k miles I needed to add a quart of oil. I then noticed that my oil measurements on the computer were about 1 quart lower after 1-2k miles (the computer, as I'm sure you know, shows 4 white bars when oil is full; after 1-2k miles, it went down by 1 bar, meaning I have the option of adding a quart). I did the service at 60k miles before I added any more oil, so I'm keeping track of my levels every other day.

I'm not sure by your description of the oil level indicator if you were really a quart (or liter) low. Each segment of the oil indicator equates to .4 liters. If you are one bar low you would add 4/10ths of a liter, not a full liter or a full quart. Adding more than 4/10ths would likely lead to overfilling which is a worse condition than low by a quart or so.


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