Case Study
Porsche Cam Cover Gasket Replacement
Our customer contacted us about a burning smell coming from under the bonnet of their Porsche Cayenne 4.8 V8. The smell appeared once the engine was running and hot, and had been going on for around two weeks. The customer suspected a small oil leak was burning off, so our Porsche specialist technicians carried out a careful investigation to find the source.
Fault Codes
No fault codes – the burning smell was caused by an oil leak traced through visual inspection
Common Symptoms
- Burning smell from under the bonnet
- Smell appearing when the engine is hot
- Oil weeping onto the exhaust manifold
- Oil around the cam cover bolts
Porsche Cayenne Oil Leak Investigation
On the Cayenne's first visit, we cleaned the engine bay but found no evidence of an oil leak, so we asked our customer to drive the car as normal and bring it back for a re-inspection. This time, we found a slight weep of oil on the exhaust manifold, which was causing the burning smell as the oil heated up. We traced it to the rearmost bolt on the cam (rocker) cover, where oil was leaking past the bolt. Access to the bolt was difficult, so we loosened off the cam cover to inspect it. The seal looked fine, but as it had now been disturbed, we recommended replacing the cam cover gasket along with the bolts, as they are single-use stretch bolts.
Vehicles Affected
Porsche Cayenne
- Porsche Cayenne 2007
- Porsche Cayenne 2008
- Porsche Cayenne 2009
- Porsche Cayenne 2010
- Porsche Cayenne 2011
- Porsche Cayenne 2012
- Porsche Cayenne 2013
- Porsche Cayenne 2014
- Porsche Cayenne 2015
- Porsche Cayenne 2016
- Porsche Cayenne 2017
Porsche Panamera
- Porsche Panamera 2009
- Porsche Panamera 2010
- Porsche Panamera 2011
- Porsche Panamera 2012
- Porsche Panamera 2013
- Porsche Panamera 2014
- Porsche Panamera 2015
- Porsche Panamera 2016
Porsche Cam Cover Gasket Replacement
Once the new gasket and stretch bolts arrived, we replaced the cam cover gasket and fitted the new bolts. We then thoroughly cleaned off all the old oil from the engine and exhaust manifold, so there would be nothing left to burn off and we could easily spot any further leaks.
Resolution
After an extensive road test, we were happy there were no signs of an oil leak and no more burning smell. Our customer left happy to enjoy their Porsche Cayenne once again.
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