Nasty burning smell.. (pics)

[Phil M]

Recently Ive noticed a nasty burning smell coming from the vents and when I have my windows down and also smoke is coming out from under the engine after I push the engine for a while. Something's leaking somewhere and burning on something hot. Ive pinpointed the problem to be whats in the pics. Sorry, my engine is looking pretty nasty...

Could you guys help me figure out what it is and maybe what to do about it?

[Phil M]

*bump*

[sbcncsu]

I vote for "valve cover gasket leak". It appears that oil is leaking from the valve cover, dripping down onto the hot exhaust and burning off.

[DanDombrowski]

I'm gonna guess the valve cover gasket as well. I did a write up on how to replace it on the m50 engine, but you gots one o' dem fancy 8cyls, so I dunno if this will do you any good.

Here it is anywho.

plaza.ufl.edu/volvo240/valvecover.htm

[Mike]

Phil, looks like your valvecovers are leaking on your exhaust. You can pick up a new gasket set for about $30 from BMA. Not a hard job, I did mine last summer.

[Phil M]

Phil, looks like your valvecovers are leaking on your exhaust. You can pick up a new gasket set for about $30 from BMA. Not a hard job, I did mine last summer.

thats awesome. how is it replaced..? im not really looking to take apart most of my engine.. i know i would mess something up. I guess if I bought the part from BMA, I could have my shop install it. Altho if its honestly not hard (for someone who wont even change their own oil) then Ill tackle it myself. Thanks guys for the relief that its nothing too serious!

[Anton CH.]

If you do do it, make sure you put the ignition coils back into their original location.

[mikes]

You mentioned that it smelled really bad, does it smell like oil burning, ATF burning, or like plastic(garbage) burning? The reason I ask is that i recently had the same thind and finally discovered that a plastic bag had blown up onto my exhaust and melted, it took a coulple of days for the smell to go away, it smelled as though something was on fire

[Phil M]

the smell has been around for about a month now. if it were anything else.. wouldnt it be gone by now? thanks again everyone

You mentioned that it smelled really bad, does it smell like oil burning, ATF burning, or like plastic(garbage) burning? The reason I ask is that i recently had the same thind and finally discovered that a plastic bag had blown up onto my exhaust and melted, it took a coulple of days for the smell to go away, it smelled as though something was on fire

[BFEINZIMER]

i think i have the same issue...whats the best way to clean out whast pictured above?