jrratty

About 3 days ago, I noticed that buring oil on hot engine smell when getting out of my 1999 LS400. I was busy at the time, didn't think about it again, but driving home, the low oil level light came on for just a few seconds two or three times. The next day, I put in a quart of oil (I use Valvoline Syn. 5/30). The next time I was driving the low oil level light started coming on again and more frequently. When I got home, I checked the dipstick and no oil. I crawled under the car, removed the rubber/plastic covers from under the car and there is oil all over the driver's side of bottom of oil pan and all over everything on the the driver's side from beside and to the back of the oil pan. There does not seem to be oil on top of pan on engine below filter or on filter (maybe a tiny bit) - just oil all over everything to the side and back of driver's side of oil pan. I would think it was a oil pan gasket, but there does not seem to be oil anywhere on the flang where the pan fits together and can't find any place that looks like a leak from faulty gasket.

Any ideas?

steve2006

With all that oil around actually finding the leak is not easy.
I would get the whole area steam cleaned or get some spray on engine cleaner then hose it off first.
With the car on ramps or axle stands run the engine and then look for the leak.
Another trick is to coat the area once cleaned off with body talcum powder as this being white shows up any oil leaks easier.
Chances are from your discription there is a leak on the sump pan gasket but make sure the oil filter is tight and of course the oil sump drain plug and gasket.

vdeleon

I had a small oil leak coming from the driver side valve cover and some oil around the spark plugs replaced both valve cover and spark plug rubber seals. it's been dry since....

python

iTrader: (4)

clean it off and put some tracer dye in the motor and have a shop look at it with the light

Thermactor

iTrader: (1)

suspect:
crank seal
cam seal(s)
valve cover gasket