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Why does my 2007 Chevy Malibu smell of oil when I stop at a stop sign or such? Gaskets have been changed for a tiny oil leak and still have problem. Has less than 60,000 miles on it!  

it still might have an oil leak....

please check the oil level...   then return to the repair shop where you got the oil leak fixed..

ask them to double check the leak...

some oil leaks are hard to repair...  other oil leaks are hard do diagnose where they are actually coming from...

you did not mention which motor you have..

here are some TSB titles from alldatadiy.com for the various motors..

07-06-01-023 DEC 07    Engine - Oil Leaks From Front Crankshaft Seal

05-06-01-019F OCT 07    Engine - Oil Leaks from Crankshaft Rear Main Seal

05-06-01-010B SEP 07    Engine - Sealant Usage/Procedures

this is not saying that your car has a leaking rear main seal.. i don't have access to all the TSB info...  only the titles.. you can at your repair shop or dealership.. get the printed info from these..

oil leaks and smells are really tough to diagnose over the internet.  

3.5
Is an oil leak somewhere the only plausible cause? Sensors couldn't be the problem?  

there is an OIL pressure sending unit or oil pressure switch that could be leaking...

it may not be very visible.. but can leave a puddle of oil...

this is the oil pressure switch for your car..



and these can leak...

i did not think that this might be the problem as its usually the  first thing changed...

find the oil...   it will leave a residue when burned..  usually..

it could also be a porosity in the block or heads..  i will have to research..   the 3.5 is a grandchild of the 2.8 V6, 60 degree motors...  there is on earlier motors .. a distributer on some.. and a oil pump drive on others...

i think yours has a crank driven timing cover mounted oil pump...  

Thanks for your info. Guess it goes back to the shop. I just don't like for them to keep tearing into things but sometime the burnt oil smell is terrible!  

Good morning,

Do you have an update on the oil smell concern you’ve mentioned? I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to get into the shop since Monday, but am interested to know your progress!

Best,
Sarah
GM Customer Service  

Well...........not fixed. MAY be not quite as bad but the smell is still there. Replaced the seal again and the harmonic balancer and while there replaced the steering gear for the clunk noises. Just sick that a car with this low of mileage is in such shape. Never had anything but a Chevy. Can't trade right now?????  

try a different shop..

or stop by one of the car washes that clean engines..

give it a good cleaning top and bottom...   a little oil goes a LONG way..    be sure that they blow the engine off with air.. and that you run it till its dry..  not letting it sit wet..

there are also dies that can be added to the engine oil to use a UV light with to find the new oil leaks..

this is best done in a shop.. with the car up on a rack to allow easy inspection under the car for the UV lamp..  

i have an even stranger idea...

drive it to one of the oil change services..   those guys know how to find and point out oil leaks....