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Hi guys,

My girlfriend has just bought a 1.2 polo (55 plate), when she first got it everything was fine. Then after a service the oil light came on i thought this was strange as the car had just been filled up with oil. When i looked at the dip stick it was pretty much empty only a small bit of oil on the orange tip so i filled it up again then tonight the oil light came on again 9 days after filling it up, to which i looked again. Empty i thought this was very strange as there are no clear leaks and it doesn't seem to be burning anything, got under the car tonight and all i can see is oil build up on the gear box side of the engine haven't had it on a ramp yet but any ideas of what it might be?

Welcome to the forum

That's a considerable amount of oil to lose without a trace.

I'm guessing you're checking the oil level with the engine off?

Check the areas that would be disturbed during a service so the filter housing and the sump plug. I too have an oily build-up where the gearbox and engine join but I don't ever have a puddle of oil beneath it. Check around where the sump seals to the block for any oily residue as well.

If the PCV system has stopped working properly that typically causes oil to be sent through the intake and burned instead of back into the sump

If you were burning a lot of it you would smell it and see it. The only way I can describe the smell is like a mix between a very chemically smell and a coal fire.

I'm still confused at how so much oil can be lost without any smoke, leaks or anything

Yes im checking the oil when it is cold and the engine is off as well. i need to check if it is burning when i start it in the morning, but from smelling through the oil fill port there doesn't seem to be any burning smell, i have also laid out some cardboard out over night to see if any oil has leaked. hoping to get it on the ramp tomorrow to finally have a look at this as it is so strange.

Yes im checking the oil when it is cold and the engine is off as well. i need to check if it is burning when i start it in the morning, but from smelling through the oil fill port there doesn't seem to be any burning smell, i have also laid out some cardboard out over night to see if any oil has leaked. hoping to get it on the ramp tomorrow to finally have a look at this as it is so strange.