So I've been noticing this smell, smells like burning plastic. Originally I thought it might be something related to the serpentine belt, but didn't find anything wrong there. Upon further investigation I can see small amounts of smoke coming from the catalytic converter (once I'm in park and looking under the car). Also found today I was rather low on oil (several quarts).

So it's my assumption that the oil is somehow leaking and then burning up in the catalytic converter... does that sound reasonable? What would cause this?

Thanks for any help!!

 

Sounds like engine failure - a bad head gasket and/or worn rings. Any oil in the coolant or on the ground?

 

Just checked, coolant looks its same normal color, I didn't see any reason to think oil is leaking into the coolant. And haven't noticed any oil on the ground, although it is a gravel driveway so it can be a little harder to spot.

Seems as if it burns through about 1/2 a quart of oil every 100 miles or so.

 

Find the oil leak. It's probably dripping ON the exhaust and burning, and it's probably a big leak.

Top it off, get the oil hot and park it with cardboard underneath.

 

Well I feel like an idiot for not seeing it right away but I figured it out. The oil filter had a hole, and then blew up underneath the car when I would drive. Good news is that it was an easy and cheap fix.

 

REALLY good news is that you caught it before you drove it out of oil!

 

Good to hear! In the abundance of caution, I would keep an eye out if you did not actually identify a hole in the filter itself. I don't know the Escape that well but there could be a leak in an oil filter adapter if it has one. i have only had one oil filter leak in over 30 yrs of DIY. It was a Fram and they sent me a couple of replacements at no charge. Makes a real mess on the driveway. After that, I quickly check after I turn the car on to make sure there are no mega-leaks. Was the oil filter being changed at a recommended interval or less.....?