rb1

So, I'm checking my oil the other day, and notice there is soot all around where the dipstick clicks into the engine cover. I've never noticed this in other cars I owned -- is this typical of the TSX?

The car doesn't seem to burn any oil, and, interestingly enough, there is absolutely no soot on the inside of the stainless steel exhaust tips -- not even after 6 months of ownership.

PACman

How much soot are you talking about? I've got a bit around the dipstick and oil cap openings that I notice during oil changes. (75,500miles)

OhNoItsMe

I've had that too from time to time. Especially in the fall. I don't think it is soot in the sense that your car is burning oil.

I think that it is crap like broken chunks of leaves, dirt and dust that accumulates there and gets cooked by the engine heat and ends up looking like soot.

Before taking my car in for an oil change, I always pop the hood and check. If there is some crap there, I blow it aways using a can of compressed air.

rb1

It's just a ring 1/4" wide or so around the dipstick opening.

Sounds like other people have seen the same thing, and I won't worry about it.