i smell burning oil. valve cover gasket?
 

i smell a funny burning smell when the car is idling. it smells like burning rubber or maybe some oil on the exhaust or something similar.

perhaps the vcg is leaking oil onto something hot? what is the best way to verify this before i start taking things apart?

i was thinking of cleaning the whole area below the vcg then throwing some talcum powder on it to see if there are any leaks. is this a reasonable method?

is it the inline 6 ?

yes. inline 6.

e320 (i should have mentioned that!)

Yeah mine has a leak somewhere stinking up the place.I buy these little bottle of flavoring the cinamon oil.I add two bottles to my engine oil,it masks the smell.Leak not large enough to relace valve cover gasket