bigsnorlax

I was jsut checking my car out, i do this every 2 weeks, just oil, fluid levels and air pressure and what not and i noticed my oil smells like gas. i just changed the oil about 1,000 miles back and my car has only 91,xxx miles on it so i really dont know why this would be happening. What causes this? I thought it meant my rings are bad or my engine is worn.. but with such a young engine i dont see why it would be. Any help is appreciated.

For now Im going to change my oil again since theres gas in it, im sure its lost some of its lubricating abilities.

SneezinCD5

I dont think anything is wrong with your motor, I noticed the same thing on my cars before. I wouldn't worry.

bigsnorlax

Are you sure? ha this is kind of an expensive investment and all being a car. I just dont think that my oil should smell like gas... especially so soon after and oil change.

.Hatches.

wtf I noticed that yesterday too!!!!!

jweller

gasoline will get into the oil, especially if you make a lot of short trips, or let it idle a lot. the other situation is if you perhaps just started the car up, moved it in your driveway and then checked the oil.

If you are concerned, then you should get a used oil analysis done.

bigsnorlax

Oh well i do drive a lot. just back and forth to schoool and my girlfriends house, both are about 5-10 min away. But couldnt any gas in my oil rob the oil of some of its lubricating properties? or will the gas just clean my engine hahah that would be ideal

AccordVT

The PCV system (Positive crankcase ventilation) is a system in place to remove blow-by gases (gases that get by the compression and oil rings) and re-introduce them into the intake manifold. You may have a faulty PCV valve, its a sort of one way check valve that can clog or stick. This would prevent the gases from escaping. Either that or your compression or oil rings are bad and there is excessive amounts of blow-by that the PCV system cannot evacuate. Gasoline dilutes the oil, it's not good to have gasoline in the oil.

A cylinder compression or leak down test would be a good way to check the condition of the cylinders and rings. Do you notice a lack of power?

bigsnorlax

Alright very informative, i hope its not my rings... that would suck. As far as the lack of power goes i havent rly noticed... since iv noticed the gas in my oil iv just been driving casualy, i dont wanna rev to 5k on all my shifts or something ha

journeyforce

Hello,

Does your oil reek of gas (i.e. smells the same as spilled gas or like how it smells at a gas station etc) or is it simply have a trace of gas smell (i.e. whiff of gas)?

a slight smell of gas (i.e. combustion process smell) is somewhat normal on the oil as it does travel around the engine (including the valve cover) If you had bad rings, you would know.

Motor oil is after all a derivative of dead dinosaurs just like gas, so there are some common smells

But as has been said, check your PCV system (valve, charcoal canister (if you have one).

How are the plugs/wires etc remember you may have a "young engine" in the mileage department but the engine is still 13 years old. I take it the car is a "little old lady only driving to church" car? Those to be honest are worse to own sometimes then a high mileage car due to the fact that it was only driven to short distances and left to sit around without running for long periods of time and the car was never able to achieve proper operating temp.

Good luck

Cheers

L