Engine Oil Smells Petrol

[NRX]

Hi all,

The oil in the dipstick smells gasoline and the oil itself is pretty thin and somewhat dark brown + black color. There is no gasoline smell from the exhaust and it drips water droplets which says that the tuning is fine. What is the reason for this gasoline smell ?

And Under load ( AC + Headlights + slight hill in 3rd/4th gear, mind you this is a 5speed gearbox ) I can hear a knock/misfire once in a while.The previous owner says he tuned the car for better fuel economy. I bought the car last week and only did few 10-15Km trips and most 3,4Km ones. But from the shorts trips I did the car is only doing around 6,7Kmpl ( no traffic area ).

* The car is a 94 FB13 manual (GA14DS engine) 1.4Liter with Carb, 140K on the clock

[Riz]

Remove the raditor cap while the engine is on (not under hot condition) and check whether u cud notice any air bubbles.........i guess it will.....if it is so.......need to replace the engine gasket set.

[Kavvz]

Hi all,

The oil in the dipstick smells gasoline and the oil itself is pretty thin and somewhat dark brown + black color. There is no gasoline smell from the exhaust and it drips water droplets which says that the tuning is fine. What is the reason for this gasoline smell ?

And Under load ( AC + Headlights + slight hill in 3rd/4th gear, mind you this is a 5speed gearbox ) I can hear a knock/misfire once in a while.The previous owner says he tuned the car for better fuel economy. I bought the car last week and only did few 10-15Km trips and most 3,4Km ones. But from the shorts trips I did the car is only doing around 6,7Kmpl ( no traffic area ).

* The car is a 94 FB13 manual (GA14DS engine) 1.4Liter with Carb, 140K on the clock

Having the car knock as you drive is pretty bad. Its possible due to the 'tuning' the previous owner did that the car is running lean... I'd curtain driving it and get it looked at as soon as you can.

(As for your oil: Maybe its just contaminated oil? First thing I'd do is to get an oil change to establish a baseline and monitor the situation from that point on; but that's besides the point really as initially you need to figure out why your engine is knocking. Hopefully your mechanic will sort things out for you. I'd go over everything on the car carefully for if the previous owner didn't even monitor his oil properly, goodness knows what else is wrong with the car)

Edited November 3, 2011 by Kavvz

[NRX]

Having the car knock as you drive is pretty bad. Its possible due to the 'tuning' the previous owner did that the car is running lean... I'd curtain driving it and get it looked at as soon as you can.

(As for your oil: Maybe its just contaminated oil? First thing I'd do is to get an oil change to establish a baseline and monitor the situation from that point on; but that's besides the point really as initially you need to figure out why your engine is knocking. Hopefully your mechanic will sort things out for you. I'd go over everything on the car carefully for if the previous owner didn't even monitor his oil properly, goodness knows what else is wrong with the car)

Well machan, I think it's a misfire, not a knock, I don't really know how to identify these 2, well what I feel is it's like you lose the power of the car for a moment, There is a miss when I start the engine in a cold morning too, and have to fully press the gas when cranking to start the thing in one shot, possibly the car running lean ?

[Kavvz]

Well machan, I think it's a misfire, not a knock, I don't really know how to identify these 2, well what I feel is it's like you lose the power of the car for a moment, There is a miss when I start the engine in a cold morning too, and have to fully press the gas when cranking to start the thing in one shot, possibly the car running lean ?

Oh okay. A miss isn't as bad as your engine knocking. Knocking is a continuous,high-pitched, metallic pinging noise, that almost sounds like a rattle in the engine note. It speeds up as you rev the engine making it seem like its coming from something like a timing chain only its caused by the pistons firing erratically. Not the best situation to have, as it usually ends in engine failure if unchecked. A miss is just that; a missed firing cycle in one or more cylinders now and then.

I'm not sure what could cause the misfire. If your engine light flashes or a check engine light stays on you might be able to pull an error code off it via a scan tool which would help narrow it down. If not, it'll be tougher and I'm not knowledgable enough to tell you what it might be based on your description alone. Based on the scenario you outlined, it could be a number of things: As you mentioned a bad fuel / air mixture (either lean or rich) could certainly be one of the causes, but it could also be bad spark plugs, or even dirty injectors etc. The car being one that was newly purchased complicates things further.

I think the best thing to do would be to try and pull an error code. Even if your engine light isn't on, plug a scan tool in. You might get a historic code which the previous owner might have unscrupulously deleted without rectifying, before selling you the car. Otherwise well, you'll have to bite the bullet, and take it into a trusted mechanic for a bit of poking and prodding.

Let us know what it was, it'll be interesting to see what the issue was.

Edited November 4, 2011 by Kavvz

[NRX]

Oh okay. A miss isn't as bad as your engine knocking. Knocking is a continuous,high-pitched, metallic pinging noise, that almost sounds like a rattle in the engine note. It speeds up as you rev the engine making it seem like its coming from something like a timing chain only its caused by the pistons firing erratically. Not the best situation to have, as it usually ends in engine failure if unchecked. A miss is just that; a missed firing cycle in one or more cylinders now and then.

I'm not sure what could cause the misfire. If your engine light flashes or a check engine light stays on you might be able to pull an error code off it via a scan tool which would help narrow it down. If not, it'll be tougher and I'm not knowledgable enough to tell you what it might be based on your description alone. Based on the scenario you outlined, it could be a number of things: As you mentioned a bad fuel / air mixture (either lean or rich) could certainly be one of the causes, but it could also be bad spark plugs, or even dirty injectors etc. The car being one that was newly purchased complicates things further.

I think the best thing to do would be to try and pull an error code. Even if your engine light isn't on, plug a scan tool in. You might get a historic code which the previous owner might have unscrupulously deleted without rectifying, before selling you the car. Otherwise well, you'll have to bite the bullet, and take it into a trusted mechanic for a bit of poking and prodding.

Let us know what it was, it'll be interesting to see what the issue was.

Well machan this is a 94 FB13,I don't really know that it has some sort of Onboard computer in the first place

And I believe it's not running rich ( no black smoke or smell or anything, though engine oils smells gasoline )

I think I'll try first with a full service and a fuel system cleaner (Wurth or XiR ?), if still the problem persists I'll take her to a mechanic :|

Edited November 4, 2011 by NRX

[Kavvz]

Well machan this is a 94 FB13,I don't really know that it has some sort of Onboard computer in the first place

And I believe it's not running rich ( no black smoke or smell or anything, though engine oils smells gasoline )

I think I'll try first with a full service and a fuel system cleaner (Wurth or XiR ?), if still the problem persists I'll take her to a mechanic :|

Fair enough. You might as well inspect the spark plugs when you service the car too.

As far as fuel system cleaner's are concerned I use STP super concentrated , but I know "Ripper" and some of the other members have recommend Wurth so you might as well go with that. (If the engine is missing due to clogged injectors, a cleaning additive might not be able to clear them out as the cleaner is more of a preventative measure to be used every other service or so. You might have to consider removing them and getting them cleaned.)

[fonfe]

Petrol in your oil is caused by your misfire.

if fuel is unburnt it goes out of the exhaust system but if you drive a car with a missfire the fuel will strip the oil from the bore that it’s in and run down to the sump, this will create wear on your piston rings and produce piston slap. Once this happens the only way it can be solved is a rebuild so I would not drive this vehicle until you have this sorted.

Once oil is contaminated it needs to be changed so do that first.

Like kavvz said, I would then check your plugs. A missfire under load that is caused by ignition is usually incorrectly gapped spark plugs, faulty HT leads or the most common cracked ceramic on your spark plug. So remove them and check them all. If they are dirty do NOT clean them with a wire brush, buy new ones. Cleaning with a wire brush will just coat the electrode with steel as the material the electrode is made of is a lot harder than mild steel.

If you have a distributer, then check the cap and the rotor arm; ensure that all the contacts are good. If the rotor arm is corroded, polish it up with some very very fine sandpaper. (Or a clean car tyre if you ever get stuck at the side of the road)

Also check the HT leads for visual signs of damage from heat or corrosion on the connectors

[Kavvz]

Petrol in your oil is caused by your misfire.

if fuel is unburnt it goes out of the exhaust system but if you drive a car with a missfire the fuel will strip the oil from the bore that it’s in and run down to the sump, this will create wear on your piston rings and produce piston slap. Once this happens the only way it can be solved is a rebuild so I would not drive this vehicle until you have this sorted.

I was wondering how fuel could get into the oil and for the life of me I couldn't think of a cause. Nicely diagnosed there 'fonfe'.

[fonfe]

happy to help

[kushan]

Remove the raditor cap while the engine is on (not under hot condition) and check whether u cud notice any air bubbles.........i guess it will.....if it is so.......need to replace the engine gasket set.

I also can see air bubbles coming out of the radiator, you mean gasket failure is the only thing that could have caused this?

[dpk]

most ppl turn distributor to fully advanced that is why it gives" kara kara" sound when climb a hill

when oil get older it is normal to absorb gasoline which by-pass through the piston rings and it may give some petrol smell to oil

[The Don]

I also can see air bubbles coming out of the radiator, you mean gasket failure is the only thing that could have caused this?

If there are still air bubbles after you run the car for a few days, you do need to consider the possibility there is an issue with the head gasket. Take it to a mechanic.

[kushan]

yeah Don, still can see the air bubbles and the engine misfire is so heavy that I can't even drive without pushing the pedal to the floor. So you think this misfire is caused by the head gasket issue?

[Shehan_WCC]

Reading through your posts i see that you have replaced oil and checked for any water contamination before hand .

However air bubbles could be for several reasons in the system,but that's one of the most common culprits to show up during a head gasket failure.

The engine miss could be due to Compression leaking through your head gasket causing the air fuel mixture to be partially burnt like "fonfe" mentioned. Taking it to a mechanic is the best bet or try to figure out which cylinders are misfiring, which is very very hard given the circumstances .

did you check for bubbles after the engine had reached its operating temperature and thermostat opened ?

[The Don]

yeah Don, still can see the air bubbles and the engine misfire is so heavy that I can't even drive without pushing the pedal to the floor. So you think this misfire is caused by the head gasket issue?

Your engine seems to be overheating and the misfires are caused by unregulated detonation caused by excessive heat. I think it is this heat that caused the head gasket issue.

Drive like this and you could cause your engine head to warp or crack and do permanent damage.

I suggest you stop driving the car and get it attended to immediately.

[Mean Green z28]

with all the above signs; gas smell in oil, overheating and bubbling in radiator (you can do a hydrocarbon test on the coolant to confirm), hard starts, you may def. have a bad head gasket. Running rich could also cause the wiped cylinders as mentioned. If gone too long, you may have bearing failures due to excessive gas in your oil.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Mean Green z28

[s.madura]

I have noticed something like grease is filling up in the radiator and suspecting now whether is this due to an oil leak. I had to replace the previous radiator due to the same reason and at that point suspected its something to due with coolant or something previous owner has used. but looks like its a persisting issue as couple of days back I happened to notice this again with the replaced radiator when i was checking water level. also have noticed some drop in engine oil level as well

brief history.

Lancer CS1 2002

Has done around 1500KMs after

- the service is done - Oil Mobil

- Radiator replacement - recon and was in a good nick

ODO is around 130K - actual number could be higher.

Appreciate your valuable thoughts on possible causes before I take car to a mechanic .

Edited September 22, 2014 by s.madura

[Davy]

I have noticed something like grease is filling up in the radiator and suspecting now whether is this due to an oil leak. I had to replace the previous radiator due to the same reason and at that point suspected its something to due with coolant or something previous owner has used. but looks like its a persisting issue as couple of days back I happened to notice this again with the replaced radiator when i was checking water level. also have noticed some drop in engine oil level as well

brief history.

Lancer CS1 2002

Has done around 1500KMs after

- the service is done - Oil Mobil

- Radiator replacement - recon and was in a good nick

ODO is around 130K - actual number could be higher.

Appreciate your valuable thoughts on possible causes before I take car to a mechanic .

Does sound like a leaky head gasket. Is this a manual? (Why I ask is because if you have auto, the transmission oil lines are also fed into the radiator).

[NRX]

Guys, sorry for not updating the thread. The reason for " Under load ( AC + Headlights + slight hill in 3rd/4th gear, mind you this is a 5speed gearbox ) I can hear a knock/misfire once in a while." was a bad plug wire. Replaced the wire set and no misfires. Took me nearly 2 years to figure that out

[s.madura]

Moved to a new topic from here

I have noticed something like grease is filling up in the radiator and suspecting now whether is this due to an oil leak. I had to replace the previous radiator due to the same reason and at that point suspected its something to due with coolant or something previous owner has used. but looks like its a persisting issue as couple of days back I happened to notice this again with the replaced radiator when i was checking the water level. also have noticed some drop in engine oil level as well.

few things I do notice (could be irrelevant to each other)

oil in the radiator

white smoke occasionally

slight drop in engine oil level

slight drop in water level

heat comes to 1/2 level when AC Off

Heat is below 1/2 always when AC on

brief history.

Lancer CS1 2002 manual

Has done around 1500KMs after

- the service is done - Oil Mobil

- Radiator replacement - recon and was in a good nick

ODO is around 130K - actual number could be higher.

Appreciate your valuable thoughts on the possible causes before I take car to a mechanic.

Davy suggested that this could be due to leaky head gasket.

Edited September 22, 2014 by s.madura

[s.madura]

Does sound like a leaky head gasket. Is this a manual? (Why I ask is because if you have auto, the transmission oil lines are also fed into the radiator).

its a Manual Davy,

as requested by few people move to a new topic. Guys, sorry for messing up here :speechless-smiley-004:Mods please remove these two post if possible

[maheshw]

Simply it indicates me a leak in your head gasket. did you noticed any air bubbles when open radiator cap?

oil in the radiator

white smoke occasionally

slight drop in engine oil level

slight drop in water level

heat comes to 1/2 level when AC Off

Heat is below 1/2 always when AC on

all of these are the early symptoms of gasket leak. what was the reason for previous radiator replacement? is your fans are kicks on correct time?

[chathuranga.s]

I also assume that your head gasket is blown. Take it to a good mechanic and get it checked. Running the like this is not good at all because it will have and impact on your engine block and pistons if it overheats.....

[s.madura]

Simply it indicates me a leak in your head gasket. did you noticed any air bubbles when open radiator cap?

oil in the radiator

white smoke occasionally

slight drop in engine oil level

slight drop in water level

heat comes to 1/2 level when AC Off

Heat is below 1/2 always when AC on

all of these are the early symptoms of gasket leak. what was the reason for previous radiator replacement? is your fans are kicks on correct time?

Thanks Mahesh, it was the same reason. radiator was blocked but suspected something to do with coolant or a repair by a previous owner. so gasket leak ruled out without having a fair reason. my bad

I also assume that your head gasket is blown. Take it to a good mechanic and get it checked. Running the like this is not good at all because it will have and impact on your engine block and pistons if it overheats.....

Yeah Chathuranga, taking car to the mechanic this weekend.

Edited September 23, 2014 by s.madura