Rebuilt Motors Oil Smells Like Gas

[Mishakol129]

Hi. I got this rebuilt f22a1 with not even 400 miles on it and the oil seems to smell a bit like gas. I did an oil change at the 300 mile mark. I was going to do it at 500 but the smell of gas in the oil kind of freaked me out, so I did it at 300.

The injectors are original with over 333,000 miles on them, I was thinking it could be one of those sticking open. The PCV valve is relatively new; but I just discovered the hose was broken and I just replaced it with new hose.


The car runs like a champ and has good performance, so I don't suspect its the rings or the compression, or the valves.


What does this sound like to you, normal break in smell or something worse?


Please let me know what you think it is.


Ty

[dj_ender]

Hi. I got this rebuilt f22a1 with not even 400 miles on it and the oil seems to smell a bit like gas. I did an oil change at the 300 mile mark. I was going to do it at 500 but the smell of gas in the oil kind of freaked me out, so I did it at 300.

The injectors are original with over 333,000 miles on them, I was thinking it could be one of those sticking open. The PCV valve is relatively new; but I just discovered the hose was broken and I just replaced it with new hose.


The car runs like a champ and has good performance, so I don't suspect its the rings or the compression, or the valves.


What does this sound like to you, normal break in smell or something worse?


Please let me know what you think it is.


Ty

My oil smelled like this once, and it was due to 2 pistons with broken ring lands. Did you clock the rings correctly? I think you need to do a compression and leak down test. Your engine is showing some big problems.

[Leung]

When you dip your fingers into the oil, does it feel different than normal like it is not as oily?

[Mishakol129]

My oil smelled like this once, and it was due to 2 pistons with broken ring lands. Did you clock the rings correctly? I think you need to do a compression and leak down test. Your engine is showing some big problems.

I read on other forums people saying it was "no big deal" others saying it was "not normal". I tend to believe in the latter rather than the former.

I did clock the rings correctly. What you should know is that before I rebuilt my engine the oil also smelled like gas; at that time I was getting good compression too (except in two cyl. b/c of broken ex. valves).

I heard someone say that a bad PCV could cause the smell. Someone else said something about a fuel pressure regulator. Another said spark plug, distributer. One which caught my attention was fuel injectors, how they may be 'sticking open'. Whatever it is, its something which I had before the rebuild, and it can't be compression related because the car runs really good.

[Mishakol129]

When you dip your fingers into the oil, does it feel different than normal like it is not as oily?

Kind of, it still has its lubricity but there is something a bit different about it.

[dj_ender]

I read on other forums people saying it was "no big deal" others saying it was "not normal". I tend to believe in the latter rather than the former.

I did clock the rings correctly. What you should know is that before I rebuilt my engine the oil also smelled like gas; at that time I was getting good compression too (except in two cyl. b/c of broken ex. valves).

I heard someone say that a bad PCV could cause the smell. Someone else said something about a fuel pressure regulator. Another said spark plug, distributer. One which caught my attention was fuel injectors, how they may be 'sticking open'. Whatever it is, its something which I had before the rebuild, so it can't be compression related because the car runs really good.

Did you clean the oil passages in the block, and clean out the main caps and craddle? If you didn't, your old oil is still in there and polluting your new oil. Mine didn't smell until I cracked open the bottom end, and then the smell very strong.

[Mishakol129]

Did you clean the oil passages in the block, and clean out the main caps and craddle? If you didn't, your old oil is still in them and polluting your new oil. Mine didn't smell until I cracked open the bottom end, and then the smell very strong.

The block and everything was pretty well cleaned, I used a gun barrel brush to clean the passages. There was no oil in the block when I put it together except the fresh stuff I put in it.

We'll have to see how it smells after I drive it some more I just changed the oil for the first time.

It could be, but I don't think its a big problem as you said, it could be something like stuck open injectors or something simple.

[dj_ender]

The block and everything was pretty well cleaned, I used a gun barrel brush to clean the passages. There was no oil in the block when I put it together except the fresh stuff I put in it.

We'll have to see how it smells after I drive it some more I just changed the oil for the first time.

It could be, but I don't think its a big problem as you said, it could be something like stuck open injectors or something simple.

What color was your oil when you changed it?

[Mishakol129]

What color was your oil when you changed it?

I just put some in a gatorade bottle and it looks dark green, almost black, but when I dip my finger in it it looks pretty normal, golden brown greenish. This valvoline I put in it has a green color already in it, it just got darker.

It smells like a mixture of gas and oil.

[dj_ender]

I just put some in a gatorade bottle and it looks dark green, almost black, but when I dip my finger in it it looks pretty normal, golden brown greenish. This valvoline I put in it has a green color already in it, it just got darker.

It smells like a mixture of gas and oil.

It's the gas smell strong, or faint? Faint would be expected, strong is not.

[Mishakol129]

It's the gas smell strong, or faint? Faint would be expected, strong is not.

When I took a whiff of the bottle it was rather strong.

I was reading someone online say something about it running too rich, too much fuel being given to the cylinders.

[dj_ender]

When I took a whiff of the bottle it was rather strong.

I was reading someone online say something about it running too rich, too much fuel being given to the cylinders.

Well change your injectors, or do a leak down test and see if the issue is in the engine.

[Mishakol129]

Well change your injectors, or do a leak down test and see if the issue is in the engine.

I don't think its in the engine and I don't want to just 'throw' fuel injectors at it if I don't have to. I will compression test it but if the rings have not fully seated yet what is the point of that?

[dj_ender]

I don't think its in the engine and I don't want to just 'throw' fuel injectors at it if I don't have to. I will compression test it but if the rings have not fully seated yet what is the point of that?

If one of your injectors is stuck open, you're gonna be running rich, hows your gas mileage and is there black soot all over the back of your bumper above the muffler?

[Mishakol129]

If one of your injectors is stuck open, you're gonna be running rich, his your gas mileage and is there black soot all over the back of your bumper above the muffler?

Not very good gas mileage but I was gassing the pedal a bit frequently. And no, there is no soot on the bumper, my exhaust sticks out further than it does.