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Oil smells of petrol - advice needed..

markrreid

markrreid

New member
Just went to check the oil level on my 1990 944 S2 and noticed a strong smell of petrol (smells like petrol - not oil at all).
I've only just bought the car so have no idea how long ago the oil was changed. No smoking or anything from exhaust and engine sounds ok.

Nearest garage to me is 30 miles away - should i risk driving it?


 
You could try draining a small quantity and try to light it with a match. If it ignites then definitely don't start the car! If it looks ok and has a reasonable viscosity then you could risk it, but I'd certainly change the oil ASAP.
 
I guess if you have no record of the last oil change then you have little or no recent history? I'd be looking at a full service inc. belts etc., before using the car to be on the safe side.
 
If you've only just bought the car.... was it a trade or private sale? If you do have fuel in the oil then just an oil change isn't going to fix the underlying problem
 
edh said:
If you've only just bought the car.... was it a trade or private sale? If you do have fuel in the oil then just an oil change isn't going to fix the underlying problem
Click to expand...


Yeah, wot Ed sed ^^^^^.

Fuel in oil is usually caused by mis-fuelling, with too much fuel going into the combustion chambers and trickling down past the cylinder rings into the oil. It degrades the oil's performance so change it before running the car again, but it's worth getting the fuelling (or emissions) checked to see what's going on. Having said that it needs to be overfuelling quite substantially before it gets this bad so you'll notice it quickly, even if it starts.

Do the plugs look wet with fuel?


Oli.


 
As others have said change the oil...personally when buying a used car I'd give it a complete service before using it regularly, belts, oil, filters, plugs, dizzy and rotary arm, perhaps ignition leads, coolant, gearbox oil, brake fluid, steering fluid (basically all fluids) and water pump too depending on history.

Pete
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to change the oil and then take it to a specialist for a view (and full service if it's not terminal!).
 
Might also be worth checking have you got an external fuel leak? Sounds stupid but I've just had to do work on the hard fuel lines under my car - my detection was I smelt it whilst doing some under bonnet checks? Not sure how you've determined its definitely in the oil but guess you can dismiss this if you've been sniffing your dipstick away from the car (find a quiet out of sight place to do this - it might look weird...haha)

Plus think fuel lines are more commonly known for corrosion on the rear as they go over the transaxle.

If you have got internal over fueling - not sure about petrol but certainly diesel can attack the piston bowl and bores - garage borescope inspection might be able to tell you the extent.

Good luck!

Tom
 
How high was the oil level? if it is within the usual range and the car isn't smokey then maybe there isn't too much fuel getting in?
Is it slow/lumpy to start if an injector was leaking fuel pressure over night then one cylinder may start off flooded.
is the rear end covered in soot, especially near the exhaust - a potential sign of over fuelling.
Tony
 
Thanks for all your advice guys. I drained some and tried to set it on fire (it didn't light). I took it for a flush and then a full service.
She runs like a dream now!
The old oil was really filthy. It looked like it hadn't been changed for years - not sure if that's what caused the funny smell.

All seems well now!
 
Good news...

The other thing to bear in mind is that these engines are really very strong & will take a fair bit of mistreatment.

Enjoy the car
 
These cars love fresh oil, I changed mine last week before going to Wales, the car loved it...the old oil had only done around 3k miles but felt past it's best, it seems to me that the latest Mobil oil isn't quite as good as the discontinued Motorsport 15w50...It's probably just my imagination, I always change the oil more often than recommended anyway so not a big deal...

Pete
 
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