Engine oil smells like gas

[Deleted member 40439]

I have a 2021 Gladiator Rubicon with just under 3000 miles. The other day when I was checking the oil I noticed that it smelled like gas. Is this the result of driving short trips or something more serious?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

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[SelfmodJT]

Your fine, just change your oil sooner then the recommended. Almost every car will have a gas smell from the oil cap, smell your friends car.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Must've been that bean it had for dinner

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Your fine, just change your oil sooner then the recommended. Almost every car will have a gas smell from the oil cap, smell your friends car.

Mine only smells like oil....... used oil, but oil.
If there's gas in it, you can light it with a match and it will continue to burn small flame. Oil will not.

 

[Gecko Mojave]

Most new engines, factory or rebuilt should have some sort of break in period. Every manufacture has their set amount of miles for proper break-in period. Short trips aren't always good for engines as they don't always get hot enough. Check the oil level to make sure it's not over full. If it is, you might an issue. If too much fuel gets into the oil, it will thin the oil out and can cause internal damage to the bearing and such.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Most new engines, factory or rebuilt should have some sort of break in period. Every manufacture has their set amount of miles for proper break-in period. Short trips aren't always good for engines as they don't always get hot enough. Check the oil level to make sure it's not over full. If it is, you might an issue. If too much fuel gets into the oil, it will thin the oil out and can cause internal damage to the bearing and such.

Those days are pretty much gone with the last carburetor unless you have a REALLY rich system -
The injectors squirt in only what's needed based on programming. You'd have to have an injector or injectors squirting in too much and gas coming out unburned.
If one of these gets that much gas in the oil you have SERIOUS troubles, very serious.
I can't say I've worked on any injected vehicle that had a gas smell to the oil - or that had oil thinned with gas that didn't have other issues like rough running, smelly exhaust, etc.
I've got a rich running dual quad 360 and the oil in that doesn't even smell like gas - nor does the oil level rise.

 

[Gecko Mojave]

Those days are pretty much gone with the last carburetor unless you have a REALLY rich system -
The injectors squirt in only what's needed based on programming. You'd have to have an injector or injectors squirting in too much and gas coming out unburned.
If one of these gets that much gas in the oil you have SERIOUS troubles, very serious.
I can't say I've worked on any injected vehicle that had a gas smell to the oil - or that had oil thinned with gas that didn't have other issues like rough running, smelly exhaust, etc.
I've got a rich running dual quad 360 and the oil in that doesn't even smell like gas - nor does the oil level rise.

You are correct. Mostly carbs days with major fuel issues. If it were an injector/injectors, it would have running issues.

 

[SelfmodJT]

If hes talking about only smelling gas on the oil cap, i think it pretty much normal. If hes smelling it on the dipstick or in the used oil when changing it, i think it may be an issue. But far as the oil cap goes, every car that ive opened an oil cap on has emitted a gas smell. Some faint, some strong. Obviously if hes running that rich to elevate oil levels, he will smell gas in the engine bay or have a misfire. I had a toyota with 200k miles on it and the cap smelled like gas from day one. Never had a check engine light until i had to change the ignition coils for a misfire. Thats the only check engine light i ever had on it before i sold it with 230k miles.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My oil caps honestly smell just like used oil. Now one would wonder -how the hell does he know what his oil caps smell like - well, for my SX4, I installed a set of "rebuilt" Bosch injectors and I'm not confident with them so I'm keeping track of things, and I think it's a bit rich (it's a 94 4.0) so I keep looking for signs. Also, I AM paranoid and OCD.

 

[spectre6000]

I'm with @ShadowsPapa on this one. Oil should smell like oil, not gas. I'm not with him on the break in front though. Rings still need to be set. The only way gas can get in the oil is during the compression stroke if it's scooting past the rings before ignition. Could be the rings aren't set, or could be an injector dribbling (which would wash down the cylinder and cause premature wear). At 3K miles, you're at the outer limits of what would be considered breaking in... Depending on your comfort, quality of your dealer, etc. you might consider taking it in to at least get it on record. See if you can get them to do a compression test and/or injector test. Whichever is easier/cheaper will rule out the cause from the other. If you have a crappy dealer though, the monkeys will look at the computer, it'll say there are no codes, and they'll send you on your way... Gotta have a good dealer, and make sure the guy who's been doing it for... 40 years or so is the one that does the looking.

 

[Deleted member 40439]

Must've been that bean it had for dinner

Lol I remember when I had my first beer

 

[DREDnot]

The guy thats been wrenching at the dealer for 40 years quit years ago.

Keep in mind that the smells on the oil cap are most likely from the hot fumes that are flowing out of the PVC system when the engine is shut off. Engine flatulence is some yucky stuff.

 

[CerOf]

Blame Covid for what you do or don’t smell and drive it till it throws a code.

 

[SelfmodJT]

Blame Covid for what you do or don’t smell and drive it till it throws a code.

Thats the only way a dealer will say its not normal, besides asking what gas youre using.

 

[Deleted member 40439]

Most new engines, factory or rebuilt should have some sort of break in period. Every manufacture has their set amount of miles for proper break-in period. Short trips aren't always good for engines as they don't always get hot enough. Check the oil level to make sure it's not over full. If it is, you might an issue. If too much fuel gets into the oil, it will thin the oil out and can cause internal damage to the bearing and such.

Thank you for responding back with some good information

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