Recently changed my oil (almost two weeks ago), so last weekend I thought I'd check and make sure it was full. Turned out it was full, but when I smelled the dipstick it smelled like gas. Ran my fingers through, didn't feel as thick as regular oil. Any ideas what the hell I've done to it?

 

Change oil asap(don't drive it if ya can help it). I had same thing thin out the oil and ruined the motor twice (Mine turned out to be leaking injectors). The other thing i've heard of causing it is the fuel pressure regulator bursting.

 

How did you find out that it was the injectors? Is there a way to test for that? Unfortunately I do have to drive my car bc I'm in college and need a way to get to and from work at night.

 

i pulled the fuel rail loose from the intake. I raised it enough to put a plastic bottle cap between injector and intake.(wipe any gas off bottom of injectors)

Then turn ignition on so it pressurizes the rail. Let it sit for 30minutes to a hour and come back and see if any gas is in the bottle caps.

Also watch oil pressure like a hawk if it starts to drop below normal don't drive it!!!!!! (I did and it was pricey)

 

I don't quite understand how bad injectors would put gas into the oil? But a couple of guys at work also suggested that's what it could be. Yeah I haven't been driving it hard...shifting right around 1600 or just high enough that it doesn't rattle.

 

They can leak gas into the cyl. and it can seep past the rings when car is off.(this can also lead to the cly wall getting all the oil washed off it and cause ring lands to break because of extra friction of the gas washed walls) don't ask how i know lol

It didn't seem like that much gas could get by to me either but that's all i could ever come up with.

 

Alright I'm gonna have to baby the crap outta it this week and hope all goes well until I can get it home and in the garage. I'm going to test it the way you said and hope that's the problem. It seems like an easy enough fix unless the engines had enough. Thanks for the advice!

 

You can only have so much fuel in the fuel rails when the car is off but I guess its possible, don't forget that when you shut the car off it is hot, fuel that does get into the CC's will evaporate I am sure, not much can get into the oil, the rest that even if it did, once the car is up to temp the fuel in the oil will evaporate away, many old aircraft guys would put fuel into the oil overnight so its thinner in the arctic, when the plane got up to temp the fuel would evaporate from the oil no big deal.

If you smell gas in the oil it could be a sign of a bad PCV, if the valve is clogged, hose fittings deteriorated you are not pulling the fumes out of the oil while the car is running, that would contaminate the oil, when the engine runs, fumes escape past the rings into your crank case, thats why you have a positive crankcase ventilation system to suck it out back into the intake plenum.

So I'd check that and I guess check the injectors.