Topic: Gas smell in oil -> could it NOT be a head gasket?

[Yota Up]

If you open your 710 cap, and smell gasoline in there - is there any chance that you could not have a blown head?  Also, under the cap was a little white yuck.

Head gasket - in the past I expected oil or gas in the coolant, but the radiator smells fine.
It's not overheating.

But I can definately smell gas and see the white crap under the cap as I'm doing my oil change right now.

Just curious if I should have any hopes for something other than the gasket nightmare to look forward to.

Thanks.

PS:  Perhaps it's not overheating because it's so freezing around here?  Temps from 5 degrees to 25 degrees.

[Fearofrunner]

is it a 22r or re?

[unclejpl4x4]

i would check compresson   


but  what yr   dose it have a carpotato  or fuel infected

[Yota Up [OP]]

Sorry, forgot to mention.  22re, good ol 1985.
Unclejpl4x4 - you think if I got one cyl out of whack that it could be leaking gas into the other area of the engine like that?

[blackdiamond]

Send some oil to www.blackstone-labs.com and they can tell you if there is water/coolant in your oil.  $22.50 is a reasonable investment to rule out the head gasket.  It's not uncommon to smell fuel in the oil, it can result from short-trip driving where the operating temperature isn't high enough long enough to burn off the fuel and water that gets into the oil.  My 2008 Mazdaspeed3 suffers from fuel dilution so I get to be more careful with oil that other engine designs.

[Yota Up [OP]]

That's good info there.  Thanks.

I'm wondering if it may not be the head gasket because the coolant is alright.  Level is good, temp stays good, no oil or gas in radiator.  These are things that would be inconsistent with a head gasket, from my knowledge.

But my knowledge does not compare to MC.  That's why I'm here.  To get any and ALL info I can.

This is a bad bad time for me.  My wife is in her last month of pregnancy.  We live on a mountain, in the snow - 15 miles on ice to get to town and the hospital.  We have appointments all the time and I couldn't be without the truck for more than a day or two - so whatever is wrong with it - I hope my buddy and I can fix it that quick.  (Don't have money for rental car, gas heating bill was $300 for a 2 bedroom.  This is not good.)

[79coyotefrg]

do a compression check,  this is important,  also keep an eye on the oil  and water,  if  it seems to be gaining oil  you could have a bad injector thats  flooding 1 cylinder with gas  forcing the  gas past the ringings into the crankcase

when you pull the plugs for the compression check  look at them  carefully

if possible  post picks of the plugs  and  mark each one as to what hole it came out of

[*ROKTOY*]

do a compression check,  this is important,  also keep an eye on the oil  and water,  if  it seems to be gaining oil  you could have a bad injector thats  flooding 1 cylinder with gas  forcing the  gas past the ringings into the crankcase

when you pull the plugs for the compression check  look at them  carefully

if possible  post picks of the plugs  and  mark each one as to what hole it came out of

X2 on this, if you do have a bad injector you are getting really bad cylinder wash along with the gas in the oil and this can cause cylinder and piston scuffing.

[unclejpl4x4]

Hay for giggles check the intake    and with the moter running see if the crankcase  is being pressurized.   but i would do a compresson check




We had 2 ford 4 Cly at work ( on equipment) and for some reason   they blew the oil ring on 3 Cly.  ( still ran fine)   but they would pressurized the crankcase forcing oil threw the   intake system  + gas in oil smell   

( granted they where not plumed like 22re)   

But it is something 2 look in 2  ( not that i ever heard of that haping on a toy)

[RN37DD]

are you also getting bad mileage? some efi systems use a temputure sensor,  if they read cold all the time the engine always runs rich and gas can wash past the rings and into the oil. just something to think about.

[Yota Up [OP]]

Heck yes, I'm getting bad mileage.
Did the compression check:
#1 - 150-155
#2 - 150-155
#3 - 150-155
#4 - 140-145  !!

I've heard if you got leaking rings you can put some oil into the cyclinder to help out.  Should I squirt a little WD40, or get some motor oil(10-40) - and how much to put in there.

Pics of the plugs, #1 on left, #4 on right.

[Yota Up [OP]]

More pics

[Yota Up [OP]]

last one, three shots - different lighting, different angles.
Let me know if I should take more for closeups or anything.

Got new NKG plugs ready to put in, but gonna wait to hear back from ya'll on the oil thing first.

[emsvitil]

I'm assuming you did #4 last with the compression, battery could have been run down...

The compression is ok, and #4 isn't that much lower anyway.

I'm not very good with plugs, but how many miles are on this set?

[madhunt]

use ngk 1233's those are v-power, or you could use ngk 3967 for a multi tip plug just check your clearence.
one of your plugs is more oil fouled than the others could be fuel smell the plugs it will tell you,

[93tonkatoy]

If your gasket was blown (between the cyl and water jacket), then the low compression cyl would also be the cleanest plug and combustion chamber. (water/steam would blast the carbon deposits off of everything.) My next check would be to swap the rear injector with another, drive it a little ways (to get the engine up to temp, park it and cool, then do the compression again. I would think that the injector is dirty/ sticking open. a way to check this would be to crank the truck, then turn it back off (pressurise the fuel system), and break the connection to the cold start injector. If fuel does NOT spray out, then you are losing the pressure, and I would really suspect the injectors. (and the cold start could also be sticking.) You can also get an automotive stethescope and touch each of the injectors with it running and should hear them tick when they open. If there is one that does not tick or ticks erratically, then it should be changed/ cleaned. (in which case, I would just have them all cleaned and flow-matched.

[Yota Up [OP]]

Glad to hear that the difference on that last hole compression is not a big deal.
The cold start injector is definately on my radar.  I notice when I start it in the morning, it sounds like the starter sticking or something.  Does this for 10-30 seconds then idles normal.

I did not put any oil into cyl #4(#1 being closest to radiator).  I just put in the new plugs gapped right.  You see those old ones?  I don't know how many miles are on them, but holy smokes- those gaps are almost triple what they should be.

Good feedback ya'll.  Not looking forward to pulling injectors if that's the case - but I should look into 93tonkatoy's suggestions.

The more the better on hearing anything and everything ya'll have to say about this.
I can't afford another ride right now and it's my daily, for taking wife to baby doc appointments, etc.

[93tonkatoy]

Hope you get it all figured out.

And congrats on the future new addition! Maybe in the near future, you'll have another hand to help twist some wrenches!

[dt]

on vehicles with a mechanical fuelpump,if the diaphragm is bad, oil will get into your fuel and fuel will get into your oil,if oil levels go up thats one of the first places you look

[79coyotefrg]

on vehicles with a mechanical fuelpump,if the diaphragm is bad, oil will get into your fuel and fuel will get into your oil,if oil levels go up thats one of the first places you look

he has a 22RE