smell of fuel in oil

[murrillcg]

As I was replacing my valve cover today, I saw what looked like to be cross contamination and thought I was going to have to the head replaced. When I smelled it, I smelled fuel. Could I still have a head issue or does it sound like bad injectors? Also does fuel mixed with oil cause the same white milky mixture?

[JPT]

Fuel pump? (if it's carbed)

White, milky-looking is usually water.

[murrillcg]

sorry i should have mentioned. Its Fuel injected and automatic if it makes a differance.

[mattdickmeyer]

the mixture your describing sounds like a head gasket, it was on mine, the fuel smell would be present as well due to combustion gases leaking into the crankcase. milky mixture could also be moisture from a pluged pcv system so do a leak down test to confirm!

[murrillcg]

what is a leak down test, and how do you perform it. I replaced the PCV valve back in September, but I will get a new one.

[mattdickmeyer]

leak down tester allows you to fill the cylinder with pressurized air to find a compression leak ,bring the cylinder at the end of compression stroke just before tdc with both valves closed, fill cylinder to 150 psi , the gauges will tell you if you have a leak . If you do follow the niose with a scope to isolate were its coming from , most testers should come with directions.

[GenevaDirt]

could simply be running rich.....oil will smell like gas

[mattdickmeyer]

simply running rich wouldnt cause the white milky substance he's describing' further more engines dont just run rich , something causes it , bad injector,vaf , o2 sensor, or injector driver fault.

[GenevaDirt]

simply running rich wouldnt cause the white milky substance he's describing' further more engines dont just run rich , something causes it , bad injector,vaf , o2 sensor, or injector driver fault.

condensation can.

Is the oil itself milky white or just inside the valve cover? What is the weather like there?

I understand that engines don't just run rich....was stating that the smell could be from that....thus needing to correct something else to solve the issue.

[murrillcg]

condensation can.

Is the oil itself milky white or just inside the valve cover? What is the weather like there?

I understand that engines don't just run rich....was stating that the smell could be from that....thus needing to correct something else to solve the issue.

it looks like its just in the valve, i checked the dip stick and didjnt see any type of mixture. The weather has been pretty messy, rain, snow and temp. fluxuating. I didnt smell the dip stick to see if any fuel smell was on it, so dont know if any got below the valves.

[Zanzer]

^^ How much do you drive the car? I've seen the valve cover condensation issue on cars that only get driven short trips, i.e. - a couple of miles back and forth to work and not much else.

[murrillcg]

^^ How much do you drive the car? I've seen the valve cover condensation issue on cars that only get driven short trips, i.e. - a couple of miles back and forth to work and not much else.

I haven't driven it to much, seeing how it's a 3rd vehicle and I am slowly but surely putting work into. Right now it's just a project car. I do know that the timing isn't right, and I can't seem to get it set right with out a timing cover. If anyone has an extra timing cover for a 89 FI, I would be really interested. I am planning on sending it to the shop, but would like to know what I am looking at before, so I don't get fed a line of crap.

I am serioulsly debating putting a new engine in it, but don't really have the time and don't want to pay some one for some thing I can do.

[Mike McKown]

I haven't driven it to much, seeing how it's a 3rd vehicle and I am slowly but surely putting work into. Right now it's just a project car. I do know that the timing isn't right, and I can't seem to get it set right with out a timing cover. If anyone has an extra timing cover for a 89 FI, I would be really interested. I am planning on sending it to the shop, but would like to know what I am looking at before, so I don't get fed a line of crap.

I am serioulsly debating putting a new engine in it, but don't really have the time and don't want to pay some one for some thing I can do.

I think you had the timing belt off? Has is run right since?

[eurotiva]

There is marks on both the crank and cam for setting the timing without the cover.

[Mike McKown]

There is marks on both the crank and cam for setting the timing without the cover.

If your timing belt is stretched/worn enough, you will have to advance the cam one notch from those timing marks.