Dipstick smells like fuel

[TheClassic]

Checked my oil today and noticed the dipstick seemed to smell like gas. A little bit of searching on Ecoboost engines seems to indicate this might be normal with DI. In case it's relevant, I've been towing a travel trailer a bit the past thousand miles. Only have about 12000 miles total. Is this smell anything to be concerned about?

 

[Fozzy]

How long do you go between oil changes? 5K seems to be the secret number for the EcoBoost.


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[TheClassic]

How long do you go between oil changes?

4k on first, 6k on second. 2k since last

 

[Fozzy]

2K oils shouldn’t smell to bad. High mile oil will for sure.


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[Big H]

Yessir, 5k is best between oil changes even if ur car tells you 10k. Also use premium gas; less blow by and residue circulating back to engine.


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[Soliyou]

If you are concerned then go ahead and do oil analysis. It will tell you how much fuel is in the Oil and if it is outside acceptable margin.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Checked my oil today and noticed the dipstick seemed to smell like gas. A little bit of searching on Ecoboost engines seems to indicate this might be normal with DI. In case it's relevant, I've been towing a travel trailer a bit the past thousand miles. Only have about 12000 miles total. Is this smell anything to be concerned about?

I have owned several vehicles with DI, including a 2015 Ford Expedition Limited 4x4 with one. I have never had the oil (from the dipstick) smell like gas.

A family member bought a new 2013 Chevrolet Equinox with the 2.4 L 4-cylinder engine. After about two years, the oil on the dipstick smelled like fuel (regular oil + filter changes). The dealer determined the seal on the high pressure fuel pump was failing, causing fuel to enter the engine crankcase. It was a common point of failure on that engine.

I would have the dealer evaluate the engine since you must be under warranty with 12,000 miles on it.

 

[Plati]

Yessir, 5k is best between oil changes even if ur car tells you 10k. Also use premium gas; less blow by and residue circulating back to engine.


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how does premium (higher octane) fuel give you less blow by?

 

[Fozzy]

I don’t think Direct Injection has much to do with fuel getting in the oil. It’s the forced induction. Anything I have been around that is turbocharged, supercharged or both get fuel in the oil. Back when I was big into diesel truck the oil snobs would cry you need this oil. $80.00 a gallon oil would still get fuel and soot in the pan. So I would just run Delo 400 and change it often. With dealers these days it had to tell if they changed your oil. I mark my filters to make sure they at least do that. Unless you did it yourself you truly never know. Take it to the dealer, it’s brand new.


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[Sunflowergirl]

Eventhough fords fix for blow by was to use both direct and port injection on these new 10spds, they all still benefit very much from an oil separator. Don’t need anything fancy, jlt passenger side separator will do the trick. Also, fuel type should not have an impact on blow by, as stated it’s from the forced induction most likely.

 

[Big H]

how does premium (higher octane) fuel give you less blow by?

It burns away better than lower octane fuels and less sulfur / carbon deposits on turbos, injectors, Internal parts. So there’s less gasoline particulate in the blow by that’s recirculating.

I guess I could have worded it better lol volume of blow by is same; just fuel content is less due to higher octane resulting in less gasoline content/smell in oil.


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[Going_Going_Gone]

It burns away better than lower octane fuels and less sulfur / carbon deposits on turbos, injectors, Internal parts. So there’s less gasoline particulate in the blow by that’s recirculating.

I guess I could have worded it better lol volume of blow by is same; just fuel content is less due to higher octane resulting in less gasoline content/smell in oil.


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My viewpoint is that there may be a larger amount or higher quality additives in premium fuel, but the primary benefit is a higher octane rating which prevent detonation ie. rapid burning of the fuel/air charge which results in instantaneous/higher than normal combustion pressure with the piston near TDC. "Normal" combustion occurs as the flame front spreads out across the piston, burns the fuel more gradually over a greater portion of the power stroke. Either way, the fuel is burned. Now if you were referring to more blow-by caused by detonation, premium fuel would reduce that.

 

[lbv150]

Forced induction engines are known to dilute the oil with fuel. (Keep your foot off it more).On my '16 I change the oil every 3000, installed a JLT can and have always run Shell premium fuels. 41,000 on it and zero issues.