Is it normal for the car oil dipstick to smell like gasoline? Why does the oil dipstick smell like gasoline?

The car oil dipstick is a measuring tool used to check the remaining oil in the car. It has a minimum scale and a maximum scale. The oil level is normal if it is between the two. If the car owner finds that the oil dipstick smells like gasoline when checking the car's oil, is this normal?

Is it normal for the car's oil dipstick to smell like gasoline?

Basically, all cars will have a certain gasoline smell in the engine oil when the mileage increases. That is to say, during a maintenance cycle, the engine oil will have some or very little gasoline smell, which is normal.

The seal between the engine combustion chamber and the crankcase is performed by the engine oil, and the piston rings continuously spread and scrape the oil film during the piston's upward and downward movement. The engine combustion is in a state of high temperature and high pressure, and the gasoline will produce carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and carbide during the combustion process, and it is also accompanied by a strong gasoline smell.

These high-temperature and high-pressure exhaust gases will more or less rush into the crankcase with the up and down movement of the piston. Most of the exhaust gases will be discharged from the crankcase through the forced ventilation operation around the crankcase. A small amount of exhaust gases will be integrated into the engine oil as the oil is stirred, and there will be a smell of gasoline in the engine oil at this time.

Why does the oil dipstick smell like gasoline?

It is normal for the oil dipstick to have a gasoline smell, but if the oil properties change, or the oil in the oil sump rises, it is recommended to check for the corresponding fault.

The cylinder and piston rings are worn, resulting in loose seals, incomplete fuel combustion, and fuel entering the engine oil chamber, causing a strong gasoline smell; one or more spark plugs are not working properly, so the ignition energy is insufficient, resulting in insufficient gasoline combustion; the high-pressure package is damaged, or the ignition high-voltage circuit has poor contact, resulting in the fuel injection in the cylinder not burning or incomplete combustion; the fuel injector has poor atomization, insufficient fuel vaporization, and incomplete combustion.

It is very likely that the gasoline smell on the oil dipstick can be eliminated by repairing or replacing new parts when necessary. Of course, if you smell gasoline on the oil dipstick, there may be problems elsewhere.

Should I check the oil dipstick when the car is cold or hot?

The oil dipstick can be checked on both cold and hot cars, there is not much difference, as long as it is in the middle of the upper and lower scales.

When the engine is cold, it shows the total capacity of the engine oil, while when the engine is hot, it shows the amount required for engine lubrication. Most models are checked when the engine is cold, and some models require checking the oil dipstick when the engine is hot.

Checking the oil dipstick is also very simple. Park the car on a flat surface, turn off the engine, wait for a while, wait for the oil to fall back to the bottom of the oil tank, pull out the oil dipstick, and check the oil level. Generally speaking, adding a little less oil than the maintenance manual is just right.