Early OCI Due To Possible Fuel Dilution

[MrBiglund]

Hey guys, I drive a 96 Dodge Caravan with 3.0L Mitsu engine. Just changed the oil and filter about 1500km ago. I used Pennzoil Conventional 5w30 with Fram TG8A (oversized) filter. Well, after the oil change, on a couple of occasions I had very rough idling due to engine running very rich because of a problem with faulty purge valve solenoid. It would run very rich at idle and stall when put into gear, I would have to drive it with both feet to keep it from stalling at stop signs etc., I did smell fuel to during this time. It would eventually start running ok after it a couple of trips, I think after it went into closed loop. This happened 5-6 times before I found about the faulty purge solenoid and replaced it. It's been running great since then. The old purge solenoid was stuck in the open position and letting in fuel at idle on cold starts and causing this rough idle. So, I'm wondering now if I should change my oil because there might be some or alot of fuel dilution because of it running rich and running rough and stalling etc., What do you guys think? Is it safe to go another 3000km on this oil or is it better to drain it and put in fresh oil now? I did try to see if I could smell fuel on the dipstick, but it smelled more like exhaust fumes.

So, guys, please advice how I should go about changing the oil? Wait or do it A.S.A.P.?

 

[duaneb9729]

for my peace of mind i would change it, its cheap insurance

 

[Steve S]

When in doubt drain it out.

 

[FZ1]

When in doubt;Dump it out!

 

[Eddie]

If the oil is still fairly new, I would take it out for a 20+ mile run on the highway to burn off any perceived excess fuel.

 

[MrBiglund]

Actually, the oil doesn't look dirty, it looks fairly clean on the dipstick and I did recently make a 200km trip on the highway. Would that burn of the excess fuel in the oil?

Oh, another thing I forgot to add in my opening post was that I had added an old bottle of AutoRx around 500km into the oil change. It was the last of the 4 I had bought a while ago and even though I warmed it up prior to dumping it in the oil by placing it on the heater vent in my house it came out quiet thick and gooey.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

It's unfortunate the Auto-Rx was added to it - prior to the faulty part.

I would change the oil and filter.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: MrBiglund
Actually, the oil doesn't look dirty, it looks fairly clean on the dipstick and I did recently make a 200km trip on the highway. Would that burn of the excess fuel in the oil?

Oh, another thing I forgot to add in my opening post was that I had added an old bottle of AutoRx around 500km into the oil change. It was the last of the 4 I had bought a while ago and even though I warmed it up prior to dumping it in the oil by placing it on the heater vent in my house it came out quiet thick and gooey.


Small amounts of gas in oil will burn out on the highway. If it were suddenly a half a quart or more overfilled, then I would worry. Oil with fuel dilution will smell like gasoline. But even if you car was running rich, that doesn't necessarily mean the fuel ended up into the oil.

I wouldn't change it unless it was suddenly overfilled and smelled like gasoline...

 

[MrBiglund]

Well, I've checked it again today and it doesn't smell like gasoline. I think I'll change it earlier then the normal 5000km, but not right away. Maybe run it for another 1500-2000km, this will also let the AutoRx do some of it's job. Thanks for the help guys. From my observations it does look like if there was any fuel in the oil, it has most likely been burned off.

 

[mechtech2]

If the problem was fixed, just drive it.

This assumes that there was no perceptible rise in the oil level.
If you actually saw it go up because of gasoline in it [which I severely doubt], then change it now.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
If the problem was fixed, just drive it.

This assumes that there was no perceptible rise in the oil level.
If you actually saw it go up because of gasoline in it [which I severely doubt], then change it now.


I agree, if the oil doesn't smell like gas and the level has not risen, I'd leave it.

 

[MrBiglund]

No, I don't see any oil level increase. It's always been right at the full mark, my van hardly consumes any oil over the oci, I've never hd to add any make up oil.