What should motor oil smell like?

wavinwayne · Feb 3, 2005

I don't know why I do this, but the other day I decided to smell the oil on the dipstick. I can't get the thought out of my mind that it smelled like gas. Every time I change the oil, I always think it smells like gas, too.

The car is a 2000 VW GTI 1.8L turbo with 43k miles. What should M1 0w40 with 2k miles on it smell like?

My apologies in advance for asking such a ridiculous & neurotic question.

Jelly · Feb 3, 2005

Welcome to the club, Wayne!

Have you done a UOA?

wavinwayne · Feb 3, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
Welcome to the club, Wayne!

Have you done a UOA?

UOA coming at 46k......paranoid until then

ekpolk · Feb 3, 2005

Don't feel bad, your membership and participation here at BITOG have already confirmed your diagnosis. . .

A couple thoughts on this. First, no oil I've ever used smelled like gas before I put it into my car. Once in service, though, the oil quickly takes on a "gassy" smell, and stays that way until I change it out. Yet all of my UOAs have revealed either zero or only trace fuel. I conclude from this that either oil, our noses, or perhaps both, are very sensitive to even miniscule amounts of fuel in oil. In other words, the psychological issues implicated are far more important than the oil contamination issue. . .

haley10 · Feb 3, 2005

My nose say fuel too. Blackstone Labs says ZERO and viscosity is right on. Even my sweet gummi bears smell after running in the engine.

My nose just doesn't work.

Color isn't much of an indicator either, imho.

Jelly · Feb 3, 2005

Now I'm gonna have to start smelling my dipstick!

NewGuy · Feb 3, 2005

Just don't taste it!!

moribundman · Feb 3, 2005

Just dip your finger in it.

vwoom · Feb 4, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
Now I'm gonna have to start smelling my dipstick!

quote:

Originally posted by NewGuy:

Just don't taste it!!

Losiho · Feb 4, 2005

Motor Oil is supposed to smell like Gummy Bears, isn't it ?

vwoom · Feb 4, 2005

Funny you asked..

As I recall, the oil pre-Auto-Rx in the old beater 190E does smell gas...but now deep in it's 2nd clean phase and now moreso dark but clear black at 1.6k, it does not give any hint of any gas smell(though car still burns some oil as expected, the notorious rear seal leak had ceased since 1st A-Rx dose).

The oil/A-Rx mixture is of Maxlife 10w40 + reused but relatively clean 2k old Motul 5w40/A-Rx clean phase oil as top off.

[ February 04, 2005, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: vwoom ]

Islandvic · Feb 4, 2005

I was at PepZone a year ago. I was at the check out line looking out through the plexi glass windows.

A couple had their hood pop'd in front of the store, and a service tech looking under hood.

Tech must have been 40-50.

He pulled out the dipstick and smelled.

He then cleaned off the dipstick with his fingers, proceeded to taste the oil, then reinstall dipsticj and pulled back out to take a reading.

Dude looked very OLD SCHOOL!!

Volts Castillo · Feb 4, 2005

he smelled then tasted it? wow...not sure i want to do something like that even if it can be proved that tasting saves some bucks on UOAs

TC · Feb 5, 2005

"What should motor oil smell like?"

Not sure, but here's some totally random ideas...

-Really, REALLY old dinosaurs
-Dog farts
-Paris Hilton's private parts
-The greased hair of New York mobster
-Generic "butt" odor
-Rosanne Barr
-"Toe jam"
-Spoiled sauerkraut
-That stuff that grows along the shower door rail

"The first test for gasoline in motor oil is a smell test. Gasoline has a very unique odor, which should be readily identifiable."
"The odor of diesel fuel can often be detected right from the dipstick."
"...it’s time for an oil change. The same is true if the oil...has a putrid rotten-cheese smell."

http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Articles/Engine/Oil_Contamination/
http://www.practicingoilanalysis.com/article_detail.asp?articleid=541&relatedbookgroup=OilAnalysis

Pablo · Feb 5, 2005

I want my oil to smell like fish. Is there something I can use?

G-MAN · Feb 5, 2005

Well, if you want to talk about virgin oil, the Pennzoil HM I put in my car today had the most "synthetic" odor to it of any oil I've ever smelled. It literally smells like plastic. In its own way it has as unique an odor as GC, though not as sweet. Smells more synthetic than even Mobil 1. In contrast, the Castrol HM I put in my van smells like plain ol' dead Dino juice. No "synthetic" smell at all.

Tim · Feb 5, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Pablo:
I want my oil to smell like fish. Is there something I can use?

Fish...

pscholte · Feb 5, 2005

If it is SLX (GC), motor oil should smell like the pines of the Black Forest after a June rain shower...or maybe, if it is ELF or TOTAL, like Sauce Bearnaise, or BP (but not Castrol), like a musty corner of the tower of London. If Pennzoil, it should smell like a field of corn in Indiana or if Kendall, like the mist rising up from Niagara Falls, if Quaker State, like Shoo Fly Pie...in other words there are oodles of oily olfactory options, OK?

Pablo · Feb 5, 2005

Thanks.

Amsoil 5W-40 has a plastic like odor that gently blow the back of your head off. I'd like to know what that smell is?

G-MAN · Feb 5, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by pscholte:
If it is SLX (GC), motor oil should smell like the pines of the Black Forest after a June rain shower...

Wrong. GC smells like Gummie Bears. Period.

What should motor oil smell like?

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