fuel in oil?

[asmith]

ok so i have been searching, but have not found the answer. I believe i am getting fuel in my oil. i know my fuel return lines are leaking a little bit, maybe some other components leaking as well. you can see that the valley pan is wet. can fuel get into the oil from there? when i checked my oil today, it was over filled a little bit and seemed pretty thin, it was dark and sooty, but just had a much different feel to it than oil normally does. it this a really bad thing? i plan on fixing my fuel system, but i need about one more month before i can afford a new ip and injectors, can i wait that long, if i change the oil soon?

 

[ADV]

a lift pump can fail and fill your engine with fuel.

 

[DesertBen44]

check that lift pump fast!!! Those mechanical lift pumps can fail one way that fills your crankcase with diesel!!

 

[icanfixall]

Diluting the engine oil with diesel will destroy the crank bearings fast. Find the leak and fix it. Either your injection pump internal shaft seal let go or the lift pump diaphram ruptured and is pumping diesel directly into the engine oil. The lift pump is cheap and easy to replace. Read up on how its done here. Change it and the engine oil too.

 

[smokinpipes]

Diluting the engine oil with diesel will destroy the crank bearings fast. Find the leak and fix it. Either your injection pump internal shaft seal let go or the lift pump diaphram ruptured and is pumping diesel directly into the engine oil. The lift pump is cheap and easy to replace. Read up on how its done here. Change it and the engine oil too.

From my parts, a mechanical lift pump runs for about $30.00. Two bolts, a hose clamp, and a compression fitting, and 25 minutes of time is all you will need to do this task. Oh, and a 9/16" (or is it 1/2?) socket with a 3" extension.
A way to figure it out, is drain your oil, and leave the drain plug out, if you start seeing diesel fuel draining out after some time, it certainly is the lift pump, as the tear in the diaphragm the fuel is leaking out, and it is siphoning at that lower elevation. An IP will need to be running.

IP seals can go out too... I've had to happen to me, and I found out when the crank overfilled itself, and we went off to the races when I started going up a steep hill ... couldn't see behind me, smoked out a 5 lane highway, and made it up the hill in record time... in hind sight it was kinda fun, but at the time, we'll just say it was an adrenaline rush.

 

[asmith]

thanks for the responses guys. it really had me worried. i need to read some more about changing the lift pump out. may switch to an electric. can i wait to change the oil til this weekend? it is my dd and will probably put around 200-300 miles on it, all freeway.

is there any other way to check if it s the lift pump for sure besides draining the oil and waiting for diesel to come out?

 

[OLDBULL8]

Change your oil! In a week of driving you won't have a DD to drive. Pull the lift pump and put it in a vise and operate it by hand with the suction side blocked off with your finger, if you can't hardly pump it then it's prolly ok, if you hear a suction (whooosh) it's prolly shot. As said, takes hardly nothing to change it. Just drain the oil, the fuel is already mixed with it, tear down and a set of bearings maybe more gets damn expensive, your choice.

 

[flareside_thun]

What he said......Change that oil ASAP! You may think you're too busy during the week to do it but the fuel will actually etch the bearings, you have no lubricity whatsoever. So, you can either spend 30 minutes and around 50 bucks to rectify the dilution with an oil change or you can ***** your lower end and spend considerably quite a bit more of your money and time.

 

[asmith]

ok well i guess tomorrow i will be changing my oil. and if i understand the process correctly i will also be changing it this weekend, when i hopefully change my lift pump. oh well if it saves my engine it is worth it. thanks for the advice guys, still new to this engine.

 

[ADV]

If it were me I would rent or borrow a vehicle until you get it fixed if its leaking now and you keep driving it its really going to fail. There was a member on her that lost his engine on a road trip because of this if i remember right. When you get a new pump spend the extra $5 and get the carter pump.

 

[zacky6661]

DesertBen44 here also has a really good write up on installing a quality electric lift pump in the tech articles. It completely deletes the lift pump, and you use a small block chevy lift pump eliminator cover to cover the hole your now gone mechanical pump will leave, and in doing so you will completely eliminate the possibility of fuel getting into your crankcase from there (aside from IP seals). From what I think, I would consider doing that if you have the funding.

I am considering doing it to my truck in the future to see if it helps start better...

Heres the link:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...pump-with-a-Facet-Duralift-electric-fuel-pump

BTW how is that pump holding up? How many miles have you thrown on it?

 

[asmith]

DesertBen44 here also has a really good write up on installing a quality electric lift pump in the tech articles. It completely deletes the lift pump, and you use a small block chevy lift pump eliminator cover to cover the hole your now gone mechanical pump will leave, and in doing so you will completely eliminate the possibility of fuel getting into your crankcase from there (aside from IP seals). From what I think, I would consider doing that if you have the funding.

I am considering doing it to my truck in the future to see if it helps start better...

Heres the link:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...pump-with-a-Facet-Duralift-electric-fuel-pump

BTW how is that pump holding up? How many miles have you thrown on it?

yeah i read through that write up last night. I also ordered my dura lift pump from genlightening last night.

I wish i could borrow another vehicle, but i cant, dont have anyone around with a truck that does not need it. I will change the oil today and pray that i have not done much damage to the engine thus far. i really am not sure how long the diesel has been in the oil, but realistically it could have been getting in there for almost 2000 miles (last time i checked the oil level) i hope not and dont think so, because the oil level is just a hair over the hatch marks on the dip stick, and when i last checked it, it was just below the top of the hash marks. so i am hoping that means there is not much in there. oh well not much to do but fix it as quickly as possible and pray.

 

[icanfixall]

The top and bottom of the dip stick hash marks equals 1/2 gallon of oil.... Glad your going to fix things with an electric lift pump. I have the same pump you are getting as do many others on this site... They simpley work way better than the oem mechanicl pumps.

 

[asmith]

The top and bottom of the dip stick hash marks equals 1/2 gallon of oil.... Glad your going to fix things with an electric lift pump. I have the same pump you are getting as do many others on this site... They simpley work way better than the oem mechanicl pumps.

I am excited for the pump as well. i have read nothing but good things about it. I also will be glad to not have to worry about this problem again. supposed to be here by this weekend!!!

going by your info about the hash marks, if i did not lose any oil (yeah right) thenthere would have been maybe 1/4 gallon of fuel in there, not sure how much oil this truck loses over 2000 miles since i have only put about 3000 on it, but i would guess there would have been maybe a 1/3 gallon in there.

i changed the oil this morning before work and went in late. truck seemed happier. tomorrow morning i will check the level and see if any has been added.

 

[asmith]

ok so my duralift came in the mail today!!! i am excited, it looks like a really nice piece. only thing is, how do you get the bowl off? it is on there so tight i am afraid i am going to break it. tried my wife's blow-dryer to heat it up, no go. somebody have any other suggestions?

got my lift pump off, doesn't seem to be bad, i can work it by hand, and it is really stiff. if i cover the inlet with my finger it gets real hard to move, so i am thinking the fuel is getting in some other way. kind of bummed, but least now i will not ever have to worry about the pump again, not to mention pressurizing the system is easy now. i will finish the install of this pump tomorrow and let you all know the results.

is there any other way fuel can get in the oil, and any way to check for this? i really dont want to throw a whole bunch of parts at this. i am trying to save up for a moose pump, new injectors and returns, so the faster i can get this figured out the sooner i can do that.