Evaluating a Used Car - DipStick (Oil) Reading

Hey, if you are looking for some dark oil to put in your engine I can sell you some cheap.

The problem OP has (he now says) is there is gasoline in his oil. That is a serious problem unless maybe you can find a link to "Gasoline in the oil myth" which will of course instantly cure his problem.

-jim

There are lots of good used vans for sale on the market.That van with the oil that smells like gasoline in it,,, I would look for another van.There is an old saying which goes something like, Don't buy somebody elses problems.

An old lawn mower tip I once read about in an old Popular Science magazine many years ago.Rig up some pieces of pipe so you can get the lawn mower's muffler close to the ground.The exhaust is suppose to knock out fleas and mosquitos.Just keep your garden hose handy in case of a grass fire. cuhulin

The gas smell in the oil means, it as faulty injector. It explaines why you have dark coloured oil.

you donot need to have significant blown by gas.

Or a bad pressure regulator??? (unless it is a "dead end" system)

I bought the van and the oil is cleaning up.

Upon getting it home, I put a better oil filter on (Pure One) and replaced one quart of oil with an additive (Rislone) which further increases the detergent effect of the oil. I changed the oil after only 600 miles. I kept a sample of the oil and it looked better than the first oil change did after only 50 miles.

I have now driven the van about 1500 miles after the last oil change and the oil looks pretty good. I will change it again at about 3000 miles or so and then get back to a 5000 mile service interval. I have just passed 60,000 miles and am running the High Mileage oil formula of Castrol GTX and will continue with the smaller micron rated Purolator filter.