unebonnevi

Hi,

I have a 2007 Lexus RX350. I maintain it really well. I changed my oil today and noticed a faint smell of gasoline from the old oil that I drained out. I use full synthetic 5W-30 and change my engine oil every 5K miles. I did have new spark plugs AND 3 new engine coils for the 3 back spark plugs put in as well 2 years ago by a reputable mechanic. Car drives fine. No engine light on.

Is it normal for the faint smell of gasoline in the oil?

Thanks.

spinellib

I sniff the oil every time I pull the dipstick. It smells a bit like gas.
Maybe because I don't drive it often, and only drive it for 5-20 mile trips.
I'm not worried about it. It's normal, but to a degree, of course. Fuel vapors get into the crankcase, that's the way it is.
We have PCV's and EVAP systems that are supposed to take care of the fuel vapors.

If you google "oil smells like gas," you'll see a lot of fake "experts" on the internet say it's a serious problem. Even that knucklehead on youtube, Scotty Kilmer, says oil should never smell like gas. He says he's been a mechanic for 50 years and he's never smelled a little gas when changing oil on most cars? Again, I'm not worried about it. I suggest you avoid going deep into the rabbit-hole of needless worry and $$ of "fixing" your oil that smells like gas. Unless your pull the dipstick and it's Overfilled because of gas, don't worry about it.

unebonnevi

Thanks, @spinellib . Yeah, I think so, although I should be checking the oxygen sensors. My car has reached 127K miles. No engine light on. So, it ain't "baroque," don't fix it.

For reference of 2007 RX350 oxygen sensor locations, see https://www.autocodes.com/qa/69472/2...sensor-located. Btw, anyone knows where BANK 1 SENSOR 1 and BANK 2 SENSOR 1 are? Are there such sensors?

Mesquite77

Sensor 1 for each bank are on the exhaust manifold before the cat for that bank. The front one (Bank 2) is in plain sight between between radiator and engine, Bank 1 you can see from under car high up.

Felix

And to add 'bout the fuel vapors, don't top off the tank, as when the nozzle clicks off, thats it, remove it & install the fuel cap.

unebonnevi

Looks like the smell of gas in oil is normal. I checked with my neighbor's well maintained 2013 RX450h and his car's oil (smelled from the drops we got from the dipstick) has the smell of gas.