41 60 special carbureator

[mr41cadillac]

apparently my carb. is leaking into the oil. what would cause this? whats the fix? i rebuilt it  a while back and it runs great. thanks john

[Bill Ingler #7799]

John: If you do have fuel getting in your oil then I would suspect you need to rebuild your engine fuel pump. How do you know you have fuel in your oil?   Bill

[mr41cadillac]

I'm not real sure. the engine was completely rebuilt and after an oil change with only maybe 30 miles the oil looks dirty. ive changed the oil about 3 times with only maybe 75 miles total and it gets dirty rreal quick. my friend says its gas in the oil. is there a test to really determine this condition ? john

[Bill Ingler #7799]

John: Gasoline in oil is not necessarily going to change the color of oil. If I suspect gas in my oil it is not the color that tells me I have gas in the oil, it is the smell of that oil. If the oil smells like gas then it probably has gas in the oil. The combustion of the engine produces ash and a good detergent oil is supposed to pick up that ash. The more miles, the more ash and the darker the color of that oil.  The Cadillac manual recommends you change oil every 2000 miles. With no oil filter on the engine I change every 1000 miles. I would not be concerned if the oil is dark in color after a few miles. The oil is doing it`s job. Bill 

[Glen]

Is it possible the new oil is detergent oil and is cleaning sludge off the walls of the engine block? 

If you have been using non detergent oil your engine may have sludge. 

[mr41cadillac]

the engine was completely rebuilt and of course cleaned in a vat etc. however I removed the distributor. I remember the long shaft had a coating of sludge and I failed to clean it off before putting it in the newly rebuilt engine. perhaps this accounts for it. I will smell for gas in the oil today. perhaps normal considering the distr. shaft thanks

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

It is very important to clean and inspect this long distributor shaft and bushings for wear.  It is lubricated through holes that plug up with junk.  The shaft bushings wear and then the gear becomes a cutter of the brass gear.  It is the hardest gear of the cam, brass gear, distributor gear combination. 

[Mike Wenrich #1666]

And back to your original question of what could cause gas in the oil, a poorly adjusted carb float or a float with a pinhole in it could do that.  Also a carb can leak down fuel after you turn the engine off if the float is not adjusted correctly.  And a bad needle and seat below the float can allow leak down.  With any of these you should be able to smell raw gas fumes after shutting down as well as smelling the presence of gas in the oil. 

[mr41cadillac]

there is gas in the oil. I will take carb. off john

[Steve Passmore]

Has the fuel pump been rebuilt as bill asked?  If the diaphragm has a hole fuel will leak straight in there.

[mr41cadillac]

if diaphragm has a hole will gas leak out of a disconnected line

[Bill Ingler #7799]

John: Has your fuel pump been rebuilt? The rubber diaphragm in your fuel pump might have a small hole allowing fuel to get into your oil. Have your friend who is helping you explain how this happens and why. If you rebuild your fuel pump ,make sure whoever rebuilds the pump uses Vitron rubber for the diaphragm. Todays modern fuel plays havoc with the rubber diaphragm in old fuel pumps.  Bill

[mr41cadillac]

thanks will pass this on next week. I took carb off and changed oil. car now cranks 1st time every time now with the solenoid. john