Compression Test; gas in oil
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Alaska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Just changed my oil and went for a 60 mile drive. Now my oil smells of gasoline. The jeep starts and runs great. Does not burn oil and gets 18 mpg. '99 4.0 126k AW4. I just did a dry and wet compression test:
Cylinder Dry Wet
1. 179 221
2. 151 192
3. 168 210
4. 180 224
5. 160 201
6. 181 224
First time checking compression... Warm engine, removed pump and asd relays, WOT, removed plugs. For the wet test I used a turkey injector to put 1/2 oz of oil. These numbers don't look good but I'm looking for some guidance.
Cylinder Dry Wet
1. 179 221
2. 151 192
3. 168 210
4. 180 224
5. 160 201
6. 181 224
First time checking compression... Warm engine, removed pump and asd relays, WOT, removed plugs. For the wet test I used a turkey injector to put 1/2 oz of oil. These numbers don't look good but I'm looking for some guidance.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 358
Likes: 3
From: Illinois
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I don't think those compression numbers look too bad at all. A little more consistency wouldn't be bad, but there are no real low ones and no indication of leakage between cylinders. Your gas/oil issue could be a bad injector leaking.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Alaska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I didn't notice that the plugs were wet but all 6 of them had an ashy grey deposit on the electrodes. I put them in about 1000 miles ago and haven't checked them since the test.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Seeing how your fuel pressure drops when it's sitting might clue you to injectors leaking. Less than 20# drop in 30 Min would be pretty good IIRC.
I never tested, but with my old stock injectors, sometimes it would miss a few beats, starting it warm after sitting 1/2 hr or so. I think one or two cyls were flooding.
This is how I learned to check for sure. (photo). Comp #'s could be better...wonder what's up with #2. I guess if it was me I might repeat the wet test....that's just me. I'd want to make darn sure a potential problem # was correct. Oil pressure?
I never tested, but with my old stock injectors, sometimes it would miss a few beats, starting it warm after sitting 1/2 hr or so. I think one or two cyls were flooding.
This is how I learned to check for sure. (photo). Comp #'s could be better...wonder what's up with #2. I guess if it was me I might repeat the wet test....that's just me. I'd want to make darn sure a potential problem # was correct. Oil pressure?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Alaska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Okay, fuel rail pressure test done. 52 psi from ignition and while idling and with some throttle. After 10 min. it was @30psi, 15 min.@25 psi, and 25 min.@22 psi.
Trending Topics
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,150
Likes: 1
From: Nashville, TN
Year: 1997, 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
As others have said, cylinder 2 is barely within spec but shouldn't be causing you any major problems. Every 4.0 I've owned or worked on has had a slight smell of gas to the oil. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you haven't noticed any major problems.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Alaska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I just bought the jeep in may and I don't remember the oil smelling. This seems to be a recent problem. I may just buy a set of injectors from Precision and see of that helps.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Alaska
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
I don't mean to put words on offroads mouth. I have been through more then a few engines. As clear as the specs seem, there always is something on the edge.
Rings can get gummed up. Deposits in there can "hinder" them from floating/seating perfectly. There ARE solvents that really "talk" to stubborn deposits. Berymans B-12 Kemtool comes to mind. Loosening a bunch of gunk at once might ruin it. Meltdown.
Interesting thought....at only 120+K. I guess if it was me, I'd double check my #'s.
Rings can get gummed up. Deposits in there can "hinder" them from floating/seating perfectly. There ARE solvents that really "talk" to stubborn deposits. Berymans B-12 Kemtool comes to mind. Loosening a bunch of gunk at once might ruin it. Meltdown.
Interesting thought....at only 120+K. I guess if it was me, I'd double check my #'s.
Last edited by DFlintstone; Jun 13, 2013 at 01:46 AM.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Herp Derp Jerp

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 17
From: Parham, ON
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L OBD-II
Lol
I'm still in early morning braindead mode but IIRC 49 PSI should hold for like half an hour.
By the way the FSM method for measuring cylinder compression is to take it on the 3rd compression stroke. Sounds like you just kep going until the numbers stopped going up. Not really "wrong", per se, but all of the troubleshooting etc is based on the FSM method. Using that procedure you should only see a max of 160 PSI per cyl.
I like DFlintstone's pic of popping the assembled fuel rail off and lettin it leak over a piece of cardboard.
Leakdown test?
I'm still in early morning braindead mode but IIRC 49 PSI should hold for like half an hour.
By the way the FSM method for measuring cylinder compression is to take it on the 3rd compression stroke. Sounds like you just kep going until the numbers stopped going up. Not really "wrong", per se, but all of the troubleshooting etc is based on the FSM method. Using that procedure you should only see a max of 160 PSI per cyl.
I like DFlintstone's pic of popping the assembled fuel rail off and lettin it leak over a piece of cardboard.
Leakdown test?
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,386
Likes: 0
From: Pompano Beach
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I don't mean to put words on offroads mouth. I have been through more then a few engines. As clear as the specs seem, there always is something on the edge.
Rings can get gummed up. Deposits in there can "hinder" them from floating/seating perfectly. There ARE solvents that really "talk" to stubborn deposits. Berymans B-12 Kemtool comes to mind. Loosening a bunch of gunk at once might ruin it. Meltdown.
Interesting thought....at only 120+K. I guess if it was me, I'd double check my #'s.
Rings can get gummed up. Deposits in there can "hinder" them from floating/seating perfectly. There ARE solvents that really "talk" to stubborn deposits. Berymans B-12 Kemtool comes to mind. Loosening a bunch of gunk at once might ruin it. Meltdown.
Interesting thought....at only 120+K. I guess if it was me, I'd double check my #'s.


