lots of fuel in oil

[grant mills]

While working on the rear sway bar bushings (now completed satisfactorily) the car was tilted forward where the rear was suspended about 18 inches higher than normal for a few weeks as I had to get the new bushings replaced with a larger set. On the last few days of this i noticed a pool of liquid under the front that seemed to be gas/oil. When I dropped the rear end back down, I decided to do an oil change as I could not seem to get a reading on the dip stick. when I removed the oi drain plug, I got a strong steady stream of over 10 litres of liquid, overflowing my oil pan and again covering about 10 sq.ft. of floor....So I have gas in my oil pan and I need to know the cause to fix it.     Cause 1: (unlikely but I'll put it out there) the gas flowed through the fuel line into the carb and from there down into the engine.  Cause 2: (most probable but it is year and half old fuel pump) The gas flowed through a  failure in the bellows of the mechanical fuel pump and entered the oil that way.     Given the "fun" I had replacing the last fuel pump I would prefer to get some ideas on diagnostics to determine it that is indeed the fault.  Any ideas out there?

grant

[Gunslinger]

#2 happened to me with a Studebaker R1 years ago.  Depending on the age of the fuel pump you installed the diaphragm may not be compatible with modern fuels.

[IndyJimW]

Could be either, but #1 would fill the cylinders with fuel and could cause hydro lock if you crank the engine. I would pull some spark plugs and check for fuel.

Good luck,

Jim Wood

[grant mills]

I only use Shell premium gas that, by all accounts, had no ethanol added. But I do use a fuel stabilizer for winter storage. Jim, thanks for the tip on checking the cylinders.

[Mel]

The gas tank on the Studebaker and early models of the II's is behind the back seat on a shelf; not sure where yours is but, no matter how the gas got in your engine, #1 or #2 above, I'd put a fuel shut off solenoid in the line.  I put one in mine; write up is in issue #170, page 48.  The solenoid is mounted under the tank and power is fed from the ignition switch.  I also placed a keyed, hidden, barrel switch in series that must be in the ON position to be driven but, if in the OFF position and the car is hot wired/stolen, it will be driven only a couple hundred yards.

Good luck.

Edited July 13 by Mel

[grant mills]

removed spark plugs to check a few cylinders...all were dry, so on to replace the fuel pump...which raises the question I am asking in a new post