Fuel in bad places?

My 1990 still won't start. First the background:

1990 XJ 4.0, 4x4, automatic. Has new plugs, wires, battery, cables, oil, filter, thermostat, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, CPS.

Tonight I decided to try to get it to start again. I cranked it and let it "whirr" 3 times before I stopped. I noticed a faint even tap, tap, tap from under the valve cover. It sounded like it was in the front, by the #1 fuel injector.

Anyway, I took the oil filler cap off to see if the noise was any more evident (it wasn't). I noticed the smell of fuel on the oil filler cap and in the valve cover.

What gives? How would fuel get in the oil? What is the source, the fix, the consequences, and could that possibly be why the truck doesn't start?

The Jeep dealer service dept. told me the fuel pump wasn't holding pressure, yet the independent guy that put the fuel pump in swears it was when we put it on the wrecker to take it to the dealership. When I crank, could the fuel be getting dumped into an oil source before the fuel rail? I know some fuel is getting to the rail, becuase the Schrader valve always spurts fuel when I depress it.

Thanks for your input

If any of the injectors are stuck open and spraying fuel, you will loose pressure and flood your engine. The extra fuel could then just go past the rings and into the oil.

langer1 said:

If any of the injectors are stuck open and spraying fuel, you will loose pressure and flood your engine. The extra fuel could then just go past the rings and into the oil.

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Yup, two approaches, one cheap other not, pull ALL the injectors and hang the noses in pure fuel injector cleaner and let them soak for a few hours. Second is replace the injectors.
And if you have alot of gas in your crankcase oil be careful, it can ignite when the engine starts it will also wipe any oil lubricant off the cylinder walls.