Unusual fluid in the oil catch can?
 

Hey guys, I was doing my routine oil change, and decided to drain the oil catch can to find out how much has accumulate, the fluid came out looks a little odd. Rather than oil form, it was semi dilute with a white bubbly foam/liquid. I have installed the catch can for a couple months now, and I am shocked as the type of fluid is being plunged into the intake system without the catch can inplace. Anybody has any insight on this? Does it seem unusal to you.
TIA

a milky white fluid that is frothy is an indication of water mixing with oil.

Don't jump to conclusions because it might not be serious, but somewhere in line before the catch can moisture is mixing with the oil. An old ford truck of mine always had white residue on the dipstick but come to find out it was not unheard of and didn't mean there was any coolant leaks or something along those lines. I'll let someone else chime in on whether or not you should be worried but that's what white stuff in your oil means :tonque:.

I hate to go right to the worst case scenario, but sounds like there is a non-petroleum based liquid in there, like coolant. ussually when they mix it makes it a frothy white mix. I have seen this with blown head gaskets when antifreeze gets into the oil. the two fluids dont mix so the antifreeze tends to get foamy. If it was not in the oil that you drained out, i don't know why it would only be isolated to the catch can. It could be that it is a very small leak and the oil you drained had coolant in it, but wasn't enough to be noticable. Perhaps it could be something like a release agent or some other residue that was inside the can from the factory before you installed it. But, ussually, that indicates coolant in the oil. Hope for the best, good luck!

Was there similar residue in the oil you drained from the pan? If so it might be serious, if not it sounds like there is probably just some point in the catch can lines that are accumulating moisture and mixing with the oil there.

Totally normal - it's condensation and oil vapors. Same stuff that forms on the bottom of the oil fill cap.

Dale

he got me, I think Dale is correct. Sounds more accurate if it is as minor as we think, and I bet it is. Dale wins.....

No, the car is rock solid, and the engine is strong. The oil I drained out during oil change is pure oil and has no foamy residule or anything in that nature. The coolent in the filler neck stays at the constant level since I flushed the system, and it has been about 4 months of driving without having to add any fluid. So I doubt it has any leaks. It might just be a new catch can. It is the Jazz type, so it has a filter up top, so moisture could accumulate there. I will see what comes out of there next time I drain the catch can.

I said it before dale did :lol: :tonque:, I win ;).

Dale, thanks for the input. When are you heading over to the Atlanta area anytime soon?

Marco

how exactly do you hook up a catch can?
hok it to the oil filler neck and then what?
do you take out the pcv(i think that what it is)
valve? or do you leave it some how?