Water iin oil catch can?

[MaxOctane]

When I had my intake off at 45K miles I noticed some carbon on my intake valves, not a lot but enough I decided to install a Mishimoto oil catch can. After about 500 miles, I was in there installing new charge pipes and decided to see if I caught anything, but it was bone dry so I figured I'd check after a longer while. So now it's been about 9,000 miles and a little over a year and I was in there doing maintenance and checked if I'd caught anything. It was 2/3rds full of a watery liquid. I tried to burn it, but it would not burn so I don't think it was fuel. It also had a mixture of oil and water, like what they call forbidden milkshake when coolant gets in your oil. Both reservoirs are at their appropriate levels, and I see no sign of issues under the oil cap. I don't really take short trips, but I do drive it hard and I have a bme stage 1 93 tune. I've had other cars with oil catch cans (albeit never with a turbo) and all I ever catch is oil. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? I imagine at the very least I should clean it out more often.

[Slow M3]

It looks like you still have the stock charge cooler did you check to see if it’s leaking? I’m still learning about this car so forgive me if it’s a dumb question.

[M3FANN]

This is a pretty common occurrence on mine. I think some of it has to do with the catch can not evaporating moisture captured from the pcv system. I drain mine after every oil change and it varies depending on the time of year and type of driving I’m doing.

I also have a new valve cover and keep up on all maintenance. Are other brands seeing this same build up of moisture? I also have the mishimoto along with their charge cooler.

[b_w.]

Looks like the grease tray on my Blackstone! Catch can is doing its job and stopping that gunk being sucked back through the turbo. Clean it out and keep an eye on it.

[hC1001]

In my catch can, i normally get brown water with slight oil mixture. Nothing thick like your pic. Smells like fuel also.

I've seen that thick light coloured goop on cars that arent driven long enough to burn off condensation. I wouldnt say its from coolant. It contradicts your statement that you dont do short trips. Whatever it is, at least the catch can is doing its job. Yes, clean it up and you should be good to go.

[Zernen]

That’s how mine looked too. Normal.

[MaxOctane]

Originally Posted by Slow M3

It looks like you still have the stock charge cooler did you check to see if it’s leaking? I’m still learning about this car so forgive me if it’s a dumb question.

I check my TMIC tank all the time because I'm paranoid about it leaking. That was the first thing I checked, and coolant level is good.

Originally Posted by M3FANN

This is a pretty common occurrence on mine. I think some of it has to do with the catch can not evaporating moisture captured from the pcv system. I drain mine after every oil change and it varies depending on the time of year and type of driving I’m doing.

I also have a new valve cover and keep up on all maintenance. Are other brands seeing this same build up of moisture? I also have the mishimoto along with their charge cooler.

I did some research and I'm finding some water in the catch can is normal and more common in colder temperatures. Since it's been a full winter since I cleaned it I guess that could be it. Either way, I'm still fairly surprised considering I've never seen water in an oil catch can.

Originally Posted by b_w.

Looks like the grease tray on my Blackstone! Catch can is doing its job and stopping that gunk being sucked back through the turbo. Clean it out and keep an eye on it.

I don't really care about water vapor going back into the engine, its the oil vapor that I care about. Looking at what I built up over 9K miles and 15 months, looks to be mostly water and very little oil. I know the PCV in the valve cover is supposed to be preventing a lot of oil vapor from going through intake valves, I guess it's doing a pretty good job.

Originally Posted by Zernen

That’s how mine looked too. Normal.

Thanks. This is what I'm gathering. Now to just change it more often I guess.

[Groganrocket]

Its normal and I have a Wagner tuning tmic.

[Yuille36]

That seems excessive to me, when I checked my catch can last month, after six months, there was only oil vapor to wet 4 Q-tips. I used a shop towel to clean it out.

[M3FANN]

Just cleaned mine out after an oil change. It was the same as yours in question. 3/4 full in total with and even split of water and milky oil. Checked other fluids and all are at correct levels without signs of leaks. I ran this oil change longer than normal at 7k. Glad this junk is staying off the intake valves/cooler. I have noticed the charge pipes have a lot less oil present since installing the catch can.

[chetrickerman]

That is normal and is formed by fuel vapors and residual moisture that evaporates when the oil temp gets hot enough, which then cools and condenses in the catch can since the catch can is considerably cooler than the inside of an engine during operation.

[MaxOctane]

Originally Posted by chetrickerman

That is normal and is formed by fuel vapors and residual moisture that evaporates when the oil temp gets hot enough, which then cools and condenses in the catch can since the catch can is considerably cooler than the inside of an engine during operation.

Yes, I understand this - but that doesn't explain why every other catch can on every other car I've ever owned only ever had oil in it. This is the first time I've seen water.

[chetrickerman]

Originally Posted by MaxOctane

Yes, I understand this - but that doesn't explain why every other catch can on every other car I've ever owned only ever had oil in it. This is the first time I've seen water.

Its possible that the other cars you owned aren't as good at separating the oil from the air as the S55. Despite the crank hub, its a very well designed engine.

[ShopVac]

Just emptied my catch can 2 days ago - looked exactly the same. Smelled similar to fuel as well.