[1st timer]

Emptied out my catch can and wondered...What are the 3 layers?

 

[Turbonut]

Certainly not an authority on the subject but would venture to say the bottom could be condensation, not from the engine, but condensation that occurs within the catch can.
Know in cold weather, the catch can system can freeze and not allow any dirty air to pass through.

 

[K5 Optima Store]

In no particular order:

1) Oil
2) Gasoline
3) Water condensation

 

[tonester]

Consider it an Optima "milkshake"--LOL j/k...

 

[K5 Optima Store]

Consider it an Optima "milkshake"--LOL j/k...

Haha yaas!

 

[RoadGlide]

The top and bottom layers are oil and water, respectively. The middle layer is the interesting one. It might be an oil-and-water emulsion (emulsion b/c the oil and water were mixed so thoroughly they did not separate like the non-emulsified oil and water layers did), which looks like it has some soot, burnt oil, or exhaust gas mixed in to give it that dark color. The good news: OCC is definitely catching oil and keeping it out of the combustion chamber.

I have some questions about what this liquid looked like when you removed it from the OCC: (1) Was the catch can/liquid still at engine operating temperature, or had it cooled nearly to the local temp? (2) If your catch can is clear, was the liquid layered like this, or was it all mixed together and then it separated after you removed it from the OCC? (3) Did you, or will you, send it to a lab for analysis? Finally, how many miles since the last oil change?

I asked question 3 b/c there seems to be a lot of "garbage" in there, and I'm wondering what it is. It could tell us a lot about what's going on in the engine.

 

[1st timer]

1- yes still warm when removed
2- cant tell since occ is not clear. But when I empty it out, it seems to come out in layers.
3- haven't thought of sending for analysis. Oil changes are done at 5k km. The engine has about 8k km. It was replaced in oct.

 

[RoadGlide]

I'm thinking you have a lot of blow-by (combustion gases and fuel) going past the piston rings. It's normal to have some from a new engine that hasn't fully broken in yet, but once the rings seat, there shouldn't be too much. How many miles on the engine when you installed the cc? IOW, how much of this accumulated on the break-in oil, and how much from the 2nd batch?

 

[1st timer]

Occ was installed within the first 500 kms. These contents are from 2and and 3rd oil changes. In winter where it gets really cold.

 

[RoadGlide]

Occ was installed within the first 500 kms. These contents are from 2and and 3rd oil changes. In winter where it gets really cold.

OK. For most or much of your driving: is it short trips (less than 20 minutes of real driving, not sitting in stop and go), or more than 20 minutes? If more than 20 min, do you have a fair number of short ones in addition?

 

[1st timer]

I'd say 50/50