Condensation in my oil, is this normal? Update 05/21/2015 Found a problem

[BARRACUDA1968]

Noticed the other day that I have quite a bit of condensation in the oil. Mainly in the breathers and catch can.

I'm in Iowa so it's getting cool at night and warm in the day. I'm running VR1 10w30 oil.

Wondering if I'm not getting the oil hot enough to burn off the moisture with a 160 thermostat?

Never had this issue before. PCV is working fine.

My coolant was low this morning so I feared the worst. I did a block test so I know it's not head gaskets and I'm not burning coolant so maybe just moisture not getting burned off due to cooler oil temps?

I'm running a breather in each valve cover, PCV with check valve and catch can.

 

[Nick Micale]

I am NOT a cold weather expert, but that would indicate to me of water getting in the oil somehow?

Do a pressure test on your radiator to verify it is holding pressure, or not.

Did you add the GM pellets or some kind of leak sealer in the radiator when installing this engine? A head stud/bolt could be weeping water?

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

We did a pressure test this morning with an old tester and it is just too old to trust it. Leaked air at one of the fittings. Going to use a better one when a friend of mine gets off work.

I did not add anything to the coolant system installing the new engine. I did however put oil dye in the motor to help find an oil leak. The oil has been changed since then because I put a new oil pan gasket on the car Friday night.

I have had this issue before with my Barracuda when the weather changes. That motor runs cooler than normal water temps as well.

Do I need to add some of those pellets Nick?

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I just sucked this out of my oil catch can. It's plain water!! Not antifreeze but water.

My car is possessed.

 

[Nick Micale]

I always add the pellets to a new engine build before starting it, and never add antifreeze until the run-in and road testing is done.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I've never heard of the pellets before but do the same with water first then antifreeze after all is good on new motor.

I have a weird deal going on here though. Maybe you posted before my previous post and didn't see the 3 pictures. I have plain old water in my PCV/oil system. The separators doing it's job but that's a lot of water. Don't monitor oil temp but this may indicate I need to get the motor hotter in the cooler weather.

I'll do a pressure test later to verify any leaks, my coolant was down this morning so something's going on. Just expected to see coolant in the catch can and not water if I had an internal coolant leak. Oil level is normal as well.

 

[standupjskiguy]

As your engine runs and burns gasoline, water vapor is left after combustion. Some combustion blows by the rings and into the crankcase. So you have warm moist gases entering the crank case. It does condensate around cool spots like breathers.
My guess is the 160 degree thermostat with the cooler weather is too blame.
I once had an old mini van that ran but needed work. I kept it hoping to fix it when I wasn't busy. I would start it now and then and move it around on my property so neighbors wouldn't think it's a junker. Not letting it warm up over the winter, I looked at the oil, it was like chocolate milk. I put the oil in a large can and heated until it got dark and clear again and then I put it back in. Make sure you always run the car to full operating temperature and drive it there for awhile.
Never make a habit of running the engine for short periods.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I try not to go a short jaunts but if I drive it home from work it's only a 5 minute drive. I don't do it very often, mainly keep it here at the dealership and drive it on weekends etc.

I did a pressure test on coolant system with a good tester and have 2 small leaks. Upper rad hose at both ends. Clamps were a hair loose but probably time for a new hose.

I'll do a 180 stat and new hoses upper and lower. Should solve coolant lose issue.

 

[novaderrik]

put some miles on the thing.. the condensation is it's way of telling you that it wants to either cruise or get parked for the winter.

 

[BEATAV8]

Catch cans can be much cooler than the engine. Perfect place for water to condense.

Blow by has a lot of water in it (steam). When it cools it condenses.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

put some miles on the thing.. the condensation is it's way of telling you that it wants to either cruise or get parked for the winter.

I put 70 on it yesterday. I live in small town America so all my driving is mostly highway. I don't drive it back and fourth to work very much mainly because it's such a short trip.

 

[earlbrown]

With your climate it's probably perfectly normal. Ever notice how much sweat forms on a cold beer when you set it on the coffee table?...

The inside of you engine does that every morning (with much much more lateral surface area than a beer)

 

[SS/GN]

Is this a E-85 fueled car? What PCV valve?

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

Yes Earl I do that beer can experiment quite often!

This is 93/Alky combo.

I'm using the PCV on the left. No name plastic one. AC Delco on the right.

 

[johnl455]

IS this normal is your question. It's normal for a short trip driven car with the wrong thermostat in the engine. I'd go to 180 and the correct PCV valve. Then change the oil and filter. The stat has nothing to do with how hot the engine gets, only how cold it gets. 180 is allready a cold stat compared to 195 typically found in pasenger cars.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

I've got the Plastic 1162 AutoZone PCV Valve & no such issues with my oil....but I do have a 180 degree thermostat too.

Just saying.

 

[we4Mateo]

Catch cans can be much cooler than the engine. Perfect place for water to condense.

Blow by has a lot of water in it (steam). When it cools it condenses.

This. ^^^^^^

I'd even stick with the 160 therm. I drove my car in the winter with it and if coolant temp was sustained at 160 or higher, oil was fine. Just had to get on it hard to keep it there. Maybe your rad works better than my system though. I need to get a 15psi cap yet for mine but not sure it'll make a difference over the 13psi cap in there now. If the water is only in the can and the dipstick isn't showing any water contamination, I would not worry about it. But I don't have a brand new engine either!

I would go back to the regular pcv valve though as long as you have a checkball between the tb and the catch can.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I'm going to a 180 thermo now and maybe don't need it? I don't do a lot of short trips in the car, mainly highway driving from town to town. I did eliminate my oil cooler lines so that may have something to do with it. I can bypass the catch can and that may help as well?

I have my timing cover off now to replace the crank seal and the milky stuff is in there too. I need more heat in the motor or less moisture just not sure hot to get my set there yet.

I have a couple AC Delco PCV valves that I can throw in as see what happens. I just don't want to make a bunch of changes at one time so I'll take it step by step. Thanks for the posts! Good info

 

[we4Mateo]

Good luck man. I appreciate the approach. Let us know what your solution ends up being.

 

[trbojo]

Only problem with stock pcv valves and even the Rjc is seems like anything other than a stock cam you have issues with high blms at idle... I had to put a restriction in line with mine by putting a 3/8" bolt with the head cut off and a1/8" hole drilled through it and insert it in the pcv hose... Looks like that plastic one would accomplish the same thing...

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