Procharged LS1(catch can filling up with water)?

**9t8z28** · 12-29-2008, 06:30 PM

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right section, but I figure that my problem has something to do with having a supercharger.

I have been getting alot of water(moisture?) in my catch can. In the summer months the catch can would be half filled with milky oil every oil change at 2K miles. Obviously it was mostly oil with a little bit of water. I know that it was only a little bit of water or else I would have seen the oil and water seperate. Now, it the winter time, the catch can is 1/3 full of strictly water? I have a vented breather on the passenger valve cover and thats it. I thought that the air filter could be sucking up water but it is not exposed enough for the amount of water I am dumping out of the catch can.

I did a compression test on the cylinder and I tested the coolant syatem and all tested good. Even the oil on the dipstick and drained oil looks fine and the antifreeze is green.

All of the water in the catch can is basically clear.

What could be the cause of this?

**ntimid8r** · 12-29-2008, 06:38 PM

Normally the milky goop that's collected is an indicator that you heads are lifting under boost. I know you're not making a ton of boost but have you retightened the head bolts? You can put some aluminum radiator seal in your cooling system. I had similar thing going on and that stopped the milky goop collecting in the catch can. Not sure exactly what's going on with the pure water. I'm guessing some kind of heat related moisture residue and not any coolant.

**9t8z28** · 12-29-2008, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by ntimid8r

Normally the milky goop that's collected is an indicator that you heads are lifting under boost. I know you're not making a ton of boost but have you retightened the head bolts? You can put some aluminum radiator seal in your cooling system. I had similar thing going on and that stopped the milky goop collecting in the catch can. Not sure exactly what's going on with the pure water. I'm guessing some kind of heat related moisture residue and not any coolant.

Well, the milky residue will naturally build up. You can see the same thing when you take off a naturally aspirated engines oil fill cap. You generally see some moisture. I drive the car 40 miles everyday so it definitly has enough heat to evaporate the moisture. I assume that the Procharger does build moisture as does the air compressor in my garage which is evident by the air to water seperater.

The heads have been retorqued and I can't see them lifting and causing excessive moisture.

**Sweet Chops** · 12-30-2008, 05:24 AM

I get the same Liquid and I am NA. Just not as much as what you are talking about.

Ryan

**Frost** · 12-30-2008, 11:02 AM

It's condensation and completely normal.

**astyles** · 12-30-2008, 03:20 PM

+1

**Wesman** · 12-30-2008, 05:11 PM

Winter months will produce a ton of moisture in the crankcase, which would normally just be sucked into the engine via the PCV, burned, and exhaled as white smoke when the car is first started.

Since you have a catch can, you're seeing all the moisture and crap thats making it out of the crankcase but not being burned in the engine.

Sounds like what you're seeing is pretty normal to me. If it was a head gasket issue it wouldn't be just water, it would be milky crap from the antifreeze mixing with the oil.

**JattGunMan** · 01-01-2009, 03:38 PM

I read somewhere that the "goop" happens to car with that came equipped with the steering cooler..It because somehow the steering cooler leaks causes steering fluid to mix with radiator fluid...I have a SS and the radiator dip stick is a lil milky

**devil6rr** · 03-10-2009, 11:04 AM

+1 on that my radiatior dip stick is also milky goop but the fluid is clean

**9t8z28** · 03-10-2009, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by JattGunMan

I read somewhere that the "goop" happens to car with that came equipped with the steering cooler..It because somehow the steering cooler leaks causes steering fluid to mix with radiator fluid...I have a SS and the radiator dip stick is a lil milky

I do not have the PS cooler.

**qwkgto** · 03-13-2009, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by 9t8z28

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right section, but I figure that my problem has something to do with having a supercharger.

I have been getting alot of water(moisture?) in my catch can. In the summer months the catch can would be half filled with milky oil every oil change at 2K miles. Obviously it was mostly oil with a little bit of water. I know that it was only a little bit of water or else I would have seen the oil and water seperate. Now, it the winter time, the catch can is 1/3 full of strictly water? I have a vented breather on the passenger valve cover and thats it. I thought that the air filter could be sucking up water but it is not exposed enough for the amount of water I am dumping out of the catch can.

I did a compression test on the cylinder and I tested the coolant syatem and all tested good. Even the oil on the dipstick and drained oil looks fine and the antifreeze is green.

All of the water in the catch can is basically clear.

What could be the cause of this?

Man,this is all normal,why do you think people put oil catch cans on NA cars ever pull the air intake off and look into your stock throttle body, on any ls motor Na or not? got oil baby! yep they all do it,the water is a natural thing as well how far are you driving the car,the H2o is what happens when the motor is running all that moisture has to go someplace until motor is hot enough to burn it off.the can is doing its job has nothing to do with heads lifting under boost.if that were the cause youd have way bigger problems,head gaskets would let you know really bad things,that plastic tank radiator would say see ya.