Hello

I have a 2012 with the 3.5 ecoboost. I recently installed a catch can and have been incredibly surprised by how much has been “caught”. I do have a concern though, all the fluid that has been in the can is a milky yellow color. I understand that this is due to some condensation in the engine but I still have questions for those who know way more about it than I do.

1. I have consistently had the milky color. Is that supposed to eventually go away and become a darker color? Is there cause for concern if it remains this color? I’ve only had it installed a few weeks.

2. What exactly is the fluid being caught? just a mixture of water, oil, and fuel?

2a. If all that fluid is continually being caught.... (I have had to empty is twice in a about 3 weeks, around 750 miles) does that mean I need to be possibly adding oil to the engine in between changes? Just seems like a lot of fluid being caught.

 

I don't ever recall seeing the fluid being caught as milky. How does your dipstick look? 3 times in 750 mile seems alot to me. I traveled over 2k miles and emptied it once . This was on a 2016 EB and i didn't use it all that long before i sold the truck.

When you say milky do you mean like the pic on this link.
https://www.jlttruecoldair.com/oil-separators/

 

What is the purpose of a catch can?

 

Uncle's ecoboost, is a 2013/2014, he fills his catch can in a few hundred miles. Just about empties it more often than he gets gas.....

 

Damn, those ecoboosts must have a hell of a lot of blow-by.

 

I didn’t see what you are referring to but that is the same brand catch can that I bought.

 

That link explains why you need one. If you scroll half way down it has a pic of the fluid being caught.

 

I have the same can on my ‘13 3.5EB. 90k miles. I check mine every couple of weeks and I’m consistently getting about 2 tablespoons of oil/condensation/fuel. Looks like a Latte! If you’re accumulating fluid, the can is doing it’s job.

 

yeah the fluid I get looks like a dirty eggnog. I’ll take a picture of it later but I let it sit in a clear bottle and there is some fluid that rose to the top. I’m assuming that’s fuel.

 

does he have to add oil in between changes because of emptying so much??