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[bast525]

god damn... you guys don't know when to quit.


about putting oil back in from the catch can... this seems to be up in the air. Some people can't see why not. The oil did just come out from your engine, it hasn't been exposed to dirt or air or anything else, unless your pcv/catch can setup sucks and there is a vacuum leak or something.

Someone told me that one reason you wouldn't want to reuse the catch can oil is because condensation forms in the catch can, meaning, water will mix in with the oil in there.

This is true, however, from what I know ANY car will form condensation INSIDE THE ENGINE overnight during weather that causes condesation to form. This is why, on a motor that has the little K & N breather filters installed on the valve cover or whatever, you will often see wisps of smoke coming out of the little filter when the motor is warming up. This is condensation in the oil being 'burned off' as the internals warm up. My other car does this, but once the motor warms up, the smoking stops.

If you've ever drained the oil out of a motor/oil pan when the motor hasn't been properly warmed up first (which you shouldn't do), sometimes there will be some of that 'milkshake' looking stuff which is water mixed into the oil.

Anyways... just to avoid this problem, you could make it a point to ONLY drain your catch can back into your engine AFTER driving the car, the oil is fully warmed up, and all the condensation in the catch can should be evaporated. This is easy for me to see as I have the $20 catch can which is completely see thru, and after driving the car the oil always reverts back to it's dark water free self.

As long as you keep the inside of your catch can clean (I always thoroughly clean mine after draining the oil out of it) and it's working properly, fully sealed and no vacuum leaks, there is really no reason why you shouldn't be able to dump that oil back in the engine. But if there is visible condensation in the oil (even after warming up the car which there shouldn't be but just in case) then it's probably better not to dump that back in the valve cover.

By the way, I had a conversation with two techs at the service department of the dealership where I bought my SRT from, one of whom was actually the first person to advise me to get a catch can to begin with (they've had several owners come back complaining of the leaking oil), and they both said they agreed there was no reason why you shouldn't be able to reuse that oil.