Shocking find in catch can

G'day brilliant brains trust..
This afternoon I just had a feeling I should be emptying my catch can after about 1000kms since last time I did it (HPD Cath can) and I'm a little freaked out at what I found.

It was like there might have been a bit of water in there too, looked like when milk goes of and separates from water (if milk was black). Please see the pictures I've attached.

What's wrong with my ute?!

Hey mate. I wouldn't be too concerned, because the oil vapour it catches is so hot, you get a bit of condensation build up inside some catch cans, especially the metal ones. As long as the inside of the oil filler cap looks clean I wouldn't fret about that....

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Thanks mate, feeling less panicked now

It's actually expected, although the water content isn't supposed to condense early enough in the path out.

Look at the chemistry: 4 molecules of diesel (C12H23) plus 71 molecules of oxygen (O2) gives 48 molecules of CO2 and 46 molecules of H20. That's not always the case, of course, because air has nitrogen in it and imperfect combustion results in some CO (carbon monoxide) production as well. But the point is the amount of water - it's almost half!

Usually this water is ejected as super heated steam (it's way above its boiling point, with combustion temps up around 500C and over, usually) and shouldn't condense too quickly.

Obviously in your case it has. Is your catch can inside the engine bay, or did you install it in front of the radiator?

Here's another thing to think about. If the water is condensing that early (and noting that the intercooler is between the PCV input and the intake manifold), how much water is in your intercooler? I didn't notice any in my intercooler when I cleaned it but I might pop it one day during this winter and take a squiz.

Catch can sealing ok? Any chance of water from outside making its way in?

are you doing a lot of short trips? maybe it needs a good run.

Thanks for all the input so far guys.
In answer to your questions, the catch can is fitted in the engine bay between the left headlight and the radiator, I believe the seal was good as it took a bit of elbow grease to remove the cup, and it has been doing a lot of short trips lately (8km to work from the driveway).
When I took the photos I had only just gotten home from work and it was quite cold outside (east Victoria).. so would a warm engine and cold air have done much in this case?

The catch can will be positively pressured inside (so it's more likely to blow muck out than suck stuff in). Good to be concerned about it, but the crankcase never sucks, it only blows.

The cold will have a LOT to do with it. If the engine doesn't get up to operating temp, the engine bay will be cold and all of the widgets around it will be too. The colder the catch can, the faster any vapour (be that oil or water) will condense in it.