cylinderhead discolouration

[rovert57]

after being stuck in stop-start traffic for over and hour
when cleaning the bike today i noticed that the
left-hand cylinder seems to be slightly a different colour to the right-hand one the temp of the oil was very high any thoughts on this please.

 

[duckspeed]

What year is the bike ?

 

[rovert57]

its a 2011 tc gsa

 

[Alan R]

Do you mean the magnesium coloured cam shaft cover? If so my mate has a 2012 RT that had the cover off the same side replaced for the same reason under warranty. The dealer explained that it was part of a 'bad batch'.
If you have a good relationship with the supplying dealer, try for a good will replacement.
Alan R

 

[rovert57]

I have had the bike only for a few months ,bought it from williams motorrad in Manchester will have a run up there and speak to them .

 

[Alan R]

The very dealership.
Alan R

 

[Bendy toy]

If you regularly ride in slow traffic you will need to use a better grade oil that can cope and expect the covers to discolour again.

But any air cooled engine will suffer when there is no air flow.

 

[Bendy toy]

This looks flippant but might just work for £25 a pair. Clip to the fuel tank crash bars to blow over the cylinders.

http://www.roadking.co.uk/12v24v-fans.html

BTW I was getting concerned bout engine heat last time I had to ride through central London. An air-cooled bike of any type is not the tool for the job.

 

[Captain Black]

after being stuck in stop-start traffic for over and hour
when cleaning the bike today i noticed that the
left-hand cylinder seems to be slightly a different colour to the right-hand one the temp of the oil was very high any thoughts on this please.

Did you turn it off when the temp of the oil was very high ?

 

[Bendy toy]

Did you turn it off when the temp of the oil was very high ?

And park on the side stand allowing cooked oil to fill the rocker cover and scorch the paint.

 

[Alan R]

If you regularly ride in slow traffic you will need to use a better grade oil that can cope and expect the covers to discolour again.

But any air cooled engine will suffer when there is no air flow.

Nonsense and another Bendy generalization. The dealer clearly said that it was a bad batch in the case of my mate's RT. He's ridden through slow traffic in high summer heat in France since with no repetition of the problem. I've ridden my R1200GS many times in slow moving traffic in tarmac melting temperatures in Spain with no discoloration.
Alan R

 

[rovert57]

only switched the bike off once the oil temp gauge did not rise above the small point indicater and the info sais the oil was ok , but when I pulled into the services at j19 m6 , I did leave it on the side stand , makes me think that coment might have some viability . but this sould not happen on a modern bike .

 

[Beemerman59]

only switched the bike off once the oil temp gauge did not rise above the small point indicater and the info sais the oil was ok , but when I pulled into the services at j19 m6 , I did leave it on the side stand , makes me think that coment might have some viability . but this sould not happen on a modern bike .

The oil "OK" message just indicates oil level. I can't see having the bike on the sidestand would do anything whatsoever especially after a run down the motorway. Maybe the previous owner replaced a head cover having dropped it - paint never matches from one run to another.

 

[Bendy toy]

Nonsense and another Bendy generalization. The dealer clearly said that it was a bad batch in the case of my mate's RT. He's ridden through slow traffic in high summer heat in France since with no repetition of the problem. I've ridden my R1200GS many times in slow moving traffic in tarmac melting temperatures in Spain with no discoloration.
Alan R

Selective bollox as ever.

I said that ANY AIR-COOLED ENGINE WILL SUFFER WHEN THERE IS NO AIR FLOW. That'a fact and would equally apply to a water-cooled if the cooling fan failed. Just because its not seized up does not mean no harm has been done.

That has nothing to do with the engine being new, old or otherwise. The only exceptions which pedants will raise are VW Beetle type engines that have cooling fans blowing air over the cylinders.

As for the discoloured paint - I am guilty of assumptions.

As ever the details emerge in dribbles and we now know (more of) the story. The bike was ridden on the M-way after its hot session so the paint colour was probably different from the outset. As said by @Beemerman.

 

[Alan R]

expect the covers to discolour again.

I ride my air cooled engined bike in many and varied conditions. I have not experienced and do not expect the covers to discolour. My input into this thread is based on a particular experience of a friend's bike. I related the problem and explained the dealers response and remedy. I compared his experience with mine and concluded that the dealer seemed to be telling the truth.
Bendy, you are right that lack of air flow isn't conducive to the wellbeing of an air cooled engine, but I consider that you are wrong to definitively conclude in a sweeping statement that discoloration is an inevitable expectation. I read your many posts with interest as you clearly are a knowledgeable chap, but you often make shaky assumptions that you posit as fact.
Alan R

 

[Bendy toy]

Now that the full story has dribbled out, we know the bike was used on the motorway after its hot session in town. So that discolouration on one side is more likely a difference in the original paint batch colour. Im sure the overheating (alleged/claimed/catastophised about) is was total red herring.

Has the affected cover been repainted or replaced with one from a different batch (e.g. repaired crash damage?).

Point taken about the bikes being solid. Few could handle what these do. However, any paint will discolour if not up to the task. Its also possible for oil to get extremely hot especially at the cylinder heads - not good of course and the bike would be literally stinking hot. That could potentially discolour a normal paint.

 

[duckspeed]

I'm sure if any assistance may be due that Williams will be sure to achieve the best outcome for you