Is this a bad sign ...

[The Phantom Pieman]

I boughta GS about 4 months ago ... and over the winter haven't used it much.

This weekend was the first big trip .... 500 miles to the Italian Lakes and back. Gotthard tunnel there, Berdnado back.

In taking off the ali panniers, they , and the carrier are quite "sooty" from exhaust fumes ...

Is this normal, or have I got a problem.

The bike is an Sept 02 Adventure 10k kms on the clock, and it was dealer serviced as part of the purchase ....
Help!

 

[Commuter]

Explain

Explain quite sooty? Is it really thick or is just a dusting.

I hate to tell you but the GS burns oil until 15k/16k, especially in that beautiful playground you mentioned (lucky git), so I would expect some sooty deposits. If it is excessive, then check your oil levels and mention it to your local dealer.

Now if you pannier is getting hot, that might be of concern, at the exhaust might be interfering with the pannier and that means so adjustment is required.

HTH, Nick

 

[The Phantom Pieman]

You are right ... I'm lucky to have the playground I do ... Lake Como was 26 degrees ... the San Ben Tunnel was freezing ( not quite but there was still snow around!!!

If people have been , this just a truly stunning area, and the Italian ignore driving rules, so it's cathartic to go there after anal Switzerland ....

Three weeks ago it was a w/e trip round the Black Forest.

There is a moderately thick coating ... the corner of pannier is brown black with soot ( tho it's not "wet"), the black frame obvoiously has a covering as it is no longer gloss ..

You mention oil level .... would this be too much?

Also the bike is often stored on the side stand ... with the engine configuration as it is, could that be a problem

 

[The Phantom Pieman]

So only one reply ... does this mean I have an issue, or is everyone watching "Hudson Hawk"

Christ, I hope it's not the last one ......

 

[Gecko]

Best thing is to leave the bike on the side stand for about 10 mins after a run. Then put it up onto the centre stand to check the oil level. This allows all the oil to drain from the oil cooler back to the sump. Do it the same way each time to get consistent readings. the soot is probably nothing to worry about - they all do that especially in the first 15000km. After 15000 the engine is bedded in and things should settle down. If you have overfilled the oil you will likely have a leak from a blown oil seal not soot. Just check your oil levels carefully .
Parking always on the sidestand means the left cyclinder has a lot of oil the right doesn't so you will get a smokey exhaust at start up. Best to park it on the centre stand if just to avoid the excessive smoke at start up.

 

[The Phantom Pieman]

Thanks .....

 

[Paul Young]

I think Nick means, just keep an eye on the oil level as it may still be burning some so the level may drop below the minimum marker. I know that mine used to use oil until about 18k miles but the rate has now dropped off quite dramatically.

Leaving the bike on the sidestand can allow oil through the rings of the L/H piston so you get smoke on start-up & over filling can cause some oil to be chucked out of the breather into the airbox. It then gets fed into the engine to be burned off but means that the air can be fairly heavily saturated with oil mist. This shows similar symptoms to rich running......like sooty deposits.

HTH,