White smoke!

[Comfy Old Boots]

'99r850r 60,000 miles. I've been getting a lot of white smoke when it's left in the garage for a few days. I know it could be condensation and yes I did overfill the oil a while back but the oil level is now ok and I'm still getting a blast of white smoke (a lot! Of smoke).

Anyway, anyone able to tell me what's happening if the oil is getting past seals and is being burnt with the fuel? Is it important to get this checked and bits replaced or should I not worry and just use the centre stand?

 

[Loiq]

new pope elected?

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Lol.

I meant to add that I've an oil weep that appears to be coming from the oil drain plug and drifting back towards and over the side stand. Brass crush washers were replaced during last service. Oil and filters only. No red shoes or funny hats with men wearing dresses. However the Valves are within spec and recently had the throttle bodies synced. It runs well!

Their hardly connected are they?

 

[B4ndit]

My 1150 always does this when its cold. And its been cold in the morning for a long time this winter. It was worrying when I first saw it. Bike was bought during the summer. Maybe the previous owner knew something. But that was two yeaqrs ago and its still running great. But only once the first temperature bar is showing and then goes away on the next temperature bar. Must be the motronic up to something on my bike. For me its just embarrassing. No new knocks or jump in oil consumption. White smoke is usually water and doesn't smell. Centre stand doesn't make a difference for me. Hope that helps.

 

[Loiq]

have you ever cleaned the tank out? it could be a small amount of water in the lower part.... when the engine is cold it's not being evaporated... thus causing smoke?

once the engine is hot enough then it's not that obvious...?

just making a guess at it...

still think it's the pope if I'm honest about it....

 

[littleredrooster]

White smoke is usually just condensation, and is more noticeable in cold weather. Don't forget that when a gallon of petrol is burnt it produces almost a gallon of water as one of the by-products.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Brass crush washers were replaced during last service.

Should be alloy ones Owen but unlikely connection

Most likely condensation

 

[davegs]

Smoke

If you've over filed the engine you need to drain the air filter box as oil collects in here the drain plug's at the back of the filter box. Failing this flog it quick
preferable abroad!.

 

[Lobo]

What does the smoke smell like?
Oil smoke tends to be rather distinctly different in smell than steam, is what I'm thinking.

 

[Deleted account 220427001]

'99r850r 60,000 miles. I've been getting a lot of white smoke when it's left in the garage for a few days. I know it could be condensation and yes I did overfill the oil a while back but the oil level is now ok and I'm still getting a blast of white smoke (a lot! Of smoke).

Anyway, anyone able to tell me what's happening if the oil is getting past seals and is being burnt with the fuel? Is it important to get this checked and bits replaced or should I not worry and just use the centre stand?

just ride it you will be ok and keep an eye on the oil gauge dont overfill next time enjoy riding in the hot weather

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Hi Gang, thanks for the feedback.

It's mainly just embarressing!

I do need to drain the airbox thingie as I've not done that.

I'll check the tank but I hope I'm ok there. The drain hole is squeeky clean and after the previous tank on this bike rotted I've been quite fastidious about this.

In terms of the leak I'll change for alloy washers... was just wondering if there was a glaringly obvious connection that I hadn't read about.

It's probably a silly question but why does it only smoke when it's been left of it's side? It never does it when it's on the center stand! Hence me wondering if there were gaskets or seals or something connected with the oil leak that would need to be replaced before it blows up on me. You know what I'm like, I see 1 and 1 and come up with 3! I'm not getting that impression from any of you so I'll assume all is ok but worth keeping an eye on. I suppose the first thing to do is to sort the oil leak and see if the bike is consuming oil. It's hard to tell at the moment with the oil weeping.


In terms of what does it smell like. Well, I really don't know. There is a lot of it though when it does it and on a still calm day, it's still there when I've pulled down the road It's light grey and doesn't smell very nice. I'll try and get a photo of it next time I've left the bike for a couple of days. You might feel embarressed for me. It's just strange. It never did this before the last few months and I've had it for nearly 8 years and 35,000 miles.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

just ride it you will be ok and keep an eye on the oil gauge dont overfill next time enjoy riding in the hot weather

That's the plan

 

[Lobo]

There is a lot of it though when it does it and on a still calm day, it's still there when I've pulled down the road It's light grey and doesn't smell very nice.

That would be oil smoke, I'd say.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

That would be oil smoke, I'd say.

That terminal or just a sign of an old bike left of its side stand in a heated garage in a damp poor country!

 

[ahutcheon]

That would be oil smoke, I'd say.

Or running rich (black smoke vs blue smoke)?

 

[Flying banana]

It's probably a silly question but why does it only smoke when it's been left of it's side? It never does it when it's on the center stand! Hence me wondering if there were gaskets or seals or something connected with the oil leak that would need to be replaced before it blows up on me.

THis is a favourite trick of boxer twins, particularly the older ones. I have had four flat twins, 2 R80's, 1 R65 and and 1150 GS, and they all smoked after being left on the side stand. it is simply a small quantity of oil making its way into the combustion chamber on the left cyclinder due to gravity, and then getting burnt when the engine is next fired up.

I also had a K100 which did exactly the same thing every so often.

In my experience, unless it becomes excessive, don't worry about it too much. The colour of the smoke was generally a distinctive white, with a blue tinge. That is the sign of oil being burnt, rather than another problem.

I would make a point of leaving the bike on the maiin stand instead of the side stnad every time you park it up, for a week and see if there is an improvement. If there is, it is most likely to be simply as I described above. If not, or it is doing it even after the engine has been started and is running normally, then you will probably have a proper problem with worn rings, or valve guide, for example.

HTH

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

THis is a favourite trick of boxer twins, particularly the older ones. I have had four flat twins, 2 R80's, 1 R65 and and 1150 GS, and they all smoked after being left on the side stand. it is simply a small quantity of oil making its way into the combustion chamber on the left cyclinder due to gravity, and then getting burnt when the engine is next fired up.

I also had a K100 which did exactly the same thing every so often.

In my experience, unless it becomes excessive, don't worry about it too much. The colour of the smoke was generally a distinctive white, with a blue tinge. That is the sign of oil being burnt, rather than another problem.

I would make a point of leaving the bike on the maiin stand instead of the side stnad every time you park it up, for a week and see if there is an improvement. If there is, it is most likely to be simply as I described above. If not, or it is doing it even after the engine has been started and is running normally, then you will probably have a proper problem with worn rings, or valve guide, for example.

HTH

It does help a lot actually I was curious to know which bits would be worn if there was a real problem. Spent about two hours one day looking through old threads for a definative answer.

It only does it when it's been on the side stand and only seems to do it when it's left in the heated garage for 2-3 days.

The smoke is definatly blue white and is in fact quite impressive in it's volume

I'll just leave the bike on the center stand in future. Thanks for the reassurance

 

[DrFarkoff]

Owen are you sure you aren't being paranoid and topping up the oil too frequently?

MY preferred method for oil level checking is to go for a ride (a cursory glance beforehand to make sure there is some oil in the sightglass!) and when I come back in while I am taking my gear off I put her on the sidestand and "in theory" allow a percentage of the oil to drain out of the radiator (in your case radiators)

Then 10 minutes or thereabouts I go out and put her on the centrestand and then I wash her if she's boggin

If the level is anywhere close to halfway in the sight glass don;t add any more oil let her be See what happens ???

Perhaps as thought amongst quite a few she finds her own level and stops burning oil

Old Wives tale? I don't know but seems folks report a LOT less topping up oil when this method is followed

Cheers Big Lad Ride safe!

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Ha ha! I did as you suggest have a paranoid moment. OMG it's got no oil and I've got a leak Oh No! Topped up lot and ended up dropping some oil. I might just drop all the oil and put the correct amount in. Put a few new washers in and make sure it torqued down.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Ha ha! I did as you suggest have a paranoid moment. OMG it's got no oil and I've got a leak Oh No! Topped up lot and ended up dropping some oil. I might just drop all the oil and put the correct amount in. Put a few new washers in and make sure it torqued down.

Remember give it time to settle out of the radiators and it can only do that when it's hot and on the sidestand

AND when you have a full filter I think it's 3.5 litre