Smoking question

Gentlemen

No this isn't about recreational horticultural products but rather a 1996 1100GS...

I bought said bike a year ago and as it's not the only bike I have I've only done some 2k miles on it in that time. Some knowledge of the bikes history might help as a background to my question. It has only done 11K miles and sat pretty much unused as far as I can tell from the MOT history for nigh on 10 years. I also didn't buy it from the owner who hardly used it so didn't have the opportunity to learn much more about it.

All seems well so far with the bike and I like it enormously. Always wanted one but had two 1150's instead over a 9 year period as they were the current bike at the time.. The only 'concern' I have is that more often than not it produces plenty of blue smoke on cold start up. There seems to be no correlation between this and leaving the bike on centre or side stand. I've tried it both ways as the actress said etc etc... some days it does it, some days it doesn't.

The bike doesn't smoke under load or on the overrun which I would probably be more concerned about. When I first got it, it appeared over full of oil to me, and I drained probably two eggcup fulls out of the airbox. Since then no further oil has appeared in the airbox. It does appear to use some oil, even more than my 1150's did, but at 11K miles esp over 26 years it's hardly fully bedded in yet..

So my question is this.. should I be concerned about this and does it warrant further investigation or do they all do that sir?

topping up oil is cheap , pulling a motor apart isn't .
my 1150 used to burn alot of oil (33k mls ) now uses very little (115k mls )

just monitor it.

Rich C said:

It has only done 11K miles

Click to expand...

There’s your problem. It’s not run in yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

theoneandonly said:

just monitor it.

Click to expand...

Nin said:

There’s your problem. It’s not run in yet.

Click to expand...

Agreed chaps.

Thanks gents....

I'll just ride it and enjoy it...and stop fretting!

Mine has always smoked on start up..

I think some do and some don't...

Is it only when you use the side stand? Most BMW's smoke when the sidestand is used instead of the centre stand (including the 4 cylinder K's.

Oh no, not another signature....

topcat2006 said:

Is it only when you use the side stand? Most BMW's smoke when the sidestand is used instead of the centre stand (including the 4 cylinder K's.

Oh no, not another signature....

Click to expand...

33k on mine and it smokes like a good ‘un on start up if not used for a few weeks. Very soon clears though and never smokes at any other time.

No side stand as it has a sidecar on it

Andres

Gents

Good news then, 'some of them do that sir with no ryhme nor reason as and when they feel like it'...

I'm okay with that. Looks like I haven't got an issue I need to investigate.. Hoorah

Mind started intermittently smoking a couple of years ago. Centre stand helps, but I've been checking the compression every service since, in case it was a sticking valve, rings or similar. Results were confusing, ranging from 130L/170R (cold), 180L/150R (cold), but always both 180 hot. I've stopped bothering now, so I'm not confused anymore and the bike still runs fine and oil level doesn't drop significantly between changes.

My conclusion? Check to ensure there's no real problem, then ignore it and just ride.

Okay this may be controversial "but"

1) what oil is in it?

and

2) Is it always at the top of the sight glass when left on the sidestand for 5 or 10 mins when you come back in from a run and then put up onto the centrestand?

10W40 is a wee bit on the thin side for these old machines they were designed to use 20W50 Dino oil (BUT it's a personal choice Guv)

The Oil change is 3.8l with oil filter ( Mahle OC91D is an OE filter plus gives you the Alloy sealing washers in the box )


so back to the fill level "if" it's always at the top of the sight glass?

Personally I would take the bike out for run get it up to temperature and leave on the sidestand for a while and when cool enough to work on it ?

Pop it up onto the centre stand and drain the oil (change the filter if you want) but drain the oil and leave it draining until it stops and replace the drain plug with a new washer (Torque is 32Nm)

If you have some means to measure the oil ? Just put back in 3.5 litres if not replacing the filter that way you can see it in the sightglass

For years I had customers complaining about excessive oil use and I asked them to "try" something

Go for a ride out and when you return leave the bike on the sidestand for at least 5 to 10 mins while you get gear off etc Then bump it up onto the centrestand

Next time before you go for a ride check the oil level if it is above the lower 1/3 leave it alone

If it's below put in 250cc and no more

Over time you will find that there is a level that the motor is content with its oil level and stops venting /blowing off oil

Most came back at next service saying that they had only topped up once or twice in the 6000 miles

I followed my own advice on my 1200GS that was left to me, I had become a compulsive oil topper upper, because of the know frailty of the early ones

When I at last followed my own advice oil usage went down to about 1/4 a litre between services and its happy level is between the lower 1/3 and the 1/2 way mark


Hope that helps

Dr F

Many thanks for your input here and taking the time and indeed to everyone else....appreciated..

In answer to your questions

1. the oil in it will almost certainly be BM 10/40 semi synthetic. not 100% sure but pretty confident..

2. Since reading some previous advice on here I've been leaving on sidestand for 10 minutes after a run out and then putting on centre stand. with this method the oil level is just above the red dot which I assume therefore to be ok. Im sure it was overfull when I first got it as the level was over the sight glass and now 2k miles later is where it is. Ive got an OE filter ready to do a further oil change to give the engine a flush after its 10 year lay off. Ill do that with 20/50 I think this time.. or is that too early on this low mileage?

The concept of an optimum level hadn't occurred to me. Ill keep monitoring and bear this in mind...

Thanks again...

R

You are very welcome

20W50 unless you are hooring around the track is perfectly suitable

it also usually cancels out that annoying clack clack clack when you start up after the bike has been sitting overnight when running thinner oils

Red dot is halfway and "Perfect" if it stays there

Service schedule is 6000 miles so its due plugs Oil and Air filter and an alt belt check/Tension @12000

Oh and check the felxible brake hoses around the head stock Steptoe had a thread about them bubbling / swelling and liable to burst !

Just changed plugs and air filter, oil change still to do... Changed the brake lines for stainless braided and the master cylinder piston which was leaking a few weeks ago. Much better now...

Not checked belt tension before nor for that matter valve clearances or throttle body balancing so shall have to roll my sleeves up...