Puff of Smoke!

Message

GregD-UK · #1 Post by **GregD-UK** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:01 pm

Hi all,

Had to get my bike mot'd this month, seeing s how it was sunny yesterday. I duly rang my local garage and booked a slot. Got it out of the garage and fired up....

Bloody puff of smoke came out the exhausts for around 20 seconds

Whitey grey colour, some smoke came out of the rear cylinder

exhaust first piece on the down joint

Anybody got any ideas as to why the smoke please

It's due a service, would fouled plugs, or because it has been used much, oil in the crankcase, guessing really...

Cheers.

HisNibbs · #2 Post by **HisNibbs** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:17 pm

White smoke indicates water.

If it hasn't been used for a while and if it goes fairly quickly I suspect condensation.

If it persists once the engine is warm, then I'd suspect a head gasket.

GregD-UK · #3 Post by **GregD-UK** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:34 pm

Hi all,

OK, so if it disappears after startup, I am OK

If it persists while riding, I am knackred. Head gasket, that isn't a good thing I guess

Cheers Nibbs, thanks for the quick reply...

fastasfcuk · #4 Post by **fastasfcuk** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:41 pm

as nibbs says, condensation in the exhaust. if your not loosing coolent do'nt worry about.

D-Rider · #5 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:26 am

Yep - I concur.

Head gasket water leaks often (but not always) give themselves away by emulsifying the oil too.

joecrx · #6 Post by **joecrx** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:22 am

mine is sitting in the garage, i start it up every 2 weeks or so , i to get steam comming out of the cans its just condensation and the cold weather, the air sensore might make it run a bit rich to in this cold weather , but it goes away , i run the bike till the fans come on takes about 20 minuts though, this makes sure the oil is warmed up and burns away any condensation if there is in there, sound normal to me

GregD-UK · #7 Post by **GregD-UK** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:41 pm

Hi all,

So, am I right in thinking that, if the smoke dissepates after startup, then maybe my head gasket isn't kerfuffled

Otherwise, surely the smoke would continue to burn while the bike was going....

No loss of coolant, fans don't kick in and my temp is ok when riding

Oil isn't emulsified I don't think.....

Thanks for the helpful advice as usual fella's

joecrx · #8 Post by **joecrx** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:24 pm

just remember these are 2 x 500cc pistons ( dusbin lids ) but your bike sounds fine to me , takes alot to wreck a rotax engine

GregD-UK · #9 Post by **GregD-UK** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:07 pm

OK Joe,

Thanks for the vote of confidence

I shall be doing a service in a couple of weeks. Redo my exhaust connections with sealant, as I have had my SL Carbon cans re-packed. Will seal with very high temp sealant 575 Degrees

Will sound very good, got an advisory note on my cans on tuesday on the MOT. Excessive noise

but he didn't fail me....

IsleFalco · #10 Post by **IsleFalco** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:23 am

Stop panicking, as everyone else says, it is just condensation in the exhaust. You would know if a head gasket has gone and it is not likely to go sitting in the garage. I just keep riding mine through winter - not every day but just when it is not icy. Come to think of it, not been riding it much for the last month or two..

My Falco remains in stealth mode. I put the OE cans back on last year and, apart from TT they stayed on. I just got sick of the noise from the exhausts and prefer to hear the induction bark. Its a personal choice and age thing, I suppose.

Firestarter · #11 Post by **Firestarter** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:08 pm

Haven't started mine in about a month, fired it up this morning and same thing, "white" smoke. It kept doing this for over a minute, until a couple of judicious blips of the throttle cleared out the rest of the water in the exhaust.

If it clears after a few mins, it's probably nothing to worry about, especially if you've not lost any water from the tank