Engine smoke

[tomatao]

WooHoo!!! I got my 79 XS1100SF to start. This bike has been stitting since 1992. Before starting it I did the following:
New Battery (of course)
Changed the Oil
Installed new plugs
rebuilt the carbs (bike was parked with fuel in it. The carbs were stuck shut)

So, I got it all back together and after several tries it fired up but....It was blowing smoke like a steel mill. I let it run for a few minutes before without revving over 3k but the smoke continued. The smoke was white and had a lovely oily smell. So, my question is do I just let it run for a while and see if it stops? Or do I assume that there is more wrong and I need to rebuild the engine? To the best of my knowledge the bike was running fine when it was parked.

My other thought it that I may have put to much oil in. The sight glass is pretty cloudy so I really can't tell how much is in there. I put in close to 4 qts which is probably a qt to much.

[fredintoon]

Hi Tomateo,
it's a fair to good chance that it's just the oil rings stuck down in their grooves after sitting so long and that simply running the bike will free them up. So yeah, just run her a while. I have never used the product myself but there are those on this list who claim that Seafoam will cure warts and raise the dead let alone fix your engine. I'd check out their website and see what they say about dumping some into your engine oil.

[prometheus578]

"I agree with Fred."

Let her run for a while.
All the bikes I've resurrected smoke fer a spell.
Might take a hunnerd' miles or so, but should clear up eventually.
It's too early to tell if you have engine problems, but I don't think that you will.

[mason79]

then after that hundres, check the compression to satisfy your curiosity

[petejw]

wat the boys said above.

when u have the motor running are there any
noises coming from it?

[79XS11F]

White smoke is likely going to correct its self with use. Run it like your breaking it in again until the rings are re-seated and free in their groves. Blue smoke however is not a good thing.
Rob

[tomatao]

Thanks fella's. I wanted to make sure I wasn't making a small problem a big one by running it.

Pete..Other than an occasional miss and need to set the idle the motor runs smooth.

Now I will start on the brakes.....

[DiverRay]

You can pull the plugs, and put a little Seafoam or Berryman's B12 down each plug. If you rotate the engine by hand, you can get all four pistons about 1/2 way down. Pour about 2 ounces in each hole, put the plug in about two turns and let sit.
The next day, pull the plugs and turn the engine over with the starter. Put the plugs back in, and fire it up again. You WILL have some smoke and smell until the exhaust has reached a normal operating temp.
The Berrymans will loosen the old oil, gas, etc. that may be causing the rings to stick.

[prometheus578]

You WILL have some smoke and smell until the exhaust has reached a normal operating temp

And then a little while longer till the oil gets burned off from the inside of the pipes.

[tomatao]

How do I rotate it by hand if I don't have a kick start?

[mason79]

pull the timing cover off

[fredintoon]

some extra pointers

"pull the timing cover off"
That's the little cast cover on the right side of the engine with "YAMAHA" on it. There's a bunch of screws holding it on. Inside there's the ignition triggers and a big hex nut in the middle. Put a wrench on the nut to rotate the engine. Know that the XS1100 engine runs backwards so turn the nut clockwise. If you don't want to go through this hassle, put it in top gear and either put the bike on it's centrestand and turn the back wheel or just push it along a little.

[tomatao]

Thanks...I figured out the timing cover about the time I hit enter. I think my head and my butt had a date.

Anyway, I put some Seafoam in this evening. We will see how it goes tomorrow. I also found that I'm only running on 3 cylinders. The #3 cylinder has spark but the exhuast pipe is not getting hot. I'm going to pull the carbs back off and make sure I didn't miss something.

[jeffe]

Maybe my engine is in backwards but is under the left side cover on mine. That is as I'm sitting on it.

[fredintoon]

Oops

Hi Jeffe,
sorry about that, must be the dyslexia kicking in again. Yes, you are absolutely correct, the timing cover is on the LEFT side of the engine. (would you believe I actually went and looked at it before I made that last post and still got it wrong?)
Still & all, the engine does so run backwards.