Thanks for the help!(smoke)

[vben714]

Hi, I'm hoping that I can find some help from the members of this site. I have looked in the manual but didn't find my anwser. When my 1981 XS 1100 G was giv'in to me the owner told me that it was acting funny? (and not HA, HA funny). After cleaning the bike up and before I tried starting the bike I went to change the oil. Well the damn crankcase was almost full with oil! I asked him if he knew about the site glass and he just shrugged "The site what?" Appearently not! I drained about 5.5 qts. of oil out. After filling with the correct amount of oil and changing the filter I was ready to start her up. She started up easiely and idled but after 4or 5 minutes of idling she began to smoke badly!. Now every time she starts after she warms up it smokes really bad. Before I tear off blindly any thoughs on where to start? THANKs

[prometheus578]

"Coupl'a thoughts."

I don't know how long you've owned this bike... nor how long you've had the engine running...
Anyway...
As you know, that excess oil, barring other possabilities for the moment, is what caused it to smoke.
(probably why the owner got rid of it)
Anyway... it's very likely that he ran it that way for a while.
It's also very likely that the inside of your exhaust system is thoroughly coated with oil.

She started up easiely and idled but after 4or 5 minutes of idling she began to smoke badly!.

Yup... just enough time for the header pipes to get hot enough to start burning that caked on oil residue.
You can... run the bike as it is till the oil burns off... or
If you feel industrious, you can remove the exhaust system and give it several good flushings with gasoline.
Like I stated, provided there is nothing else wrong here, this is the most likely answer.

Engines with certain mechanical problems usually start off smoking and then clear up as things heat up, expand and seal better. This doesn't seem to be the case

[Crazcnuk]

Mine smoked like crazy for the first 15 minutes or so when I got it running, and it burnt a fair amount of oil for the first couple of hundred kms. After that it stabilized and hasn't been using any oil, or smoking since.

[vben714]

Thanks!

Thanks for the info guys. This was my thought as well but you never know. There's always something that someone else knows that you don't, and you'll never find out unless you ask! I'll keep you updated. THANKS

[planedick]

Where

Where in So Cal are you. Lots of us here and most willing to help and always looking for riding buddies.

[vben714]

Yorba Linda! WoW! thats close! I'm in Santa Ana. I don't trust the XS 1100 yet but maybe we could go off road with my buggy? Its nothing spectacular, home made and one hell of alot of fun! Our motto is "....If it doesn't come home broken, We didn't have enough fun!!!....." Heres a couple of pics see what you think![IMG][IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG]

[81xsproject]

Just one more thing that wasn't mentioned. If you are going to let your bike sit and idle for long periods, you ought to get a fan to blow over it. I have an old box fan that I use when setting idles or synching carbs. Otherwise bad things could happen.

[trbig]

Another thing not mentioned,

If your float valves in your carbs aren't seating, it could be flooding gas into your crankcase causing an overfull situation. Make sure your crankcase isn't filling up again, or that the oil doesn't smell like gas.

A really rich running bike wouldn't idle very well though, so it is possible that the smoke is just excess crud in the pipes from having too much oil as stated.

Tod

[vben714]

Really, thanks for all the input on this subject! I will take into consideration everything I have read here and feel pretty sure that whatever the true problem is, it will be taken care of! I'll let you know how it goes a little later on in the day! Hopefully with the problem solved!

[prometheus578]

VBEN...
Now then... if your bike was painted the same as the buggy... that'd be ideal!

[vben714]

Hey now! Thats hand painted camo done painstakingly by me! LOL! I did one little bar and that was my mistake. Three weeks later and some very cramped hand and "PRESTO". But I'd be glad to paint your bike but how would you find it outside? LOL

[prometheus578]

"Simple, really."

I'd be glad to paint your bike but how would you find it outside?

By just following the sounds... to that group of people standing over there going.."Oooh... Aahhhh..."

[planedick]

Service call

I've been known to make service calls for XS11 repairs as far away as Temecula. I'd be interested in seeing it at least. Been to the desert many times back when, kinda old for that now.....

[vben714]

Thanks for the help!(smoke)

Hi guys, just an update. The smoking problem I was having is going away. I took off the pipes and sure enough they were coated with oil. Upon removing the spark plugs all 4 of them were oil fouled. I replaced the plugs rinsed out the pipes the best I could and have been taking my bike on short trips. With each ride my bike is smoking less and less. Thanks for all who gave me input on this subject. Heres a couple of pics of my bike.[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[manshack_one]

I like the extra set of lights. One more thing keeping you from being invisible. I'd put a spinning red/blue roof light on a stick on my bike if the cops wouldn't give me a ticket for "impersonating a police officer".

Everytime mine has smoked is because I left the petcocks on or the float stuck and filled my crankcase with gas. I probably have the cleanest crank case in the world as often as I run a gallon of gas through it! At least I'm getting better at oil changes. Did the last one wearing a white t-shirt and didn't even have to wash it afterwards.