Welcome to NESR! Most features of this site require registration, including replying to threads, sending private messages, starting new threads, and uploading files. Click here to register.

Results 1 to 15 of 15

Gas in the oil!!

  1. #1
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Gas in the oil!!

    Some background first...
    Bike has been sitting since last October, gas stabilized, etc. Ryan and I worked on the bike earlier that summer, (new chain, sprockets, CCT and valve shims) which included inspecting the carbs and cleaning them. Also synced them and adjusted the air/fuel settings, etc. He did a great job. When all was said and done, bike ran great. Over the next few months, it slowly lost the crisp throttle response it had earlier. I also began to notice a raw fuel smell…especially when the engine was hot, and I’d turned it off for 10 minutes or so. When I went to restart, it would crank longer than usual to fire up, and even when it did, it was a slow and sluggish idle. Also, the gas mileage sucked. Then, last October, I started it up and got a steady plume of whitish blue smoke out the can that and it didn’t burn off…just kept smoking. This had never happened before. So, not knowing what was causing it, I shut her down before any more possible damage could occur, if any. Fast forward to two weeks ago. Drained all the gas from the tank and replaced with fresh. Time to investigate the smoke issue. Take everything off right down to the carbs. Havent touched them yet. Next, oil change. Here’s where it gets interesting. As the oil drains into the catch pan, all I smell is RAW gas!! The oil reeks of it! This is a first! I’m thinking that is what most likely caused the smoke…the gas diluted the oil to the point that it could get into the combustion chamber and cause the smoke. Ive been in touch with Ryan, and he hit the nail on the head…no amount of throttling or running would be enough to dump so much gas into the oil. It must be a carb-only prob. He’s going to temporarily loan me a set of his carbs to see if the problem clears up. If all goes as expected, things will point back to my carbs. I feel its definitely a carb/fuel delivery problem, but what could cause gas to be dumping into the crank case? Im gonna do the visual inspection, use carb cleaner, change the plugs, and go as far as my limited experience with carbs will take me…this will be a good opportunity to learn more. But I need to have a good idea of what direction to take, or I might overlook something that would be obvious to others who’ve dealt with this sort of thing. Anyone familiar with this issue?

    Oh, almost forgot...a few years back, the pilot/float(?)-forget which ones-needles were shimmed, each with two .5mm shims, just in case this might be a factor to consider. Thanks for any help!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by greenmonster; 04-26-08 at 03:33 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member spydah's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Fitchburg, MA
    Age
    47
    Posts
    701

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    One possibility is that your rings are junk. Thusly gas would enter into the crank case, and oil would enter into the combustion chamber and make lots of white smoke. The poor performance would be due to lack of compression. You should do a compression test just to make sure that is not whats going on.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  3. #3
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Quote Originally Posted by spydah View Post
    One possibility is that your rings are junk. Thusly gas would enter into the crank case, and oil would enter into the combustion chamber and make lots of white smoke. The poor performance would be due to lack of compression. You should do a compression test just to make sure that is not whats going on.
    Thanks for your input, Spydah. The bike has 17K miles on it...never beaten. It's a '97. From what youre saying, if my rings are shot...any unburned gas going into the combustion chamber is making it past the rings....into the oil, and then coming back up past the rings and then burning as the smoke? Do I have that right? That would mean an awful lot of gas is going unburned and getting past the rings...I forgot to mention...Ive only put 500 miles on since last summer and fall, right before the smoking started in October, and this started all at once...if my rings were going, wouldnt the smoking be a gradual thing?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  4. #4
    Satans Donkey Uncle Snake's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Central VT
    Age
    58
    Posts
    2,734

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    My money's on a stuck float in one of the carbs,. Seems like most often it's the one on the shifter side. Float sticks and fuel keeps flowing. Good luck sorting it out. Regards, Jake

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Jake
    2006 ZX-10R
    1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100

  5. #5
    Where is my fast? GixerJockey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Meriden, Ct
    Age
    51
    Posts
    7,931

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    It's also possible that its something as stupid as leaving the petcock in the "prime" or gravity feed psoition...

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  6. #6
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Quote Originally Posted by GixerJockey View Post
    It's also possible that its something as stupid as leaving the petcock in the "prime" or gravity feed psoition...
    Hmmmmm....that didn't occur to me....well, during the riding season, I leave the petcock in the "on" position. I dont turn it to "off" at the end of a days ride. I was under the impression that you could leave it on until you had a reason to turn it off, like taking off the tank, etc. Arent bikes today designed so that it can be left on? Not sure...

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  7. #7
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Jake...thats a good point...stuck float...I picked up some carb clean today. I hope it really is just a stuck float, some gunk or whatnot. Wish I had EFI!!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  8. #8
    Newbie
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    North Walpole NH
    Posts
    5

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Had the same problem with a GSXR. It was stuck floats.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  9. #9
    I like my cool old bike. Ericthejet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Middlebury VT
    Posts
    1,197

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    My $ is on a stuck float(s).
    The gas can flow backwards it would seem into the airbox and drain into the crankcase. Clean carbs, floats will do their job holding back fuel flow once up to their proper level.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  10. #10
    Just Registered Doc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Jericho, VT
    Posts
    19,396

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Snake View Post
    My money's on a stuck float in one of the carbs,. Seems like most often it's the one on the shifter side. Float sticks and fuel keeps flowing. Good luck sorting it out. Regards, Jake

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
    Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
    BOMO Instructor
    EX# X

  11. #11
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Snake View Post
    My money's on a stuck float in one of the carbs,. Seems like most often it's the one on the shifter side. Float sticks and fuel keeps flowing. Good luck sorting it out. Regards, Jake
    Why is it more often on the shifter side? Is this true of most I-4 bikes, or Kawi's in particular?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  12. #12
    I like my cool old bike. Ericthejet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Middlebury VT
    Posts
    1,197

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    If the bike is on it's side stand then that would be the lowest point for the gas to flow.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  13. #13
    Lifer greenmonster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Posts
    1,275

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    So, what practice do most of you use...turn the petcock off after a days riding, or leave it on throughout the season?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  14. #14
    I like my cool old bike. Ericthejet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Middlebury VT
    Posts
    1,197

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    I too have had issues in the past with the same setup.
    I rebuild my fuel tap every 2 tears just to be safe.
    2 things have to fail in order for gas to flow freely. One is the tap itself. If the diaphram fails to re-seat it will allow the fuel to flow. Your floats have to be stuck open to allow gas to keep flowing. If the tap fails and a float fails then you will get fuel running amuck.

    Get a fuel save jar, disconnect your fuel line at the carbs and test the operation of the tap to be sure.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  15. #15
    LRRS EX #99 Kitt's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Lake Champlain, VT
    Age
    41
    Posts
    6,160

    Re: Gas in the oil!!

    ur floats are sticking... these bikes have a lot of vibration and precision stuff likes to get jammed up... I had this problem on my f2 all the time, one more beuatiful reason i love my FI

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •