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Smoking coming from engine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TheNewGuy
  • Start date Start date
If youre hearing air in the oil fill hole thats indicating blow by past the rings. 3 and 4 are indicators of valves leaking. I would adjust the valves and add a good dose of a 50/50 mix of Acetone and any regular transmission fluid into each cylinder and let the sauce soak 2 or 3 days. The sauce will eat up carbon that may be sticking the rings up. Lay a rag on top of the plugs holes and crank it to expel most of the sauce from the cylinders.

Be sure to restart the bike out side because its gonna smoke like a steam engine for a good 10 minutes or more. Then ride the living snot out of it and do some drag runs with it to abuse the rings a bit and get them freed up again. THEN recheck your compression and do another leak down to see if the rings are doing better. Bikes thatb set a while can get stuck rings and cause the leakn down and lower compression numbers.

As for pulling the head. If it were me, I would yank the head because those 30 some year old vave stem seals may be close to end of life. I personally pull the entire top end and do rings and valve stem seals on any bike i get that shows signs of engine weakness. It only takes a day and you can pull the head and jugs with the engine in the frame.
 
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Valve adjustment should be done. At least check clearances to make sure they are not too tight. Tight valves will leak.

How long has it been since the engine ran, and ran HARD? "Around the block" does not count, unless your block is the size of Rhode Island.
If the engine has been sitting for a while the cylinder walls might have a bit of surface rust, and the rings might be stuck.
Since you heard air through the oil fill, this is quite possible.

Chuck is right about the oil seals being hard, but before you spend a couple hundred dollars on gaskets, make sure your compression numbers are good.

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By ride the snot out of it..find a industrial complex thats closed on weekends and get in there and run it like your on a drag strip for 3 or 4 passes. And of course ride it a while to get it ran through a few heat up / cool down cycles as well. A little abuse goes a long way toward breaking a stuck ring loose and getting it to reseat.
 
Thank you for the quick replies. Going to adjust the valves and try that acetone atf trick mentioned then go out and ride it hard. Will report back in a few days. Just so I know , how much of that mix should I try down each cylinder?
 
Steve said:
Valve adjustment should be done. At least check clearances to make sure they are not too tight. Tight valves will leak.

How long has it been since the engine ran, and ran HARD? "Around the block" does not count, unless your block is the size of Rhode Island.
If the engine has been sitting for a while the cylinder walls might have a bit of surface rust, and the rings might be stuck.
Since you heard air through the oil fill, this is quite possible.

Chuck is right about the oil seals being hard, but before you spend a couple hundred dollars on gaskets, make sure your compression numbers are good.

.
Click to expand...

chuck hahn said:
By ride the snot out of it..find a industrial complex thats closed on weekends and get in there and run it like your on a drag strip for 3 or 4 passes. And of course ride it a while to get it ran through a few heat up / cool down cycles as well. A little abuse goes a long way toward breaking a stuck ring loose and getting it to reseat.
Click to expand...


An Italian tuneup usually refers to a process whereby a motor vehicle engine is run at full load for extended periods in order to burn carbon buildup from the combustion chambers, spark plugs, and exhaust system.
ab_tattoo_biker2.jpg
 
Got the tranny fluid,acetone and picked up some marvel mystery oil to have on hand. Heard lots of good things about it on here. Also, how do I attatch pictures?
 
Checked my valve clearences. #4 intake in way too tight. Cant fit my .03 feeler gauge
#1 intake and exhaust are both too loose
All others are in spec.
Im waiting on the tool to pull out the shims. So I can then check the sizes so I can then order new shims. Can the valve clearences being off be the reason my motor was smoking? Is it worth getting my clearences in spec before I go ahead and pull the head off? Or am I wasting my time and should just rebuild the head and throw on a new set of rings?
 
I have a few extra shims and there is also the SHIM CLUB in the services section. Check the first post of the shim club for instructions. Post what shims you need and I will see if I have them. Moral of the story is dont buy any when you can trade in the shim club for sure.
 
Thanks for letting me know about the Shim Club. I'll see what I need tomorrow.
 
While you are searching, scrambling and acquiring things, check out the invitation in my signature.

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So, got my valves adjusted(zip tie trick worked) and no difference. Engine still doesnt want to start right away or idle. Took it out and ran it Hard. Comoression is still 90-80-80-90. Am I out of options and rebuild is the next step?
 
Those are horrible numbers. Youve done everything suggested so if it were me it would be new rings, lap the valves at a minumum. and new valve stem seals. Ideally you would want someone to freshen the valve seats..which of course means rechecking and putting in new shims so youre within clearances again. Maybe Rapidray could do this for you??? I got a buddy in Texas that has the cutters and does them.
 
chuck hahn said:
Those are horrible numbers. Youve done everything suggested so if it were me it would be new rings, lap the valves at a minumum. and new valve stem seals. Ideally you would want someone to freshen the valve seats..which of course means rechecking and putting in new shims so youre within clearances again. Maybe Rapidray could do this for you??? I got a buddy in Texas that has the cutters and does them.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply. I tried ALL the steps suggested before the rebuild. Like you said. I already bought the valve stem seals (knew rebuild was coming in the back of my mind) Definatly want the head done by someone who knows how to do one. I think I can handle new rings (I hope)
 
Does anyone have a good recommendation to rebuild the head? Anything else I need to buy/know before going further? Best current source for rings,head gasket,base gasket ect? All help is appreciated.
Thank you
 
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