Engine smoking

[GoJoeGo]

So the right side of my engine has started smoking. Originally I thought it was from an oil leak around the valve cover but I cleaned and degreased the engine and it still smokes like a white smoke emanating around the right side exclusively and some white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipes at times.

Before the smoke appeared I disassembled and cleaned the carbs and replaced the O rings, I also oiled and installed new pod filters to replace the old ones and went up one main jet size to 105. When I put them back on the bike I filled the carbs with fuel using the prime setting. Being new to this I may have tried prime too many times or had it on too long because it took a while to start the bike and get it to idle, this is when I learned about adjusting the air screws and got them to a position that started up properly (Around 1 1/4 turns out). Could this have flooded the bowls and create a smoking situation? Should I check the float heights? Also I think the oil smells like fuel so I plan on changing the oil and filter right away.

I tested the vacuum hose on the petcock by sucking on it and smelling it and there is no fuel coming out of it so I dont believe the petcock is bad and it works as it should on each setting.

Am I on the right track? Should I consider other items to check that would cause the smoking? Im not legal on the road yet so I cannot go too far for a drive to test it out properly except around my four acres slowly and I also may be revving the engine in neutral too much, is this bad? I also plan on replacing the valve cover gasket and half moons since there is a slow leak around those areas and doing my valve adjustments in the near future.

Thanks for any information you may have

[GoJoeGo]

also more smoke comes out of the right exhaust pipe than the left. Left is mostly clear.

[rustybronco]

Besides pods, what mods have been done to the bike? was the exhaust system changed? what do the plug colours look like? black from excessive 'choking' it to start? or?

tell us how you cleaned the carbs. did you set the floats correctly?

if the oil smells like fuel, yes you should change it.

[GoJoeGo]

Besides pods, what mods have been done to the bike? was the exhaust system changed? what do the plug colours look like? black from excessive 'choking' it to start? or?

tell us how you cleaned the carbs. did you set the floats correctly?

if the oil smells like fuel, yes you should change it.

No mods except for the pods. The bike had K&N pods when I bought it but they were a little bent around the screens and didnt fit right when I went to reinstall them so I bought UNI pods. The exhaust is stock as is everything else as far as I can tell. I pulled two plugs to do a poor mans compressions test until I get a gauge and the plugs were black which I figured was from excessive choking. I plan to clean them up with some solvent and check the gaps or replace.

I took the carbs apart and cleaned everything individually with carb cleaner spray. I soaked and submerged the jets and screws and metal parts in a glass filled with cleaner. I didnt dip the carbs as I couldnt find any dip in the stores in Maine and I blew out the cavities with compressed air in a can. I cleaned the bodies with the spray and a clean rag. I replaced the O Rings from ones I purchased from Robert Barr (sp?). I did not check float heights but now I purchased a caliper so I plan to do that next time I pull the carbs. I didnt mess with the fuel mixture screws from the bottom except one when dissasembling but I feel I put it back to where it was. I did mess with the air screws and have them about 1 1/4 turns out.

I will change the oil but I was wondering if the chances of it getting contaminated again is high until I fix something else first?

[rustybronco]

Usually carb cleaning short cuts come back to haunt you. I suggest you do it correctly and set the float heights at the same time. also, with no previous history, all the usual things need to be checked including valve clearances, point gaps, coil voltage and resistances, compression ect.

do it correctly from the ground up or spin your wheels; it's up to you.

and, I'd wait until you at least check the float levels before changing the plugs and oil.

[koolaid_kid]

If the oil smells like fuel you need to:
Recheck the float levels and check your needle and seats. The only way fuel can get into the oil is for the fuel bowls to overflow. While you have them off, bench test the needle and seats by connecting your temp fuel tank to the carb bank, or the real fuel tank set to PRI. No way should your bowls overflow when the petcock is set to PRI, it is a standard setting for the petcock.
Once you fix that, change the oil and filter.
Under no circumstances should you run the bike with contaminated oil.

[GoJoeGo]

Thanks guys.

[1948man]

Did the bike run without white smoke before you cleaned the carbs and changed the pods?

[GoJoeGo]

Did the bike run without white smoke before you cleaned the carbs and changed the pods?

I haven't owned the bike very long before tearing into it and I'm new to motorcycles in general so I don't have a good baseline to compare it to. It feels like it started since I cleaned them. There was smoke on the left side of the engine when I bought it but it was directly related to a small oil leak dripping onto the exhaust. It has since stopped since I cleaned and degreaser the engine and smokes on the right side all around.

The bike also had pods when I got it but I'm thinking maybe I over oiled the new pods that I installed? I may clean them and reoil but I don't know if that can cause smoking.

Also the bike hesitates or stalls when I blip the throttle before gaining RPMs. Don't know if that's related or not. I think first course of action is to check the float heights and clear that unknown. Should I mess with the fuel screw? I was hesitant to touch them but I see in the VM carb cleaning I can remove them and clean them.

[TheCafeKid]

105 mains are still way lean (small) with pod filters.
You'll probably, even with a stock exhaust, want to be in the 115-117.5 range for the main jet size, and you'll also probably need to move the needle clip down toward the pointy end one notch (this raises the needle in the slide, creating a richer mixture sooner in the needle circuit). The smoke could be any number of things, from blowby coming out of the crankcase vent (the little hole on top of the valve cover facing toward the rear of the bike. In stock form this would have a hose connected to it that lead to your airbox) It could also be an oil leak around the valve cover (once they've started to leak, they won't stop unless you replace the gasket, and likely the half-moon rubber plugs behind the round cam end caps. The valve cover gasket, if a tear develops from hardening, will leak badly especially around the cam chain tunnel as the cam chain slings oil, and the half-moons harden and leak over time and many many years of heat cycles)
The smoke from the pipe could be from worn valve stem seals, or blowby around the rings (burning oil) or simply condensation burning off. It's not really good for the bike to be started and idled and then shut off without being ridden to operating temp as it invites condensation to the party. Without reaching operating temps, water is trapped in the exhaust and cases that would be boiled off when ridden. Obviously water in these parts for an extended period of time is not conducive to longevity, but I wouldn't freak out about it.

As has been suggested, I would pull the carbs, and soak the bodies as is recommended in the carb cleaning tutorial. To tune the carbs properly you need to have a known good baseline, and that requires the carbs to be absolutely clean. Spraying the passages won't break up stubborn deposits and varnish from years of neglect. You can probably save your new Orings, just be sure to take a good look at the holes in the jets and emulsion tube, maybe use some single strand copper wire to assure they're clear. But if you really want to be thorough I'd buy another set of Orings in case one or more are or get damaged in the process.
Order larger jets from z1enterprises.com. They're not overly expensive, so it would be a good idea to order four of each size from 112.5, 115, and 117.5. Each bike is a little different, so the best we can get you is in the ballpark. Having a range of jets on hand will lessen the wait time should you need to step up or down. I'm gonna guess you're gonna be at 115, but again, that's a ballpark from experience.
Move your needle clip down one notch, install the 112.5 (or the 115 if you only get the two larger sizes) set your fuel screws (ones on bottom) to one turn out from seated, set your air screws (ones on the side) at 1.75 turns out and see how she feels. The bike should pull from just off idle throttle to WOT (do this in second gear and have a nice straight clean stretch of road with as little traffic as possible ) without any stumbles, surging or bucking. It will also be a good idea to mark your throttle in 1/4 mark increments with tape to aid you in deciding which circuit(s) may be giving you trouble.

But.... I would ALSO suggest doing a valve adjustment before you bother with trying to tune anything. Again, a known good baseline is essential, and misadjusted valves will result in symptoms that may or may not be actually carb related. Having to choke the crap out of it to get it to start is one for sure. The valve clearances should be checked every 3000-5000 miles and you'd be amazed how often it's seldom to never been done when bringing one of these bikes back from the dead.

Good luck!

[GoJoeGo]

Wow TheCafeKid thanks for all the info. I thought 105 may be too small but I went with a recommendation to go up only one size however I like the idea of having a few sizes on hand to fine tune it.

My next step was to do the valve adjustments and replace the gasket and half moon cam ends while the cover is open.

I thought I read somewhere that carb dip is illegal in some states and I just figured since I didn't see it in the stores then Maine is one of those states. If that is the case, can I boil the carbs and parts instead? I've seen that as an alternative to dipping. Otherwise I'll check again for berrymans or similar and ask a sales clerk or order some online.

Thanks again!