GS1000S belching oil smoke

[hampshirehog]

B*gger.

I stripped my GS1000S motor last year for a cosmetic rebuild (i.e. blast and repaint). Everything measured up very well on spec so on the rebuild I lightly honed the bores and reused the rings. I put on about 3000 miles and she ran great - no smoke, plenty of get-up-and-go etc.

MOT ran out at christmas and she's been parked up for 6 months (properly 'wrapped up' for her rest). Too many other bikes / projects - I've gotta sell something!

On starting her up with fresh fuel / oil she decided to create a smoke screen the navy would have been proud of. Definitely oil smoke. She's been out on a very polluting run twice now with my idea she might clear herself, but to no avail.

So I pulled the cylinders this morning - bores are 100% (just about still see the hone marks), pistons are as clean as a whistle with no blowby. On the head however, no.1 is very clean (almost as clean as when I re-assembled) while 2,3 and 4 are covered in very oily carbon. (See pics - sorry, daughter's phone camera only).

Rings weren't stuck (could I have freed them off when pulling the block?). I guess next is strip the head down (valve stem oil seals?) but has anyone got any thoughts?

[KGB]

Valve stem seals.
First and foremost.
They are prone to drying out and not doing their job.

[gshub]

Valve stem seals.
First and foremost.
They are prone to drying out and not doing their job.

Wallly
my Gs1000s had new Ape valve guildes fitted about 2yrs ago ,when I got home
the Engineer was on me phone wondering where my old guilde seals were they had cooked
like nuts ,and had fell out.

[hampshirehog]

Wallly
my Gs1000s had new Ape valve guildes fitted about 2yrs ago ,when I got home
the Engineer was on me phone wondering where my old guilde seals were they had cooked
like nuts ,and had fell out.

Yep - stripped the head and the inlet valves on 2,3, and 4 all had oil behind them - no. 2 also had a very thin smear of something looking like red grease on the back too (no sealant in my motor). Exhaust valve stem clearances are pretty near service limit (they were last year) but I think I'll pop it back together and save that job for a rainy day.

Incidentally - the old gal must have been trying to tell me something; no. 1 inlet shim was Kawasaki (29mm instead of 29.5mm) and slopping around like a drunken ice skater. Real lucky I spotted my carelessness before it spat out. There's a lesson there to check the diameter of second hand shims and not just assume.

[SqDancerLynn1]

I see you checked the cyl, did you remove the rings and check the end gap ??? I would replace the rings, OEM valve seals and reassemble.

[hampshirehog]

I see you checked the cyl, did you remove the rings and check the end gap ??? I would replace the rings, OEM valve seals and reassemble.

Rings are fine - good end gap and free gap. Definitely OEM valve seals this time- the last lot were from a Vesrah gasket set and although they looked and felt ok on removal they were leaking big time.

[hampshirehog]

Got to wait for the gaskets (bummer - out of stock) so I thought I might as well get the guides done while I'm waiting. £120 all in at the Cylinder Head shop in Fareham and ready in a couple of days (they've promised) so I figured if I had to shell out for new gaskets again in a year or two I might as well give her a treat for telling me about that Kwacker shim.

[Suzuki mad]

Sounds like you've got it covered HH.

Be interested in the bloke who does your cylinder head as my head gasket is weaping oil from the front left side so has got to be stripped down.

[hampshirehog]

Sounds like you've got it covered HH.

Be interested in the bloke who does your cylinder head as my head gasket is weaping oil from the front left side so has got to be stripped down.

Here's their details:

http://www.robinsonsports.co.uk/cylinder-head/index.html

I've never used them before (the guy I've been using for years retired 18 months ago with no successor) but they were recommended by a friend of a friend.
I'll let you know what sort of job they do on my head.

[hampshirehog]

Picked up the head this afternoon so they beat their 2 day turnaround by a day. Looks like a real nice job and the guy who did it (Simon) obviously knows his onions and takes care and pride in his work.
We had a natter and he's an early (80s) Gixxer nutter by the way.

Still waiting for the gaskets though, otherwise she'd be on the road tomorrow .

[TheCafeKid]

Picked up the head this afternoon so they beat their 2 day turnaround by a day. Looks like a real nice job and the guy who did it (Simon) obviously knows his onions and takes care and pride in his work.
We had a natter and he's an early (80s) Gixxer nutter by the way.

Still waiting for the gaskets though, otherwise she'd be on the road tomorrow .

worthless without pics Hoggie..