[apaschall]

Hi - I have a 2005 V-Star 1100 Classic that I absolutely LOVE! Over the past week she has been giving me one heck of a headache. Was planning to go for a day trip when I got 6 miles or so from the house and white smoke was pouring from the front exhaust manifold. Got her back home and I could see a little oil near the valve cover so removed the valve cover - cleaned the surfaces and replaced the gasket with a new OEM. To make sure all the oil was off the bike I cleaned the engine with engine cleaner. Next day - started the bike up and white smoke still. The valve cover does not appear to be leaking at all now.

Would oil have seeped into the exhaust gasket and not burn off quickly? I have cleaned every part of the front cylinder head and cannot find an outside oil leak. Something inside causing the white smoke?

I am at a loss. Any ideas please?

 

[KCW]

Make some really soapy water with Dove or something similar, Spray it around the exhaust connection to the head when the bike is cold, start the bike up.

If there is an exhaust leak or head gasket leak the soapy water will foam up.

If you dont see anything, and you dont see any new oil leaks, ride the bike for several miles. It can take a while for oily metal to completely out-gas when its hot.

We cant see what you are seeing - if the bike is streaming out white smoke, then something else is going on. Maybe you motorcycle has elected a new pope?!

Its not coming out the tail pipe, right? Its just coming off the exhaust manifold?

And it smells like oil, yes? Hot gasoline will also vaporize and look like white smoke.

 

[apaschall]

Thanks for the advice!

I will try the soapy water today and see what happens. I will have to wait to take her out for a few mile ride until after the hurricane passes.

The smoke at this point is not streaming. I will try and get a video if possible.

Thanks again!

 

[Keith Post]

Please keep us updated on what you find as I’m curious myself. Please be careful there in VA as Florence approaches.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KCW]

you dont have to make a video - if its like you put oil in a frying pan and let the pan get too hot - thats just vaporized oil coming off the hot exhaust pipe.

It sounds like you have already fixed the oil leak - it will just take a little longer for the hot pipe to outgas the oil that was on it.

 

[NorthernRider]

I'm curious too. I had an oil leak from a valve cover once and did take a bit for it all to burn off. It seeps into all kinds of places.

 

[apaschall]

Thanks everyone.

I sprayed the motor with soapy water this morning and saw no bubbles. Took the bike out for a short like 5 mile ride because she was still smoking sitting in the garage. When I got back from the ride she was still smoking. Nothing as bad as when there was a leak. Could she still be burning off oil from the leak? No new signs of a leak that I can see....All of the smoke appears to be coming from the exhaust and exhaust cover.

Tried to make a video but having difficulty getting them to upload...The shareable link is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4o_L31Vo3dfdFpkQmIxUW50M1Q3OXFOMjI5NWhsUDk0OFV3/view?usp=sharing

 

[KCW]

5 miles is just enough to get the bike up to steady state temperatures. It will take 30 miles to clean off the residue completely.

Keep an eye on your oil level, but as long as the smoke is not getting worse there is nothing leaking.

I use to put aftermarket headers on vintage VW beetles. They were painted black to keep them from rusting while they were still in the store. When I put one on the car it took a good month for all the enamel paint that was going to either burn off or outgas to stop stinking.

It wont take that long for your exhaust to purge itself, unless maybe some oil got down between the pipe and the chrome heat shields.

 

[gpday1]

Thanks everyone.

I sprayed the motor with soapy water this morning and saw no bubbles. Took the bike out for a short like 5 mile ride because she was still smoking sitting in the garage. When I got back from the ride she was still smoking. Nothing as bad as when there was a leak. Could she still be burning off oil from the leak? No new signs of a leak that I can see....All of the smoke appears to be coming from the exhaust and exhaust cover.

Tried to make a video but having difficulty getting them to upload...The shareable link is: IMG_1802.MOV

Hi there, I have exactly the same symptoms on my Dragstar as yourself and your video reflects the same level of smoke as mine. What was the eventual outcome please?

 

[Deeksvstarclassic]

That is an old thread you may not get a reply. Sounds like the tappet cover is leaking there is an o-ring in there and that is probably it. There is really nothing else up there to smoke

 

[gpday1]

Thank you!

 

[Jspree]

Insure the cover is still flat, the get warped from people over tightening them, also the o'ring go bad , you can buy high temp o'rings in the same size from an industrial shop if you take the old o'ring to them....Cheers

 

[gpday1]

Thanks, 👍