Okay so I want to preface by saying that I was in an accident a few months ago I posted up about ended up hitting a deer everything seems okay other than headlight and Plastics damage. The bike Road fine didn't show any signs of burning coolant or oil or anything like that haven't even noticed a change in the coolant level. Being I was injured from the accident I put the bike up and stored it away until riding season. Started it once a week and let it idle for about half hour. I got really sidetracked for a while last month and finally got the starting it recently and noticed after about a month of sitting the oil had a milky look and it's scaring me into thinking there's coolant in the oil. So I immediately went out got a new filter and oil filled it changed it ran it for a while it seemed to have went away. Now after getting a couple rides in I'm noticing there's this white cream that's underneath of the oil fill cap all the time and it's worrying me that possibly small amounts of coolant are getting into the oil somehow. so I have stopped riding. Theres no milky look to the oil anymore but I'm going to send out the oil for analysis. does anybody have any idea as to how or where there could be coolant mixing it's not burning anything at all in the combustion chamber has no signs of it on the spark plugs and it doesn't have any white smoke or smell like burning coolant. The bike still runs great no misfiring and I noticed that if I open up the fill cap on the radiator there is no bubbles are oil inside of the radiator showing possible signs of blown head gasket. Im worried could be a small crack in head or block from accident? Could be from water pump seals going bad? Whatever it is it's a very small amounts mixing with it but it's still worrisome.
White "cream" under fill cap?
- Thread starter James417
- Start date
It's from condensation in your engine, starting the bike and letting it idle for that long is worse than not starting it at all.
If the bike is stored in an unheated area, the engine is getting hot but not hot enough to burn off all the condensation and it gathers on your rad cap which is vented when the engine cools...
Make sure you change the oil as the viscosity has been compromised.
If the bike is stored in an unheated area, the engine is getting hot but not hot enough to burn off all the condensation and it gathers on your rad cap which is vented when the engine cools...
Make sure you change the oil as the viscosity has been compromised.
What Bumblebee said, starting out and not getting out and riding out will cause condensation in the engine.
Agree but to clear this up, “condensation and it gathers on your rad cap which is vented”...the condensation is under the oil fill cap not the rad cap and the oil cap is not vented. Idling for a half hour once a week is very bad for the motor and clutch pack.
Awesome thank you for the replies. I was aware it was pretty hard on bearings and clutch to idle like that being its just warming up very slowly and not building good oil pressure but I figured was better than letting it sit when like 10 degrees out for few months lol. But i did change the oil and it came oil little milky colored but most of it was normal looking. Just took a sample of fresh oil after a few hour ride to get it analysed to be safe but good to know its likely condensation. Thank you for the tip on idling im gonna avoid doing that again didnt even think about how rough it is for engine to sit like that idling.
Same, I wasn't aware there would be any issue letting it idle other than possible overheating. How is it harmful to non-moving parts?
Did I say rad cap? I meant what you said....
When an engine is idling it doesn't get to temperature or get the oil pressure up enough to blow out the condensation or lubricate bearings.
The fuel mixture remains rich which fouls plugs and carbons things up.
It also creates a low frequency vibration which causes a few issues, things like lawn mower engines will beat themselves to death by idling too long.
I rarely let any of my engines idle for any length of time...5 minutes maximum and only if they are cold-sitting in traffic is obviously an exception.
Weird...I could understand the vibration and fouling for sure, but mine will overheat if let it idle over 15 mins
No clue why...less than 2yr old radiator, high pressure cap, thermostat, engine ice, and muzzy fan. Doesn't matter if its 20F or 105F.
Water pump is the only thing left...Weird...I could understand the vibration and fouling for sure, but mine will overheat if let it idle over 15 mins
No clue why...less than 2yr old radiator, high pressure cap, thermostat, engine ice, and muzzy fan. Doesn't matter if its 20F or 105F.
Weird...I could understand the vibration and fouling for sure, but mine will overheat if let it idle over 15 mins
No clue why...less than 2yr old radiator, high pressure cap, thermostat, engine ice, and muzzy fan. Doesn't matter if its 20F or 105F.
That sounds like there could be air in the system.
That sounds like a possibility too...good catch!
That's what I thought, but I bled it after the install and once last year since I had 1/2 a bottle of E-ice left. No luck. Considered dumping it and going back to regular anti-freeze.
I could dump most of it out and re-fill since I still don't have fairings on, I guess.
Not tracking the bike I’ve always used regular coolant and when it’s hot enough to cause the fan to come on, it cools back down.
My bad, that's what I meant.
While moving at 30+MPH, no issues. My fan comes on at stops, keeps it on the line, and shuts off if I am not there long. If I am stuck idling a while: the fan will kick on, temp continues to rise, the temp gauge climbs, and eventually maxes out with the fan going full blast
Yeah i would definitely agree its likely water pump or possibly air that need to be burped out. My 5.0 had same issue over heated bad constantly sitting idling for more than 10 mins in traffic ended up being air in system and a faulty headgasket. Recently install new heads and,one of the head gaskets hadnt been cut the right size and restricted coolant flow
Mythos
Registered
I read no further. This what happens when you start a bike in cold air and don't ride it so it gets really warmed up. It's water mixed with oil. It can be hard to not have that happen even if you do ride the bike. I never start the bike in storage until I'm ready to ride and that is when it warms up enough to go fast or else there's no sense in riding anyway.
It won't hurt. IMO, it's something to avoid doing repeatedly if you can help it. Just wait until the air gets warm and ride and the cream will burn off. I don't think there's any reason to change oil. Whatever condensation is in the upper engine is there until it evaporates. The oil on the parts will inhibit rust. I had the cream and no rust in my upper engine or the crankcase. I still think it's something to avoid.
That's never happened to mine. The temp gauge has never maxed out. Its only been as high as maybe three quarters of the way to the limit. Mine normally runs just below the half way point unless I'm in traffic. Which reminds me, I've been over here for three years and eight months so the last time I had it flushed and refilled had to be at least four years ago if not longer. Hmmmm
Berlin Germany
Registered
@James417
if you have a gen1
here my experiances
at very 1st move the fan switch from radiator to rubber hose RH
if the the temp pointer still rises over midline (till flashing the red light)
"burp" the rad. again
(and eventually replace the standard switch 105°C by the 95°C switch from suzuki)
if then the temp still is rising over midline after 15 minutes in idle , in traffic jam or so
but not when riding continously,
your head gasket has a real problem and needs to be replaced.
see:
Temperature sensor Gen I move the Gen I fan switch
and
Change Gen I temperature sensor to 95 ° C
and (in general)
Motor ( mechanics / Water cooling)
if you have a gen1
here my experiances
at very 1st move the fan switch from radiator to rubber hose RH
if the the temp pointer still rises over midline (till flashing the red light)
"burp" the rad. again
(and eventually replace the standard switch 105°C by the 95°C switch from suzuki)
if then the temp still is rising over midline after 15 minutes in idle , in traffic jam or so
but not when riding continously,
your head gasket has a real problem and needs to be replaced.
see:
Temperature sensor Gen I move the Gen I fan switch
and
Change Gen I temperature sensor to 95 ° C
and (in general)
Motor ( mechanics / Water cooling)
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