Author Topic: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....  (Read 11970 times)

Offline Pynikal

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I took delivery of my 2011 ABS about 3-4 weeks ago and i am totally in love with it, but this one weird thing is happening in the past week.  Ride the bike to work so its sitting all day, start the bike after work let it run on the side stand while i gear up, 3-4 mins, putt through the parking lot and get to the street, turn out give it moderate throttle and she smokes like a freight train for about 5-6 seconds :o :o.  a co-worker was behind me when i pulled out and he told me about it the next day.  i saw it in the mirror as well and thought it seemed very weird considering the bike only at that time had 1500 on it.  it ran fine on the way home.  next time i started it nothing like that happened.  i thought odd things happen who knows.  this morning i start it and it smokes alot for like 5-6 seconds than dies down to a normal level (it was 39 degrees this morning so i understand some vapor out of the pipe.)  than tonight bike sat at work all day on the side stand, went through the same routine runs for 3-4 mins i go.  smoked like a freight train again!  while its warming up it seems to run a little rough but smooths out with unloaded throttle and NO smoke.  and its not like it smokes all the time just on first loaded throttle of the ride.  the bike now has 1950 miles on it and i am getting ready to do the second service.

its not like i beat the crap out of the bike or anything, i can count on one hand the times that i have gotten into it; i want the bike to last me, didnt go over 4500rpm for the first 600 miles changed the oil and diff at 600.  oil level is dead on, i have checked and checked this thinking i over filled.  i am at a loss here............. :-\



any help is very welcome.
thanks guys.

Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2011, 05:47:09 PM »
Color of smoke?
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Offline Pynikal

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2011, 05:49:27 PM »
bluish white

Offline JetJock

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2011, 06:36:53 PM »
You're burning oil from somewhere. BMWs used to have this problem from sitting on the sidestand too much (more than 10 minutes).

It's under warranty. Take it to the dealer. Of course, they won't be able to replicate the problem . . .  >:(

Offline Pokey

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2011, 06:48:38 PM »
May be oil in the airbox, might also have an overfilled crankcase?
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Offline Makz58

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2011, 07:12:55 PM »
Bluish white could be simple over filled crankcase hopefully something simple could be valve seals but as others advise under warranty take it to the dealer....
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Offline B.D.F.

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2011, 08:34:25 PM »
It is condensation and perfectly normal. As the exhaust system cools, it draws water into it and that water condenses against the cooling metal. When the vehicle is started again, the head drives the water into steam and you see the vapor exiting the muffler.

Nothing to worry about. If you are really concerned, note the crankcase oil level and see if it is going down.

All internal combustion vehicles do this although it is more obvious in the winter when the water vapor cannot be easily absorbed by the atmosphere and leaves plumes behind.

Brian


I took delivery of my 2011 ABS about 3-4 weeks ago and i am totally in love with it, but this one weird thing is happening in the past week.

<snipped description>

any help is very welcome.
thanks guys.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens and just a tad of Neanderthal but it usually does not show....  My Private mail is blocked; it is not you, it is me, just like that dating partner said all those years ago. Please send an e-mail if you want to contact me privately.

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Offline Kiwi Graham

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2011, 02:07:44 AM »
Condensation dissipates almost immediately and is white.
Oil burning smoke is blue/white and lingers  then blows away.

Determine which it is first then take it to the dealer if its the later.

Offline Pynikal

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2011, 06:24:59 AM »
It is condensation and perfectly normal. As the exhaust system cools, it draws water into it and that water condenses against the cooling metal. When the vehicle is started again, the head drives the water into steam and you see the vapor exiting the muffler.

Nothing to worry about. If you are really concerned, note the crankcase oil level and see if it is going down.

All internal combustion vehicles do this although it is more obvious in the winter when the water vapor cannot be easily absorbed by the atmosphere and leaves plumes behind.

Brian

thank you sir but, i understand that in the morning when its in the 30s but in the afternoon when its 75 degrees out side?!  and its not like water vapor smoke, its heavy bluish white smoke and it sticks around for a while.

just to be sure how much oil are you guys putting in this thing.  last service i put right at 4 qrts in mine.

Offline Jeremy Mitchell

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2011, 06:40:58 AM »
thank you sir but, i understand that in the morning when its in the 30s but in the afternoon when its 75 degrees out side?!  and its not like water vapor smoke, its heavy bluish white smoke and it sticks around for a while.

just to be sure how much oil are you guys putting in this thing.  last service i put right at 4 qrts in mine.

4 quarts + 17 ounces with a filter change is how much oil is supposed to be added IIRC.  I really don't think your oil level is what is causing the issue. 
Keeping the economy going, one tank of fuel and two tires at a time.

Offline B.D.F.

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2011, 06:42:39 AM »
Yep, condensation burn- off may still be normal depending on what the humidity is. If it is quite humid, the water vapor cannot be driven into the air quickly enough.

As to the blue tint, I am just kind of ignoring that. It <might> be crankcase oil but I doubt it.

Smell the white smoke and see what it smells like. Oil will have a very heavy, thick smell and of course it will smell like oil. Anti freeze will smell sweet. Gasoline will smell like a sharp chemical odor but of course smoke caused by gas (way too rich a mixture) is black, not white or blue. Odds are the smoke has no particular odor again indicating nothing but steam.

Fill the crankcase so the oil level is somewhere between the min / max lines or at least somewhere in the sight glass. The oil level is not critical in causing an engine to burn oil anyway; simply raising the oil level a bit (still somewhere w/in the sight glass) would not cause excessive oil consumption.

Finally, note the volume of oil and anti- freeze over time (weeks or 1,000's of miles). If you are not using appreciable amounts of either of those then there is nothing to worry about. Some oil consumption is considered normal but in actual usage, modern engines really don't use oil between changes.

Brian


thank you sir but, i understand that in the morning when its in the 30s but in the afternoon when its 75 degrees out side?!  and its not like water vapor smoke, its heavy bluish white smoke and it sticks around for a while.

just to be sure how much oil are you guys putting in this thing.  last service i put right at 4 qrts in mine.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens and just a tad of Neanderthal but it usually does not show....  My Private mail is blocked; it is not you, it is me, just like that dating partner said all those years ago. Please send an e-mail if you want to contact me privately.

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Offline ZedHed

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2011, 01:24:10 PM »
When an engine burns oil excessively it smokes cold or hot.  If it is not excessive, it doesn't smoke cold or hot.  If it smokes only when it is cold, it is condensation.  Don't obsess over that stuff -- there's nothing you could do even if it was "burning oil"  Neither would Kawasaki. 

Ride it like you stole it........

BTW, It would have to be "overfilled" by several quarts (not ounces) of oil to begin smoking -- not probable.
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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2011, 01:45:37 PM »

Yep, condensation burn- off may still be normal depending on what the humidity is. If it is quite humid, the water vapor cannot be driven into the air quickly enough.

As to the blue tint, I am just kind of ignoring that. It <might> be crankcase oil but I doubt it.

Smell the white smoke and see what it smells like. Oil will have a very heavy, thick smell and of course it will smell like oil. Anti freeze will smell sweet. Gasoline will smell like a sharp chemical odor but of course smoke caused by gas (way too rich a mixture) is black, not white or blue. Odds are the smoke has no particular odor again indicating nothing but steam.

Fill the crankcase so the oil level is somewhere between the min / max lines or at least somewhere in the sight glass. The oil level is not critical in causing an engine to burn oil anyway; simply raising the oil level a bit (still somewhere w/in the sight glass) would not cause excessive oil consumption.

Finally, note the volume of oil and anti- freeze over time (weeks or 1,000's of miles). If you are not using appreciable amounts of either of those then there is nothing to worry about. Some oil consumption is considered normal but in actual usage, modern engines really don't use oil between changes.

Brian

Where's Chebornek when you need him....   It's actually much better to collect the gases in a large plastic bag.   That way you get more to smell and have an easier time determining origin.
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Offline Fretka

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2011, 03:28:06 PM »
     "its not like i beat the crap out of the bike or anything, i can count on one hand the times that i have gotten into it; i want the bike to last me,"

These engines are designed and built to spin fast. It is certainly possible to baby it too much.

Go out somewhere safe and run that motor up to redline and also do some hefty downhill throttle closed decel or slowing down without brakes. Do this a few times with some regular riding in between to cool the bike back down again. Remember to do this in a safe place such as in a hilly area. Pick say second gear and let it rev to redline in a fairly gentle way, no need to pull wheelies! This will help to seat the rings by both ring pressure from accel and decel. In my exp. most recently It took about 90 miles of serious (by the manual) riding for the rings to seal.

I am IN NO WAY endorsing this idea running around the net to go out and beat the crap out of a brand new motor! But you do need to operate it occasionally in a spirited manner.

Fretka
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Offline B.D.F.

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #14 on: May 17, 2011, 03:45:54 PM »
Oh yeah! The thread about collecting the exhaust of a C-14 in a garbage bag. Priceless. I think it was Roland who started that one. I came up with the top list of excuses you could give a curious neighbor of he / she caught you with a bag over the exhaust pipe with the bike running. The first one was 'The bike isn't running right and Kawasaki wants a stool sample.'

Good times.

Brian

Where's Chebornek when you need him....   It's actually much better to collect the gases in a large plastic bag.   That way you get more to smell and have an easier time determining origin.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens and just a tad of Neanderthal but it usually does not show....  My Private mail is blocked; it is not you, it is me, just like that dating partner said all those years ago. Please send an e-mail if you want to contact me privately.

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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #15 on: May 17, 2011, 04:04:41 PM »
Yep....
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Offline twozsforme

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #16 on: May 17, 2011, 04:08:40 PM »
My bike has a slight oil leak on the left side of the valve cover.  So when it is cold outside it will smoke for a while upon start up. My 2004 z1000 and my wifes 2005 z1000 both had the same problem.  It doesnt leak enough to worry me though.

Offline blue14

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #17 on: May 17, 2011, 04:51:08 PM »
Zx14's had an issue with oil weeping from the camcover.  You may have a slight leak when cold that once hot, tightens and stops. 
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Offline Pynikal

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #18 on: May 18, 2011, 06:22:10 AM »
well i changed the oild and diff lube last night so we will see if the problem persists or if it hangs around.  i just find it weird that a brand new bike is beltching heavy smoke like this.  we will see.

Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: 2011 Smoking when cold..........not outside temp, bike temp....
« Reply #19 on: May 18, 2011, 06:43:23 AM »
well i changed the oild and diff lube last night so we will see if the problem persists or if it hangs around.  i just find it weird that a brand new bike is beltching heavy smoke like this.  we will see.

I don't think it's right either...can you take a movie of it?
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