First start up and lots of white smoke form left exhaust.

[nisom512]

So my GS850 hasnt been running for 5 yrs and I finnaly got it going but there is a problem. I have a 2+2 exhaust(no H-pipe) and when I turned the bike on finally, it was blowing a lot of white smoke out the left side and it smelt like a 2 stroke lawn mower(the white smoke) So I presume it is burning oil which is usually a sign of white smoke but where could this oil be from above or below. it doesnt miss or run funny at all. just puts out a lot of white smoke only out of the left side. any help is great if I left something out let me know.

Oh and I cant seem to get the bike over 4k or so it just kills out.

Thank you
Jake

 

[tejasmud]

5 years.

Have you changed the oil?

 

[Griffin]

Did you check #1 and #2 spark plugs for fouling? Did you replace the petcock?

If #2 plug is fouled with black soot, your petcock needs to be checked. Pull the vacuum hose from the petcock and plug it with a snug-fitting bolt or phillips screwdriver. Put the petcock on "prime" and start the engine. Idle it for a few minutes (if you have a large fan to blow air on the engine it would be nice) and see if it still smokes.

Sometimes an old petcock will leak fuel down the vacuum line into #2 cylinder (where the line is connected on your carbs). If it does this, your essentially running #2 cylinder about 50 times richer than it should be.

The exact same thing happened to me last year on my wife's 550. It had been sitting for years when we picked it up. Although the petcock seemed to work, it was leaky.

 

[nisom512]

5 years.

Have you changed the oil?

are you joking? I cant tell?

Did you check #1 and #2 spark plugs for fouling? Did you replace the petcock?

If #2 plug is fouled with black soot, your petcock needs to be checked. Pull the vacuum hose from the petcock and plug it with a snug-fitting bolt or phillips screwdriver. Put the petcock on "prime" and start the engine. Idle it for a few minutes (if you have a large fan to blow air on the engine it would be nice) and see if it still smokes.

Sometimes an old petcock will leak fuel down the vacuum line into #2 cylinder (where the line is connected on your carbs). If it does this, your essentially running #2 cylinder about 50 times richer than it should be.

The exact same thing happened to me last year on my wife's 550. It had been sitting for years when we picked it up. Although the petcock seemed to work, it was leaky.

Well it has new plugs, I just replaced the O-ring, and bolt gaskets on the pet cock. I took it apart and it is working fine. I ran it one more time tonight before I finished working on the other bikes and I saw it was leaking from where the headers connect to the engine a little, and it semed to be also coming from the second cyclander in form the left. I didnt do a valve adjustment I did most everything but that to get this thing running

I will take a look at what you said and get back

Thank you
Jake

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Jake it could also be a stuck ring or rings on one of the pistons. They can loosen up with use and seal the cylinder (not always). Maybe a compression check is in order to identify the cylinder at fault. Just a thought, I could be wrong, hope I am. But it has been 5 years.

 

[Steve]

I didnt do a valve adjustment I did most everything but that to get this thing running

I don't think a valve adjustment is the source of your smoke problem, but it is one of the very basic items that should be addressed when getting an old bike running.

Several good ideas above on what might be your problem. I tend to go along with the stuck ring theory. If running the bike does not free them up, at least pull the spark plugs to see which cylinder is the culprit. While you have the plugs out, put about an ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinder and let it soak, at least overnight. Do not put the spark plugs back in yet. Put rags over the plug holes and turn the engine over a couple times before putting the plugs back in, to avoid hydraulic lockup. Don't worry about getting a few ounces of MMO into the oil, it will help clean out the crankcase. Just run the bike about 50 miles, then change the oil and the filter. Be prepared for the blackest oil you have ever seen, even if it's fresh oil right now. :|

.

 

[nisom512]

I don't think a valve adjustment is the source of your smoke problem, but it is one of the very basic items that should be addressed when getting an old bike running.

Several good ideas above on what might be your problem. I tend to go along with the stuck ring theory. If running the bike does not free them up, at least pull the spark plugs to see which cylinder is the culprit. While you have the plugs out, put about an ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinder and let it soak, at least overnight. Do not put the spark plugs back in yet. Put rags over the plug holes and turn the engine over a couple times before putting the plugs back in, to avoid hydraulic lockup. Don't worry about getting a few ounces of MMO into the oil, it will help clean out the crankcase. Just run the bike about 50 miles, then change the oil and the filter. Be prepared for the blackest oil you have ever seen, even if it's fresh oil right now. :|

.

I appriciate the advice but I cant get the bike to rev above 4k with out bogging and killing. so I will try it but dont know if it wil get me any where litterally. would a valve adjustment help with that? I wouldnt think so but. I have fully rebuilt carbs(with O-rings I know I did it right you dont need to show me all the info to do it right I have done several of them), new air filter properly oiled, changed oil, did all brakes. has diff exhaust and been rejetted to 122.5 mains and 42.5 pilots. this may be my problem with to much fuel once I hit the mid range. so I cant remember what effects the mid is it the pilots or the needle height?

any who I assume I can get this oil treatment at most autoparts stores? let me know

oh and so far teh blackest oil I have seen was the oil from my honda 550 after sitting for 8 years.

 

[nisom512]

I don't think a valve adjustment is the source of your smoke problem, but it is one of the very basic items that should be addressed when getting an old bike running.

Several good ideas above on what might be your problem. I tend to go along with the stuck ring theory. If running the bike does not free them up, at least pull the spark plugs to see which cylinder is the culprit. While you have the plugs out, put about an ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinder and let it soak, at least overnight. Do not put the spark plugs back in yet. Put rags over the plug holes and turn the engine over a couple times before putting the plugs back in, to avoid hydraulic lockup. Don't worry about getting a few ounces of MMO into the oil, it will help clean out the crankcase. Just run the bike about 50 miles, then change the oil and the filter. Be prepared for the blackest oil you have ever seen, even if it's fresh oil right now. :|

.

So when I try this and say it frees up the rings. what does that mean. should I still do a rebuild? and did you read it is leaking this white smoke from the head of the exhaust? so prob new gaskets for that. but what about the leaking from the spark plug/valve cover area?

 

[nisom512]

nobody has any other pleasant incites? :-k PLEASE ray:

 

[Griffin]

nobody has any other pleasant incites? :-k PLEASE ray:

Pull 1 and 2 plugs. If one is black and wet, it's oil. If it's black and dry/sooty, it's too much gas.

Then you'll know....

 

[Big T]

Marvel Mystey Oil is commonly available at most auto parts stores.

It should help free up a stuck ring, if that is your problem

You do need to check the compression on #1 and #2 to confirm where the problem lies.


As for the not running over 4K rpm, that is a common lean condition result. Typically from air leaks. It sounds like you have new head O rings/new carb O rings/ stock airbox, so that leaves your intake pipes.

5 years of sitting will rot them out - how old are they?

 

[nisom512]

Marvel Mystey Oil is commonly available at most auto parts stores.

It should help free up a stuck ring, if that is your problem

You do need to check the compression on #1 and #2 to confirm where the problem lies.


As for the not running over 4K rpm, that is a common lean condition result. Typically from air leaks. It sounds like you have new head O rings/new carb O rings/ stock airbox, so that leaves your intake pipes.

5 years of sitting will rot them out - how old are they?

um intake pipes? you mean my intake boots? so you dont thing its cause of the rejetting that was done for the exhaust?

Jake

 

[terbang]

Are you leaving it on its sidestand? If you are and have a dodgey fuel cock and some sticky float valves, then you could have fuel entering the exhaust system via an open valve and finding its way to the lowest point, through a crossover pipe (I assume these have one) to the left exhaust. And the same result will occur if you have oil entering a cylinder and finding its way to the low point in the same manner.
If its fuel thats flowing then keep an eye on your oil sump as it will also be filling with fuel... Try leaving it on the centre stand for a while and see if it smokes both sides.

 

[nisom512]

Are you leaving it on its sidestand? If you are and have a dodgey fuel cock and some sticky float valves, then you could have fuel entering the exhaust system via an open valve and finding its way to the lowest point, through a crossover pipe (I assume these have one) to the left exhaust. And the same result will occur if you have oil entering a cylinder and finding its way to the low point in the same manner.
If its fuel thats flowing then keep an eye on your oil sump as it will also be filling with fuel... Try leaving it on the centre stand for a while and see if it smokes both sides.

Thank you for the advise but no I dont have it on the kick stand I have it on the center stand. and as stated earlyer I have an aftermarket exhaust and it is a 2+2 so no H pipe(cross over pipe) and if I understood your idea right my pet cock is on the left side of the tank as with most bikes so I dont see how fuel could get in on the right side and flow to the left side? but I prob got it wrong.

Thank you
Jake

 

[nisom512]

so does any one know what he ment by intake tubes? or am I missing something?

 

[Griffin]

We can speculate forever about the cause of the smoke and the lagging power, but until you go out to your bike and check these things, it's all speculation.

So.....have you done any of these things suggested so far? Checked your intake boots for ctrakcs, pulled the plugs and inspected them, checked your petcock operation? Any of them?

 

[nisom512]

We can speculate forever about the cause of the smoke and the lagging power, but until you go out to your bike and check these things, it's all speculation.

So.....have you done any of these things suggested so far? Checked your intake boots for ctrakcs, pulled the plugs and inspected them, checked your petcock operation? Any of them?

No im at school for the week so I was just getting as many ideas as I could before I went home so I wasnt waiting for responses. I already did the petcock. and I asked about the intake tubes because I just didnt want to assume he ment intake boots and miss something. I need to do all others but I feel its a good idea to get as many ideas before I get to it so I dont have to stop becasue I get a couple hours a week with my bikes being at school and all.

Jake

 

[tejasmud]

Not a joke, just a question. I have had the crankcase fill with gas and cause smoking problems with a faulty petcock before.

Pretty sure "intake tubes" means "intake boots". Have heard them called that and "intake flanges", "spigot mount intake flanges", "intake pipes","rubber boots", "intake manifolds"...... other names as well.

Check the plugs. If one or more are wet and oily, a compression check should tell if any oil is coming from the rings or possibly the valve seals.

Agree with Griffin on the speculation.

But, white smoke is not too hard to diagnose.

At least the bike started, and this was not an electrical question. j/k

 

[nisom512]

Not a joke, just a question. I have had the crankcase fill with gas and cause smoking problems with a faulty petcock before.

Pretty sure "intake tubes" means "intake boots". Have heard them called that and "intake flanges", "spigot mount intake flanges", "intake pipes","rubber boots", "intake manifolds"...... other names as well.

Check the plugs. If one or more are wet and oily, a compression check should tell if any oil is coming from the rings or possibly the valve seals.

Agree with Griffin on the speculation.

But, white smoke is not too hard to diagnose.

At least the bike started, and this was not an electrical question. j/k

I hear you on that one I already had the electrical problem. looks like I did it right cause it ran.

About the fuel from a leaky petcock I already rebuilt it. and the process was rebuild petcock put on bike and try to start it(it was on the bike litterally 5 min before I started it.) so I dont think it is a leaky petcock.

I am picking up a tester and mystery oil this weekend when im up in Fargo then on sunday when I actually get to go home I will try all of these things suggested and keep you guys posted.

Thank you
Jake

 

[nisom512]

ok got a compresion tester this weekend and my numbers on the bike were all at 120 so I am pretty sure the rings are fine so The plugs were black so I am gunna buy some more today and see how it runs. I bet when the PO rejetted it he went to big at least thats what I thought when I looked at them when I was rebuilding them.