What are all the things that can make a GS smoke?

[wrench]

What color is the smoke?? :?:

And your plugs.

Is the smoke black, white or blue ?

Pete

What a silly question :?


How can he be expected to tell the color with all that smoke in his eyes :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Big T]

Mark,

The missing clue is:

What is the oil mileage?

Your gas mileage is low, unless you're going WFO all the time to get those plug chops

I can't tell exactly what your set up is, header, carbs, cam, etc

My near stock 78 gets mileage in the 40s most of the time

I do like most of the above rsponses, but at age 27, don't you think Mark's GS is too old for peer pressure

 

[shaftzuki]

I do like most of the above rsponses, but at age 27, don't you think Mark's GS is too old for peer pressure

Your never too old ... 8)

 

[shaftzuki]

So - where is Mark (Hoomie) anyway?? :?:

 

[Anonymous]

If it puffs smoke when you open the throttle it's the rings.
If it puffs smoke when you close the throttle it is valve seals.
That is if it is burning oil.
If it is not losing oil then you have a carb problem. I should rephrase that; a fuel/air problem. I once bought a 400/4 for next to nothing because it would not go over 60. The guy had swapped out the carbs, tried rejetting and then gave up. I took out the air filter and it pulled 103 on the clock. And the filter LOOKED good.

If anyone remembers my fuel consumption thread from many moons ago, ie; GS 1100e only 90 miles to a tank, cleaned carbs then tried a stage 3 kit to match pipe, no improvement. The problem is me! Took the wife with me for a weekend and averaged 38.9 mpg! And sometimes I think I've grown up.....!

 

[Hoomgar]

Does the exhaust smell like burning oil or fuel?? :?: 8)

What color is the smoke?? :?:

Oil level high?? :roll:

GAS in the oil, worn piston rings, leaky valve seals to name a few

What color is the smoke?? :?:

And your plugs.

Is the smoke black, white or blue ?

Pete

I'm not much of a Tech. guy but in my experience, ANY oil, Too much Gas, or Too Little Air in the combustion chamber will cause Smoke. I suspect with your reduced Fuel Mileage the smoking is the result of Way too much Gas and Way too Little Air. :?

Mark,

The missing clue is:

What is the oil mileage?

Your gas mileage is low, unless you're going WFO all the time to get those plug chops

I can't tell exactly what your set up is, header, carbs, cam, etc

My near stock 78 gets mileage in the 40s most of the time

If it puffs smoke when you open the throttle it's the rings.
If it puffs smoke when you close the throttle it is valve seals.
That is if it is burning oil.
If it is not losing oil then you have a carb problem. I should rephrase that; a fuel/air problem.

The exhaust is dark smoke and the plugs get carboned up and sometimes foul. It smells of gas. We had been getting some lean plug reads at the same time but that was at 1/3 throttle. During the rally my plugs were very dark and black carbon. Plug three fouled twice and used to be the plug giving the leanest reads.

How can I test to see if the valve seals or seats are the issue? It uses very little oil. The engine is stock except for the K&N pods and the Kerker header.

 

[IanFrancisco]

No one has mentioned worn valve guides yet. Worn valve seals have been mentioned, which could be caused by worn valve guides. Allows oil to get into the combustion chamber and burn. Burning oil produces white smoke, unburned fuel due to fuel/air/carb issues shows up as black smoke. Poor mileage under normal riding conditions is probably a carb/fuel issue. If the bike is supposed to get 40mpg under normal conditions, riding WFO will only drop it down to 32/35mpg or so.

 

[Pete Logan]

The exhaust is dark smoke and the plugs get carboned up and sometimes foul. It smells of gas. We had been getting some lean plug reads at the same time but that was at 1/3 throttle. During the rally my plugs were very dark and black carbon. Plug three fouled twice and used to be the plug giving the leanest reads.

How can I test to see if the valve seals or seats are the issue? It uses very little oil. The engine is stock except for the K&N pods and the Kerker header.

Black smoke is excess fuel burning off.

You use a lot of fuel but no oil.

Plugs are fouling.

IMHO, forget about oil, rings, valves etc. This is a fuel/air problem.

Makes sense to check that there is no unnatural restriction on the air flow first, but then it's off with them carbs, buddy

An don' forget the thong. Carbs always come up better when ya wear a thong. Ask Hap if'n ya don' believe me

(Posted stone cold sober at 1030am )

Pete

 

[Big T]

I agree with Pete

Your carb jets are too big/needles too high

 

[Hoomgar]

OK then, back to my other thread for jetting:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=34488

Thx guys.

 

[chrissinc]

Mine smoked due to weak vavle springs. Do a leak down test and see.