White smoke

[Davew]

Getting a fair bit of white smoke out of the exhaust seemingly after the bike has warmed up for the last 2 days. It's been sat in the wet outside all day but was still smoking after  20 mins of riding home. I got fuel in the breathers after removing the tank which made it cut out for a while, are they related? Don't know if fuel in the air box would cause white smoke?  Smells a bit fuelly but definitely not blue smoke.

[darrsi]

It will always smell a bit like fuel, 'cos that's exactly what it is.
More than likely just condensation, i wouldn't be too concerned.

[Ebme Geek]

Just keep an I on your coolant level, and the colour of your oil, see how things go and if the fuel consumption seems normal. But as said by darrsi, probably just condensation and change of tempature

[Fuzzy]

Mine has been doing the same, should be just condensation unless both of ours are on their way out!

[darrsi]

Mine has been doing the same, should be just condensation unless both of ours are on their way out!

Shit loads of rain, and cooler weather, that's all.
I will hazard a guess it stops "smoking" by the weekend when it supposedly warms up again[size=78%].[/size]

[Davew]

ha, lets hope so!  I look like the red arrows 

[His Dudeness]

Is your exhaust letting rain water in through the can?

[Davew]

Is your exhaust letting rain water in through the can?

don't think so, though due to the angle of the can, I guess a certain amount gets in when it's pissing it down at the right (or wrong) angle, as it was yesterday.  No smoke whatsoever today, so very happy!

[Jamieg285]

White 'smoke' = steam = water.


As others have said, it's most likely condensation due to the wet weather/colder temperatures and it's taking a long time to clear. 


The alternative is there is a water leak into the cylinders, in which case you would see other symptoms. i.e. poor performance, drop in coolant levels, hotter running etc.


 n.b. when this happened on my car there was tons of steam, not just a little bit, so it was pretty obvious it was a problem.

[darrsi]

Is your exhaust letting rain water in through the can?

don't think so, though due to the angle of the can, I guess a certain amount gets in when it's pissing it down at the right (or wrong) angle, as it was yesterday.  No smoke whatsoever today, so very happy!

It's a miracle! 

[Jules-C]

If your 20 minute ride home is in town the chances are the exhaust can never gets hot enough to stop the water condensing into "steam" as it goes through the can, or it it's an aftermarket can with glass fibre packing that absorbs sound the fibres can soak up a lot of water and take a long time to dry out.

But serious quantities of white smoke can be produced by burning oil.  Dropped my wife at hospital this morning and at lights on way out stopped behind a landriover that was smoking a bit.  The lights changed and as he drove round the corner I couldn't see him just a big ball of white smoke as he limped along the road at 5mph.

[darrsi]

If you often have 20 minutes short journeys and plan on riding throughout reasonable cold winter weather then be prepared for a shock when you take your oil cap off and see a load of mayonnaise stuck to it. 

The bike doesn't get up to a decent temperature and when switched off causes condesation which blends with the oil creating a nice white goo which on first sight can give you a brown trouser moment because you think you have a head gasket leak.
Expect that every year, along with your white smoke. 

[N A Chess]

I remember reading a while back, (maybe the 80's) that it takes a journey of about 15 miles to completely burn off the condensation in an internal combustion engine. Whether it is relevant for today's engines, I don't know but it sounds reasonable to me.... 

[tweetytek]

Mine does the save. Worse now as winter draws in. Want that bar in summer

[darrsi]

Mine does the save. Worse now as winter draws in. Want that bar in summer

I've read this reply a few times, i still don't get it, so here's a relevant picture!

[His Dudeness]

oh no it's spreading

[tweetytek]

Not going there

[darrsi]

Not going there

You still scratched that itch......13 days later 

[tweetytek]

Git