blowing smoke
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1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: nashua, nh
blowing smoke
I have a 1980 fxef with the 80 cu in engine. The front cylinder is blowing smoke. But my return line from the heads to the lower cases has oil pooling around it, and the rocker covee bolts have some weepage. It could be rings or valve seals, but could there be too much pressure in the top end? It rounds about 10-15psi at idle when warm on the lower end gauge. It ran fine until it went in for some work and the guy changed the oil. Ive been running straight 50 weight with no issues before, not sure what he used. It was there for a new carb at the same time. Vent hose seems clear and the oil level has dropped so its not dumping to much fuel. The heads are duel plug and both front plugs are all gunked up. The problem olny started after leaving the shop. Any ideas? Thanks
A leakdown will tell the story, but if it is as bad as you say, probably a broken ring. I think the visit to the shop was just incedental to the problem. Just one of those things. It may also have blown a head gasket over the oil passage. I broke a ring on a trip from Little Rock to Beaumont. Bike was running great, then it started blowing smoke. I just stopped at a auto parts store and bought a buttload of plugs to get me home. It just happened. I also blew a rear headgasket over the oil passage while touring England back in the early 70's. Ran it on one cylinder till I made it to the ONLY dealer in Europe at that time, Fred Warr.
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1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: nashua, nh
Not sure if it helps to know, but i started it tonight for the first time in a few weeks to troubleshoot more. And almost right after start up it puked out a bunch of oil from the vent tube which is no longer connected to the carb. It was reading about 60psi at the time.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: new orleans,la
head bolt can be lose and its sucking oil -- valve guide is lose in head -- broken ring like cherry said -- i had one that burned a trench in the head before it blew the gasket and it coated the bike with oil -- something broke lose and clogged the oil return like a valve stem seal -- is the blug totally covered in oil or just 1 side?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: new orleans,la
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1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: nashua, nh
Head bolts seem tight, didnt try to torque them yet. Sometimes it doesnt smoke and sometimes it does, makes me think its not a ring. Leaning me toward gasket or valve seal. Or maybe theres too much pressure in the top end? Its dual plug and both front plugs are completely coated in oil.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 979
Likes: 38
From: new orleans,la
i would look at removing the head-- yeah i know its a hassle -- seems from what your saying a valve guide is moving in the head -- those years have the large guides (.625) -- i had a big guide head 3 weeks ago that had a crack in the front intake guide hole -- smoked like your saying sometimes -- when i cut the crack i found it had a casting imperfection (bubble) in the aluminum -- removed the guide -- cut the crack -- tig welded the spot -- i use lanthanated electrodes -- need to heat that head to 500 degrees -- or buy a replacement head off of ebay -- myself i dont like the big guide heads -- limited to cam choice -- guess,guess,guess only makes it take longer -- buck up and remove the head ---
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 979
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From: new orleans,la
also rowe guides has emergency blank guides if the hole is bigger than a o/s replacement ----- http://www.roweusa.com/guides.htm --
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