I have an 08 with 20k miles on it. Smokes out of right exaust only for about 2 min. at cold start up. Harley says needs rings. Any thoughts.

 

white smoke is prob condensation moisture in the cylinders, black or blue could be a problem with oil leaking into the cylinder until the engine warms up & seals expand fully.

 

Thanks for the reply. It is white smoke and appears to be condensation. Is replacing the rings going to remedy that problem?

 

Nope, Mississippi Gulf Coast equals lots of moisture and humidity. Wet air leads to more condensation in pipes and other places.

 

We get a lot of white smoke in Iowa with the moisture. Keep it in a dry place and it will go away.

Like mentioned, black is bad if its a lot...little black is normal on high mileage bikes.

 

Thanks again. I keep it in my garage and moisture does not seem to be a problem. It will also smoke after riding and sitting for a few hours. My concern is that when riding with a group, it seems that mine is the only one with this issue. Kind of embarassing.

 

Mine does the same here in Pa. 07 RKC. There has been no oil useage and after a few minutes no smoke. You notice it on the right side because that's where most of the exhaust is. Not burning any oil, not going to worry.

 

smoking after it sits ,,,, usually points to valve guide seals leaking

 

Ok, you guys are probably right in saying this guy's 'smoke' may be condensation. But as far as the color of SMOKE...

White is oil, black is fuel. Always will be, (unless you are a performer using color effect additives to sensationalize your show). Condesation may look like white smoke, but the behaviour is quite different.

Look at your 'smoke', watch it as it is exiting the exhaust. If it rises and disipates quickly, it is most likely condensation. You will usually notice a bit of water accumulating in the end of your exhaust pipe also. If it seems to remain relatively level (with a slight rise because of the temperature difference) and does not disipate fairly quick (kinda hangs in the air for a bit), I might guess you have a problem with oil seeping into the combustion chamber.

Now, if it is smoke and it tends to stop within a few minutes after starting the engine, I would look at the valve seals and/or gudes. If it continues to smoke through out the entire time it is running, I'd have to say there could be a ring problem.

Another thing to check, if you have further concerns, is the compression in the combustion chamber. I believe 'normal' compression for a low mileage 88" TC should be around 135-145 psi. If the engine has high mileage on it, and compression is getting down near 90 psi, it's time for a top end rebuild. The compression will vary depending on the wear, and that can also depend on how meticulous the engine builder was. But a safe range is anywhere between 110-145psi. The lower the compression, the closer you are getting to rebuild time.

If the engine has low mileage and is giving off real smoke, I'd be concerned also. Rings can break, valve guides can wear prematurely, and wrist pin clips can become dislodged...

 

Since you have an 08 model would it be covered under warranty if it is anything other than condesation? If that's the case I would let the dealer diagnose the problem and repair.