poof of smoke!

[branny]

i started my bike up as usual this morning and a great poof of smoke came out from the front of my bike.... ie near the cylinders somewhere!!!

i thought.... **** ive blown a gasket or something.

instead of wheeling it back into the garage, i started it up again and it seemed to run correctly. so after some inspection i rode it to work as normal.

i am baffled by this.... how did all this smoke escape from the engine?? are there any outlets, like relief valves that would let out the air at high pressures???

or have i blown a gasket or something?

at the end of my 10 mile journey, the bike was idling just fine. :confused::confused:

any help or reference to personal experiences would be helpful.

[chazzyb]

a great poof of smoke came out from the front of my bike

A genie maybe? Were you rubbing it again?

If the bike's running OK and it doesn't happen again too soon, I'd be inclined not to worry too much.

[John Burt]

This is the third post on the same sort of topic in as many days?? Me I would blame the carb spitting back through the air box - but is there anything else going on (fuel issues ??)

[branny]

ahh, well sorry for posting a common problem, i havent been on this site for a while and we all know never to type 'poof' into a search engine :-D


my colleague thinks this to be a starter motor problem ??

it seems plausible, but there was quite a bit of smoke....

[hovis]

i dont think its a commen problem, & strange it has happened to 3 peeps this week, but i have not heard of it b4?

i like the genie idea [-o< as you could wish for it to stop happening, and also wish for a yellow one:smt045

[Smudge]

it seems to be happening to curvies so could it be carbs? is it deffo smoke or could it be vapors

[MrRoper]

I have had a good look round my bike after my poof of smoke...

I am going with the vapour`s from the carb theory as i cannot find anything and the bike is running fine.

Maybe its my little SV genie granting me a wish :)

[petevtwin650]

I'm guessing it's cropped up now due to the weather getting colder so the bikes need a bit more choke plus more reluctance to turn over caused by a flatter battery (cold drain?) and the oil being thicker. Just my thought.

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=97856

[Smudge]

not mine Pete shes kept in a nice warm house and fed caviar

[RhythmJunkie]

Could be the starter circuitry. Heavy current to starter motor through loose connection or broken wire causing arcing and maybe burning the plastic wire covering or oil???? Would only need a second or two to give off black smoke from melting wire!!

Otherwise I'd go with the genie! ;)

[branny]

thanks guys,

i think the main suspect is the starter motor, it makes too much sense for it to be a dodgy connection.

anybody got pointers on where the starter motor is?
to save me looking myself :p

[the_runt69]

Its been a bit damp lately, you sure its not just water vapourising

[branny]

no way, it was a fair amount of smoke!

i think in hindsight it smelt electrical... so starter motor is my starting point.

where are the main starter connections???

[ejohnh]

no way, it was a fair amount of smoke!

i think in hindsight it smelt electrical... so starter motor is my starting point.

where are the main starter connections???

Would that give a puff of smoke? Nothing to propel it from the starter motor is there? Seems more like a blow back through the carb and air filter with an inlet valve temporarily sticking open, although I've not come across that before. :confused:

[Smudge]

thanks guys,

i think the main suspect is the starter motor, it makes too much sense for it to be a dodgy connection.

anybody got pointers on where the starter motor is?
to save me looking myself :p
its that cylindrical thingy on the front of your engine below your radiator that im sure youve cleaned loads of times

[plowsie]

:smt026 it happened to me aswell :D i'm putting it down to cold weather atm. But suspecting the carbs also.

[yorkie_chris]

an inlet valve temporarily sticking open, although I've not come across that before. :confused:

Because it would usually result in a big, expensive sounding crunchy noise. IMO

I'd go with a dampness getting thrown off or a bit of a spitback, nothing to worry about if its only done it once.

Have seen engines where the spark has fired on intake stroke, but it never makes smoke, usually a big scary bang and the air filter flying accross the garage...

[therealvw]

Possibly just burning off something? Have you checked the airfilter for anything that could have been lodged in there? Airfilter drain plug still on?

[yorkie_chris]

I was once convinced my electrics had self destructed, turns out I'd brushed a carrier bag with the downpipe on my way into the garage...

Just a thought :p