white smoke - use of oil

Since its got cold mine smokes for about 20-30s first thing in the morning, otherwise its smoke-less.

I've topped my oil up once in the last 3k, cant remember how much by though. At a guess, 300ml.

[jambo]

White smoke is normal from your description, as long as it disappears quickly it is almost certainly just condensation.

The oil consumption does not seem excessive. My SV certainly uses that sort of amount. On the other hand my 60,000 mile old ZX6R uses next to none and never needs topping up between services.

The thermostat certainly sounds like it's worth checking. This works by restricting the amount of coolant that goes through the radiator at low temperatures, keeping the coolant warmer by circulating most of it around the block. When the temperature comes up the thermostat opens and passes more coolant through the radiator to cool it down. When the coolant temperature in the radiator reaches a certain point the fan comes on to further help cool it.

Usually the test it to remove the thermostat, and put it in a bowl of boiling water to see if it opens. This will take a little while as the mechanism that opens and closes the valve is melting/solidifying wax in a capsule working against a metal spring.

Jambo

Mine has always "smoked," but, rest assured, until there is a blue tinge to the smoke it is just steam.

Try looking at it when you have two end cans, looks like a steam barge on start up.

Steams when sat still, goes when revved, but, just carries on till she is about 40°c and then it is fine. She is using oil, but, about 200ml per 1000 miles (I think)

So, Barwell, stop being a girl and just ride it like you stole it!

Originally Posted by jambo

White smoke is normal from your description, as long as it disappears quickly it is almost certainly just condensation.

The oil consumption does not seem excessive. My SV certainly uses that sort of amount. On the other hand my 60,000 mile old ZX6R uses next to none and never needs topping up between services.

The thermostat certainly sounds like it's worth checking. This works by restricting the amount of coolant that goes through the radiator at low temperatures, keeping the coolant warmer by circulating most of it around the block. When the temperature comes up the thermostat opens and passes more coolant through the radiator to cool it down. When the coolant temperature in the radiator reaches a certain point the fan comes on to further help cool it.

Usually the test it to remove the thermostat, and put it in a bowl of boiling water to see if it opens. This will take a little while as the mechanism that opens and closes the valve is melting/solidifying wax in a capsule working against a metal spring.

Jambo

thanks, funny you should mention all that about wax, we just learned about that at collage today i am to thinking the wax could have gone off

[dizzyblonde]

naarrrrp white smoke is perfectly normal when DBs SVs start up, especially at this time of year. Even the VRap does it.
One of my SVs leaks oil, the other burns it a little. Can't remember how much they leak/burn as its been a while since either were observed for it.....put it this way, I've blown one engine for oil starvation, I have a keen eye these days

I have a feeling you are being a bit ghey, and should stop worrying!

lol, im not riding it like i stole it untill i know its running at the right temp

and DB it was the fact that my oil was wayyyy below the sight glass that worried me, and put 2 and 2 together and came out with 5 and though my oil must be burning but then as i said didnt smell like oil

[embee]

Jambo is right.

When you burn fuel it produces basically CO2 and water. The water comes out as steam when it's hot, steam is invisible, what you see as white smoke is tiny droplets of condensed water which form when the gas temperature drops below 100C.

What you actually often observe is no "white smoke" for a couple of seconds after a cold start as it condenses inside the exhaust and gets trapped by the packing etc. Then as it warms a little after a few more seconds you get the water in the exhaust coming through to the exit and condensing, so looking white, but also the water already condensed in the exhaust starts to get driven out as well so that produces even more white, so it looks a lot more after 10 or 20 seconds. Then as it continues to get hotter the gas temp is high enough for it to stay in true steam form (so invisible) long enough to disperse before condensing, by which time it is so diluted you no longer get the visible white droplets forming.

If you hold a rag over the exhaust when you start it from cold you'll find it gets quite wet after 20-30sec. You see water dripping out of car exhausts when they're cold because the added pipe length allows it to condense and collect and it gets blown out in droplets.

...and yes, it definitely sound like thermostat. They are designed to fail open so it'll never get up to the right temp when riding. When stationary there's no air flow to cool the rad so it'll continue to heat up.

hmm ok, what would be the best thing to do then for now as far as the thermostat is concerned ? as i need to do another 100 miles tomorrow and dont have many tools and would rather not be riding round on a cold/tight engine

[jambo]

Originally Posted by barwel1992

hmm ok, what would be the best thing to do then for now as far as the thermostat is concerned ? as i need to do another 100 miles tomorrow and dont have many tools and would rather not be riding round on a cold/tight engine

Well you can restrict the flow of air through the radiator using something really technical like a piece of card covering most of the frontal area. This effectively reduces the efficiency of the radiator for cooling. I would probably look to cover the side WITHOUT the fan so when the fan comes on it's capable of reducing the temperature.

You may need to adjust the size of card to suit

Jambo

as it's cold when you start the bike and it gets warmer is it likely to cause seriouse damadge being below normal temp?