Smoking

[steveng]

Can a TR smoke due to running rich.Mine has all the usuall rich running symptoms,not too good mph,sooty exhaust,and seems to start too easy when cold,infact it would
probably start without choke.But now its started to smoke when I open up fast from around 3000,but its ok from start up and when im driving normally.I got a friend to drive behind me and have good look,the smoke is white not blue and theres no smell of oil,ive also checked the plugs and there is no sigh of oil.Ive also checked the water
no oil in there and ive lost none,so I dont think it the head gasket is on its way out.Is this just another sympton of it being rich.Any ideas will be welcome
Thanks.

[Killerwhale]

Can a TR smoke due to running rich.Mine has all the usuall rich running symptoms,not too good mph,sooty exhaust,and seems to start too easy when cold,infact it would
probably start without choke.But now its started to smoke when I open up fast from around 3000,but its ok from start up and when im driving normally.I got a friend to drive behind me and have good look,the smoke is white not blue and theres no smell of oil,ive also checked the plugs and there is no sigh of oil.Ive also checked the water
no oil in there and ive lost none,so I dont think it the head gasket is on its way out.Is this just another sympton of it being rich.Any ideas will be welcome
Thanks.

Head gasket about to blow me thinks...water leaking in to com chamber during load

[steveng]

That was my first thought,I've had a look and there's no oil water,water in oil,or white sludge on rad cap or oil filler cap.I replaced head gasket last year when changed cam chain,used genuine yamaha part and torqued everything down correctly.It's definately running far too rich,its drinking fuel and started this morning with out choke,I know it warm but I dont think that right.Up to now ive found the TPS is out and ive stripped carbs,mixture screws arew fine,I ve looked at LH carb and needle seems ok,no major marks or grooves,and the emulsion looks ok,not sure if you can check the wear by just looking though.However I know it still might be the head,Ill let you know
Thanks for the reply,

[Silver]

At the richness you are talking about the wear on the Emulsion tubes should be visible and most likely be an oval shape where the needle has worn it.
Excessive richness will be black smoke, white will not be good news me thinks.

[steveng]

Thats what I've always thought,a rich engine has brown or blk smoke,white smoke is usually water in the oil,but other than the whitish,smoke,there's no obvious sighns of head gasket being gone,it only smokes when i open it up,a blown gasket would smoke all the time,i think anyway.But Its has got all the sighns of an over rich engine,the
plugs are black or very dark brown,but no sighn of oil at all,sooty exhaust,smells of fuel,and its drinking the fn stuff,and im not exactly a tear ass,im a pretty slow rider to
be honest.Up to now ive had a look at emulsion tubes and needles,no obvious sighns of wear at all,mixtrue setting were ok,carbs were clean nothing seemed wrong at all.
I looked at TPS and it was only going to 3000,adjusted it so it goes to 4000 as the manual says it should,but its made it worse,now its running crap,before apart from the smoke it was fine,smooth tick,pulled well.So Ive took carbs off again to make double sure i put them back together properly,but there pretty straightforward,only thing i havent checked is the float levels,ill do that in the morning.If u think of anything else for me to look at let me know,thanks again.

[Killerwhale]

Thats what I've always thought,a rich engine has brown or blk smoke,white smoke is usually water in the oil,but other than the whitish,smoke,there's no obvious sighns of head gasket being gone,it only smokes when i open it up,a blown gasket would smoke all the time,i think anyway.But Its has got all the sighns of an over rich engine,the
plugs are black or very dark brown,but no sighn of oil at all,sooty exhaust,smells of fuel,and its drinking the fn stuff,and im not exactly a tear ass,im a pretty slow rider to
be honest.Up to now ive had a look at emulsion tubes and needles,no obvious sighns of wear at all,mixtrue setting were ok,carbs were clean nothing seemed wrong at all.
I looked at TPS and it was only going to 3000,adjusted it so it goes to 4000 as the manual says it should,but its made it worse,now its running crap,before apart from the smoke it was fine,smooth tick,pulled well.So Ive took carbs off again to make double sure i put them back together properly,but there pretty straightforward,only thing i havent checked is the float levels,ill do that in the morning.If u think of anything else for me to look at let me know,thanks again.

Just letting you know, in the beginning of my TRX years i had mine at a shop wich proved to be crap. He said it was the gasket but i don´t think they read the tourque figures right.
White smoke first time i pinned it, no oil in water. No smoke whatsoever on cruising, then it finally blew the gasket.

[steveng]

Notice in my first post,I mentioned that my mate was behind me when i was riding it,he told be about the smoke,and said it was white,thats why i stated to worry,Well today he called in and is now saying is was more brown,wanted to batter him.He's had bikes for over 30 years and is the best bike machanic I know,Brit or Japanese,though he
did keep saying it would'nt be the head gasket,we both replaced mine last with a geniune Yamaha and definatelty torqued it down properly.Either way I cant ignore smoke no matter what the colour and know for a while it has been too rich.Up to now I've found the float levels on both carbs are out and after a second look,both emulsion tubs are oval shaped,thought the needles are fine,so I'll set the floats,get emulsion tubes and see how it goes,but if it gets worse and I notice its is definately white smoke,ill take the head off,the one thing I wont do is ignore it,could warpe the head.Ta again for your reply.

[steveng]

Just a thought,after how many miles,or how long after,did yours start to smoke after the gasket was changed,

[Killerwhale]

Just a thought,after how many miles,or how long after,did yours start to smoke after the gasket was changed,

Straight away after change, those wankers.
If your efforts per above don´t cure it it´s probably valve seals/piston rings

[steveng]

Luckily its not burning oil,no oil on plugs,oil consumption is fine,and the smoke,whether white or brown,was definatley not blues,my mate was certain about that.I think if
was valvue seals,or rings,it would smoke on start up and get worse as it got warm,I had a jag a few years back with knackered seals,should have seen the smoke out of it,fixing that was some job.My head gasket has been on since last year and Ive opened it up dozens of times since,so that may be a good sighn.Later today I'll put carbs back on and see if re setting float levels has made any difference,ive also had the tester on the TPS and thats working fine,so I can set that properly too,co's that was slight out also,I'll then get the emulsions and take it from there.But as I said,I'll keep using it and keep a close eye on things,if it is the head gasket I'll know soon enough.
My brother in law has brought his BSA A10 engine for me to re build,I had Brit bikes years ago,he has spent hundreds on it,re bore,special strengthened pistons & con rods,
new bearing and bushes,should go like a rocket,might put it my TR frame if my head goes,that would be something.
Only jokin,Ill let you know how my bike is goin.
Ta

[steveng]

Fitted carb and set TPS,and,as ive got bar end mirrors,tilted them down a bit so i could see the end of the exhausts.Took it out where theres a few good straights opened it up,running far better and no smoke,not saying thats it nothing to worry about,but fingers crossed it is'n the head after all.Should be even better when I get the emulsion tubes,all I can do now is see how it goes.