white smoke after biked warmed up

[adeypady]

Hi first post just bought a 04 fz6 600cc 1900 miles. been riding it for a week now to work and back. I have noticed a change in the exhaust note that sounds like a deep blowing noise and I have white smoke blowing when its warmed up and the exhaust dripping. I have checked the coolant is at the right level and oil levels. Today i checked the bolts on the manifold making sure none had come loose. Any ideas what this could be ?

Thanks. Ade.

[reiobard]

What is the outside temperature? humidity? any different than last week?

[Hellgate]

It's condensation. I noticed the same thing on my bike. There is a joint between the CAT and the exhaust pipe cupling and when its humid my bike will drip from there until fully warmed up. Cars do the same thing too.

[reiobard]

sure, just cut to the chase why don't ya.... I wanted to ask a whole lot of roundabout questions first.....

[trampld]

It sounds like a case of humidity to me as well - though if you are suspect of coolant getting into the combustion chamber, you should check the smell of the exhaust when the white smoke is present - it will smell very different from normal.

[adeypady]

Thanks for quick replys. I have just been removing some oil as the man before me did his own servicing. Seemed to warm up quicker but after a few mins white smoke still there. it has been a warm day today so i cannot see why there should still be white smoke after it has warmed up. When i said exhaust drips.. its from the pipes at the end. smell of the gases seem normal no different to what i remember when i first got it.

[trampld]

is the smoke still present long after it is warmed up? The condensation should not last too terribly long...

[wrightme43]

With only 1900 miles it should be fine. That does not mean it is. If it is not humid and it is warm it may be something else. When you say the exhaust smells normal, there is no scent of burning oil? I mean are we talking a wisp of white smoke, or good amount, or are mosquitos falling out the sky?

Is your aircleaner clean? No mouse nests no leaves? Was it over oiled? How are your plugs? You can tell alot about a engine, by warming it up driving gentle, drive it semi aggresivley, then keep the revs up coming home, while still keeping revs up turn it off and coast into your work area, quickly (I know its hot but it can be dealt with) remove and check the plugs against a plug chart. Champion has one if you look with google.

You will probley not need to do this, it may just be the aircleaner being over oiled. It might of been overfilled with oil, and the system is sucking the extra that gets slung around up into the air box, soaking your air filter and burning it that way.

If the intake system is normal and you are sure, if the oil level is correct and you are sure, the next step is in my mind a vacum test and compression test.
Parts do fail, the more of them you make the more that are out there to have all the odds line up and fail.

Dont freak out! Start with the simple stuff. 99% of the time its the simple stuff.
Just my take on the matter and how I would handle it, based on the discription you provided.
Steve

[reiobard]

just so long as the exhaust doesn't smell like "burnt maple syrup" then it is not coolant burning and it is a good sign. Uf you are running white smoke then it is an indication that you are running rich, as suggested check the filter and air tubes for obstruction, if that is all clear you may need to have some mapping done. is there a change that the previous owner did a power chip of some sorts? PCIII with a bad map "perhaps for an aftermaket exhaust that he removed to sell prior to selling you the bike" or an eBay special resistor that tricks the Mass airflow into dumping in more fuel.

Could be quite a few things... We are here for you to help figure it out though.

[trampld]

Originally Posted by reiobard

just so long as the exhaust doesn't smell like "burnt maple syrup" then it is not coolant burning and it is a good sign.

That is the description I was trying to come up with - thanks!

There is a woman in the office where I work that always makes oatmeal for breakfast and eats it at her desk - it is maple flavored and for the first few days I swore I was smelling a blown headgasket - as a tech that is a beautiful smell and I did LOTS of them...as an owner, it is a terrible smell.