Gen I '05 emits white, putrid smoke on startup

[NoCage]

For the last couple of weeks, when I've started my bike in cold weather, white smoke comes from the engine area, before it's had time to warm up. My bike is an outside pet, so it has to wake up in sub-freezing temps this time of year sometimes. That hasn't been a problem in years past (it's a GenI '05), but over the last couple of weeks, it's noticeable. When I get ready for the commute, I put the bike up on the center stand, check the fluid levels, and start it. All fluid levels (including coolant), are okay. What's weird is that it starts smoking almost immediately, so I don't think it's heat related. The smell is like rubber or plastic burning... but I don't see anything amiss when I shine a light on the wires around the triple tree or other components in that area. My first guess is that there's a short or exposed wire, but it goes away, and doesn't do that when I fire it up for the return commute. Any ideas, before I tear into the tupperware? Note... this will be cross-posted on fjriders.com.

Thanks in advance for an advice.

 

[Mike P]

Not of any help but mine sometimes has a rubbery smell after getting to my destination. Not every time and I've had all the tupper ware off trying to find it with no luck. Nothing was out of place, touching anything that's hot.....nothing. I just deal with it.

Yours is a entirely different issue.

 

[Patriot]

IMHO, you need to check the coolant in the radiator from the radiator cap

Does it run hotter now than in the past ??? Has it ever overheated; is the fan working for sure ???

It's very possible to have a coolant leak that does not affect the overflow tank which doesn't change level, either up or down like it should

You need to put the bike on a light colored flat surface or secure dry newspapers or brown paper under it for an overnight stay so you can see if it leaks something and analyze the color/smell of the leaky fluid to determine what it is.

You seem to indicate the exhaust gases you see on start up are normal, no white or black or blue smoke coming out of the exhaust other than normal steamy gases until it warms up and the idle goes down to normal. When riding, after a short time, the exhaust should be pretty much invisible. If it's not, white steamy smoke vapor is coolant getting into the combustion chambers (bad head gasket, cracked head or block), blue is engine running too rich and problem with the fuel injection, and black is oil getting into the combustion chamber and burning (bad valve guide(s) or ring problem). None very good to happen.

Also, check the condition of the oil for white sludge which is coolant getting into the oil, or the coolant itself in the radiator for slime and dark liquid which is oil getting into the coolant. Both are bad head gasket or cracked head or block problem (not good at all).

Hope this helps and doesn't cause undo stress - best to face the problem and deal with it before more damage is done

 

[PapaUtah]

+1 on Patriot's diagnosis. That's your plan of action.

 

[dhalen32]

I agree with Patriot except for smoke color. Blue = burning oil; Black = too much fuel.

Dave

 

[Big Shasta]

I agree with Patriot except for smoke color. Blue = burning oil; Black = too much fuel.Dave

+1 Blue smoke is always oil.

 

[timk]

Most things I own smell bad on startup. I think it's the blend of the gas now. More prevelant in cool,humid air.

 

[Patriot]

I agree with Patriot except for smoke color. Blue = burning oil; Black = too much fuel.Dave

+1 Blue smoke is always oil.

whoops [brain fart, stand downwind]

I stand corrected...blue-oil, black-rich mixture

 

[WBill]

Could it just be steam from burning off water condensation in the fuel tank? Water condensation increases on the interior surfaces of the fuel tank as temperature decreases. Since water is heavier than fuel, it sinks to the bottom of the tank and gets delivered to the engine as she starts up. See what happens if you store the bike with the fuel tank as full as possible, leaving less room for water condensation. That would be an easy fix, huh? WBill

 

[radman]

Had somewhat the same issue on Frank-also Gen I. Not yet cold enough for steam (thats what it is) to be evident, but a hot coolant odor right after start up. Turned out the rad cap wasn't quite tight-and the system pressure spike would push a tiny bit out the cap opening, it would run down the hose, and drip onto the hot exhaust. So, check for loose cap, or loose clamp at hoses running to the cap housing.

 

[donaldb]

Personally............

I think Scab is sneaking in after dark and pissing on your headers.

 

[airboss]

White smoke, smells like rubber or plastic burning, sounds like what Rad said, antifreeze leak. I'd check the clamps on all the coolant hoses, in cold weather the different rate of cool down between the metal and the rubber can cause the hoses to weep a little around the clamps, especially if the hoses are older and starting to get hard. A drip on the header would be instant smell bad white smoke.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Does it smell like burnt Chicken??

Ya might wanna check and see if yer neighbor is missin a cat....

:jester:

 

[Kevin Daly]

Does it smell like burnt Chicken??
Ya might wanna check and see if yer neighbor is missin a cat....

:jester:

Yep! had a cat that used to sleep on my chevy malaboo's V8 350... at least until it made the mistake of sleeping too close to the fan. Smelled like Chineese food in that car for a month!

 

[RadioHowie]

All kidding aside, you mention your Feej is an "outside pet."

Could be a neighborhood cat decided one day to "mark" your bike and now that it "belongs" to that particular cat, it returns frequently to freshen up its territory.

You also mentioned putrid smoke. As in putrid smell??? Cat piss boiling off your headers/block would certainly qualify as putrid smoke.

 

[Fred W]

White smoke = Water.

Welcome to the world of cold weather engine starts. Most any gas engine vehicle will smoke rather profusely with white smoke until it is warmed up, when the ambient temp is low enough. You may very well be experiencing a "normal engine".

 

[RadioHowie]

Fred,

Aren't you referring to exhaust smoke?

NoCage says the smoke's coming from the engine area when he starts it up.

 

[Bustanut joker]

All kidding aside, you mention your Feej is an "outside pet."
Could be a neighborhood cat decided one day to "mark" your bike and now that it "belongs" to that particular cat, it returns frequently to freshen up its territory.

You also mentioned putrid smoke. As in putrid smell??? Cat piss boiling off your headers/block would certainly qualify as putrid smoke.

Howie, ya never cease to amaze me

That's actually something I never woulda thought of but, you're right. Them nasty assed Toms will mark anything stationary, and that smell is rough enough as it is. I can't imagine what a bit of heat would add.. :dribble:

:jester:

 

[FJRBluesman]

All kidding aside, you mention your Feej is an "outside pet."
Could be a neighborhood cat decided one day to "mark" your bike and now that it "belongs" to that particular cat, it returns frequently to freshen up its territory.

You also mentioned putrid smoke. As in putrid smell??? Cat piss boiling off your headers/block would certainly qualify as putrid smoke.

Howie, ya never cease to amaze me

That's actually something I never woulda thought of but, you're right. Them nasty assed Toms will mark anything stationary, and that smell is rough enough as it is. I can't imagine what a bit of heat would add.. :dribble:

:jester:

Funny... Bust does the same thing. He'll pee on anyone elses FeeJ just to mark his territory.
Serious now...

I'm not sure about this daily, but I just fired up my sons dirt bike after many months of none operation and it smoked too. Rising from the header pipe and engine case area.