Help! White Smoke and Sticking Calipers

Message

roncg41677 · Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:04 pm

Finally got my 92 Seca 2 running after cleaning the carbs and putting in a new petcock (the old one was leaking really badly. I got it all put back together and put a couple of gallons of gas in the tank, started it up and got a LOT of white smoke out of the LEFT exhaust pipe and the front of the engine (it looked like it was coming from the exhaust headers.) The white smoke had a very strong smell, I guess it was kind of oily although I've read that burning oil will let off blue smoke. After a while it stopped coming out of the exhaust, but continued to come off of the header of the #3 pipe, at least that's what it looked like. Any ideas? This is the first time the bike had run in almost a year.

The PO had dropped the bike, and there was oil in the air filter box. I soaked the air filter and cleaned it out as best as I could. When I took the carbs off one of the cylinders was completely full of gas as well (the carbs were completely stuck before cleaning). Not sure if any of this could contribute.

Also, the brake calipers are sticking REALLY badly. After squeezing the lever I really had to muscle the bike to get it to move. Can I just try spraying some WD40 on the calipers, or will they need to be removed and cleaned? Thanks!

BuzZz · #2 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:48 pm

All the smoke could easily be residual gas or oil in the cylinders, intake tract or exhaust. If the bike runs fines with the smoke pouring out, put some miles on it and the offending substance may burn off leaving only dirty spark plugs to be cleaned. If it persists, you got more checking to do.

But first you gotta fix them brakes. You need to find out what is sticking/binding. Is it the pistons in the caliper bores? That requires disassemble and cleaning, possibly new parts like seals or pistons. Or it could be the slider pins or bolts need removal and re-greasing to allow the pads or the caliper (depending on what style your bike has) to float back to a neutral position.

BTW... there are very few things in life, and even less things on a motorcycle that can be fixed by spraying them with Weasel Pisss... wet ignition systems are all that spring to mind. Waving the straw of a WD can around your brakes is just looking for a ride to the hospital... in one of their funny looking vans instead of on your bike.

You probably don't want to hear my opinion on Duct tape.....

roncg41677 · Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:50 am

BuzZz wrote:BTW... there are very few things in life, and even less things on a motorcycle that can be fixed by spraying them with Weasel Pisss... wet ignition systems are all that spring to mind. Waving the straw of a WD can around your brakes is just looking for a ride to the hospital... in one of their funny looking vans instead of on your bike.

You probably don't want to hear my opinion on Duct tape.....

Point well taken.

Yeah, the bike runs fine with the smoke. I can't wait to get it out on the road. Guess I'll be pulling off the calipers first chance. I've done it on cars before. Is there any big difference on a bike?

Johnj · #4 Unread post by **Johnj** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:44 am

They're smaller.

Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:51 am

Johnj wrote:They're smaller.

Don't forget easier to get to

coffee_brake · Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:23 am

Stinky, acrid smoke after a long sit is normal but...If it's only smoking from one pipe...are all four cylinders firing? When you start it up, do all four header pipes get hot right away? If not, you need to check for spark again. However, if the oil that is smoking away now got there from the drop, then it would be expected on only one side. Just something to check, is all.

Before you go buying a bunch of brake caliper parts, try completely flushing the system with fresh brake fluid and cleaning everything really well, might just be some funk up around the brake caliper piston and you can clean it off and not have to buy parts.

roncg41677 · Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:34 am

All cylinders seem to be firing. It sounds fine. The smoke from the left exhaust pipe went away after a few minutes.

Is there a way to clean the caliper pistons without actually taking them off? (and thanks JohnJ, I really don't know what I'd do without your input

)

roncg41677 · Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:17 pm

Well, I just changed the oil...

Before the oil change I couldn't see a level in the window and just figured the window was really dirty. I cut the top off of a milk jug to receive the old oil (I forgot to buy a pan at the auto store :s) When I took the oil plug out the milk jug filled up within about 4 seconds and then oil proceeded to FLOOD my driveway. WITH an oil filter change my bike takes like 2.7 quarts. I can only guesstimate from the 6 ft diameter puddle on the ground that there must have been 5-6 quarts in there

. I changed the filter and put the correct amount in there and the bike sounds even better. Still some white smoke and stink, but I got A LOT of oil on the headers during the change.

I was really surprised to see so much oil!

BuzZz · #9 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:43 pm

Did that oil have a gassy smell?

A petcock left open or one that's defective can allow raw fuel to flood the carbs if they don't seal perfectly, into the cylinder through the head and past the rings into the crankcase. Crankcase level goes way up. Lubrication effectiveness goes way down.

coffee_brake · Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:03 am

Buzz is right, it the oil had gas in it, you did well to change it. It would be a very good idea to run this oil just a few miles and change it again, if there was gasoline in the cases. You already changed the petcock, there's a good chance there was gallons of old gasoline in your oil. Best to get another change in there soon to get that stuff out. It does your engine NO good to have gas in the oil.

Removing the calipers should not be a hard job. Get the right wrench or socket, if the bolts are too tight you can create leverage with a piece of pipe over the wrench (be careful and all that, make sure you won't fall on something sharp when the bolt finally comes loose, etc.)

With the calipers off you can easily remove the pads and clean up in there, check the piston for corrosion, etc. You can gently pry on the piston with a screwdriver (put a little piece of wood or plastic in between so you don't mess up the piston) to see if it moves at all.

Remember, when you put the caliper back on, to use locktite and the proper torque on the bolts. Nothing like wondering why your brakes don't work on the exit ramp and looking down to see your caliper swinging a half inch from your spoked wheel at 70 mph, BTDT.