What is it? Oil shooting...

Ok guys, Finshed my Turbo Cobra last week. And started my 82 XJ550 project. I bought it under the impression it leaked oil and it was a seal that came with the bike. Well long story short it was replaced with all other o-rings and seal in that area (Thanks xj4ever). Suprisingly after sitting for a year plus, primed the oil, and new gas the sucker started right up... And here is where the problem began...


The problem is weird. It runs fine, then spits oil out of the carbs like crazy, not a little it shoots out. Its shooting threw the carbs into the filter box. I would think some form of crank case vent blocked but Im very new to these bikes and before I start to tear it apart im sure someone on here has had or would know how to fix it...

 

Make sure you're crankcase isn't over full, of oil or oil/gas mix. You're prolly getting blow back from the case back to the airbox.

 

Its not over filled.... right in the middle of the glass...

 

Before you hand-over money to somebody selling you a Bike that looks good ...

DO -- A -- COMPRESSION -- TEST!

It's worth spending the 25-Bucks for a Compression Test Gauge and testing the Bike so you know you aren't buying some other dudes big problem.

Get a Compression Test done.
Don't wast time checking the valves; first.
Get a picture of what is happening before you start doing anything else.

From the Thumbnail Sketch of this initial Post, ... I think you are going to find a list of things you need to do.

Even though the LIST isn't too long.
The items on the list are Labor Intensive.

Compression Test.
All Spark Plugs pulled.
Fully Charged Battery
Wide Open Throttles
Igniter Leads Disconnected.

 

Is it doing this at idle when you start the bike up?
I remember that after going out and wringing the snot out of my Maxim X that there would be a slight accumulation of oil in the box, I assumed it was because of the thrashing that I gave it.

 

Please post a video of the shooting oil if you can

 

Laundry List of Possibles:

Petcock leak.
Leaking Carb Floats
Gas in Oil
Wrong Oil
Burned-through Piston
Petcock Valve in wrong position
Bike was laid-over or fell-over
Overfilled with Oil
Petcock Vacuum Membrane punctured
Excessive Blow-by
Damaged or missing baffle.

 

Are you assuming it came from the carbs because there's oil in the airbox?

The crankcase vent tube feeds into the airbox; if you have excessive oil in the airbox more likely it's getting pumped out the crankcase breather than the carbs themselves.

Quick question: Oil halfway up the sight glass: With the bike on the sidestand or the centerstand/held vertical?

 

Good question, Fitz.
Cobra, If the oil is half way up the glass when it's on the center stand then it's actually UNDERfilled. It should be to the top of the glass, with just a bit of a bubble showing, when it's on the CENTER stand.
If you are checking it on the side stand and the oil is halfway up the glass, then it is way OVERfilled. when my bike is on the side stand it doesn't show any oil in the window.
Always fill with bike on level ground and on the center stand.

 

With the bike even left to right the oil is half way no stand down, Same as I ran on all my Gixxers without issue so ill say oil level is fine, Bike starts right up idles fine so im saying internal engine are fine . I didnt bother doing a compression test mainly because the bike was next to nothing I think with gas getting there I paid like $110 or something.

I didnt really look at it I put the oil in. Started it up, and a few secound my buddy told me to shut it off so I looked it was shooting out pretty bad into the airbox. Since I had the filter out ans cover off it was easy to see. But after eliminating unnessesary parts on the bike (The previous owner had a radio, amp, speakers, ect... on the bike) then excess assesories I also wont need like the wind screen, saddle bags, ect... I just moved on to another project im working on and left the bike be.

But thanks for the help

I was mainly curious if this is something that happens or if someone had a

 

AW common post a VIDEO of the shooting oil I have to see this!! The only way I can see the engine being able to be mechanically in such bad shape to shoot out oil through the carbs and still run fine is not possible. However if someone hooked up an oil line to the yics system I could see oil going everywhere. At least post some PICS

 

I just drained all the oil, and removed the filter housing. Going to try a fresh oil change with filter, and some mystery oil. new hoses, and such.

But whatctype/quarts/weight of oil are you guys using? And where do you get your filter? Im going to hit up the local Yamaha but I doubt they would keep a 82 xj550 filter instock. And Im not going to use royal purple in a bike that I wont be riding to crazy the engine just dont need that extent of oil.

 

Any conventional motorcycle oil, just make sure it's motorcycle oil, not car oil.
I used 10w-30 when I changed, but still cold here. will switch to 10w-40 in a month. Factory calls for 20w-40 above 41degrees.
Go to the auto store and get a Fram CH6003. It'll come with both o-rings and run you about 7 bucks. Yamaha will want about 15 for the same filter.

The filter housing only gets tightened to 11ft.-lbs.

A little oil lesson for those that don't know:
The first number in the weight is the viscosity of the oil below 32 F. The second number is the viscosity of the oil above 32 F. The W stands for Winter, not weight.
So technically, if the temp is above say...40 degrees, then it won't matter if you use 10w-40, 20w-40, 15w-40, or just straight SAE 40, because they will all be 40 weight oil at that temp.
But you DO want it to be motorcycle oil, or your clutch will slip.

In warmer climates (Florida, for example) there may be a cooling advantage in using a 50 weight oil, but I'll let someone else on here or your local shop chime in on that. We don't have to worry much about overheating here in the Mitten, so I don't know that running a thicker oil will help in cooling all that much.

Oh, and don't forget to put the spring in! I know, I've said it before, but when you forget once, it has a tendency to stick in your head. LOL

 

Here i a video of it idling. This was the first start up after the new seals. I have only started it twice and the secound time was when the oil was seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEMyk64_Q0g

 

Wow, that's pretty crazy. Why was your back wheel turning, is that normal? My back wheel never turns when the bike is idling on the center stand.

 

Part way through the clip he kicked it into 1st gear, go look again, listen for the crunch. @ 22 seconds in look at the bottom, middle of clip.

 

What was it I was supposed to be watching in that video?

 

Just hearing the sound of his engine, rough idle and the oil coming out of his airbox and all over the floor. I was asking why his wheel was turning, wondered if it was in gear, lol.

 

My 550s rear wheels always spin if the bike is running on the centerstand, cold, and in neutral; unless I put a toe up and stop it. If yours doesn't maybe you need to lube and/or adjust your chain, or make sure your rear brake isn't dragging. (Don't forget you need to re-adjust the rear brake every time you adjust the chain.)

***I'm not talking shafties, it's 550 experience, dunno if the big bikes do it or not***

 

I wondered about that too, lol, like maybe mine was supposed to spin slowly when on center stand and reving it up, hadn't gotten to the chain yet, but it's on the list. Thanks Big!

 

"shooting oil"

You didn't really show where the oil was coming from. Don't be scared of it. Get in there and pinpoint WHERE the oil is coming from.

Good luck!

 

actually i have a 650 with a similar problem. the rear seal for the output shaft went on me, when i replaced it and refilled the oil it started throwing oil into the airbox. it looks like water from a garden hose at full blast when i give it some throttle. i have it in the shop now. as of today i know it is not the carbs or the petcock and no gas in the oil. im thinking if you cant see oil in the sight glass when running or on the side stand i may have over filled it, because as of today the mechanic is waiting on a filter for it but cant think of a reason for it to do that except bad rings or piston causing extra crankcase pressure. the thing is i cant belive thats the problem with it running as well as it does. any ideas on anything else it could be?

 

Check List:

Check for Gas in Oil -- Leaking Petcock / Floats.
Check for Petcock Leak
Compression Check

 

ok so the good news is it was overfilled with oil so now all is good thanks for the help

 

my 650 spins in neutral on centre stand aswell,no probs

 

thats cause theres no resistance on it soon as you touch it itll stop

 

you can see him kick it into 1st gear at 22 seconds