Burning Oil??

So I finally got my 550 running after lying dormant for around 11 years. There were many things I did in preparation; carbs fully rebuilt/cleaned, valve shims replaced, cam chain tensioner reset, rebuilt petcock, electronic contact cleaning/new fuses, OIL CHANGED & NEW FILTER INSTALLED (SITE GLASS FULL).

Once it was running, after warming up for about 4 minutes, it was smoking out the exhaust tips quite a bit. I chauked this up to the bike sitting so long, who knows what are in the mufflers (bugs, mud dobber nest & such).

I have to be honest, I took it for a 1/4 mile spin after I let it warm up for about 15 minutes. I live in the country, no one around. This is the only riding it will see until all systems (read brakes) are gone through. I turned around & headed back & my oil light came on. Pulled back in the garage, put it on the center stand & let it set for 30 minutes. Check the site glass & no oil.

Could it burn enough oil idling for 15 minutes to be that low? Or does the engine need to be started up & more oil added after an oil change?

The smoking is what bothers me. The smoke did have a bit of a burnt oil smell but again bike hasn't ran in 11 years. +, from what I recall, the bike always smelled a bit burnt oily (due to a leaky valve cover seeping onto the jugs).

 

How much oil did you put in it?

 

First, let's talk about the obvious....was there a puddle of oil that leaked out somewhere? How much oil did you put in? Maybe pull the drain and measure how much oil comes out...
For you to "burn" that much oil in that amount of time....it would have more the a bit of an oil burning smell.
I'm sure there are others more knowledgeable than me....I'd be looking for leaks or double check how much you actually put in there.

 

Fitz types faster and is more succinct than me!

 

for it to burn that much oil it would look like a fighter jet doing a display at a show, burning a cap full of oil will produce lots of smoke so a full sump full would be seen from space

 

There was no puddle or leak what so ever.

I'll have to check the amount I put in it when I get home. I still have the oil containers.

I do remember it filling up in the site glass sooner than the recomended amount (taken from the manual).

 

Around 2-300 ml too soon.

Also, I had put some marvel mystery oil in all of the cylinders before I did the shims to keep the pistons from being turn over dry. Maybe some of that residue was burning?

 

I put in 2350 ~ 2330ish.

 

15 minutes is too long to run a bike stationery - overheating....

As for the oil loss, suggest you fill to the mark (and allow to settle) and re-check after a ride....the oil filter soaks up a fair bit when dry as well..

 

I did have a box fan blowing on it. + it was about 40 degrees out.

I double checked the service manual, and it says 2.5L. I just hadn't put enough in. I did put oil in the filter when I installed it though.

Maybe a little more running it will help to alleviate the smoking.

 

Do a compression test and post the numbers. After sitting for so long you could have stuck rings.
When you rode the bike did you take it easy or did you get a bit over eager and punch the throttle to see how fast you could go?

 

I only got into high second on a decent acceleration. The road isn't very good, full of pot holes & I was worried about the tires/brakes. I was mainly curious about throttle response & engine braking after the carb rebuild.

I've got a compression tester (automotive) but I don't have a motorcycle plug adapter for it. I wonder if I can piece together an adapter with some brass compressed air pieces from Lowes or Home Depot.

 

The part you need -the spark plug adapter- is the one thing they WON'T have at Home Depot or Lowes. I ended up buying a cheapo compression tester kit to get the 12mm plug adapter to use on my good gauge.

Did adding a little more oil get the level into the window?

 

wouldnt the adapter off the colourtune work??? just a thought but its too cold to go out and check

 

I put in another 150ml & it got me about 1/3 up the site window. Thats after I added the 150ml, started it up & let it cool back down. So, I think all is well, I just didn't put enough in. I think this evening, I'll let it warm up a bit & take it the same distance I did before to see if the oil light comes back on. It only came on under load and not idling.
I do have a full shop manual for the xj550H (I assume engine capacity is the same). It says 2200ml if just changing the oil & 2500ml if changing oil & filter. It also says 2900ml (I guess that is if you do a full engine tear down, emptying out the sump and all?).

Fitz, do you know if that shop manual is equivalent to the maxim (other than maybe the front axle/forks & some cosmetics). It looks like basically the same bike mechanically.

For the adapter, I was thinking just a step down adapter for the adapter but it probably won't go to 12mm.

Unfortunately, I don't have a color tune so I wouldn't know if that adapter would work. I would like to get one eventually though. After the YICS tool & sync guages of course

 

All 3 years' 550s, "R" (Seca) and Maxim, are mechanically the same.

The ONLY factory book IS the XJ550RH book; the Maxim supplement is just that, a supplement. It only contains the few specification differences, no additional or different procedures. PM me with an email address and I can send you a scan of the supplement if you'd like.

 

If you're dying to make an adaptor, you can get a 14mm adapter from an autoparts store that raises the spark plug out of the cyclinder (supposed to be a temporary solution to cylinder that's oil-fouling a plug). Cut the male end of the adaptor off, and cut off and remove threads of an old spark plug (and remove all ceramic).

Join the two together and you've got a 12mm-14mm adaptor! I used JB weld, but actually welding might be better (I dropped it once and had to re-glue it together). If you have a lathe, you might be able to cut the 14mm threads off the adaptor and cut 12mm threads onto it. Don't forget the o-ring for the 12mm end!

Or just buy another kit with ALL the adapter you need<-easiest by far :roll:

 

Thanks for the info on the book.

I did see a 12mm adapter on fleabay for $4.00
Either that or a new kit...

 

So, I swung by O'Reilly's to see if they sold the adapter. Nope
Do they rent a compression tester with said adapter? Nope

The clerk also runs a local shop & he said he had a bunch of 12mm laying around from compression testing kits. Never uses any of them. So, during his lunch he picked one up and gave it to me. SCORE! Awesome guy!

Will be doing a "C" test tonight.

 

Don't forget to have the throttle wide open when you do it

 

Thanks adrian. I'm glad you reminded me! I just had an internal freak out! My numbers were pretty bad without the throttle wide open.

first go around: 35psi 30psi 51psi 46psi
Second with oil: 110psi 130psi 185psi 158psi

None of those numbers mean SQUAT!
I'll redo tomorrow.

 

Well since you forgot about wide open throttles; maybe I should also remind you to:

Be sure the battery is fully charged so you get a good healthy spin.

Unplug the TCI to prevent damage from trying to fire plugs that aren't there/grounded. The book tells you to ground all the plug leads; it's easier to just unplug the TCI.

 

Wide open throttle and the slides raised.

 

Gotcha. Just put a brand new fully charged (tested at 12.73) battery on & I did unplug my TCI. Gonna charge the battery a bit tonight before I try again.

I even read throttle open in the manual I just didn't execute. Duh!

One thing, what do you guys do about the gas pumping into the cylinders? After I buttoned it back up last night, I tried to start it & it backfired. I'd like to not repeat that.

 

It shouldn't "pump" enough gas to matter; you've got the enrichment off. You could just pop the vacuum line off the petcock (leaving it ON) so no additinal fuel flows.

 

Actually, the enrichment wasn't on when I was doing the compression test but I did open it to start the bike afterwards. It won't run without the enrichment fully open. I still need to adjust my pilot mixture screws. I started at 2.5 turns when I reassembled but I'm thinking I have to go more.

I was planning on tuning the carbs much more after most of my build. I plan to remove the carbs (& TCI) once again while doing some tank fitting and welding (don't want gasoline around that or fry out the TCI). I will post a new thread about that when the time comes.

 

Compression #'s are in....

cylinders 1-2-3-4: 70, 60, 75, 85

ugh...

 

And after you add a tablespoon of oil to the cylinders; a "wet" test?

 

I always like to do a sanity check, and smoke and low comp do go together, but see what that gauge reads on a known good engine.

 

Or borrow another gauge...

 

If your sure all your valves are in spec, I'm betting you have stuck rings from sitting for 11 years. Don't give up you've come to far! Regroup...

 

thanks ski, I needed that.

Ok, first I will do wet compression tests of the cylinders.
Second, I will pull the valve cover again and quadruple check my valve clearances. It was really cold out when I measured them (shouldn't matter too much).

What does it take to free up stuck rings?

 

I think your plan of doing a wet compression test first will tell you if it's the rings or the valves. That should dictate your next move. Good luck!

 

EDzachary.

Leap not to conclusions, young Jedi. Diagnose before disassemble.

(Of course, in the case of 'ski's FZ1, the diagnosis was easy. I hope you kept some of the shrapnel as a souvenir.)

 

Here's another set of #'s and a "wet" set:

Cylinders 1-2-3-4: 61 55 66 70

Wet: 99 98 130 128

My dry #'s yesterday: 70 60 75 85


Battery was fully charged again (12.8 V), engine warmed up, throttle open.
I need to borrow or rent a different gauge just to be sure.

 

I rented a compression tester I'm gonna try tomorrow. The o ring on my compression tester was quite stretchy and a little scratched up. The one I rented is from a brand new Autozone in town & looks to be hardly used if at all. I'm gonna test it tomorrow to be certain.

What confuses me is, my compression #'s are low.
While searching "piston rings", I've read on here members state that the cylinder's won't support combustion under 90 psi.
All my cylinders are well below 90.
My exhaust pipes are all EXTREMELY hot (like they should be) & this bike idles beautifully (granted it is with full choke). I haven't even tuned/sync yet. I just need to start with my pilot mixtures out more, vacuum sync and i'd be set.
Currently while idling, THE TINIEST BLIP IN THE THROTTLE GIVES A STRONG, SOLID, NON-HESITANT RESPONSE. Yet, I can see smoke out of the exhaust. :?

I'm not saying that my rings can't be bad, just that maybe "under 90 psi won't support combustion" could be a little off? Or my compression test is crap, could very well be the case. We'll find out tomorrow.

I'm beginning to warm up to the idea of doing a ring job/cylinder hone/valve job if need be. The tools eat up a lot of cash (for someone that doesn't own engine disassembly/reassembly tools) so I'll have to rent & borrow when I can. It's not the rings/measuring/honing/valves that bothers me, it's the cams & chain that worry me. 8O

 

You have a problem if you are idling beautifully with full choke. You should be idling beautifully with NO choke. Having the choke full on like that means you're running waaay to rich.

If the compression is that low, that would explain why you can only run on full choke....the 'full-off choke" fuel mix would be too thin for that low of a cyl pressure, so you end up basically adding more fuel.

Dave F

 

That makes sense being that it is a fuel enrichment circuit and not a choke.

I would've thought that with such bad compression on all 4 cylinders that there could be no way of getting the throttle response I currently have.

I'll know more tomorrow & I'll try to post a video as well.

 

Confirmed with new gauge:

75 65 78 88

wet:103 98 126 131

Starting to plan the next step...

 

Not sure where you're at with your troubleshooting but if you are at your wits end, why not try something that won't take much time or money. Get yourself some Seafoam, Marvel Mystery Oil or some ATF fluid and put about a teaspoon or a little more in each cylinder and let it sit for a week or so. If it's stuck rings, it might just free them up. If not, you're only set back a week and very little money. Sometimes when a engine sits for a long time and the rings get stuck just driving it for a while varying engine speeds can free them up. It does look like from your wet compression numbers like you might have a combination of ring and valve issues going on...