lots of exhaust smoke and leak

started my xj550 maxim a couple weeks ago or so first time after winter and things seemed ok. bit slow start but then had it idling in the driveway for while while I did other things. started it it a few days ago and after it runs for a bit it starts letting out a lot of exhasust smoke and leaking oil (I believe). am going to change the oil and filter this wkd. needed a new battery so put one in before starting last time. any ideas on the smoke and leak?

 

Make sure your not getting gas in the oil filing the crankcase up thinning out the oil. Is the smoke black or blue.

 

smoke seems white but thick with strong smell - exhaust smell but very strong.

i spilled gas over the tank wne filling at one point around the time i started fiddling with first time this spring. not sure if that has something to do with it...

 

White smoke could be just water evaporating. It may take several minutes to clear up completely. Did you leave your bike outside without any tarp or cover on it? Strong winds and heavy rain may have caused some water to enter your mufflers and accumulate down there, or it may be just condensation in the mufflers.

 

If you put gas stabilizer in your tank, it will smoke more until that's burned out too.

Where is the oil leaking from?

 

Are all your pipes hot at idle? Sounds like my Seca, it was missing on cylinder 2 at idle, ran like shit... How do your plugs look?

Sounds like a carb issue to me.

 

IMMEDIATELY check the oil for gas pollution. Pop open the filler cap and stick your nose in; get a good whiff.

If it smells of gasoline, you have a float issue that is filling your crankcase with gas, causing it to "overfill" and pump out the breather (into the airbox.)

I'm betting stuck float and a sump full of gas.

 

I put a fuel additive in the tank

Upon further inspection, gas is leaking from a tube that seems to be disconnected from something, can't see it. Tube is vertical and and bottom is not connected to anything. Haven't been able to get in there yet. Not sure what the tube is.

 

Where is the tube? Bottom of the bike? Or running to one of the Carb boots?

 

The tube is probably the airbox drain, which makes the previous advice even more important.

QUIT RUNNING THE MOTOR until you're sure the sump isn't full of gasoline. You don't want to damage it.

 

in the first image below the tube is right to the right of the frame. second image its the vertical tube in the center of the pic mostly obscured on top and bottom. third is from the bottom.

https://mail-attachment.googleuserconte ... 2vZETJK6vE

https://mail-attachment.googleuserconte ... 0&sadssc=1

https://mail-attachment.googleuserconte ... JUXdwuRTLw

 

The only other "tube" down there is the battery drain and it's not coming from there.

We've already told you, repeatedly, what your problem likely is. Diagnose before you damage something.

 

ok thanks sorry for being thick.

what is the sump? ... crankcase with gas, causing it to "overfill" and pump out the breather - know what the crankcase and airbox are. what is the sump?

stuck float... what does this entail to fix?

 

The sump is the lower portion of the crankcase (XJ's actually have a separate oil pan/sump as well) that collects oil so that it can be recirculated.

 

Simply put, the motor.

Carburetor service will be required to fix this.

CHECK THE OIL for gas as I outlined above and do not run the motor if there is gas in the oil.

 

oil smells like gas.

Is there a thread(s) on here for carburetor service and/or rebuild?

what should i do with the oil?