Oil in exhaust?

Restoring a 80 XJ550 will full strip down of frame and accessories.

Compression was good so left engine alone, as she ran well with no issues.

Rebuilt carbs as per ‘church of clean’ and adjusted valve clearances (7 of 8 were slightly out of spec)

Had all back together today with freshly chromed headers and still waiting on cross pipe and rear cans. Being impatient, I was keen to know if she would start with rebuilt carbs.

She fired straight up and rang well no with hesitation. I noticed from cylinder 1 header, watery oil coming from header pipe end. Not a lot but enough to splatter under the bike. No smoke. Pulled the spark plug, clean as a whistle?

Ran again today and cylinder 1 and 3 had a the same watery oil from header?

Any ideas? Residual from valve clearance adjustment? Valve seals?

On a side note- the headers sat in an acid bath before Re chrome and I did notice some ‘liquid’ still trapped in the walls in 2 of the headers, related ?

 

Did that “watery” oil happen to smell like gasoline?

if not then it’s probably the residual acid bath (hopefully residual rinse) that you mentioned.

 

No gasoline smell that I noticed although I didn’t get the nose into to it, just a rub between the fingers.

I’ll have a sniff when I’m back home. If it did have a gasoline smell what are you thinking?

 

Cracked fuel line, or leak at the tank somewhere.
That and a leaky valve cover gasket.
Check the oil sump too. Make sure it doesn’t smell of gas.

 

E

Valve cover gasket new and torqued- no leaks visually.

Fuel lines are new and carb fuel orings and tee are new

Running small aux tank while tank being painted. Would a small amount of gas in the oil cause ring blow by to enter exhaust? With the aux tank still half full, it would be a small dilution.

Fingers crossed it’s residual chrome bath moisture!

Thanks for your help