lots and lots of white smoke when warm wr250f 06

[jimmyRS]

so, i managed to fix the problem with the bike not firing up by cleaning the plug with a copper wire brush and cleaning all the connections to the battery. It then fired up after a few kicks.

At first all seemed well, but once it got warm it started pouring out white smoke from the end of the exhaust and also the place where it slips on to the header (none is coming out of the connection to the barrel).

I then let it cool off and started it up again ready to ride it home (only got round the corner), and at first it seemed fine but then again it started pouring out this white smoke (doesn't seem to smell of anything in particular) and by the time id got 2 minutes, literally, down the road on the way back, it upped to 207*F before i thought id turn it off. Never has it got that high before.

The bike runs lumpy - fine when you open it up but at low revs and easing off the throttle it pops from the exhaust.

Noticed radiator appeared to be low so i topped it up with about 700ml, some of which came out of the overflow when i started it next - still coughing out white smoke.

Also drained all fuel from the tank and replaced with some new stuff - no resolution.

As much as i hate to, I'm thinking its the head gasket or rings. appreciate any help or ways to test, might buy a compression tester to see about the rings.

video here:
https://s1178.photobucket.com/albums/x362/jgrizzla/?action=view¤t=VID_20120125_153013.mp4

thanks

[.....]

Radiator low and white smoke? Head gasket leaking?

[jimmyRS]

thats what i was thinking, just wanted others opinions on the matter before i went n chucked money at a new gasket,

thanks for confirming though

[Dean-J]

Over heating, burning coolant and lobbing out smoke.... Yeah id have to agree with Head Gasket. Which is better than valves though! HG is an easy enough job to do at least

[neatbik]

Does sound like the head gasket.
Drop the oil and inspect it for any water contamination.

[Baisemontchou]

I concur!

White smoke & overheating = head gasket, do what beatnck2 suggests and look at the oil, water contamination would confirm head-gasket, 99% sure that's what it is.

White smoke = water contamination
Blue = oil, bad, except where it's a good thing! (2 stroke)

[jimmyRS]

ordered a new gasket for £36 :/

gonna check the oil tomorrow afternoon n see if its watery, hopefully not but even so i got a spare filter n oil to chuck in there if need be. see how it goes

ty

[Johnser]

do you have antifreeze in your coolant?

if not, it is quite possible your head has cracked, letting water spize out into the crankcase. You might not instantly expect this to result in steam coming out of the exhaust but the water/steam coming out of the crack will pressurise the crankcase pushing lots of the steam through the breather. Not sure of your bike, but breathers often exit in the airbox which then allows the engine to suck all that steam through the cylinders.

check your airbox for condensation - if there's water in there, potentially brace yourself for a replacement head!

[jimmyRS]

I do use antifreeze and there was no condensation in the air box, fortunately, but thanks for the heads up

Stripped the bike today, and was clear to see the gasket had gone in 2 places. Piston is surprisingly good condition, must of had a rebuild not to long ago. Will post pictures later

Oil was a milky brown colour, so thats been flushed and will replace with fresh stuff n a new filter.

Let you know.how it goes when rebuilt.

Ty

[P.]

[Mikey3]

fingers crossed it'll all fire up good when the exhaust gasket arrives!
I'm reserving our high 5 until it fires
____________________
'04 Yamaha WR450F
'99 SV650 Streetfighter Project - mid build
'Motorcycling is about what you do; not about what you own, or how much you spend on it'

[jimmyRS]

[jimmyRS]

so, over the weekend had time to get the bike apart n replace the gasket (arrived on sat )

Started takin bits n bobs off, then came to draining the oil..

https://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x362/jgrizzla/badoil.jpg

Not nice, considering that was fresh and gold only 2 weeks ago.

Then took the head off

https://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x362/jgrizzla/barrel.jpg

Seems fine, gave it a little clean up and it come up really nice, no damage to the piston or barrel from the looks of it.

Also tested for any damage/warping on the head and gave it a once over with some of this very fine polish cloth stuff my dad had.

so, as for the problem?

https://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x362/jgrizzla/headgas2.jpg

https://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x362/jgrizzla/headgas.jpg

gone

as for the job as a whole, wasn't hard at all, just fiddley reassembling the camshafts and sorting out the timing, but managed to do it without much hassle whit the help of a friend and my dad.

Will rebuild it fully during the week hopefully and let you know how the end result goes

[Mikey3]

Kudos for fantastic photography skills with oily hands please


____________________
'04 Yamaha WR450F
'99 SV650 Streetfighter Project - mid build
'Motorcycling is about what you do; not about what you own, or how much you spend on it'

[jimmyRS]

just to update those who helped me with this problem

all is well!

finished the rebuild this saturday morning and after a few kicks, she fired up and idled nicely.

took her for a quick spin and, after clearing out the left over crap in the exhaust, she no longer smoked, or overheated!

thanks for peoples suggestions, and for now all that seemed wrong was fixed by a new gasket

ta everyone!