Help me stop smoking

[steveB (VRCC UK)]

Sorry this is a little involved. I was running one of my Valks for nearly 10 years with a blower until it started pressurising the crankcase and blowing oil out of the breather. Investigation showed the rotors had shed their teflon coat and bunged it down the cylinders (ethanol fuel ?). Further work showed low compression on left side and when the head came off, serious scoring to no. 4 and 6 cylinders.
A few years before I had bought what was said to be a new Goldwing motor. So I had all new parts except as I looked more carefully the unit appeared to have been used for training as most of the fasteners were finger tight (including crankpin journals, clutch nut, gearbox mainshaft etc). Complete rebuild checking all fits and limits but;
As detailed in an earlier post I Valkerised it by using the cams, lifters, timing cases, water pump and carbs keeping the (new) wing gearbox and incorporating reverse by using a fabricated linkage and a Wing starter motor. Made solid engine mounts and did the engine swap. Well I was a happy bunny, it started first push of the button and runs just as I remember my first Valk did out of the crate in '97. After carefully running it for 1000 miles and a couple of oil/filter changes started using it in anger but a slight problem has arisen. On start up it smokes from the left hand side, not badly, just a small bluish haze (just like she's vaping) then it clears and never does it again until the next time she's left overnight. Finally after much head scratching removed the cylinder head and sure enough it was oily, so changed the valve guide seals checked all the valve stems  for straightness and tolerance and reassembled. Started first push and guess what no smoke. Next day, start up, blue smoke.
So look on the parts fiche - never noticed before but there are different part no's for left and right hand pistons and rings but the Honda manual makes no mention of this. Is it possible during the tech sessions or my rebuild the wrong rings have been used.
Just a little more - she's used no oil during the last 2000 miles. she's not overfilled, only puffs when started first thing never smokes under acceleration or deceleration or at high speed. Tried leaving her upright with a block under the side stand but she still does it. Do I leave it, as she runs really strongly (compression test is equal on all cylinders) is vibration free and mechanically quiet, or has anyone any suggestions.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Chantix ? Nicorette ?

Sorry  I didn’t know the rings were different either. If it’s running good, not using oil, I think I wouldn’t worry about it.

[Kaahn]

Marijuana helped me to stop smoking cigarettes  

[Bighead]

Ride it and stop looking at the exhaust when you start it. Check the oil every other month for piece of mind.

[pancho]

I've finally learned that some things just need to be set aside ....  there are other things that can be done  with your life.   

Not sayin is's not an interesting problem, but there is only so much time.

New information to me about the pistons and rings,, might look into that someday..... maybe

[gordonv]

steveB, I think you'd get more satisfaction out of licking this thing, than just riding it.

But..

I would watch the oil consumption. Oil foiling. Any other kind of Oiling you could keep an eye on, and not have the engine go bad on you.

If there is anything else to do for the bike, do it, just keep an eye on it. If you want to investigate, then do.

The short. There shouldn't be oil smoke from the back. But it's a hybrid engine. Did you mic the ring ends? I've never done that good of a job, and that was almost 40 years ago.

Lets let the dog loose in the hen house, what oil are you using? I'd try Rotella T6 synthetic. I think any smoke would go away with a synthetic.

[steveB (VRCC UK)]

Thanks guys - I will keep an eye on oil level and amount of smoke but as GordonNV says its not the final answer . The real problem  is my curiosity, whether I can live with it or drop the motor and tear into it again. Either way I'll keep you all posted.

[John Schmidt]

Save your time and money and leave it alone. I've had Wings from 1975 models all the way up to my '98 Valkyrie and one thing seems to be common with the boxer style motor....it often will smoke a bit from the left side on start up. The bike when on the sidestand leans to the left and often causes some oozing of lube into the cylinders. Not every motor on this type of bike will do it, but my guess is the majority of them will at one time or another. Many years ago I did as you, I completely rebuilt an old GL1100 motor that was blowing crap out of every orifice. When done it had new rings, valve guides/seals, gaskets galore...everything you can imagine from the bottom up. Sucker ran like a scalded dog(assuming a scalded dog can still run), smooth as silk, started with a single pop of the starter. But guess what...with all that new stuff in it, the darn thing still would give me a few puffs from the left side if I left it on the sidestand for any length of time. The reall kicker....it usually started clean if on the centerstand.

My advice, quit worrying about it. It's pretty normal on these motors. 

[redripper]

A long time ago when this would happen on a  car I was told that the valve seals were worn, What would happen is after shut down residual oil would seep past the valve stem and guide. Then upon start up the puff of smoke would occur.

[steveB (VRCC UK)]

Exactly - which is why I pulled the head and changed the guide seals. Maybe at the next oil change I'll use a fully synthetic oil. Got a 2000 Valk (Copper and Black) in my tiny workshop at the moment for a fork and steering head rebuild and the possibility of GSX600 custom job afterwards so it may be sometime before I can return to my own bike. In the meantime I'm just going to ride it (keeping an eye on the oil level) and try not to fret.

[spongebob]

My 2004 BMW boxer puffs when I start it..... That's it's way of saying... Hi.....

[John Schmidt]

Like I said and many other experienced owners will echo it; that initial puff is characteristic of the Boxer syle motor. Period! Years ago I had a little Subaru with a flat 4 motor(their entire lineup today is still Boxer)....brand new it did it and after 20k miles it still did the same thing. I watched the oil level and it never changed, you're puffing way less than a teaspoon when it does it so over the miles to the next oil change you can't really see a drop in the oil mark on the dipstick. That little sucker got better mileage than a VW diesel running 65mph. My advice....stop worrying and get a good night's rest. 

[steveB (VRCC UK)]

John - been riding (and fixing) Valks since 98 but this is the only one I've owned that does this. I think maybe you're right only a teaspoon or less of oil will cause this. But - being being finicky it,s an itch I have to scratch. Too much paying work at the moment to look at it anyway, so I'm just riding and trying not to look when I start up. BTW my dad used to ride a BMW R69S (earles fork model) back in the sixties and his smoked if left on the sidestand.

[John Schmidt]

Steve, all I'm saying is this puff you speak of is characteristic of the Boxer motor. As I said before, not all motors will do it, many will. As for working on Valks since '98, very good. My experience with the Boxer engine goes back to the first model Wings that hit the market in the '75 model. Of all the 4-cyl Wings and 6-cyl 1500s, there's only been 2-3 that didn't give a puff of smoke when starting. Some I rebuilt with no change noticed, others it only reduced the smoke. If they had good compression I only pulled the heads and rebuilt them with new guides/seals, reseat the valves, and they still it. I've not kept tab on the number of the 4s I worked on over the years but I know it approaches a goodly number and all with varying results. Good luck!