xs650 the smoke machine

bkmarsha · Posted: May 21, 2009, 10:58 am Post subject: xs650 the smoke machine

after doing some more trouble shooting and spring cleaning of the bike i have decided that i am burning oil in the left cylinder and it has seemed to get worse over the last few days

i removed the spark plug yesterday and it looks as if someone had dipped in in a bucket of tar (very black and oily residue)

it smokes at stoplights (seems to be getting worse)

i assume it also smokes while riding down the road but i don't notice it then and have not had anyone fallow me yet to tell me if it is

my two guesses for causes are a bad head gasket or a piston ring issue but i am leaning toward the head gasket

any help, opinions, recommendations, or solutions would be greatly appreciated

yamaman · Posted: May 21, 2009, 11:13 am Post subject: Re: xs650 the smoke machine

Or valve guide seals!
Sounds like the famous cam chain tunnel though, with that amount of oil.
Best bet is probably take it somewhere to get a cylinder leak down test.
Though your going to at least have to remove the head, which means remove the motor, which in all likelyhood, means a top end overhaul!

Depends how your traveling really, if you hope to do it on the cheap, do a compression or leak down test first to make sure the valves & rings are holding tight, if thats ok take a punt & just change the head gasket. Seldom that easy though!

Time to make the dream shopping list on Mikes, then try and whittle it down to your purse size! Cheers

Retiredgentleman · Posted: May 21, 2009, 11:29 am Post subject: Re: xs650 the smoke machine

A compression test will likely come out normal, but still worth doing. Could be rings, valves or valve seals. My engine was using large amount of oil with puffs of black smoke out the exhaust, but my compression was normal. On my engine the head gasket was allowing oil to be sucked in from the cam chain tunnel. I believe my problem was caused my the last PO not torquing the head studs correctly.

You wil almost certainly have to pull the engine and do a top end overhaul.

This is a pic of what I found............yeah, its ugly.

bkmarsha · Posted: May 21, 2009, 11:47 am Post subject: Re: xs650 the smoke machine

gentleman i feel that you are most likely right on the cause and solution

i plan on getting a hold of a compression tester today and also adjusting cam chain and valve clearances

top end rebuild is something that i am not looking forward too and i am not sure i am qualified for

xsleo · Posted: May 21, 2009, 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: xs650 the smoke machine

If you know which end of a wrench is which and you have a manual, with a little advice from the good folks on here you can do it your self, save a few bucks and really learn your bike.

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650