[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by tharian

On a Cast Iron, the smoothness when the oil is stale ( around 5k kms) is better than when the oil is new. So the bike is good for another year of riding.

Odo is at 1,18,700 kms.

The march to 1,50,000 kms steadily continues! I was curious, where do you get your bike serviced? Do you go to a FNG or the company service centres? Also, your experience with the smoothness on the engine oil as it gets older completely contradicts everything I understood and believed in from my reading and first hand experience with different bikes. Is there a tipping point beyond which the engine loses smoothness, say hypothetically at 7K kms?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

The march to 1,50,000 kms steadily continues! I was curious, where do you get your bike serviced? Do you go to a FNG or the company service centres? Also, your experience with the smoothness on the engine oil as it gets older completely contradicts everything I understood and believed in from my reading and first hand experience with different bikes. Is there a tipping point beyond which the engine loses smoothness, say hypothetically at 7K kms?

I have been getting it serviced at the same FNG for the past 15 years. One of the reason that I believe the bike still runs like clockwork.

The first year and a half was as at Teknik motors since I purchased the bike from them, which was more than enough time for me to know how much my bike may last if I continue with them. I was told about this FNG, a famous guy and more famous for his mood swings and one liner-on your face answers, but stuck around and it worked out well for the bike.
Now that makes me wonder, when ever a
I plan on the 650 Twin, I have to go through the whole grind all over.

As for the smoothness I was talking about, I am not sure if it can be experienced on any bike. Probably one of these old big singles that has dedicated engine oil that lubricates only the valve gear and piston. As the engine oil gets used, it sticks to the cylinder lining giving a bit more smoothness in piston strokes. Of course, it is only upto a certain point or age of the oil after which it breaks down. When new oil is used, that coating is no longer there after a while , the same happens.

I may be entirely wrong here with my understanding , but it is something I have felt everytime around the 4-5k kms mark.

[tharian]

Crossed the 1,19,000 kms mark recently. Running has been low since few weeks and is used for errands and short distances.

The starting issue has not re-occurred for a while and even if it did, after a few kicks with the ignition off, it fires up. Apart from that, the bike runs as it does always with no issues or loss in power or excess oil consumption. Fuel efficiency remains the same at 25 kmpl.

Last month, I had done a short ride with my wife as pillion to airport road for a promotional ride on the Interceptor 650.
This was after a long while that I got to ride with a pillion on a good straight road for a distance and the bike felt very comfortable at 60-70 kmph which gave me thoughts on doing a Bangalore-Chennai ride down the line with my wife and luggage which I always wanted to do on this bike.

A good part of all this is that as the bike gets older, the cast iron character gets more prominent. The engine is nice and smooth, has a nice thump and feels nice to ride everytime I get on it.

[tharian]

The bike was left idle for around 2 weeks apart from a short grocery shopping in between.
Yesterday I decided to use the bike to work which at one point I used to do regularly and stopped after the starting issue began. The bike did have starting issues but started without much fuss and ran fine as well. After returning home and parking the bike, I could notice slight oil smoke at idle. I did top up the oil recently and added some STP oil additive as well after which the bike was idle for days.
The oil smoke used to occur on and off, especially during cold start at times, but not after a normal ride, unless it was a spirited ride. I did rev the engine couple of times in idle and the smoke reduced during the revs, but came back again at idle. I am planning to use it over the weekend to make sure the rings or piston is not on it's way out.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by tharian

The oil smoke used to occur on and off

Oil burning at idle on cold starts that gradually reduces as the motorcycle warms up indicates that the valve stem oil seals are due for replacement.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by tharian

The bike way out.

What you have experienced is normal for a Cast Iron Engine kept in storage and is known as "wet sumping". Enclosing the relevant pages of Snidal's manual for your peace of mind

[tharian]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Oil burning at idle on cold starts that gradually reduces as the motorcycle warms up indicates that the valve stem oil seals are due for replacement.

Originally Posted by adrian

What you have experienced is normal for a Cast Iron Engine kept in storage and is known as "wet sumping". Enclosing the relevant pages of Snidal's manual for your peace of mind

In my case, it happened after a 7 kms ride and noticed after I reached home and was letting the bike idle which makes me think it is the rings. But the smoke was not very evident unless you look carefully. This time it was slightly more which got me wondering. I will keep a watch when I use it again this week.

Either of the above used to happen on my 500 during cold starts, especially if it was left idle for few days and there was sound of piston slap as well until the engine warmed up. That smoke was thick and it took atleast a km of riding for it reduce.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by tharian

I will keep a watch when I use it again this week.

I think it would give you precise diagnosis if you take the machine for the ride after performing the drain and refill procedure, as detailed in the Snidal's manual.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by tharian

I will keep a watch when I use it again this week.

Do go with what Adrian has posted first as I lack experience with CI machines and was oblivious to the Wet Sumping, if the issue doesn't get resolved then you could go ahead with a compression test which if is below par then would require an overhaul, if the compression is fine then the valve stem oil seals would be the culprit, in which case you'd still need an overhaul.

P.S.

Oil burning is not much of an issue IMHO provided that its manageable.

Here's a snap of a head cover gasket leak that I've been ignoring for about 30k+ kms.



If there are no considerable losses then you could cautiously push her past the next milestone.

This is stupid as per the books, but then I'm curious.

Edit: Missed to point out an obvious cue, if the rings are leaking compression then observe the PCV port, it will be jerking oil on every power stroke.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Do go with what Adrian has posted first as I lack experience with CI machines and was oblivious to the Wet Sumping, if the issue doesn't get resolved then you could go ahead with a compression test which if is below par then would require an overhaul, if the compression is fine then the valve stem oil seals would be the culprit, in which case you'd still need an overhaul.

Actually, the smoking isn't that bad to be too concerned I feel. Just that usually, after riding for a few kms and letting it idle, it never used to smoke unless I look very closely, which I felt was normal for a high run CI engine. This time, I could notice standing beside the bike, that it was smoking, again just a haze.

Anyway, the bike isn't firing up now because of the ignition issue, again. This issue has been ongoing for few years now and happens on and off. My mechanic wants to replace the complete wiring and I feel it must be just a component of the CDI unit or the alternator that needs to be checked and fixed. The plug does not get enough current to spark and if I am lucky, if I kick rapidly few times with the key off and immediately turn the key on, it may fire up which leads me to believe it is a ignition issue.

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by tharian

Actually, the smoking isn't that bad to be too concerned I feel. Just that usually, after riding for a few kms and letting it idle, it never used to smoke unless I look very closely, which I felt was normal for a high run CI engine. This time, I could notice standing beside the bike, that it was smoking, again just a haze.

Mate a little white smoke emitted through exhaust pipe during cold starts after extended periods of standing stationary happens due to wet sumping as rightly said by Pete Snidal and concurred by Adrian. To prevent this from happening bring the piston at TDC. This can be done by kicking the kick lever gently and leave it when the ammeter needle comes right in the middle reading of 0. The smoke should ideally disappear after a couple of minutes after the engine has warmed up in case of wet sumping. If it continues to smoke then a further diagnosis is needed in terms of oil leak into cylinder block, piston rings, cylinder head leak, inlet valve leak, etc. Whatever it is do not ignore it and get it diagnosed properly.

Anyway, the bike isn't firing up now because of the ignition issue, again. This issue has been ongoing for few years now and happens on and off. My mechanic wants to replace the complete wiring and I feel it must be just a component of the CDI unit or the alternator that needs to be checked and fixed. The plug does not get enough current to spark and if I am lucky, if I kick rapidly few times with the key off and immediately turn the key on, it may fire up which leads me to believe it is a ignition issue.

Mate have you ever replaced the wiring harness on your bike? If yes when?, If not, then your mechanic might just be right. I replaced the entire wiring harness of my CI 96 due to endless electrical and ignition issues. Since then the bike has been running trouble free.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate a little white smoke emitted through exhaust pipe during cold starts after extended periods of standing stationary happens due to wet sumping

It is not a cold start issue. In fact, apart from a puff of light smoke on the first few strokes, it does not smoke on a cold start however long it has been left idle.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

If it continues to smoke then a further diagnosis is needed in terms of oil leak into cylinder block, piston rings, cylinder head leak, inlet valve leak, etc. Whatever it is do not ignore it and get it diagnosed properly.

I will keep a watch on it. As of now, I feel it is fine since it is not smoking all the time and the one time I caught it smoking after a short ride , it was light smoke on idle only and the oil level remains stable.

Originally Posted by navin_v8

Mate have you ever replaced the wiring harness on your bike? If yes when?, If not, then your mechanic might just be right. I replaced the entire wiring harness of my CI 96 due to endless electrical and ignition issues. Since then the bike has been running trouble free.

Nope, it is all original. The only issue with the electrical's is this starting issue which makes me believe it is to do with the CDI parts than the complete wiring.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by tharian

Anyway, the bike isn't firing up now because of the ignition issue, again. This issue has been ongoing for few years now and happens on and off. My mechanic wants to replace the complete wiring and I feel it must be just a component of the CDI unit or the alternator that needs to be checked and fixed. The plug does not get enough current to spark and if I am lucky, if I kick rapidly few times with the key off and immediately turn the key on, it may fire up which leads me to believe it is a ignition issue.

After 15 mins of trying to start the bike last evening, I went and tried few minutes ago and it started on the first kick. This is how it has been ever since the starting issue began. It may or may not start at times and if it doesn't, I leave it alone for a while and try after sometime or the next day, it will fire on the first kick.

Regarding the smoke, here is a video I took now once I fired it up. This is cold engine and no smoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWML...ature=youtu.be

[tharian]

A short ride of around 270 kms after a long gap.

The last ride I did was in November and the bike was used just for short errands and office commutes once a while. Except for the starting trouble once a while, it was running perfect.

Fellow member SandeepMohan and me headed out with him on his 96' 500. Since he is out of the country and riding after couple of years, we took a less congested road and headed towards Penukonda via Makalidurga and headed back on the Hyderabad highway.

Since it was a ride after a long time and with the bike performing well, it was a good feeling and the weather being cool helped. I was doing my usual speeds of around 70 kmph which was perfect speeds for the engine with a nice thrum to go with it. I did push it on the way back by going WOT on one of the long slopes on the expressway and the bike did manage to nudge the ton.

Bike has run 1,19,800 kms. As much as I wanted to hit the 1,20,000 kms mark on the highway, I couldn't since we had to keep the ride short.

[tharian]

Haven't updated in over two months. Reason being this is the first time that I have not run the bike as much as I would like.
Just 1400 kms in 9 months. Usually it is around 4-5k kms per year in the last few years. Also, I have done just one ride the whole of this year!
I am planning on riding to Chennai towards the end of the year which will a proper long trip after many years on this bike.

For now, the bike is running fine although it is left idle for most part of the week. It starts in the first few kicks too which is a relief.
Odo stands at 1,19,990 kms.