white smoke coming out of air cleaner : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Sigs · 11-01-2009, 02:57 PM

Picked my bike up from the shop on Friday after having them do a top end job. Bascially they cleaned up the heads, cylinders, installed JIMS semi hydraullic lifters, Keith Black pistons, D&D Fatcat 2 into 1 exhaust and Dougherty powerpacc with vents.

My build is a 2003 FLSTCI 95ci, SE CNC ported heads, S&S 570g cams.

I had white smoke which appeared to be coming out of the air cleaner when I got home from about a 45 minute ride and am trying to figure what the problem might be. I was going out of town for the weekend and did not have time to take it back to the mechanic who did the work.

So I am wondering if I am burning off excess oil or if someone might have insight on what the problem is before I take it back to the shop which does not re-open until Tuesday.

wfolarry · 11-01-2009, 03:05 PM

When you turned off your bike one of the intake valves was open. The white smoke is what's coming out of the hot cylinder. Kinda like a slow burn. Nothing to worry about.

Sigs · 11-01-2009, 04:02 PM

The white smoke was coming out while the bike was running, because I noticed it when I got off the bike to open up my garage.

I turned the bike off then restarted it and after a couple of minutes white smoke started coming out of the air intake area again.

wfolarry · 11-01-2009, 04:25 PM

If you have smoke coming out where the air is going in something is burning. you have your breathers connected to your air cleaner?

Coolmaker · 11-01-2009, 07:27 PM

Piston rings are not seated yet and you are seeing some blow by. They will seat, and that should go away. If it does not, then the wrench did something wrong...

Sigs · 11-01-2009, 07:53 PM

I just took the bike out for a ride to see if the problem still existed and there is no longer any smoke coming from the bike or at least none that is noticeable to me.

I will ride it to work in the morning and continue to monitor it.

I appreciate the help gentlemen!

Bruce Woltz · 11-01-2009, 08:02 PM

Take it out to to a lonely road that and shoot it with silver bullet from a 44 mag and bury it.. If not it, may start easting your children.. On second though this might be a good thing..

Bruce

claydbal · 11-01-2009, 08:46 PM

its just a SE build. ya gotta buy the $800 SE mirrors so ya cant see the smoke.

Coolmaker · 11-02-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claydbal

its just a SE build. ya gotta buy the $800 SE mirrors so ya cant see the smoke.

Dennis, whew you are hard on the man... He is a friend, don't razz him toooo hard.. LOL

Coolmaker · 11-02-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigs

I just took the bike out for a ride to see if the problem still existed and there is no longer any smoke coming from the bike or at least none that is noticeable to me.

I will ride it to work in the morning and continue to monitor it.

I appreciate the help gentlemen!

The vents should go down to the bottom of the bike...

HDSG · 11-02-2009, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claydbal

its just a SE build. ya gotta buy the $800 SE mirrors so ya cant see the smoke.

Do you have a part # ?????

claydbal · 11-02-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolmaker

Dennis, whew you are hard on the man... He is a friend, don't razz him toooo hard.. LOL

yeah, i just noticed he is from converse, i dont wanna get cut. im moving back there ya know. cant wait for some zwolle tamales and fresh boudin.

Coolmaker · 11-02-2009, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claydbal

yeah, i just noticed he is from converse, i dont wanna get cut. im moving back there ya know. cant wait for some zwolle tamales and fresh boudin.

He is in the Navy, and used to be stationed here, then moved there, he will be back here one day....

Bruce Woltz · 11-02-2009, 11:06 AM

Well, it could be solvent burning of the cylinders or possibly moister coming out of the breather. If they missed a breather hose going to the AC, it might be worse. High humidity and not getting the bike hot may cause it to stay around for some time.. Notice you blew some money on the vents.. Is it coming from there? Bruce

Sigs · 11-02-2009, 07:57 PM

I rode the bike to work and back today which is about 40 miles total with no smoke or any other signs of problems. Rode it some more tonight and put about 100 miles on it and still no more smoke, so I believe Coolmaker was correct in his assessment of the Piston rings were not completely seated yet, but they appear to be now.

No problem with the jabs on the SE Heads. I should have listened to Coolmaker back in 2005 or 2006 when I was buying the SE off-the-shelf heads and just had my stock heads ported by someone like Jerry Branch.

Overall I would have saved quite a bit of money over the years on bike modifications had I just listened to my good friend Coolmaker. Hell I would have saved myself some razzing here had I just picked up the phone and called Coolmaker about my problem rather than posting it here, but it is all good.