ST1100 - She's Giving Up Smoking Like A Cigar But Now She's Hot!

Good old Italian tune-up. Take it out on the freeway, wfo, and clean 'er out. :rofl1: (Just kidding, Phil...that would probably just collect you a few green stamps.)
 
Couple of questions Phil. One is, have you rode it like you stole it since this started? Also, was it put up on the side or center stand? Goldwings (I have 2, a 1200 and a 1500) and they both smoke on the “left” side when put up on side stand. The ST, being a different critter and a V4, would have the left canted over enough to drain into the cover but the right would stay level. That would allow oil to pool some around the stem. If the seal cracked it would then leak into the cylinder causing the smoking. Also cyl numbers 3 and 4 run hotter than their companions due to air flow on the heads and exhaust irrespective of it being water cooled. If you do a compression test and it is normal then my money is on the stem seals. Put a new plug in number 3 and go drive the heck out of it for an hour and test all. Best to you and sorry your baby is giving you grief.
 
Computek said:
Couple of questions Phil. One is, have you rode it like you stole it since this started? Also, was it put up on the side or center stand? Goldwings (I have 2, a 1200 and a 1500) and they both smoke on the “left” side when put up on side stand. The ST, being a different critter and a V4, would have the left canted over enough to drain into the cover but the right would stay level. That would allow oil to pool some around the stem. If the seal cracked it would then leak into the cylinder causing the smoking. Also cyl numbers 3 and 4 run hotter than their companions due to air flow on the heads and exhaust irrespective of it being water cooled. If you do a compression test and it is normal then my money is on the stem seals. Put a new plug in number 3 and go drive the heck out of it for an hour and test all. Best to you and sorry your baby is giving you grief.
Click to expand...
I always ride them like I stole them ... ;)
And I seldom put them on the side stand - in the garage they are always on the center stand and pretty much everywhere else unless it's gravel.
 
Uncle Phil said:
I always ride them like I stole them ... ;)
And I seldom put them on the side stand - in the garage they are always on the center stand and pretty much everywhere else unless it's gravel.
Click to expand...
I've never found ST11's smoke when left on the sidestand.
They never smoke at all thinking about it.
Are you any nearer finding a cause UP, I forget where we're up to.
Upt.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Me too! :biggrin:
I seldom have the 'usual' issues with ST1100s - I have the strange, unexplainable ones .... ;)
Click to expand...
It appears that you do and for that a heartfelt thank you! Reading along your posts over time (useful since nothing good on TV till football season) have given me a plethora of knowledge about my bike (03 1100 Police). I am a much more informed rider for it! Best of luck with your girl and please keep keeping us informed!
 
The fact that the smoke is grey not blue plus the oil level staying the same, leads me to think it's fuel or spark related rather than oil. Hopefully you resolve it soon.
 
Anyone that has tried to ride with Uncle Phill will appreciate the drop and sweep technique. Catch Him If You Can!
 
Well after draining all the gas out, putting in fresh non-ethanol gas, the redline stuff and the Archoil, swapping plugs around ...
Here's what I got -

P9070001.jpg
P9070002.jpg
P9070003.jpg
P9070005.jpg
P9070006.jpg
And that's with fans running to move the smoke outside.

Oil, water or gas smoke - what say ye?
 
Uncle Phil said:
Oil, water or gas smoke - what say ye?
Click to expand...

Well water doesn't smoke, it steams. You can usually put your hand behind the exhaust and if it's water your hand will get wet. It also dissipates rather quickly. Looking at the pics I'm guessing oil. JMHO
 
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but maybe a bit blue. Did you try swapping coils or try swapping in a spare?
 
It smells and looks a lot like the old Fords used to when their rings went south.
I swapped the spark plugs from the left side (which appeared to be normal color) to the right side just for grins.
I have a hard time thinking it is unburned gas as it runs 'fairly' normal (except for the smoke) but wants to backfire some at high RPMS.
At this point, it does not appear to be something that can be fixed 'externally' or easily.
Something appears to be letting oil into the cylinders which is usually a valve guide or a bad valve.
I'm not of the persuasion to start pulling heads off for 'determination' purposes as I have a 23,000 mile engine sitting here ready to go.
And reality is for me swapping an engine is less bolts and work than pulling the front end off, fussing with the timing belt/cams, pulling the heads for a look see.
It makes better sense for me to do the engine swap, get the bike back on the road and figure it out later when I have the inclination and time to do so.
Great riding season is upon me and I don't want to waste it any of it.
 
Uncle Phil said:
It smells and looks a lot like the old Fords used to when their rings went south.
I swapped the spark plugs from the left side (which appeared to be normal color) to the right side just for grins.
I have a hard time thinking it is unburned gas as it runs 'fairly' normal (except for the smoke) but wants to backfire some at high RPMS.
At this point, it does not appear to be something that can be fixed 'externally' or easily.
Something appears to be letting oil into the cylinders which is usually a valve guide or a bad valve.
I'm not of the persuasion to start pulling heads off for 'determination' purposes as I have a 23,000 mile engine sitting here ready to go.
And reality is for me swapping an engine is less bolts and work than pulling the front end off, fussing with the timing belt/cams, pulling the heads for a look see.
It makes better sense for me to do the engine swap, get the bike back on the road and figure it out later when I have the inclination and time to do so.
Great riding season is upon me and I don't want to waste it any of it.
Click to expand...
Yeah as fast as you can do a swap I’d do that as well. Get it on the road and tell us later what happened. Best to ya!
 
Uncle Phil said:
I'm not of the persuasion to start pulling heads off for 'determination' purposes as I have a 23,000 mile engine sitting here ready to go.
And reality is for me swapping an engine is less bolts and work than pulling the front end off, fussing with the timing belt/cams, pulling the heads for a look see.
It makes better sense for me to do the engine swap, get the bike back on the road and figure it out later when I have the inclination and time to do so.
Great riding season is upon me and I don't want to waste it any of it.
Click to expand...

Smart man.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Great riding season is upon me and I don't want to waste it any of it.
Click to expand...
You have two other runners if I recall correctly. If you have already fixed the one that was running hot, that makes three.
Why not push this one in to a corner and go ride the others for now and enjoy the good riding weather. When winter boredom gets to you, you can dig in to this one and have it ready for the start of next season.
 
Andrew Shadow said:
You have two other runners if I recall correctly. If you have already fixed the one that was running hot, that makes three.
Why not push this one in to a corner and go ride the others for now and enjoy the good riding weather. When winter boredom gets to you, you can dig in to this one and have it ready for the start of next season.
Click to expand...
The worst thing you can do to a ST1100 is let it sit. ;)
Letting it sit will only make it worse and probably cause other issues.
The engine is obviously 'problematic' with no easy solution so I'd rather get it out of there and figure out what the problem is later.
In my mind, the only way at this point resolve it is to pull the head and as I said, I can swap engines with less trouble.
It will take me about a week of piddling to swap engines based on my previous experience.
And now I have those fine Allen Millyard videos as a reference for the procedure! :biggrin:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom