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

Uncle Phil said:
Unfortunately, SweetTreat - the one I just replaced the engine in - is now smoking like a cigar on fire and missing on at least one cylinder.
It appears that the right rear cylinder is sucking oil as the plug is wet after cleaning and reinstalling.
The oil level is correct (not overfilled - I checked the air cleaner to be sure there was no oil in there).
Never overheated, good oil (Mobil 1 Motorcycle), proper coolant levels, 45,000 miles (5,000 miles since I did the swap) and looks like this engine is toast. :(
This one is a real puzzler ... :think1:
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Buy a e bike?
 
Uncle Phil said:
I'm past the point of 'debugging' as there is oil on the end of one or more of the plugs after all the 'treatments', fresh gas, etc.
Click to expand...
Ok, I missed that earlier. Had I seen it I would not have suggested more troubleshooting (maybe).
 
Having removed and installed two ST1100 motors I can say that the experience can put one on a whole different level of perception of task difficulty. Not that hard.
Given all the trouble shooting so far, changing the motor now looks like the quickest surest solution to get on the road in a few days.
If I had a known good set of carbs I would swap those in with the replacement motor just in case weirdly the problem started up stream from the cylinder with the oily spark plug. Leaking gas into cylinder? Ingested carb part? Not likely but.
 
I had a thought. I have no experience with an ST1100 so I have no idea how it is laid out. Is the pvc system or anything else with oil connected the intake runner to the cylinder in question? Probably a wild shot.

I would still do a compression test and leak down test before pulling the engine.
 
A big can of berrymans b-12 in the gas, a little sprinkle in the oil, a couple of spare quarts of oil and ride it like you stole it!
 
Uncle Phil I always wanted to ask why 4 bikes, doesn’t all that maintenance and upkeep take away from riding time too?
This is from someone who can barely keep 1 bike and 1 lawn mower going.
 
Sunday Rider said:
Uncle Phil I always wanted to ask why 4 bikes, doesn’t all that maintenance and upkeep take away from riding time too?
This is from someone who can barely keep 1 bike and 1 lawn mower going.
Click to expand...
Why 4 bikes (actually 8 ST1100s - 4 runners, 4 parts bikes)?
It just sort of happened - got the first one, wanted a new ABSII version so I got the second one.
Was looking for a ABSII parts bike and ended up with the third one which was too good a condition for that.
The fourth was so pretty, low miles and a great deal that I couldn't pass it up. ;)

Usually not much maintenance other than oil and tire changes - considering the miles I put on the bikes.
If you constantly ride the ST1100s and don't spend a bunch of time fiddling with them, there's not much that needs to be tended to.
This is a very unusual situation that has caught me by surprise on an engine with 45,000 miles on it.
Sort of like when the water pump failed on my way to Newfoundland and it had 139,000 miles on it.
The 'replacement' engine is an 02 with 23,000 miles on it - I hope I get more than 5,000 miles on it without problems ... ;)
 
Uncle Phil said:
Just for grins, I pulled the spark plugs out after I had swapped them from one side to the other.
You get three guesses as to what is on them and gasoline or molasses ain't choices! ;)
A hint - something slick and black ...

SweetTreat Spark Plugs.jpg
Click to expand...
Who is focusing that camera? :biggrin:
I am guessing the fluid must be fork oil. :)
 
Uncle Phil said:
Why 4 bikes (actually 8 ST1100s - 4 runners, 4 parts bikes)?
It just sort of happened - got the first one, wanted a new ABSII version so I got the second one.
Was looking for a ABSII parts bike and ended up with the third one which was too good a condition for that.
The fourth was so pretty, low miles and a great deal that I couldn't pass it up. ;)

Usually not much maintenance other than oil and tire changes - considering the miles I put on the bikes.
If you constantly ride the ST1100s and don't spend a bunch of time fiddling with them, there's not much that needs to be tended to.
This is a very unusual situation that has caught me by surprise on an engine with 45,000 miles on it.
Sort of like when the water pump failed on my way to Newfoundland and it had 139,000 miles on it.
The 'replacement' engine is an 02 with 23,000 miles on it - I hope I get more than 5,000 miles on it without problems ... ;)
Click to expand...

I knew it, for sure. That is a sign of ST1100 addiction. As you were; collect on!
 
Well, the engine is still in the frame but everything is loose.
I'm just not wanting to begin the 'wrestling match' it takes to get it out.
BTW, has anyone ever tried to remove the alternator before removing the engine (3 bolts and you can get to them)?
It is the primary impediment for getting it out from what I can see and remember.
Enough progress for today for sure! ;)

BTW, when I pulled the headers loose from the right side, the rear pipe had plenty of 'lubrication' in it.
And the right front was playing catch up to it.
As I suspected, oil is getting into the compression section of the cylinder and it is blowing it out the exhaust as it tries to burn it.
Which to me would point to my original diagnosis - broken oil ring or bad valve guides.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Well, the engine is still in the frame but everything is loose.
I'm just not wanting to begin the 'wrestling match' it takes to get it out.
BTW, has anyone ever tried to remove the alternator before removing the engine (3 bolts and you can get to them)?
It is the primary impediment for getting it out from what I can see and remember.
Enough progress for today for sure! ;)

BTW, when I pulled the headers loose from the right side, the rear pipe had plenty of 'lubrication' in it.
And the right front was playing catch up to it.
As I suspected, oil is getting into the compression section of the cylinder and it is blowing it out the exhaust as it tries to burn it.
Which to me would point to my original diagnosis - broken oil ring or bad valve guides.
Click to expand...
I think it's more probably the piston/rings ( but who made me an expert ), valve guides and seals normally clear once running.
Good luck Unc.
Ray.
 
Also FWIW I don't think it's just because these bikes ( not just yours ) sit, the age of the bikes must play a part in how long you can expect older metal/rubber/plastic to perform acceptably.
Upt.
 
Upt' North said:
Also FWIW I don't think it's just because these bikes ( not just yours ) sit, the age of the bikes must play a part in how long you can expect older metal/rubber/plastic to perform acceptably.
Upt.
Click to expand...
My opinion is that this engine was not run for quite a while.
I think when that happens, things have a tendency to go 'south' internally when they are put back into service.
But that is my opinion and opinions are like armpits - everybody has a couple and they usually stink ... ;)
 
Well, after supper I decided I'd try something I thought would work on making engine removal a little easier for me.
There are only 3 bolts holding the alternator in place and when you drop the engine a little bit, you can get to all three.
The issue is the alternator hits the gear shifter 'ear' on the frame and the right 'ear' of the frame on the left side when you remove the left cross support.
Once I removed the alternator and starting lowering the engine, I had all kinds of wiggle room to get the engine out.
If the alternator had not dragged out the gear drive out of the engine, it would have even easier (had to struggle a little bit with it but I didn't know quite where to pry to leave the gear drive in the engine).
So if you are pulling an ST1100 engine, I highly recommend removing the alternator as part of the process as sure made it a lot easier to get out.
The engine now sits out of the bike and on an engine dolly after 15 minutes of effort instead of the usual hour or so of wrestling that it takes to get it out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom