Author Topic: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke  (Read 6196 times)

Offline a10sausage

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covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« on: 10.02. 2009 17:06 »
hi...if i have not run my 1960 flash for a couple of weeks i get a huge thick blue smoke trail out of the right hand exhaust (blots out my street) for the first 150 yards then its fine goes like a rocket...this has happend on my last two outings....is ther any body out there with any idea what this could be....cheers!...this is the offending machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7TYqwwqDC0 *sad2* *eek*
1959 bsa bantam d1
1956 ariel huntmaster
1922 triumph model h
1930 sunbeam model 8
1936 bsa q21 500 bluestar
1939 velocette mac
1975 honda cb750
2013 victory vegas

Offline zitman

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #1 on: 10.02. 2009 17:26 »
Hi,

Sounds to me like its wet sumped.  And after a short distance the scavenge side of the pump has cleared the excess oil from the sump.  My Dommie used to do the same if left for a couple of weeks.

Z

Offline A10Boy

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #2 on: 10.02. 2009 18:00 »
I agree with Z

To test the theory, next time you have left it a while and go to start it, first remove the "sump" drain plug. If you get any quantity of out, put the drain plug back in, top up the oil tank and start her up.

If it is wet sumping, you can buy a one way valve which fits on the supply oil line for about 35 of those hard earned quids.
Regards

Andy

1958 Super Rocket
Plus
Harley Super Glide Custom
Yam XJR 1300

Offline bsa-bill

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #3 on: 10.02. 2009 19:31 »
Hi - mine does the same thing but usualy the left side and an odd occasion the right side.
Not wet sumping IMO, probably oil leaking past the valve guides drains down (inlet onto piston crown - exhaust down into the exhaust pipe where it soaks into the carbon) depending how the engine stops will determine which side smokes.
Oil that gets into the exhaust pipe will soak into the carbon and take a while to clear, oil onto the piston will probably burn off more or less straight away.
Wet sumping would leave a little puddle underneath the engine or a large one if left long enough, some oil will always be left in the sump but the scavenging side of the pump should clear this fairly quickly if not then it would be blown out of the breather tube onto your garage floor.

Well thats my theory, your welcome to agree or disprove it, any comment welcome *computer*
All the best - Bill
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Offline a10sausage

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #4 on: 10.02. 2009 19:41 »
wow...very fast answers...and two solutions....as long as it does not do any damage....thanks to you all....any more ideas welcome
1959 bsa bantam d1
1956 ariel huntmaster
1922 triumph model h
1930 sunbeam model 8
1936 bsa q21 500 bluestar
1939 velocette mac
1975 honda cb750
2013 victory vegas

Offline A10Boy

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #5 on: 10.02. 2009 19:54 »
Bill

Yes you are probably right about valve guide leaks, but as usual, the best way to find out is to rule out the easy to find items first. If after draining it still smokes its probably guides as you say.

Not all cases of wet sumping leave oil on the floor [or do they?], wouldn't it be difficult to tell the difference between that and the other general oil leaks anyway ?

Mr Z is talking about a Casey Jones type of smoke cloud, that seems a lot of smoke from just a few drops of oil down an exhaust pipe - or is it ??

Regards

Andy

1958 Super Rocket
Plus
Harley Super Glide Custom
Yam XJR 1300

Offline bsa-bill

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #6 on: 10.02. 2009 21:46 »
Hi A10boy
have to agree that my theory is suspect around the point you make about the small amount of oil  that might leak down a giude once an engine has stopped.
however my engine has had a rebore and new pistons and rings but still smokes ( yes spectacularly at times when first started) so if the rings have bed in as they should have you would not expect any oil in the sump to be burnt at a rate to make that much smoke, also if wet sumping was the cause you would expect smoke from both barrels .

Then again if you've ever read the "smoke theory" you will know it's probably an electrical fault *smile*

All the best - Bill
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Offline fido

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Re: smoke trail like concorde
« Reply #7 on: 11.02. 2009 06:20 »
....any more ideas welcome

Yes, try to keep your speed below Mach 1  *lol*

Offline a10sausage

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #8 on: 11.02. 2009 18:36 »
 *smile*mach 1..is that all....mmm i am not trying hard enough....there must be more horse power in this old a10 engine somewhere...i am thinking of buying some new rear silencers soon are armours pipes good..if so does any body use them.
1959 bsa bantam d1
1956 ariel huntmaster
1922 triumph model h
1930 sunbeam model 8
1936 bsa q21 500 bluestar
1939 velocette mac
1975 honda cb750
2013 victory vegas

TJ

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #9 on: 11.02. 2009 19:18 »
Hi A10 Sausage,
I bought a pipe and silencer for a Starfire I'm rebuilding from Armours, I wasn't impressed at all. No way will I buy from them again !!! *sad2* *sad2*

TJ

Offline bsa-bill

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #10 on: 11.02. 2009 20:43 »
Campbells silencers are still available but I really dont know from where, I bought a new pair from someone on Ebay ( can't remember who but know he is known in BSA circles) maybe he's on the forum

All the best - Bill
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Offline LJ.

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #11 on: 11.02. 2009 22:59 »
Yes I'll certainly reccommend a pair of Campbell silencers. Luckily I bought my A10 with them already fitted and I'll say they sound better than the Goldie silencers on my other A10. Also I have the campbells on the Star Twin too, again I was lucky that they were also fitted to that bike as well.

I knew they were South East London somewhere and a quick search reveals a web address.

http://www.campbellcustom.co.uk/

Another good silencers and they were the Burgess ones, sounds very similar to Campbells but I dont know if they are still around, I suspect not.
Ride Safely Lads! LJ.
**********************
1940 BSA M20 500cc Girder/Rigid- (SOLD)
1947 BSA M21 600cc Girder/Rigid-Green
1949 BSA A7   500cc Girder/Plunger Star Twin-(SOLD)
1953 BSA B33  500cc Teles/Plunger-Maroon
1961 BSA A10  650cc Golden Flash-Blue
1961 BSA A10  650cc Golden Flash-Red

Offline a10sausage

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #12 on: 11.02. 2009 23:15 »
hi to all....i have just had a lppk on the campbells website...i cant see any pipes for bsa or old brit bikes....can anybody else help with a good recommend for silencers..burgess  are not on sale anymore...cheers.
1959 bsa bantam d1
1956 ariel huntmaster
1922 triumph model h
1930 sunbeam model 8
1936 bsa q21 500 bluestar
1939 velocette mac
1975 honda cb750
2013 victory vegas

Offline dpaddock

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #13 on: 12.02. 2009 02:30 »
I tend to go with the valve guide theory. Not just excessive clearance between valve stem and guide bore but also a loose guide, especially in the alloy head.
     David
David
'57 Spitfire


Offline Chrisf1

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Re: covers our street in a haze of blue smoke
« Reply #14 on: 12.02. 2009 10:16 »
I bought a pair of swept back pipes and goldie silencers from armours the goldies were OK nothing special for the money but the pipes would not go anywhere near after trailering the bike and exhausts there (150 miles each way) they agreed they do not fit they made various cuts and bends and 3 weeks later i received my new set which still did not fit i got my money back eventually and bought a set from bantam john at kempton straight on no problem see pic