One more thing, the smoke was never black - it looked either bluish or almost white. I just figured since it was right side only that it must have been the crank seal since I bought it used and expected the worst.
How would I test the cooling system for leaks? Would a compression test find a leaky head gasket - that's the only place coolant could get in, correct? The leak down test would check the bottom end and crank seals only, correct? Sorry, new to these things. Most of my other quads are 4 strokes that I haven't had to take apart. Thanks!