owmyeye Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 I just started having a big cloud of white smoke coming out of my exhaust system. It happens all the time, while idling or while riding. I'm assuming it's radiator fluid because when i'm done riding my radiator is low or out of fluid. I changed the head gasket and inlet hose gasket and it's still smoking. Someone told me it may be that my piston gaskets are bad. Before taking the motor apart again, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what the problem might be? Quote
Bansh-eman Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 pistons dont have gaskets your head has gaskets and your pistons have rings... you might have a crank seal thats leaking and sucking tranny fluid , check your levels and see if they dropped... Quote
owmyeye Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Posted November 4, 2006 Sorry, rings is what i meant. It was a long day at work. Is there an easy way to check the fluids as I am a novice user of atvs. Quote
Bansh-eman Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 Sorry, rings is what i meant. It was a long day at work. Is there an easy way to check the fluids as I am a novice user of atvs. radiator just pop the lid and it should be at the top... tranny you got a dip stick on the right side pull it clean it put it back in then take a reading... Quote
owmyeye Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Posted November 4, 2006 When I ride, my radiator loses fluid (which is why I assume it has something to do with me burning the fluid and causing the smoke). as for the tranny fluid, I took the dipstick out and there is no indicator as to where the fluid should be ( like a dipstick in a car), so I don't know how high or low the fluid should be Quote
alisn4x4 Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 radiator just pop the lid and it should be at the top... tranny you got a dip stick on the right side pull it clean it put it back in then take a reading... white smoke usually means water bansh eman said... tho it could also be from condensation in a cold climate could it not? whats the weather like where you ride? Quote
bansheefreak Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 few other things you can do it take your rad cap off then start it see if it shoots out cap cus if your haedgasket is bad it will pressurize your radiator.. also you will have to take your tank off to do it or have a mech mirror but take out the plugs and look at tops of the pistons see if ones cleaner then the other ... if you have one clean i'd say there been water in there .. also do a compression check... there will be answers... prolly do a compression check first.. Quote
owmyeye Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Posted November 4, 2006 I live in central florida so It's generally warm. Although now that u mention the water thing, my and a buddy went to a park and he mis-read how deep a puddle was and put the shee right into it. The shee was pretty much floating in the water. But this happened about a month ago. The cloud of smoke happened about two weeks after that incident I did a compression test and got good compression. I just put new spark plugs in it yesterday and yes, one piston is considerably cleaner than the other (the right one). This is the side where I am primarily get the cloud of smoke out of my exhaust Quote
bansheefreak Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 do a compression check... see what compression is on both cyls also see if it will hold the compression for a few minutes ... Quote
owmyeye Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Posted November 4, 2006 is there a certain compression I'm looking for. I ask because yamaha doesn't list compression specifications. Quote
bansheefreak Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 do the compression check.. numbers should be close to the same in each cyl.. i think 110 is good 100 is ok .. check mine recently they was at 90lbs but both were equal runs good but time for a rebiuld.. i would say if you have a head gasket leak your numbers will either be way low or very lopsided... Quote
platinumjason Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 White smoke is usually head gasket. Quote
alisn4x4 Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 (edited) I live in central florida so It's generally warm. Although now that u mention the water thing, my and a buddy went to a park and he mis-read how deep a puddle was and put the shee right into it. The shee was pretty much floating in the water. But this happened about a month ago. The cloud of smoke happened about two weeks after that incident I did a compression test and got good compression. I just put new spark plugs in it yesterday and yes, one piston is considerably cleaner than the other (the right one). This is the side where I am primarily get the cloud of smoke out of my exhaust when your buddy plaed captain u-boat with it in the water, did you dump all the fuel out of the carbs and open the cylinders and such? just wonderin. all points show twards a head gasket altho im now wondering if riding along and all of a sudden goin into water may have warped something in the head due to the drastic temperature change therefore causing the gasket issue now (either by sucking cold water in the cylinder or cold water surrounding the juggs) just something to think about.... :shrug: Edited November 4, 2006 by alisn4x4 Quote
Satsol67 Posted November 4, 2006 Report Posted November 4, 2006 If you radiator is loosing coolent then yes your head is warped or you blew your head gasket. Unless it is leaking from a hose. The coolent isnt going to evaporate, it has to be going somewhere. Quote
owmyeye Posted November 5, 2006 Author Report Posted November 5, 2006 when your buddy plaed captain u-boat with it in the water, did you dump all the fuel out of the carbs and open the cylinders and such? just wonderin. all points show twards a head gasket altho im now wondering if riding along and all of a sudden goin into water may have warped something in the head due to the drastic temperature change therefore causing the gasket issue now (either by sucking cold water in the cylinder or cold water surrounding the juggs) just something to think about.... :shrug: I didn't dump the fuel and open the cylinders when it happened. But i just replaced the head gasket two days ago and I'm still having this problem. What about the piston rings? would that cause fluid to be evaporated thorugh the exhaust. Also, my right piston was extremely clean when I took the head off and the left still had carbon build-up. The right exhaust is where i have most of the smoke come from. Not sure if there is a corrolation between the two. Quote
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