Strange Problem Today -- Smoke from left side

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Hey guys. Haven't been here in a while, but...

Got on the bike this afternoon to go to work, and after a few minutes of it warming up in the garage, smoke started to come out of the left side engine opening. I checked the temp bars on the display and there were none (thought there should have been at least one at that point). There was a faint burning smell, but I shut off the engine before I could really get a good whiff. The radiator hadn't kicked on either.

It's an '06 that I bought new and it has 33k miles on it, or thereabouts.

I have had no issues with this bike whatsoever, but this has me a tad worried! Any ideas on what it could be?
 
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Re: Strange Problem Today -- Thermostat?

Hey guys. Haven't been here in a while, but...

Got on the bike this afternoon to go to work, and after a few minutes of it warming up in the garage, smoke started to come out of the left side engine opening. I checked the temp bars on the display and there were none (thought there should have been at least one at that point). There was a faint burning smell, but I shut off the engine before I could really get a good whiff. The radiator hadn't kicked on either.

It's an '06 that I bought new and it has 33k miles on it, or thereabouts.

I have had no issues with this bike whatsoever, but this has me a tad worried! Any ideas on what it could be?
Maybe something spilled that is now burning off. If you think it is ok, let the engine run and see if the smoke goes away.
 
OP
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Re: Strange Problem Today -- Thermostat?

Can't imagine what would have spilled inside the cowl, though. And it hadn't been ridden in a week, and was safely stowed in my garage. I'll try it tomorrow, though.
 
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Re: Strange Problem Today -- Thermostat?

depending on how long a "few minutes" is the guesses would vary from electrical smoke (if the engine were basically cold when the smoke appeared) to possible oil or coolant dripped on the exhaust if the engine had time to get a little warm. They each have a distinct smell, but it sounds like you weren't able to get a good enough whiff to make that determination.
 

Dave.David

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Re: Strange Problem Today -- Thermostat?

What about a animal or rodents?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 

Mellow

Joe
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I changed the title and moved the thread, the thermostat has never been linked to any smoking that I'm aware of.

I agree with others, something may have made a nest in there or a possible loose wire. Did you do a valve check recently? You may just have a loose hose clamp and some coolant dripped on the headers. Did you notice what the smoke smelled like?
 
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Left side is the side stand side so that doesn't point to anything specific. Stuff is gonna drain that way.
When did you last start it?

I guess the important question is what did the smoke smell like? Sweet like antifreeze, acrid like pvc wire insulation. Oil. etc.

I'd roll it outside for the next smoke test. Maybe pull the lower cowling off and look up from under the bike for anything obvious. Easy enough to do.

It should take a lot longer than 2 minutes for the radiator fans to kick in.
 
OP
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I changed the title and moved the thread, the thermostat has never been linked to any smoking that I'm aware of.

I agree with others, something may have made a nest in there or a possible loose wire. Did you do a valve check recently? You may just have a loose hose clamp and some coolant dripped on the headers. Did you notice what the smoke smelled like?
Yeah, thanks for moving it -- sorry about that!

No, as I had a balaclava on under my helmet. I shut it down before I took the helmet off. There wasn't enough residual smoke that I could even smell at that point.

No, haven't had the valves checked lately. I did have to replace the left side mirror/blinker assembly thanks to a minor fender bender in the city a few weeks ago, and shortly thereafter the right headlight went out and I replaced that. But that's it.
 
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Could the starter or solenoid not have disengaged upon starting causing the starting system to get hot? Just trying to think of possibilities.
 
OP
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Could the starter or solenoid not have disengaged upon starting causing the starting system to get hot? Just trying to think of possibilities.
Hmm... how would I check that? I'm going to go start it -- outside this time -- and see if it happens again, and if so what it smells like. Wish me luck.
 
OP
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Good luck! Did you park it up wet at all?
Upt'North.
Lately, yes -- I got caught in light rain a few times. BUT...an update:

Rolled the bike out into the driveway, started her up. I crouched down on the left side near the forks to see what I could see, if anything. The fork -- the LEFT fork -- where my inspection sticker WAS. :mad:

And then, a little bit of smoke, though not nearly as much as yesterday. A mild acrid burning rubber odor that went away fairly quickly. Bars went up to 3 after a few minutes of warming up. No more smell, seems to be running just fine.

Is it possible that my inspection sticker came off at speed and blew into the engine crevace under the radiator and melted? The alternative is that it was stolen when parked in NYC, where I work quite often. Which wouldn't surprise me. :rolleyes: ...But then it wouldn't explain the smoke/odor...
 

JCB

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Funny thing you said about the inspection sticker. Last inspection I was walking away from the bike looked back to see my new sticker and yes the sticker wasn't there, but I saw him put it on. Yes blew off on the way home. Back tracked found the sticker laying on the road and took it back to the shop. They cleaned the fork off better and this one stayed on.
 

T_C

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After trying the sticker in several places on the front forks... and none of them lasting, some from weather, some from pulling forks to change oil.

This year, sticker went inside the left hot-box. Baddia bim done!
 
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I lost an inspection sticker last year on my F650 Bmw. This year mine is 1/2 way off on my Honda. The glue really sucks and the fork legs are a hard place for them to stick to. I use the front fender on my r1100rt and never had any problems. I tried clear packing tape over my sticker and it wouldn't stick to the fork.
 
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Rolled the bike out into the driveway, started her up. I crouched down on the left side near the forks to see what I could see, if anything. The fork -- the LEFT fork -- where my inspection sticker WAS.
So in NY, you still have motorcycle inspections? One small way NJ came to its senses is that we no longer have motorcycle inspections.

They never really made any sense anyway. Small motors (relative to cars), fewer miles driven and no emissions testing anyway, we weren't helping mother earth by bringing the bikes to inspection. They couldn't test the brakes or suspension... oh, they did test the horn. Now there's a service.
 
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And then, a little bit of smoke, though not nearly as much as yesterday. A mild acrid burning rubber odor that went away fairly quickly. Bars went up to 3 after a few minutes of warming up. No more smell, seems to be running just fine.

Is it possible that my inspection sticker came off at speed and blew into the engine crevace under the radiator and melted? The alternative is that it was stolen when parked in NYC, where I work quite often. Which wouldn't surprise me. :rolleyes: ...But then it wouldn't explain the smoke/odor...
Did you check everything on the bike when you ran it after the second smell/smoke? Turn on and off all lights, switches, brakes, indicators, grip heaters, windshield, horn, etc.? The headers get hot very quickly, so the smell probably came from something dripping on them or touching them. Or, as my first guess would have been, an electrical connection that went bad/wire that chafed and grounded causing melting insulation. Your acrid smell points toward plastic/pvc burning/melting. Its been a while since I saw a NY inspection sticker so I'm not sure how it could get into the header area, or what it would smell like if it burned, but that is a possibility.

What I would do is this: 1. Pull the lower cowl off as suggested and look around the header/exhaust pipe area with a bright flashlight looking for evidence of melted or burned plastic (or even stains from a leak). Maybe even use one of those small inspection mirrors so I could see the hidden side of the pipes. If nothing turns up, then 2. Put it back together, fire up the bike and let it run for a few minutes, and test everything electrical for proper function. If nothing shows up, ride it and don't worry. Next winter, pull the fairing for your annual maintenance and look for anything amiss.
 
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One small way NJ came to its senses is that we no longer have motorcycle inspections.
"Small" way lol. They did manager to raise registration $ to fund this enhanced service. Just did the SO's car. They replaced the mirror with an underside video view. Sniff the OBD port and you're good to go.
No brake check or tail pipe. I gotta say though, DMV personnel have WAY better attitudes then they did years ago.
 

Whooshka

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So in NY, you still have motorcycle inspections? One small way NJ came to its senses is that we no longer have motorcycle inspections.

They never really made any sense anyway. Small motors (relative to cars), fewer miles driven and no emissions testing anyway, we weren't helping mother earth by bringing the bikes to inspection. They couldn't test the brakes or suspension... oh, they did test the horn. Now there's a service.
Well I'm of the opposite belief. Stopping inspections means there are a lot of bikes on the streets that are not really road worthy. Sitting at a light I can't help think about that rat bike coming up behind me if he's gonna stop or plow into me because he hasn't kept his brakes up to snuff.
 
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