My Bike Blew Up

**jeremysprite** · 25th October 2006, 08:45

Tried to start my bike this morning, and the engine kept turning over, but didn't fire at all. After about the 3rd time, something went Pop, and a whole heap of white smoke came out of the sides of the bike(engine), and maybe exhaust?

I did have the oil overfilled the last few days, cos I kept pouring it until I could see the oil level through the pour-hole, but then I ran out of oil. No air was visible on sight glass when bike was tipped left, right, or standing up.

So anybody got any ideas on what's happened? Oil in cylinders, and its stuffed the spark plug? Rings? Hole in piston? Thanks for help, I'll read it again tonight and see what I can do to fix it...

**TLDV8** · 25th October 2006, 09:02

If the oil level was that high it may have been pushed from the sump past the rings and up into the combustion chamber.

You need to drain the excess oil as needed and set the level as per your owner or workshop manual.
You will soon know when you check the sparkplug.

Most bikes have a similar method... On the TL checking the level (before a ride) is run the engine for a minute or so,shut it down,leave it for a few minutes then check the site glass with the bike level.To much oil although not as bad as to low is still not a good thing when extreme.

Edit... I just had a flashback

...... Papua New Guinea 1982..... We were running a bank of around 10 Lincoln 400 mobile welders...... The won toks on the service truck would add diesel and oil dayly..... there was one welder at the end which was not being used.It has a starter system where you cranked this handle on a thing which looked a bit like a normal starter motor.It actually had a big spring inside it.You wound the spring up via the handle then pulled a little lever which then released the spring turning/starting the diesel engine..Very simple.
So one day we go to use this welder... I do as above a few times but it will not start,it was quite sluggish...Things took a turn for the bizarre when oil started leaking out of the exhaust joint below the muffler which was above the engine !!!!
It turned out the service crew had been adding oil each day without checking the level not clicking to the fact it was not being used (full diesel tank).... until the thing was near full of oil..Off to the main worskhop it went.

**Flyingpony** · 25th October 2006, 09:22

The oil level on your FXR should not be above the highest mark on the sight window on the right hand side of the engine. This should be measured when you have the bike standing perfectly up right, not on the side stand etc. Drain your oil and fill her up to the proper level. It should require about 1 litre, depending if filter was changed etc. There should be some air visible in the sight glass.

You still have the factory ownership manual which came with the bike?
It's all detailed in that book.

As for the rest, Hmm, pass, next KBer please.

**jeremysprite** · 25th October 2006, 20:38

yay bike fixed, just a bit of oil in cylinders. Can now relist on trademe.

**jeremysprite** · 26th October 2006, 16:51

Ok it did it again this morning. Tracked source of smoke to the airbox, airfilter was partially melted. showed a mechanic the filter, he says the carbs backfiring, probably due to flooding although the flooding valvey thingy at the bottom of the carb looks dry and not like theres been fuel leaking out of it. Back of slide in carb is black.
any ideas on why my carb is backfiring?

**MSTRS:Me** · 26th October 2006, 17:13

Originally Posted by jeremysprite

any ideas on why my carb is backfiring?

Hmmmm. Carbs don't backfire - engines do. Usually because the timing is too advanced. Not sure if this is your problem tho?

**slimjim** · 26th October 2006, 17:49

yea ,and if your oil was that high in motor, and you where using it, not surpised to discover a few other problem's that this overfilling has done,hehe

**Goblin** · 26th October 2006, 18:04

Originally Posted by jeremysprite

. After about the 3rd time, something went Pop, and a whole heap of white smoke came out of the sides of the bike(engine), and maybe exhaust?

Sorry....but that just reads SO FUNNY!

**Flyingpony** · 27th October 2006, 14:24

Originally Posted by jeremysprite

Ok it did it again this morning. Tracked source of smoke to the airbox, airfilter was partially melted. showed a mechanic the filter, he says the carbs backfiring, probably due to flooding although the flooding valvey thingy at the bottom of the carb looks dry and not like theres been fuel leaking out of it. Back of slide in carb is black.
any ideas on why my carb is backfiring?

When is the last time your valve clearances got checked and adjusted?
They need to be inspected every 6,000km.

It's possible they're not closing properly and therefore maybe some of the engines combustion flame is heading back up the air inlet. Upon it's travels the flame will ignite any fuel vapour it finds along the way to your air filter. By change the carb is passes through happens to be a good source of fuel vapour