White gunk in oil

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:29 pm

Hi,
I just bought a 1999 ZX6R G2 with 14k on the clock last week and so far have only covered 70 miles. The problem is there seems to be a little bit of white gunk on the inside of the oil viewing glass and a little bit in the cap.
The bike seems to be running fine and is smooth enough. There is a little bit of moisture coming from the exhaust but only on start up and clears within 2 minutes (suggests condensation).
Before I bought the bike it was sitting in a garage and I was told it had been about 18months since the oil was last changed and had only done about 700 miles since.
The bike doesn't seem to be loosing any water and the water doesn't look contaminated.
I am going to do an oil change next week as soon as it gets delivered from M and P.

Does this just sound like moisture has built up in the oil with it sitting most of the time and now it is being run it has been mixed with the oil to form this gunk or does it suggest a more serious problem???

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Shrek · Post by **Shrek** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:45 pm

Change the oil and give it a good run ( 100 miles or so ) might clear it up. It does just sound like because it's been sitting.

Both my ZXR400 were like that , one ended up being the head gasket and the one I had as a track bike cleared up after a good thrash.

The track bike had been sitting a while before I got it.

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:24 pm

Thanks very much for the info Shrek, I wont get the oil until Tuesday or Wednesday but am going out with a mate for a run to Braemar tomorrow afternoon. Hoping this will give it a good clearout but still going to change oil, oil filter and plugs mid next week.

Was just a bit worried about it as I don't want to ruin my new toy :I can't believe it's not butter!

I just ran it to the other side of Aberdeen and back and it cleared out most of the gunk in the viewing window so it could be cause it's been pottering round town at low revs.

Cheers,
Tony

Post by **Gazza** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:26 pm

Best to change the oil sooner rather than later! Although a good run will boil off excess moisture, it sounds like the oil may well be fcuked already.

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:03 am

Put in new oil last night and there is white appearing on the viewing glass and filler cap again this morning after running it a mile or so to work.

Not too sure what the problem is but the bike doesn't overheat at all and the water level in the radiator hasn't changed since I got the bike.

I also changed the spark plugs over and the old plugs looked like normal. There are a slightly light brown which according to the Haynes manual is what they should look like so I don't think there is any problem with the cylinder head.

I'm going to be going out for 80 miles or so on Tuesday to visit my parents and will hopefully be going on some of the Aberdeen Bikers runs which I'm hoping may boil off some of the excess moisture.

Does this just sound like condensation in the engine or can anyone offer any more suggestions as I would rather get this sorted out sooner rather than later?

Post by **Gazza** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:15 am

Did you flush the old oil out with a flushing agent. It could be a residue of what was there before. More likely the engine is running too cold. This causes condensation to build up in the rocker cover area and the subsequent build up of emulsion. Check your thermostat.

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:23 am

No, I didn't use a flushing agent. I unfortunately didn't know where to get any or if the car flushing agents would do the job. The engine seems to heat up fine. Normal running the temp gauge shows about 3 bars and sometimes 4 if your sitting in traffic.

Would you reccomend changing the oil again but using an flushing agent this time or should I take it for a few blasts to see if it clears up. I am only running it on very short distances (1mile or so) back and forth to work early in the morning so it is only staring to warm up properly before the engine is stopped and it sits for 8-9 hours before a quick blast home again.

Post by **Gazza** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:30 am

If it's getting up to temperature, then a good long blast should burn off the moisture. Doing just a mile on it at a time is certainly a cause for the problem.

Look at any car that's just been started. The smoke you see coming out of the exhaust is actually water vapour. Whilst cold, there's a lot of vapour in the engine and if you don't get it hot enough it just keeps building up. Most car exhausts rot through from the inside out, due to a mixture of combustion chemicals (sulphur amongst them) and water vapour left inside after a short run.

You need to give the bike a good run more frequently or walk to work.

KARLOS69 · Post by **KARLOS69** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:30 am

Glad I'm not your engine, imagine getting up at 7am sprinting to the shops and back and being back in bed by 7:05am, f**k that for a life.
My suggestion- walk

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:36 am

It has still had a good few runs. I only passed on the 18th and picked the bike up in the evenings but since then I have covered about 400-500 miles.

After the longer runs it does appear to clear out. But I think it's probably the short runs to work that's causing the problem. There does seem to be a lot of white steam come out of the exhaust first thing in the morning but this could be as you said moisture in the exhaust from condensation.

I could walk or I could leave earlier and find a longer way to get to work

KARLOS69 · Post by **KARLOS69** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:49 am

Yeah I like your suggestion better

Post by **Gazza** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 9:06 pm

Tonster wrote: I could walk or I could leave earlier and find a longer way to get to work

Both good ideas.

Shrek · Post by **Shrek** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:01 pm

More of the same http://kawiforums.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=37950

Tonster · Post by **Tonster** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:40 pm

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I have taken the bike for a proper run and all the white stuff seems to have disappeared.

Chuffed to bit's my new toy doesn't have a problem.

Cheers all,
Tony