New Buell New Problems. '97 S1 lightning

[Foximus]

Just brought home my new 1997 S1 lightning last night. Its been relatively stripped down and turned minimalistic (more so than originally.... lol)She looks great, rides like a dream, and is killer fun. Sits like my GS500, handles like my gsxr600, and is tall like a supermoto. I absolutely love it.

It has a few upgrades... Crane Ignition, Crane Cams, Straight pipe, and Cone filter. (not sure as to any more specifics on those or more)

Either way, the bike runs absolutely perfect... but its burning and leaking oil almost as fast as I can put it in.... Obviously bad seals are bad seals and must be replaced, but does anyone have any tips on what I should check about it burning oil? Bad white smoke on idle, and throttle up. After riding a bit it seems to go away a little... but then let the bike sit and idle it starts coming right back... I'm going to get a laser therm so I can see what temps the cylinders are running at but until then thats all the info I have.

Just did an oil change this morning by the way... and the smoke is white, not blue.

[upthemaiden]

Without being the best to give advice on these kind of things, I would say it sounds like a piston ring problem. If it's burning up and coming out of the exhaust it must be getting past the pistons and getting burned up with the gas.

Congrats on the bike. Any pictures?

[Foximus]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs359.snc4/44181_991262305282_5115131_53243072_5392590_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs688.snc4/62873_991262325242_5115131_53243073_842545_n.jpg

Those are some crappy pictures with my phone... I cant find my card reader.

I'm almost hoping it is rings... and not bad valve seats or valve guides... Im not in the mood to completely rebuild the heads or rocker boxes....

Anybody have a new'ish clutch cable for me? Mine is leaking like a sieve... so is the actual shifter shaft.... not sure how that seals. Looks just like a brass collet.

[Foximus]

Again... after riding, it seems to go away... once I let it idle again, or free revving, it will smoke. Im not sure if non moving idle will make these motors heat up or cool down in comparison to riding at speed.

[Foximus]

Also... assuming the cylinders/pistons/ and heads are stock or at least close to stock, how much compression should each cylinder be making? That way I know if its more likely to be rings or vavles leaking oil.

[Foximus]

Nobody?

[bened]

hey foximus,

try asking around in badweatherbikers.com

although some here dont like those forums, theres a MUCH larger tuber following around there.

[Foximus]

Bah... Badweather bikers is such a bad format of forum... not even organized. but maybe I'll check over there.


More info... its the front cylinder burning oil bad. Plugs are covered in oil. I checked compression, 190 front, 170 rear. Thats a cold engine check.


I took it to a reputable harley builder (not dealer) around here... he basically told me he bet it was a bad front piston, with a bad oil scraper seal... The valve seals never really go bad on these motors, but the tubers were somewhat bad for having pistons go bad early if you romp on them because they were setup to tighter tolerances.

Since the bike has mismatching cylinders we kinda figured that the front cylinder was honed, and not properly fixed, making the problem worse.

Best solution would be a top end rebuild, bore to 1250, and new pistons. Around $900 with labor... he said he would reseat the valves with a 3 angle valve job in that too...