Burning oil

[tr500]

Since changing oil and filter my Skorpion Sport has started smoking on starting up, it clears after a short while, but I am puzzled as to why. The usual problems are rings, valve guides, but these usually develope over a period of time. Any help or suggestions will be gratefully received.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

did you get toooo much in it..
dave

[Blurredman]

What grade of oil were you using, and what are you now using?

And as David says: Didn't over-fill it, did you?

[tr500]

No, didn't overfill and 10/40 semi synthetic used.
After trawling through the Mz site I am wondering if it maybe coolant is causing the problem because on my last run out the bike was misfiring, but cleared after a while.

[tr500]

At first I thought I may have overfilled because it wasn't showing on the dipstick, so I drained off the oil and refilled to the correct amount and still not showing above the minimum mark and the reason for this ( I think ) is that a different front end has been fitted lowering the bike. The front end is off a Suzuki gsxr.

[Puffs]

Usually when the valve guide seals leak it keeps on smoking. Yours stops shortly after you started it, suggesting that something entered the combustion chamber while it was standing.

Monitor your coolant level. Any pressure while running?

[Blurredman]

I really should think you need to level the bike somehow then to take accurate oil level results. I find that if I use the manufacturer's stated guidlines, then sometimes I need to add a little more, sometimes as much as a pint, because the manufacturer's guidelines were to half way up the mark and not full.

What does the exhaust smell like?

[Puffs]

Yes, sniff the smoke, that may tell you something.

The oil level is important to keep the oil pump suction end adequately supplied w/ oil (when half of it is somewhere in the top end, slowly seeping down @ high RPM), but it sounds improbable that the new lower front end tilted the engine enough to flood the barrel (when the bike is parked).

Too high an oil level can cause oil to spill via the sump vent, usually into the air filter box --> engine, but then also it keeps on smoking. Same happened to me when I lost a ring, with the right oil level, but the extra pressure pushed the oil out through the vent. But in the OP's case the smoke clears after a short while. I'd suspect the head gasket. (Re-torque?)

[tigcraft]

Bit of a long shot but you could do with dropping the radiator pressure from the cooling system before the engine gets turned off to see if the cylinder draws coolant into it or not as the case maybe. If it’s better on the next startup then the only changes were coolant pressure entering the cylinder. Problem found!?