Oil glass has some milking looking

[sinclairniu]

How are you doing, everybody?
Just came back from business trip from Maryland. Started my k100rs and ride around a block, park it into my garage and clean it up. But I found oil glass can't see through, a kind of milking stuff. I change oil every 1500 miles, GASTROL motor oil. I opened the oil cap and it looks fine. I ride the bike 40 miles everyday. The oil/water pump was rebuilt last year. Rode it to the Rally in TN last year.
Don't know if the water pump was failed, anybody has any idea?
Thank you in advance!!

Sinclair

[deilenberger]

Sinclair,

Nice to see your bike is getting some use.. who makes Gastrol oil? (I suspect Castrol?) :)

As far as the milky look - the oil sight glasses do turn yellowish and opaque with age, but it sounds as if this is (1) somewhat more sudden than just old age (2) whiter than the usual old oil sightglass.

The rides you do daily - these are about 20 miles in length? In cool weather?

The reason I ask - the engine oil may not warm up enough in the 20 minute ride to drive the moisture out of the oil that it collects by multiple heat/cooling cycles in a cool damp environment. When this happens - you can get milky deposits (oil and water and air - all mixed) at cool points on the engine (like the sight-glass.) Cure for this is go for a long ride and get the engine good and hot for an hour or so.

It is possible that you have a failed seal on your waterpump, and a plugged weep hole in the pump housing, and coolant is forcing itself past the oil pump seal. It happens - but it's really rather rare.

To check for this - lay down with a Q-tip in hand in front of the bike. Right on the bottom of the oil/water pump yoi will see a small hole - dead center bottom. Stick the Q-Tip into the hole. If lots of coolant comes out, you had a plugged weep hole and you just cleared it out. You also have a leaking water-pump seal. If the Q-Tip comes out dry - then you have no problems with pump seals.

BTW - you're wasting a lot of oil by changing it every 1,500 miles. 1,500 mile changes would only be needed for the most severe use imaginable. You can easily do 3,000 - and I'd bet an engine oil analysis (I use Blackstone Labs) would justify 6,000 mile changes. It's your choice - but I sure hate to hear about that much still-good oil being recycled.

Good luck!

[sinclairniu]

Thank you, man. My mistake, its Castrol not Gastrol.

I checked a small hole under the water pump almost everyday since I rebuild my water pump. I think you are right that I ride my bike too short everyday early in the morning, about 5:30am. Because I am a very new rider, I don't like to ride in the traffic. So I get up 5, ride 20 miles and then park her in the garage.

I will try to go BMW in Cherry Hill tomorrow, that's a good ride. I think 70 mile around trip. Hopefully, that is the reason why sight glass looks like that.

Thank you for your help, I will let you know

Sinclair

[sinclairniu]

Thank you again, just came back from the BMW motorcycle dealer in Cherry Hill. About 70 miles around trip, check the sight glass for oil level when I came back. It looks fine. The milky stuff is gone.
Thank you very much for your help.

Sinclair

[deilenberger]

Sinclair,

It's great when it's the easy stuff :)

[sinclairniu]

Its easy stuff when you know it.

[lostboy]

Another cause for water in the oil is a cracked cranlcase vent hose.

[StarCityBeemer]

Wouldn't it be nice if all of our problems could be solved by riding MORE!

[PGlaves]

Not all - but you would be surprised how many different problems can.

[sinclairniu]

You are right, Paul.