1986 R80RT: Blueish smoke bellows out.

[Bikemike1]

In the morning:
1. I get to my bike, flip the gas levers to "on" for about two minutes before starting.
2. Crank the...urr, choke lever all the way, and start her up.
3. This first days initial start bellows out a light blueish smoke just for a second and then it clears while the engine idles healthy and sound.
4. Throughout the day, during any other start-up, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. Only occurs on the initial start-up when the gas has been sitting in the carbs for 8 to 10 hours.

Question: Is it perhaps the gas left in the carbs overnight? Does it indictate poor gas? (I have been using 87 octane, 10 % ethanol) OR is this normal on an older Airhead?

Thanks

[20774]

Can you provide a few pieces of info:

- bike new to you?
- how many miles?
- how long has this been happening?
- do you park the on the sidestand or centerstand overnight?
- what is the level of oil on the dipstick...all the way to the full mark or somewhat less than that?

[DennisDarrow]

When you park on the sidestand what you describe is totally common. Seems that the oil that remains in the left cylinder can or does get by the rings and makes a small pool because the cylinder is at an angle for the fluid to collect......When you fire off the engine this bit of oil gets burnt off........

The cure is.....not worry about it as they all do it.......OR.......Dont park on the sidestand......


Actually this is encountered early in the mornings at rallies. Pretty good factory engineering as a blue fog settles over the campground to help with mosquito control..........

If this is happening on the center stand.......You have another situation entirely........

God bless........Dennis

[kgadley01]

My guess also, is that you are using the sidestand...

[Bikemike1]

Yes, I park on the side stand. Bike is new to me. Had one owner previously. Bike had only 16,012 miles on it when I purchase this 1986 three months ago. Upon purchase, I dumped the gas out of the tank, carbs, had carb kit prior of purchase, sea foam mix with gas, drain oil, new air filter, new plugs. So far I have put on approx. 600 miles. Runs great.

[BimmerCrab]

If you ever replace the rings, install the oil ring with the gap up, at 12 o'clock. That helps, I hear...

[20774]

You could also still be burning the sea foam out of the gas... But as suggested, don't use the sidestand so much. My bike has never done this...knock wood...it gets parked on the centerstand virtually all the time. However when I return from a ride, it goes immediately on the sidestand while I open the garage...I don't wait while sitting astride the bike for the oil to drip back to the sump. This is the time that people say the oil can migrate down the left cylinder...hasn't happened to me, though.

[40427]

My 85 R80 did that a couple of times when i first got it last year. Nothing to worry about IMHO.

Best fixes for that annoying condition I have found are;

1.Don't use the side stand for overnight parking

2. Ride the snot out of it , that fixes more things than you can ever imagine.

[toooldtocare]

Good thing you did not buy an 80's K bike, that thing could really smoke, ask me how I know. My airheads puffed a bit too, nothing to worry about.