Re: frothy oil?

[Blake Sobiloff <sobiloff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul Pemberton wrote:
> 
> Sorry to go on about possible coolant probs after my calmer missives
> yesterday evening, but I was wondering if any amount of froth in the oil,
> whilst the engine is in operation, is abnormal?

I'm not an expert, but I'll play one here. :-) First, don't worry about
how the oil looks while the engine is running. The best way to tell the
status of your oil (aside from chemical analysis) is to look at it
through the sight glass with the engine off. A few bubbles in your sight
glass isn't anything to worry about -- especially if you've just
shut-off your engine. However, if it looks like a head of fresh-pulled
Guinness you've got water in it.

There are two common ways water will get in your oil. First is if you
ride a bunch of short trips and don't let the engine get up to full
operating temperature. Water is a natural byproduct of the combustion
process. It normally evaporates from the oil if the engine oil gets up
to temp (>212 degrees F) for a while. You either need to change the oil
or change your riding habits (take the long way home -- it's more fun!).

The second way is if your head gasket is leaking. You don't have to be
continuously shooting great plumes of white smoke out the back to have a
leak, though. It can be a slow leak-through that happens while the bike
sits overnight, showing itself as a cloud of white smoke on startup. (I
think the spark plugs will also show evidence of coolant leaks, but I
can't remember what the telltale signs are.) In this case, it's time for
a little warranty work from your dealer.

It seems that several folks have had to deal with air in their cooling
systems on their bikes, but not too many. Just keep an eye on your
coolant level, like you're doing, and top it off when necessary. If you
find yourself adding more coolant than the system has the capacity for,
then start worrying. Until then, just get out, ride, and enjoy it!

- --
Blake Sobiloff <sobiloff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Higher Education Consulting
KPMG LLP
Washington, DC

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