Flakes coming out of the exhaust!

[Rocket 6R]

I went out today and started the bike. I looked at the tail pipes and saw flakes coming out of the right exhaust pipe. The bike has 2800 miles on it now and 2500 of those are on the TwoBorthers M2 aluminum (not a full system) pipes. Why was I looking at the pipes to begin with? Well, about two weeks ago I noticed a little black smoke coming out of the right pipe at start up. Once the bike got warmed up the black smoke would stop. I spoke to me instructors at MMI and they said it sounded like a valve seal that is leaking.

I then called the dealer on where I bought the bike from and the mechanic, the only one at this shop, said that he thinks it is a leaky valve seal, too. He stated that it seems very common for Suzuki's to have this problem especially with the GSXR bikes. He agreed that it should be repaired, but he said that he is getting a lot of lip service from Suzuki about this issue. He told me that he had spoke to a rep. from Suzuki on the last one he had in and they stated that it was just part of its normal operation and they would not warranty it. He did say that he thinks he could get the job done for me, but would need to go over the head of that rep. He also said that it would be in the shop for 2-3 weeks due to shop issues and time constraints. I told him that this is my primary means of transportation and can't let it sit that long in the shop.

He asked me what oil am I using and I said Valvoline 10W-40 (organic stuff). He said that I might eliminate the problem for now by using a heavy grade of oil and going to synthetic. He suggested several non-motor cycle synthetics like Mobil 1. So, I did some research and decided to use 20W-50 Castrol Syntec. I changed the oil and then took a 20 mile drive in order to cycle the oil. I let the bike sit over night and then came out and started the bike up. The temp. outside was about 55 degrees F. Well, I saw no more black smoke, good news. So, I then decided to get right behind the bike and got real close to the exhaust pipe opening. I saw little flakes coming out of the right tail pipe. I actually caught one and it looked whitish-metallic. They are the size of salt grains. After the bike ran for a minute or two the flakes started to decrease in the volume that was coming out.

Now, they don’t look like or have the density on what can be seen at the bottom of an oil pan after draining the oil. After my first oil change at 38 miles, used Motoman’s method, I looked at the bottom of the oil pan and saw metal slivers and metal grains. This issue I’m dealing with now does not look anything like that. Again, the exhaust at idle had enough force to allow these flakes to almost float in the air when coming out of the pipe.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA ON WHAT THE HELL THESE FLAKES ARE? I SURE HOPE IT IS NOT MY PISTON, RINGS, ECT.
I did take another trip, about 20 miles, this afternoon and the bike felt great and full of power.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[smokescreen]

that could just be the stuffing in the muffler. I would be more concerned with the metal flakes in the oil, because often those portend to gears eating themselves. which is bad. Sounds like it would be good if you got the extended warranty, as gearbox/ engine replacements can get a little pricey. But I woudn't worry too much about the flakes. Despite the fact that you say they look metalic, they are more than likely just carbon deposits, which means your bike is burning oil, which, i daresay isn't that unusual with SV's.

I was in fact surprised the other day to find that my 03sv650, burns a lot more oil than my wife's 95M900. I think this bike's tollarences aren't so precise as say a GSXR. But if there is a warranty issue, you should take care of it now, and not wait. there is always mass transit untill you are kosher again.

[Rocket 6R]

Biliabong, thanks for the reply. The metal in the oil pan was only after the first two oil changes. Metal shavings for the first few miles of a new bike is normal, things wearing in.

I hope your right about the packing of the pipes that might be the cause. Hell, my bike is not even three months old.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[smokescreen]

i hate to be a ynthetic whore, but are you running synthetic in your bike?

I can't say I agree with your mechanic. "plugging" a leak with higher viscosity oils, is not a good solution. Your bike is new, so the valves may not have seated properly yet. Higher viscosity oils my not lube the top end of the motor well enough to keep the cams (metal/metal contact) or the valve seals safe.

I AM a brand whore, so I would recomend purpose built oils. I use Mobil's motorcycle specific (wet clutch) oil on my Suzuki, or amsoil, when I'm not in a poor streak. (not the mobil V'twin stuff, i think that's more for harleys, and other air coolers, although I could be wrong)

no matter, good luck buddy. update as you find things out.

[soulofadra6o]

yes..when I put on my yosh slip on I notice flakes too...i didnt bother looking after the first few rides but they were noticeable when i first started her up (and my dumb dog was behind the bike and wouldnt budge till i gave the throttle a good whack hehe)


but I was skeptic when you told us you put syn. oil in the bike at only 2800 miles...there's a thread that irk started that kind of bashes higher viscosity oils at bikes that arent broken in

http://www.socalsvriders.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=239158#post239158

[smokescreen]

corvette put full synthetic amsoil in every ZR-1 ever to come off the line. using synthetic from the time of build is not a bad thing. and higher viscosity oils are not the answer either.

we live in an era when even oils can be tailor made for their applications. why not take advantage of that.

I am tough on every engine in every vehicle that I've had. But there are two MUST's that have kept me failure free. Proper break in, and proper PM's employing approriate tools. My father once told me, "Oil's cheaper than parts". That's true even of the good stuff.

By the way, did I say I put in syn at 2800miles? Was that what you meant? Of someone else. I don't remember when I'd have said that, but I've said a lot I don't remember... That said, I'm pretty certain, although years have passed since... that I did, in fact put syn in the first time I did an oil change. As that is what I do with all my vehicles.

[Rocket 6R]

Billabong, no it was me who said I have 2800 miles on my bike and just put my first synthetic oil in yesterday. I'm running Castrol Syntec 20W-50. I do agree with you about the whole mechanic thing. I would like to get the damn thing fixed although it's not a real problem. Again, the bike only does it when it is cold and you actually have to stand there and stare for a moment to see it.

There are way to many people out there with there own opinions and philosophies about oils (type and grade). There are many scientific studies out there that I think have real merit. Most people who really know about oils at least say it has the ability to prolong an oil change over organic due to the fact that synthetics as a whole breakdown at a lesser rate than organic oils.

The oil that I’m now using (Castrol Synthetic) has just a little bit of moly in it, but not enough to make the clutch slip. It makes my shifting feel smoother, too. I did a lot of research on this oil before putting it in, which includes threads from different forum sites and information found on Google.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

Soul, did you look at my link I posted on a different thread about changing to any oil you want at 1500 miles?

Also, you mentioned that you also saw flakes from your exhaust. It makes me wonder. I mean, in the instructions to install my pipe, TwoBrothers says that it is common that they smoke a little in the beginning. I wonder if this is part of that issue and that the bike is not burning oil at all.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

By the way, Syntec is not a true synthetic, it's more of a blend (part synthetic, part dino).

Soul, here is a thread that talks about Castrol Syntec, it's from a different forum.

http://www.sv1000.zyns.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11624&highlight=syntec

[Ikazuchi]

Originally posted by Rocket 6R
I looked at the tail pipes and saw flakes coming out of the right exhaust pipe.

Just add milk :D









Sorry....