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Found a strange sight in my oil sight glass today.

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by shadowfist, Jul 1, 2012.

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  1. shadowfist

    shadowfist New Member

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    I bought an old ninja 600 as a project just a little while ago and today I was replacing the rear shock absorber and i noticed that the oil level "sight glass" looked really strange. last time I remember looking at it about 40-50 miles ago, it looked normal, a nice clear image of dark oil about half way up the glass and visible background components above that. today however, it looked like the attached image.

    what in the world happened? (I mean aside from the fact that it now looks like the face of DEATH or something) the guy I bought it from said that the oil had been recently changed. but this is a drastic difference with a very few amount of miles on it, the bike does not seem to be running any different either.

    is coolant suddenly leaking into the oil or something?

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    shadowfist, Jul 1, 2012
    #1
  3. joshbob

    joshbob Well-Known Member

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    Could be moisture or water in the oil - is your bike water cooled?
    joshbob, Jul 2, 2012
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  4. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    Could be....is the coolant level down?? Also check the radiator for signs of oil in it...not likely condensation would turn the oil to grey paint in 40-50miles....change the oil and keep an eye on it and the rad,could be a blown head gasket...
    Lucifer, Jul 2, 2012
    #3
  5. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Bike has a problem!

    Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk 2
    Fatboy128, Jul 2, 2012
    #4
  6. cowboy

    cowboy Moderator Staff Member

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    Yes as lucifer said , looks to coolant in your oil , unless you left out in the rain & oil cap / dipstick loose
    cowboy, Jul 2, 2012
    #5
  7. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep, you have moisture in it, first thing to do is drain the oil. You have a project now, finding where its coming in from. Like Lucifer said also check the coolant for proper level and see if oil is in it to. You did change oil in it when you first got it, right? Good luck.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 2, 2012
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  8. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    water in oil........
    chucktx, Jul 2, 2012
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  9. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    But we WANT our harleys to be water cooled
    this would be better... LOL

    With change you get uncertainty..

    Yeah looks like you have a leak,
    I would consider taking it back to the guy you bought it from
    sounds to me like he knows it and took advantage of you,
    bet its got a cracked head or block.
    hotroadking, Jul 2, 2012
    #8
  10. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    That's what is smells like to me too..."Oh Yeah,I just changed the oil,she runs great"!!!:snake:
    Lucifer, Jul 2, 2012
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  11. joshbob

    joshbob Well-Known Member

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    Hate to say it, but all the above sounds likely. If the price sounds too good to be true, then it usually is.

    Bought an old pickup many years back and the oil had been changed by the owner so I didn't detect the water in the oil until it was too late. Turned out it was a cracked head.
    joshbob, Jul 2, 2012
    #10
  12. shadowfist

    shadowfist New Member

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    yeah, the bike is liquid cooled, it also has an oil cooler.

    lucifer - coolant level does not seem to be down noticeably, I might sharpie a "current level" line on the reservoir and watch it.

    thanks for the info fatboy... :roflmao:

    I sure hope it isn't a cracked block or headgasket... some googling made it sound like it could be related to taking short rides and not letting the engine fully heat (which I have been doing) the oil so the moisture could "evaporate" does this sound plausible?

    when I get back from the 4th i'll drain the coolant and see what it looks like.
    :gah:
    shadowfist, Jul 3, 2012
    #11
  13. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    Definitely change the oil...if there was oil in the rad it would come to the top,and you'd see sludge on the cap...it would be nice if it was only condensation,but it seems like a lot for the short mileage,do you live in the Arctic??:roflmao:
    Lucifer, Jul 3, 2012
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  14. shadowfist

    shadowfist New Member

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    close :roflmao: live in the PNW so yeah, been cold most days i've been riding it.
    shadowfist, Jul 11, 2012
    #13
  15. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    Pacific North West??Do you mean Washington state?? Geeze, you gotta go quite a few hundred more miles north before it starts to get cold...;):D
    Lucifer, Jul 13, 2012
    #14
  16. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Yea, in Oregon (PNW) it's been in the 80's. Going on a overnight ride tomorrow to the painted hills and temps will be in the 90's with thunderstorms. Still better than going to LA.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 13, 2012
    #15
  17. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    How many states make up the PNW?? If the weather is like the lower mainland in Vancouver/BC... It doesn't get cold there...:cool:
    Lucifer, Jul 13, 2012
    #16
  18. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Mainly in the USA the states that make up the Pacific Northwest are Oregon, Washington part of Idaho, parts of Montana and areas of northern California. One of the best places to live in the country, course I'm prejudice.

    ImageUploadedByTapatalk1342189781.449012.jpg


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    FLHTbiker, Jul 13, 2012
    #17
  19. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    I see your map the green PNW includes BC lower mainland and Vancouver Island... and Yep PNW sure is one of the best places in Canada to live too....next to Cape Breton NS of course;) but the weather is a heck of a lot better there...
    Lucifer, Jul 13, 2012
    #18
  20. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    You like rain live up in BC man do they get it, hmmm bet CB would like it up there.
    Rode Vancouver island up as far north as you can go on pavement. Didn't realize how long that island is. Very nice in the summer months.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 13, 2012
    #19
  21. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    LOL Yeah it rains instead of snow...I lived there for a couple of years in early 80's and have relatives all over the Island...when they come to visit,their husbands or wives,whichever one doesn't know Cape Breton is amazed by the number of roads(paved cow paths)we have here....
    Lucifer, Jul 13, 2012
    #20
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