Help me narrow this down

[Smokin 440]

My 400 smokes like no other... This spring I got some water in it but it ran fine, but about 15 minutes later it started smoking A LOT. There is a small crack in my header where i can see oil coming out, I don't think my rings are bad and it runs fine, it just smokes terribly. Any ideas what it is would help me out before i tear into it, thanks...

[eganracing]

what color is the smoke? It could be that its burning oil which is probaly the problem. You should check your oil to see if its going down.

[Trevor]

Likely the rings. When you swamp an engine the oil film on the cylender gets washed off and it will chew the rings out pretty quick.

[bwamos]

Originally posted by Smokin 440
There is a small crack in my header where i can see oil coming out

By header, I assume you mean head. Since oil couldn't come out of the header. ;)

This looks like your problem to me. If it's leaking out, it's probably leaking in, too.

[Smokin 440]

Originally posted by bwamos
By header, I assume you mean head. Since oil couldn't come out of the header. ;)

This looks like your problem to me. If it's leaking out, it's probably leaking in, too.

No I actually mean on my header, where the exhaust merges 2 into 1 there is a cracked weld where oil is coming out...

[2001300exguy]

oil doesnt come out of the exhaust bud

[RiderTRX400ex]

you sure its OIL thats comming out of there??

[bwamos]

If you have oil coming out of there... you have a major iternal oil leak. Supprised the thing runs at all.

You probably changed the pipe. Ran it too lean. Burnt up the valves, and the valve guides are probably shot and leaking oil through them.

You won't know until you tear it apart.

But, I bet you need new valves, seats, guides, and piston rings.

Note: This is a wild guess. There's really no way to tell until you tear her apart.

[RiderTRX400ex]

bwamos is expert

[jhoppa]

Do two compression checks

1) Normal compression check, write down compression

2) Put some marvel mystery oil in the cylinder (or oil) Tablespoon or so.

3) Do another compression test.

If the compression is higher on the second test, your valves are leaking. If it is the same, then your ring is bad.

Either way, you will have to tear it apart. Since it is apart, might as well, relace everything anyway.

I am thinking the crap coming out of his header is mixture of carbon, fuel and moisture. Normal stuff... except he has a crack in his header.

[Smokin 440]

Originally posted by bwamos
If you have oil coming out of there... you have a major iternal oil leak. Supprised the thing runs at all.

You probably changed the pipe. Ran it too lean. Burnt up the valves, and the valve guides are probably shot and leaking oil through them.

You won't know until you tear it apart.

But, I bet you need new valves, seats, guides, and piston rings.

Note: This is a wild guess. There's really no way to tell until you tear her apart.

I don't think i was running too lean, before this happend my plug was perfect golden brown... Not long after gettin a little water in i ran out of gas @ WOT so i would guess the combination probably just screwed my rings over...

[400exstud]

It is something about 400ex's in Fondy. Mine smokes too but not that bad so I just say screw it.