Why is my oil grey looking?

[moddedblaster20]

whatsup everybody. when i first bought my 400 couple months ago, the oil on the dipstick looked good. so i rode it a little bit and decided to change it for the hell of it. When i drained it, the oil was a greyish-cream looking color and didnt feel liek normal oil should. so i put fresh oil in and a new filter, rode it for a couple hours, and what do you know its grey again! i washed it before i checked the oil, and had the quad stood up, is there a possibility water got in somehow, even though it shouldnt? so i changed it again put havent really riden it since so i do not know the results yet, unless it has somethign to do with washing it, which i doubt. no metal particles or anything, quad runs smooth as can be. Oil in it is lucas semi synthetic 10w40, 2 quarts. any help would be great, its really aggrevating me

[rooster300ex]

Is the oil u use specifically for 4 strokes with wet clutches or is it a car oil?

[moddedblaster20]

yes its motorcycle oil for wet clutches. that is what i need right?

[jjm400ex]

most likely its clutch material turning it grey

[moddedblaster20]

is this normal or what?

[Reggie44]

that ain't normal, but I don't know what the problem could be.

[moddedblaster20]

crap, thats not good then. i mean it runs smooth and shifts good

[fmftrx300ex]

was it brand new and im asuming its a z400. ur clutch could be out of adjustment causing it to wear to away the seperator plates causing the grayish color or if it was brand new off the lot and the break in process is causing it change ur oil again and put cheeap cheap oil in it run it for a few minutes (no need to ride it but u can just not to hard then drain ur oil while its still alil warm then refill with fress good oil and a new oil filter and see wht happens

[moddedblaster20]

its a 2002 400ex, i got it used. i changed it once rode it for a coupel hours and it was grey again, changed it since then but havent really rode it. how would i know if the clutch isnt adjusted right?

[Reggie44]

I've got an 02' 400ex as wheel, and I've never had it look grey. Next time you drain the oil take off the right side and check the clutch. The disks just slide in and out. It will cost you another $15 to 20 gasket, but at least that will tell you whether or not its your clucth. It's air cooled, so there isn't water getting into it. You mentioned you washed it, but if water got into it that easily, oil would be coming out everywhere when you ran it. What about gas getting into it? Maybe check out your carb! Shot in the dark, but it's easy to check out!

[Reggie44]

Also, if you do pull of your right side to check your clutches, there is a small screen on the bottom of the motor. A screw holds it in. Pull it and check to make sure there aren't any metal shaving on it.

[moddedblaster20]

so if i take the right side cover off, ill automatically have to put a new gasket on? should i run it how it is until i need to change the oil again to do this? and what could be wrong with the carb?

[Reggie44]

If you take the cover off, I would definately put on a new gasket. If not your asking for leaks. As for the carb. Maybe the float stuck, just dumping in too much fuel. Like I said, shot in the dark, but cheap to check out. Maybe checking your jetting too, make sure everything is correct. I don't know if that could be the problem or not, but its easy to check. As for running it......I would want to know what it is. If it is thinning your oil, don't know if you could scare up the cylinder or not....

[Reggie44]

also, I don't ever run the synthetic. Are you sure that the color change isn't a characteristic of that type of oil.....

[moddedblaster20]

yeah man thanks for the help! appreciate it. guess a trip to the dealer for a gasket? i think im goign to run it with this fresh oil in it now and just keep an eye on it, pull the dipstick out often and see what its looking like. but the first tiem i changed it it wasnt too good looking and the filter was kind of nasty, then when i ran it for a day and changed it again it wasnt as bad, so i will watch it with this oil in it now. if it gets nasty looking again this time around i will drain and pull off the cover

the first tiem i changed it, i put in regular motorcycle 10w40, then now it has the semi synthetic.

[fmftrx300ex]

dont take ur clutch cover off thats the stupidest way iv ever heard to check your clutch adjust ur cluth as told in the manual or give the end lever about a 1/2in of play befor the cable starts to get tight .

[moddedblaster20]

so the lever on the bars should have 1/2inch of travel before it starts to engage? and the adjustment is on the right side correct?

would my oil being grey be a cause of my clutch about to go? i just checked and i have freeplay. i left my quad in gear, pushed against it while slowly pulling in the clutch lever until it started to roll, when it did roll theree was still resistance in me pushign the quad. is that normal?

[d3ktrix]

Yeah the resistance even with clutch pulled in is normal, esp when its cold, sometimes u might not even be able to push the bike.

On 450r's the silver/grey oil from the clutch is normal. I would think on a 400ex if u slip the clutch a lot it would be no different, but it shouldn't be extreme.

Also possible that the clutch springs are shot.

[hotrodhonda400]

sounds like it has had water in the engine to me:confused:

[moddedblaster20]

what do you guys recommend doing? and i thought abotu water in there but dont know how it would have got in

[d3ktrix]

Water in your oil would make it look super MILKY WHITE.
Not silver/grey.

Take the old oil in the sunlight, i bet it will sparkle.

[moddedblaster20]

ok well do you thnik i should keep running it the way it is? everythign works and runs great on it

[moddedblaster20]

i smelled the oil off the dipstick today and it smells liek gas a little...

[JCovington]

sounds like your carb may be leaking down and getting gas in your oil and that is thining it out it wearing out your clutches. thats just my guess from what you have said.

[moddedblaster20]

soo what should i do?

[moddedblaster20]

well i took my carb out took bowl off and took out jets and cleaned them. i have a 170 main jet and a 40 pilot. could the 170 main jet be making it run too rich causing gas to run down cylinder walls? the petcock works and the float is not sticking so it couldnt be flooding that way. any input would be great! and also if somebody could recommend a main jet size

[mikecancu812]

Could of had a piece of crud in carb and had the floats stuck. Now it worked its way through and they aint stickin anymore. If it smells like gas go to walmart and get some cheap rotella oil and change it a few times.

[moddedblaster20]

would be nice if it was that easy. ill try changing it again once some of the million feet of snow melt hahha

[steve181]

Originally posted by moddedblaster20
would be nice if it was that easy. ill try changing it again once some of the million feet of snow melt hahha

lmao its like watching paint dry

[moddedblaster20]

do you guys think that the 170 main jet is running it too rich to the point the gas is running down the cylinder into crankcase? or could there be somethign else to why fuel would be in there?

[sc400ex_rider]

170 is good. your float might be sticking or your float needle an d seat are worn. when your done riding just turn off the gas, crank it and let it run till it burns up all the gas in the fuel bowl. you should be doing this anyway to keep from gumming up your carb...........