Speed Triple Smoking...

Discussion in 'Technical Help' started by weaveman, Sep 6, 2018.

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  1. weaveman

    weaveman New Member

    Sep 6, 2018
    1
    3
    New Brighton
    Hi guys ,This is my first post.I have owned a Street Triple since new in 2009 and also had an Aprilia Tuono,which was stolen last year.Well,I recently bought a 2006 Speed Triple in burnt yellow with all the Triumph extras and only 8000 miles on the clock.I already put 2000 miles on it and loved every minute.Anyway ,I was riding through town yesterday and had stopped at traffic lights.The engine was getting hot and the temperature indicator was 3 bars above normal running.There was a slight following wind ,and I suddenly smelled exhaust smoke and a second later saw smoke blowing past me.Looking down to my right I was horrified to see a fair amount of smoke from the Arrow 3 into 1.I rode on about a mile and the temperature was back to normal so I stopped to check for smoke but it had stopped.When I got home I checked the oil level which was OK.But surely a bike with relatively low mileage should not smoke like that?I am a bit worried now.The smoke was grey/white.I recently changed the coolant and according to the Haynes manual it takes 2.8 litres.But the owners handbook states 2 litres,which is all I could get in it.
     
  2. Callumity

    Callumity Elite Member

    Feb 25, 2017
    3,358
    800
    Nr Biggar
    Absolutely certain it was smoke and not overheating coolant steaming off? I would check fluid levels and signs of any water in the oil to rule out head gasket issues. The recent coolant change you describe would make me suspect an air lock and low coolant levels leading to overheating.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
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  3. Callumity

    Callumity Elite Member

    Feb 25, 2017
    3,358
    800
    Nr Biggar
    New Brighton Merseyside or Minnesota? Big difference in ambient air temperatures!
     
  4. weaveman

    weaveman New Member

    Sep 6, 2018
    1
    3
    New Brighton
    Merseyside...and it was a cool day.I been out today on it and no sign of any smoke....but I didn't get stuck in any traffic so no overheating.
     
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  5. Rocker

    Rocker Elite Member

    May 1, 2016
    1,662
    800
    Suffolk
    Why three bars over normal on the temp then?
     
  6. Rspete

    Rspete Elite Member

    Jun 17, 2018
    1,794
    743
    Durham
    Agree with the air lock and probably to much fluid, maybe coming out of the overflow pipe hitting the exhausts.
    take Haynes manuals with a pinch of salt..... I once done half an oil change on my 900 thunderbird. :weary_face::joy:
     
  7. weaveman

    weaveman New Member

    Sep 6, 2018
    1
    3
    New Brighton
    It was definitely exhaust smoke.The bike has not smoked like that before or since.Anyway,I have a theory.Just prior to the smoking I had overtaken a car by cracking open the throttle in 3rd gear ,revving the engine to about 8000rpm then slamming the throttle shut on a downhill section and bringing it to a stop by engine braking in 2nd gear.(Not how I normally ride ..I was carried away by the jet engine like howl from the exhaust.)I think It may have sucked a little oil past the rings into the combustion chamber.I rode it yesterday and no sign of any smoke.Since I changed the coolant I did a 220 mile run with no problems .I was worried about only getting 2litres of coolant in,but apparently that is normal.
     
  8. Hack Driver

    Hack Driver Well-Known Member

    Oct 12, 2017
    455
    63
    Denton, Maryland USA
    Welcome to the forum! I agree with checking all fluids carefully, and just keeping an eye on it. One thing you should try to do if it happens again, is to smell and taste the smoke. That probably sounds stupid, but vaporized antifreeze typically smells much different than oil smoke. Most types of antifreeze are normally sweet smelling and tasting. Burnt oil typically has a much thicker/heavier smoke with an acrid smell. That said, some of the newer ones used in the bikes may not conform to that standard.
     
  9. dilligaf

    dilligaf Guest

    :eek: I knew you were on something :p
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  10. Callumity

    Callumity Elite Member

    Feb 25, 2017
    3,358
    800
    Nr Biggar
    Aaah! You never mentioned the savage overrun ........entirely possible you have sucked hot thin oil down the valve guides or past the rings having simultaneously generated masses of heat and killed off the cooling airflow.
     
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