Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 12:01:25 AM

Title: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 12:01:25 AM
Hey guys changed the oil 400 miles ago I noticed that my oil is a little low just a little bit above the fill line. Above the oil there is a white haze or condinsation on the inside of the viewing window. Has anyone else exsperanced this?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 02:16:55 AM
Lol no one else has exsperianced this god I hope it doesn't mean there water in my oil
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Tactical_Mik on February 29, 2012, 02:57:39 AM
Pretty common in the winter if you have made some short trips.  If it's below 40 degrees or so you need to ride about 20 to 30 miles each trip to heat the engine and oil completely so it will evaporate the condensation.  If it's white and doesn't look like antifreeze in the oil there should not be anything to worry about.  Remember, no short hops when it's cold.  :)
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: VirginiaJim on February 29, 2012, 04:17:25 AM
Hey guys changed the oil 400 miles ago I noticed that my oil is a little low just a little bit above the fill line. Above the oil there is a white haze or condinsation on the inside of the viewing window. Has anyone else exsperanced this?

Not sure what the highlighted text means.....  Which fill line, the upper or lower?  Anyway, sometimes a vent tube can get clogged or kinked and will present the condensation problem.  Could also be the thermostat.  Conrad had an issue with that.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198)
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 04:48:32 AM
Not sure what the highlighted text means.....  Which fill line, the upper or lower?  Anyway, sometimes a vent tube can get clogged or kinked and will present the condensation problem.  Could also be the thermostat.  Conrad had an issue with that.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198)

A new 'stat fixed that problem. Do you have any oil foam inside of your oil filler cap?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 04:55:05 AM
Not sure what the highlighted text means.....  Which fill line, the upper or lower?  Anyway, sometimes a vent tube can get clogged or kinked and will present the condensation problem.  Could also be the thermostat.  Conrad had an issue with that.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3191.msg38198#msg38198)
Lower fill line.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 04:56:28 AM
A new 'stat fixed that problem. Do you have any oil foam inside of your oil filler cap?
Ill have to check when I leave from work this morning. If I do what does it mean?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on February 29, 2012, 04:57:39 AM
Pretty common in the winter if you have made some short trips.  If it's below 40 degrees or so you need to ride about 20 to 30 miles each trip to heat the engine and oil completely so it will evaporate the condensation.  If it's white and doesn't look like antifreeze in the oil there should not be anything to worry about.  Remember, no short hops when it's cold.  :)
yes it was below 40 45 mon trip to work 10 min warm up before I took off so 55 min of running time
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 05:05:16 AM
Ill have to check when I leave from work this morning. If I do what does it mean?

That's what mine did. I took it to the dealer and they replaced the 'stat under warranty. I had a bit of oil foam (emulsion) in the crankcase vent tube as well, follow the link that Jim posted for pics.

My bike wouldn't ever warm up past one, maybe two, bars on the temp gauge.

After 50 mins of running time, yours should have boiled all that moisture off.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Mister Tee on February 29, 2012, 08:47:36 AM
Actually it's fairly common on all motorcycle engines with a sight window at the oil level.  Same thing happens in your car engine, but you just don't see it.  Nothing to get alarmed about, except as a reminder to make long trips every once in a while to burn the condensation out.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 08:58:39 AM
Actually it's fairly common on all motorcycle engines with a sight window at the oil level.  Same thing happens in your car engine, but you just don't see it.  Nothing to get alarmed about, except as a reminder to make long trips every once in a while to burn the condensation out.

The OP said that he made a 55 min trip, I would think that should be long enough to get the 'normal' condensation out, don't you?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: VirginiaJim on February 29, 2012, 09:02:35 AM
Ill have to check when I leave from work this morning. If I do what does it mean?

Someone is making Lattes in your engine?  Actually it could mean you have a faulty thermostat.  How many bars on the heat gauge do you have showing once you consider the engine is warmed up?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on February 29, 2012, 09:07:43 AM
I noticed the same thing the other day. When mine is idling, it will get hot enough to make the fans come on, even in cold weather. But when I get going down the road, the temp gauge only shows one line. Is this normal and if so, why doesn't the temp regulate better like a car? Does anyone use a radiator cover like a diesel to help them run hotter in the winter?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 09:14:24 AM
Before I had my 'stat changed out my bike would never get over one line on the temp gauge, unless I was at a stop light or something. In the cold weather I sometimes wouldn't even see one line while riding.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on February 29, 2012, 09:22:56 AM
Before I had my 'stat changed out my bike would never get over one line on the temp gauge, unless I was at a stop light or something. In the cold weather I sometimes wouldn't even see one line while riding.

I've never seen no lines, so I'm guessing mine is ok.(?)
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 09:26:34 AM
I've never seen no lines, so I'm guessing mine is ok.(?)

Sorry, I meant bars and not lines. Do you not see any bars on your temp guage after the bike has warmed up?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on February 29, 2012, 09:36:48 AM
I meant bars as well.  If it sits and idles, I can get the fans to come on. But it always drops to one bar once I start moving.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 10:02:02 AM
I meant bars as well.  If it sits and idles, I can get the fans to come on. But it always drops to one bar once I start moving.

Even in the warm weather? That sounds like how mine was acting before the new 'stat.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on February 29, 2012, 10:07:08 AM
Even in the warm weather? That sounds like how mine was acting before the new 'stat.

No, in warm weather, it will run with 2 to 3 bars. I've been taking short trips this winter, so I think that is the cause of the condensation.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on February 29, 2012, 10:08:11 AM
No, in warm weather, it will run with 2 to 3 bars. I've been taking short trips this winter, so I think that is the cause of the condensation.

Ah, you should be ok then.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on February 29, 2012, 10:38:11 AM
Ah, you should be ok then.

Whew.......good! Now back to the regularly scheduled program. ;D
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Mister Tee on March 01, 2012, 08:19:26 AM
The OP said that he made a 55 min trip, I would think that should be long enough to get the 'normal' condensation out, don't you?

Not necessarily.  I've made 80 mile cold weather commutes in my gsxr that failed to burn the visible water off in one trip, if I had made lots of short trips before hand.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: jamcou2020 on March 01, 2012, 08:48:00 AM
A new 'stat fixed that problem. Do you have any oil foam inside of your oil filler cap?
Yeah no foam in the filler cap today there was no condisation on the window. But it is 60 degress today. My temp never goes beyond 2 bars when Im warming it up.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on March 01, 2012, 07:22:38 PM
Well, I pulled my cap off today and had a ton of the lovely white foam in the cap.  I know the dealer changed my spark plugs and air filter at 7500 miles. Is the PCV valve in the vicinity? Would it be possible for them to have pinched it during the plugs and filter change?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: VirginiaJim on March 02, 2012, 03:46:30 AM
I'm thinking your issue is being caused by the 'stat.  I don't think we have a pollution control valve as such.  It's possible you have the vent hose clogged as well.  Have you checked for that yet?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on March 02, 2012, 08:43:56 AM
Not exactly sure where the vent hose is. I haven't had the time to do much maintenance. Is it quick and easy to get to?
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: Conrad on March 02, 2012, 08:50:55 AM
Not exactly sure where the vent hose is. I haven't had the time to do much maintenance. Is it quick and easy to get to?

See Jim's link to my pics in post #3 of this thread. It's neither quick nor easy to get to, but it's not that bad either.
Title: Re: white condinsation/haze?? in the oil level check window???????
Post by: okxd45 on March 02, 2012, 09:48:03 AM
Since I still have 2yrs of warranty, I'll be headed to the dealer. ::)