I let the smoke out.... Now what

[timeeh]

Hi guys, long time no post... Or read for that matter. However, I need some advice if I may. About 1mth ago, I was riding along and noticed a fair bit of smoke around, then realised it was all coming from me... Somehow the bike managed to throw the water in with the oil to not a great effect. Anyway pulled up before I believe any major damage as performance didn't drop and the engine certainly didn't sieze. So now I'm wondering what to do for here, is it salvageable? And want proceedure do you think I should take to find out the cause? The bike is a 96 zx9 with just on 30k so I don't believe it's anywhere near its EOL. Thoughts?

[billwest]

Where do you think the water went? In the oil? Is it milky white?

Is the crankcase breather still attached properly?

[timeeh]

Yep, water went into the crankcase, was all milky and spilling out the head gasket (producing the smoke)

[billwest]

How is your coolant level?
Coming out of the head gasket? Isn't the head torqued down properly?

[timeeh]

Coolant is now empty (at least the bottle). I've removed the water pump to see if that was siezed and water came out so still water left in the water system, and no the pumps not siezed). Could just be the head needs to the torqued down. Might check the bolts today and see if there out. Also by doing this the gasket would still need replacing would it not?

[billwest]

"A leaking head gasket can also cause problems with your motor as coolant is drawn into the combustion chamber. ... If your head gasket is damaged enough to allow a leak, then the leaking water and pressure can erode the metal of your head and engine block at the leak point."

(from: https://gobdp.com/blog/can-drive-leaking-head-gasket/ )

How are your plugs?
Compression test?
Does it run like crap?

[timeeh]

Haven't done any of the above but it was running perfectly until it started smoking (even then it was running fine, I killed the engine as soon as I could to prevent further damage). I did recently change the water pump with one of a zx7 as the old one was leaking from the weap hole, and the one of the zx7 does not have a weep hole? But it did the job, which is why that was the first thing I checked after, but it seems fine, although I can't check the main seal in this... I'm thinking head gasket but just checking where else I should look first before pulling the head off

[BrettZZR]

Sounds like you need a head job more then the rest of us!

It's a bit of a snowball:
In theory you could just replace the headgasket, but really you should give a light skim on the head and barrels. That cannot be done without pulling the pistons out the barrels, and best to strip the valves out the head. So you may as well hone the bores and fit new pistons, and do a nice 5 angle valve job, and (at least) de-carbon the ports. While you are doing that you may-aswell ... Uh-oh, you just got hit by a snowball!

(-8

[billwest]

Is it smoke from oil, or just water vapour?