White smoke but why?

[scoot8181]

Hey all I'm hoping someone could shed so light on a problem i'm having with my Sp1.I've recently had a problem with contaminated fuel fouling my plugs.So I've cleaned my tank and serviced my bike incl checking the valve clearances.
Last week while on the way to work it dropped onto one cylinder.The front had stopped firing.I might add that while riding the night before i got drenched in a storm.I limped back home and locked her up.
After changing the fouled plug it still wouldn't fire,no spark.
So I suspected a faulty coil.
I swapped them around and she hesitated but then fired up on both cylinders...weird!
It blew a fair bit of white smoke out of the left end can which I assumed was un-burnt fuel in the pipes.It also has a exhaust leak which I've just noticed.
The bike idles fine now and revs as normal,but when I crank the throttle white smoke come out the left exhaust can.
Has anyone has a similar issue? Can any help me out?
Cheers
James

[3stripes]

First off, are you sure it's SMOKE and not VAPOR? Have to ask, sorry.

I was going to say, don't condemn your coil(front) just yet.
I had a similar issue where the bike would just popped and stalled everywhere. it happened to be the loose coil wire(rear). Cost me $400 to rent a U-Haul to get my bike back from San Diego one way.

Bet you a little water got into the ignition wires somehow and shorted it out , making it really hard for you to run the bike.

can't see why it would only smoke on one side and not the other pipe.

[johnyisthedevil]

fuel does not burn white. smoke color guide:
black/ dark grey is fuel
blue-ish white is oil and will tend to linger in the air.
white is usually water vapor of some sort.

[scoot8181]

Yeah I'm starting suspect a blown head gasket....F@#K!!!!! Gotta have a bit more of a look at my bike over the weekend.

[RVTMAVERICK]

Originally Posted by scoot8181

Yeah I'm starting suspect a blown head gasket....F@#K!!!!! Gotta have a bit more of a look at my bike over the weekend.

Blown head gasket means... You should check your engine oil too... make sure the coolant\water hasn't taken that route as well!
When my head gasket blew on a V-FOUR 750 I had in Sweden... it ran like Crap everywhere except when she got into the higher RPMs where it would clear up running strong, as soon as I hit mid.range and lower, it would start running like crap again, until I got up in the rev range again... I was going around a tight hairpin, rolled on the gas and I freaked because... out the corner of my eye, I saw white smoke-steam blasting 12'+ out the tail pipe!

& +1 with Johnny,
So yes, ("White Smoke"> steam) is water\coolant..
Black is Fuel,
Blue is Oil,

"Bad Coil"... I personally, I have Never seen a Coil go bad, I've been messing with cars, boats and MCs for quite some time too. . Now I'm NOT saying it can't happen BUT Coils IMHO are pretty much>>>-----> bullet proof! In other words... I'd check most Everything else before a coil.
Peace Jeff

[scoot8181]

The plot thickens!!!!....Finally got another chance to have a look at my bike.
Checked the coolant level and it was fine. Checked the coolant for bubbles (took the radiator cap off and cranked the bike with the F.I off.),no bubbles.Looked at the oil sight window to see if the oil had any water in it and it looked normal.
Started the bike and she fired up straight away,she puffed a little bit of smoke and then it cleared.I let her run 'till the thermo fan came on.....I'm just not too sure what to do next. I don't want to trash my engine by being to hasty and putting it all back together while I'm still unsure.Any advice would be great!!

[wingnutt]

Water in the pipe from the shit gas

pull the mids and check

[scoot8181]

Hey fellas thanks for all your advice.I put my bike back together and have been riding it about for the last couple of weeks.
No more white smoke....thinking it must have just been when it dropped on to one cylinder it filled the exhaust system with a heap of unburnt fuel and it just needed to be burnt off.
Cheers once again
James