well, i posted about having transmission problems a few weeks back and i solved that ( chain was WAYYYY to tight, i assumed the original owner over-tightened it to prevent chain slap, but the down side is it was causing horrible shifting)

Now i have come onto a new more pressing issue

I was testing out the launch control ( launch master) revving a few times and seeing the different RPMS hold to make sure it was working proper,

next thing i know its burning black smoke then blue smoke, then black smoke again.....its a little low on oil ( light never came on so i know i've had constant pressure, have tested to make sure light works by turning it to accessory and seeing it light up)

i guess my question is, if it was perfectly fine before, could a few Launch control tests ( without actually launching the bike, just testing to see if it actually holds at the specific targeted rpm) at no higher than 6k RPM damage the engine internally?

i understand black smoke is way too rich, but i can't see it running rich as it has a cblasted ECU and i have full confidence in his tuning abilities, ive had no problems with it running before hand.

do these bikes burn oil? is there an acceptable limit of burnt oil from the factory? ( i've owned multiple subaru's and they DO burn oil and a quart every xx miles was acceptable to the specific vehicle)

could it be my rings have shit the bed? the bike only has 3800 miles on it..its a 2012

help me out here fella's i'm going insane trying to figure this out and hope i don't have a giant repair bill on my hands

"at no higher than 6k RPM damage the engine internally?"probably not.

"the bike only has 3800 miles on it..its a 2012"...you've checked the levels as you've built up these miles,yes?So how were they?Consistently fine...or oil loss?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/5/2015 @ 8:25 PM *

Guessing your launch control is cutting spark to maintain preset RPM limit and injector is still pumping fuel = too rich & smoke.

- I have owned the bike since 2,000 miles
- I did an oil change using shell advance 10w40 as soon as I picked the bike up

- I was low about half a liter in 2,000 miles

-It does not idle rough or smoke on acceleration, I only noticed it after testing the LC a few times....

I Can see the launch control causing a rich condition and the black smoke being left over fuel from spark being cut, but why blue smoke ?

- "I was low about half a liter in 2,000 miles"...that's NOT normal.

Kawasaki says 1qt every 1000 miles is acceptable...1 liter is 1.056 qts so I'd say it's not too bad by those standards ? Or am I mistaken

No way.Where's it say that?This i need to see...let me guess..the DEALER told you this?You bought this bike from a Kawasaki dealer?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 8:21 AM *

Private sale, service manual I believe

"service manual I believe"...nope...unless I missed that.Can you post up the page?I just looked in my service manual...there's NOTHING in there about 'oil loss'.ONLY if it needs a top off through normal use.(checking sight glass regularly.

I hate to say it...but whoever owned this bike wasn't very nice to it.That's what it sounds like to me.Rings should NOT go bad at 3800 miles...no way.Or valves...or anything like that.If they are...I can only think of 'previous owner abuse'.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 8:49 AM *

I don't have it in front of me right now, however if that is excessive, I would expect blue smoke all the time...which is not the case..I will do a compression and leak down test this week and post results.

Yes...do the tests.It won't necessarily blow blue smoke all the time...also...you can't see it while you're riding...assuming you're looking forward.How's the tail pipe?Oil in there?Soot AND oil?(maybe not liquid oil,but residue).

When you FIRST start it..is there blue smoke...even a small amount?Not to be confused with condensation at first start up.

When I run my finger inside the exhaust outlet...I only get soot...no oily residue.

"I don't have it in front of me right now, however if that is excessive"...WAY excessive....All my Kawasakis have never burned oil.I usually change out in the 4-5K mileages.Gone as high as 7K between.NEVER had to add oil.Not once.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 8:42 AM *

Does not smoke at all on start up....

yeah the exhaust is black with black soot from fuel

How about when sitting,starting...then revving?At any time?

"I will do a compression and leak down test this week and post results"...you just scored points with the Hubmiester here..LOL!.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 8:46 AM *

Did this 'private party' say WHY they wanted to sell?They told you the 'oil burning' deal was normal?

So you've put 2K on it...it's now at 3800.That means it was virtually brand new...just past break-in then.

I'm really hoping they also had an 'extended warranty' that went with your bike?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 8:55 AM *

Depending on how rich the mixture went during launch control and how many times you sat there and tested it, there is a possibility of washing the rings. Doesn't take long at all to torch the rings once the oil is gone.

With oil set back to proper level I let it warm up to operating and revved a bit up to 6-7k rpm, no smoke of any kind.....if it was a mechanical issue I would expect more consistency, yes ?

Drag racers use LC often and do hundreds of passes with no ring failure...so what gives ?

Owner was a 50 year old married man with kids, never mentioned burning oil...said he never rode it that's why he was selling...

Fair enough.

Drag racers use LC often and do hundreds of passes with no ring failure...so what gives ?

That's more of a bracket racing deal. My angle was that you wouldn't normally activate the launch control more than once in a racing scenario. The extra fuel would burn off and the plugs would clean up immediately during a typical race setting. Over filling will cause the scenario you described as well so chalk it up to good luck and keep rolling.

So if it stopped smoking should I be okay or did I screw myself ?

I'd still check the leakdown/compression...see what that tells ya.If it's blowing oil...you'll know.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 9/6/2015 @ 12:36 PM *

Look at the recovery container down at the bottom of the shifter... has a clear plastic beaker kind of catch tank.

Ring damage would have fouled the plugs, no power, etc.
The blowby, low oil, who knows, lots of air traveling up the crankcase breather and into the ram chamber.

Inspection access areas:
1. The recovery bottle.
2. Remove air cleaner, stick hand or flashlight back into the ram chamber and feel or look for oil?
3. Remove tank, then remove a service cover off the top of the frame, see if oil has come up this way?

Top off oil in the crankcase. Take a compression reading cold. Why? There is so much residual oil around the rings, this will increase static cranking pressure... where we assume there still are residuals due to the wet ram chamber.

I'd still check the leakdown/compression...see what that tells ya.If it's blowing oil...you'll know.

back with an update...have not yet done the compression/leak down however i did find the clear catch container filled about 1/4th of the way with oil....what does this mean?

Do the compression test.

Either there was too much oil in the crankcase or your rings are shot.