2013 Oil Leak and Burnt Oil Smell

[EKB2to3Wheelz]

We’re looking at a 2013 RTS SE5 that belongs to an elderly friend of ours. He’s the original owner. It’s been in storage in a heated rv and car garage for about 3 years. When we went to test ride it I knew to check the oil we had to warm it up, so we idled it until the cooling fan cycled twice. Oil was half way on the dipstick. But during this warmup it started smoking like oil burning off an exhaust manifold. I’ve built several car engines and it smelled just like oil burning off a manifold or header pipe. Oil was a honey-amber and looked “clean” on a white paper towel. There was a receipt for an oil change 400 miles before he parked it. I’ve got impressive smoke videos but can’t post them. I took a screen shot of the smoke and will attach it. I’ve booked it into the dealer for an inspection and diagnostic on November 26th. Are there rubber lines to the oil reservoir that could be leaking? I’ve parked it on clean concrete and will check for drips in a few days. We pulled the left and right covers and didn’t see any obvious oil leaks using a flashlight.the condition of the machine seems to be great other than this. If if makes a difference, it’s yellow ��
96A4ABCF-E0D2-4611-9EAA-7FBCCDBF782F.jpg

https://youtube.com/shorts/pbVFbKMjwN0?feature=share

[Little Blue]

... Just a few questions.
1. Did you see any signs of oil or something else
on the engine?
2. Were you able to see every part of the engine?
3. How long did you run the engine?
4. Did you ride the Spyder?

Nice color by the way.
Post Up some more information so we can try
and help you out.

Stay Healthy. ....

[EKB2to3Wheelz]

Answered the questions below after each question. Hope his works, still very new on this forum.

... Just a few questions.
1. Did you see any signs of oil or something else
on the engine?
No. It was dry where we could see and the coolant tank looked good.

2. Were you able to see every part of the engine?
No. Only what was visible from taking off the two panels over the oil tank and opposite side similar panel.

3. How long did you run the engine?
20 minutes. Enough to get it up to temperature and cycle radiator fan twice.

4. Did you ride the Spyder?
Yes about two miles. Limited the ride to 1&2 gear 30 mph. We were worried about a fire.

The owner let us take the Spyder on a trailer to the dealer where he bought it to get it looked at to see what’s wrong and leaking. The dealer said they can’t work it in until November 26th so it’s in our garage till then. 33548DEC-6E33-4119-834A-B5710517C65F.jpg

Nice color by the way.
Post Up some more information so we can try
and help you out.

Stay Healthy. ....

[Trbayth]

Letting the engine idle til the fans cycle twice is not long enough to get an accurate oil level; coolant gets up to temperature much quicker than oil. You need to take it out for 10 to 20 minute ride before the oil gets warm enough.

If the oil level was half way up the dipstick the way you idled the bike it's possible it was overfilled during the last change. That could cause excessive smoking.

[Peter Aawen]

Are you sure that there was no excess oil spilt over the outside of the engine somewhere &/or pooled in the crevices & hollows on the top of the engine; poured all over the headers/exhaust pipes up front; or collected in the air filter & draining over the top of the engine/exhaust headers &/or running out onto the hot engine rather than into the cylinders with the inlet air

Oil smoke coming from the front of the engine out from under the tupperware like that instead of out the back with the exhaust sorta suggests it's not burning oil inside the running engine, but rather spilt oil burning off hot engine/exhaust bits or maybe it's really bad blow by, but if it was that bad I doubt the engine'd start easily & then run that readily or smoothly!

And as others have mentioned, the coolant temp being up to operating levels is no good indication of the oil temp being suitable for reliable level checking.... so unless that last oil change invoice says they clearly put too much oil in it during that change &/or you don't feel you can pull the plugs & let it drain all the oil out over a couple of hours before refilling it with a 'known correct' oil quantity, then maybe you might be prepared to risk taking it for a ride of at least 30 mins, preferably involving at least some highway speeds & up/down gear changes, and then recheck the oil level using the approved proceedure after that... but the 'known correct' oil qty option & maybe a bit of engine cleaner & a good hose down would hafta be my preferred option.

Good Luck!

[DGoebel]

The Spyder does have the heat mitigation (under mirror) inlet scoops installed, riding at speed would be forcing more cool air around the engine compartment, hoping that all the other heat mitigation was done on that '13, it should be safe to ride more and get an idea of where the oil issue is. Living up north, I only put 38K miles on my '13 (bought used in '16, replaced in '22) before upgrading, but Loved that ride! Go ride and enjoy. Though, if the previous owner didn't replace the vacuum lines and or sparkplugs and wires, it might be time for them to be serviced, those and brakes and tires were all I really needed in 5 yrs of riding my '13.

[oldguyinTX]

I know that this sounds wacky, but check the oil filler cap, make sure it is on correctly and fully seated. This happened to me after an oil check, oil was blowing up the fil and getting down onto the engine. Smoked like a mother. pulled all the Tupperware off and boy did it stink. It took 3 cans of BreaKleen to get it off, but it worked. I only had a minor heart attack.

[EKB2to3Wheelz]

In an aggregate answer to several questions.
All the engine areas we could see by taking off the two panels over the oil tank and opposite side panel were dry no indicator of anything wet.
The oil filler cap was on correctly.
The heat recall modification was completed at the 600 mile service.
Since we haven’t bought it pending the dealers inspection, I’m reluctant to take off more Tupperware.

But it’s definitely burning something off the exhaust that I think is oil.

https://youtube.com/shorts/zxCWQRLKMXM?feature=share


And sit down ,take a breath,,,,,,

Total miles is just over,,,,,,,,

1070. Nota typo.

[Peter Aawen]

.....

Total miles is just over,,,,,,,,

1070. Nota typo.

So would the owner object if you rode it 50 miles or so, cos I reckon that'd likely burn anything left completely off the pipes/other hot bits, and may well make the dealer's inspection more of a cursory check over & a bit of a moot point?!?

[EKB2to3Wheelz]

So would the owner object if you rode it 50 miles or so, cos I reckon that'd likely burn anything left completely off the pipes/other hot bits, and may well make the dealer's inspection more of a cursory check over & a bit of a moot point?!?

I’m sure he’d be ok with that. I’d just worry that something would go wrong.

[Bensonoid]

I would suspect a rodent nest near or around the exhaust pipes.

[Peter Aawen]

I’m sure he’d be ok with that. I’d just worry that something would go wrong.

https://youtube.com/shorts/tw4ISyMZn9c?feature=share

That's still the same video clip, it's not helping by repeatedly showing us the same thing, cos it's not showing us anything new....

But one thing it IS showing is oily smoke coming from the FRONT of the bike out from under the tupperware, so the most likely cause for it HAS to be oil getting onto something hot OUTSIDE the engine &/or the exhaust headers/pipes! And given that, your only real options at arriving at a solution are riding it until all the oil is burnt off &/or you can clearly recognise that there's a leak somewhere; or cleaning it off - NEITHER of which any dealer is likely to do, altho they might charge you a bit for suggesting that you do just that!

Or as Bensonoid mentioned, it could be a rodent's nest, altho if the smoke smells & feels as oily as it looks?!?

But whatever, it's clearly not something that's going to go away by itself, unless:

1. you ride it for a good while & try to burn it off;
2. you strip some more tupperware off & check out the externals of the engine/exhaust before giving it a good clean; or
3. you pay a dealer in the hope that they'll do 1. or 2. for you & at your expense!

So it's your choice.... and your money!

[Little Blue]

...If you can/feel comfortable about checking out this Spyder yourself, you will save a lot of money. My Dealer said that they would charge $150.00 an hour. This type of work would be 2 or 3 hours just for the labor.

It is your choice and your money. Everyone has posted up good Tips. Over to you now.

Good Luck on Your Mission and let us know how everything turns out.

Stay Healthy. ....