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Is this just condensation in oil? Is this just condensation in oil?
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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 14 Mar 2012
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Is this just condensation in oil?
Hello chaps,

I'm hoping you can help me out with something.



That was the state of my oil last month after doing lots of 2 mile journeys over the winter period. I dropped the oil out and changed the filter but there was no white gunk and the oil wasn't milky at all.

I put fresh oil in and today when I opened the filler cap again today I was faced with similar but not as bad as the picture above. I assumed it was condensation before but something confused me - would there really be that much to raise the level that high. Also, it looked like the oil was "fizzing" with lots of tiny bubbles with the occasional big bubble.

The bike is running fine.

Any ideas?
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Old 14 Mar 2012
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That can happen around the filler cap but if ALL your oil is like that then that's not good.

Drop your oil and see what it's like in a large container.
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Old 14 Mar 2012
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Hi Ted,

Last time it was like this I dropped the oil and the oil was fine - it had less than 1000 miles on it and looked absolutely fine.
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  #4  
Old 14 Mar 2012
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Condensation emulsification occurs when the engine regularly does not warm sufficiently to evaporate off initial condensation forming of cold surfaces - and previous condensation.
It tends to form and remain on colder part of the engine not fully imersed in oil (like rocker covers and tops of reservoirs) sooner than in the circulating oil itself.

Your 2 mile trips probably are not enough. Go the long way and have a regular longer ride!

I heard a standard type car engine needs between 10 and 20 miles to get all parts to optimum working temperature.
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Old 14 Mar 2012
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If you're sure the rest of the oil is fine then I would do what Tony P says and take it for a really good long ride. Get the oil right up to working temperature and keep it there. It shouldn't take long on these air cooled bikes in slow traffic

Obviously, make sure the oil level is correct and it's not leaking out of anywhere obvious and all that blaah blaah blaah.

You could invest in a screw in Oil temperature guage. I had one on mine. IT replaces the oil filler cap.


You can also get oil looking like this if it were water cooled and it is weeping in (it isn't) or maybe if your head gasket is sucking in air/condensation.
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Old 14 Mar 2012
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Let it sit warming up for 15 mins, seems nobody warms up there engines anymore.

Mezo.
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