Smoke on Start-up

[Richard1234]

So I bought three older quads for the farm and the two Suzukis (1986 and 1996) both smoke (oil) quite a bit on start-up, while the other (Yamaha) doesn't.  It isn't a big deal except that I start them in a garage and it gets a bit smokey and smelly! 

Is this a common Suzuki thing or did I just get lucky?? 

If it's a common issue, is there an easy fix?  (For the record, they both run good, and both clear up as soon as they get a bit warm).  

[Mech]

The smoke at startup will probably be the valve guides leaking oil. It runs down the valve stem. The valve keepers/spring retainer plates aren't meant to, but they act like funnels to drain oil down the valve stem while it's sitting over night. There are seals on the valve stem to stop that, which are probably worn, and it might also have too much play between the valve stem and the valve guide, but, if it runs without smoke once it's warm, (and you really want to look for smoke as you put the throttle on at the bottom of a hill to check there is no smoke then), then it will probably come right with just new seals. I think they might also have an O ring under/on the valve guide where it fit's into the head, but they seldom play up. The top ends of those things have a pile of oil up there when you take the valve adjuster caps off, especially the exhaust one, but that is normal and doesn't normally matter as long as the seals are ok.

[Richard1234]

You are likely correct though it seems to last longer than I would expect from bad valve guides.  

I doubt there is much to do anyways as if it is valve guides or piston rings or whatever, I will likely have to learn to live with it.

I was more curious if this was a common thing with Suzuki quads.   

[Mech]

The suzukis hold a lot of oil up in the valve case. It could leak a lot of oil down the guides. Given the circumstances you describe, I doubt it's the rings.

Oil's cheap..ish.. cheaper than getting your motor worked on by a shop.

And no I don't think a smoking suzuki is a common thing..  I've had lots through my workshop and started them cold and I don't remember ever seeing one smoke bad at cold start.