P700 Smelling burnt oil?

[JeremyF]

Here is my story need some help! Weather has gotten cold and pioneer wasn't shifting when cold. I've read machine needs to warm up but this winter it was taking alot longer than last. Checked the oil and looked low. I added oil (not sure how much, what was left in bottle from last oil change). Oil level is good now and machine is shifting correctly again. Since I added the oil I've been smelling burnt oil when I drive. Thought at first I must have spilled some and it would burn off. Been a week or so and still smell, noticed some blue smoke coming out of bike! Any idea what I'm dealing with? Have 1,200 trouble free miles not sure what is going on.

 

[DG Rider]

Double check the level by the procedure in the owner's manual.

If it turns out to be overfilled ,Check and see if the crankcase breather tube is puking oil in the airbox. Otherwise...if it was too low before, you might have wiped the rings. A compression test (or better yet, a leak down test) might be in order.
Course, you could just run it and monitor the level to see if it's burning any oil.

 

[alloutdoors]

Assuming you have taken it swimming/underwater to create some issues, I would find it hard to believe it has a real issue with so few of miles. Heck you are only on the second oil change, roughly. In addition to what is mentioned above, I would check the air filter to ensure no problem and second, I would go ahead and change the oil/filter with OEM stuff and monitor it...

 

[JeremyF]

I checked the air box didn't see any oil. I'm about 100 miles from needing the next oil change so I'm going to do that and see what happens. Clean the bike up real good so I can see any leaks. I'm worried I messed something up if it was low on oil, bike wouldn't even move when cold. Not really sure how it was low I followed the manual instructions on the oil change, used all oem stuff and checked the level when I was finished. Granted that has been a while ago and I haven't been monitoring until the issues in the recent cold weather.

 

[Russ989]

I checked the air box didn't see any oil. I'm about 100 miles from needing the next oil change so I'm going to do that and see what happens. Clean the bike up real good so I can see any leaks. I'm worried I messed something up if it was low on oil, bike wouldn't even move when cold. Not really sure how it was low I followed the manual instructions on the oil change, used all oem stuff and checked the level when I was finished. Granted that has been a while ago and I haven't been monitoring until the issues in the recent cold weather.

I 2nd @DG Rider, the oil level check procedure will give you a totally different level than just pulling the stick. I’d say you are a touch overfilled.

 

[JeremyF]

So I still haven't worked on my buggy, only drove it a couple times to take the garbage out since I posted this. Shifting has been terrible and getting worse. Jumped on last night to see how it would act since temps are in the 50's, won't shift at all. Motor sounds fine fired up easy but buggy won't move at all in gear. Are the clutches smoked? Is that the smell I was getting? Guess I'm hauling it into the dealership.

 

[DG Rider]

So I still haven't worked on my buggy, only drove it a couple times to take the garbage out since I posted this. Shifting has been terrible and getting worse. Jumped on last night to see how it would act since temps are in the 50's, won't shift at all. Motor sounds fine fired up easy but buggy won't move at all in gear. Are the clutches smoked? Is that the smell I was getting? Guess I'm hauling it into the dealership.

Without further investigation, i think thats the best option at this point. Keep us updated.

 

[alloutdoors]

So I still haven't worked on my buggy, only drove it a couple times to take the garbage out since I posted this. Shifting has been terrible and getting worse. Jumped on last night to see how it would act since temps are in the 50's, won't shift at all. Motor sounds fine fired up easy but buggy won't move at all in gear. Are the clutches smoked? Is that the smell I was getting? Guess I'm hauling it into the dealership.

It is my understanding the 700 has a torque converter (no clutch) and sensitive to oil type/level. It may be a long shot, but you may try replacing all the oil/filter with genuine OEM Honda stuff and see what happens....

 

[JeremyF]

I went to the dealership a week ago to get oil and oil filter, told the mechanic about the shifting issues when cold. He was well aware of the 700's issues in the cold and recommended 5w-30 oil, said that's what he would use if it was his buggy. Any thoughts on the 5w-30? Anyone else using it? I'll try an oil change this weekend and see if a miracle happens.

 

[DG Rider]

I went to the dealership a week ago to get oil and oil filter, told the mechanic about the shifting issues when cold. He was well aware of the 700's issues in the cold and recommended 5w-30 oil, said that's what he would use if it was his buggy. Any thoughts on the 5w-30? Anyone else using it? I'll try an oil change this weekend and see if a miracle happens.

What were you running? 5-30 is fine.
I've ran a few different oils in mine and had no issues, but the warmup thing is just the nature of the beast. The oil level is what i would be interested in seeing here.

 

[JeremyF]

I was running the 10-30 GN4 Honda stuff, followed the manual instructions on the oil change. When I check the oil I do it like the manual says and get a good level where its supposed to be.

 

[DG Rider]

I was running the 10-30 GN4 Honda stuff, followed the manual instructions on the oil change. When I check the oil I do it like the manual says and get a good level where its supposed to be.

Is it still smoking? Have you checked it recently in case its burnt some off and is low again?

If that checks out, id say dealer for an oil pressure check. I guess an oil change is worth a shot...and i have heard some people say an oil change cured some shifting issues, but i would be suspicious that any fix from that would be temporary, and was just masking another issue.

FWIW, mine had just under 9000 miles when i sold it, and it shifted as good as ever. I ran synthetic after 100 miles because it really sped up the whole cold start wait (please note that i am in AZ, so my "cold" probably aint yours). Several are well over 10K with no issues, so its not common for the clutches to go out this early without an underlying cause.

 

[JeremyF]

Latest update, rolled buggy into garage since it wouldn't shift at all and found the oil level so low it wouldn't register on the stick. Def losing oil somewhere. Did an oil change and buggy runs great again...except for the blue smoke. I parked it all night after oil change to check for leaks but nothing running out. So any guess to how I'm burning oil? Anything I can check before hauling to dealership this week?

 

[Backwoods]

Hope it's nothing major. Or it might need top end rebuilt.

 

[JeremyF]

Dealership isn't open until next week to take buggy in. At this point I'm pretty sure it wasn't low to start with, think I checked it wrong and thought it was low. Added way too much. Now it burns oil and smokes pretty bad. Any chance this isn't very expensive?

 

[JeremyF]

Dropped buggy at the dealer, they say it needs a new top end.

 

[alloutdoors]

I am not suggesting the dealer is trying to pull a fast one on you, but it is possible you overfilled the unit, which in turn pushed oil throughout the engine, including out the exhaust. So before you posted it was at the dealership, I would have suggested doing a compression test, inspect areas where oil may be pushed (air filter/exhaust), etc. I was trying to be hopeful with a 1200 mile unit, basically 100-120 hours this was an overfill issue.

Alternatively, how about calling the dealership and ask how did you determine it needed a top end? I would hope they did a compression test and can share the number with you. I haven't looked it up, but I think normal would be somewhere between 88-131 psi and seen in places where 65 psi has blow-by...

 

[JeremyF]

When I dropped it off they said they would do a compression test and leak down test. After the possible overfill incident I changed the oil and the bike continued to burn oil like crazy, lot of smoke coming from the exhaust. Had to top it off every few days when riding. I asked what they thought caused the problem and his opinion was that I rode through water. I told him the deepest water I'd been through was up to the floorboards, his response was that Honda doesn't recommend going in water over the middle of the wheel. Said the hot motor going through cold water could have caused my issue even without being submerged and sucking in water?? Idk I'm not a mechanic just trying to get it running right again. I think I burnt up the rings trying to ride in 20 degree weather without letting it warm up. Only thing that makes sense to me.

 

[alloutdoors]

When I dropped it off they said they would do a compression test and leak down test. After the possible overfill incident I changed the oil and the bike continued to burn oil like crazy, lot of smoke coming from the exhaust. Had to top it off every few days when riding. I asked what they thought caused the problem and his opinion was that I rode through water. I told him the deepest water I'd been through was up to the floorboards, his response was that Honda doesn't recommend going in water over the middle of the wheel. Said the hot motor going through cold water could have caused my issue even without being submerged and sucking in water?? Idk I'm not a mechanic just trying to get it running right again. I think I burnt up the rings trying to ride in 20 degree weather without letting it warm up. Only thing that makes sense to me.

It's a Honda and can handle 20 degree with no problem. I'm still puzzled by the event, because it wasn't "sunk" as you indicated and plenty of Honda units have hit cold water when hot. I don't have a dog in this situation, but I would ask him or her what were the compression test results and could I have a copy?

 

[Backwoods]

Dropped buggy at the dealer, they say it needs a new top end.

I hate it about top end but that's my first thought reading about your problem. I went through that with a foreman years ago. Put a wiseco piston kit in it it was good for years to come,but it was my fault to I took it for a swim.