Coolant in Oil, feeling pretty sick right now

A new Ducati is $20,000- 30,000 or more.
Of coarse it is built like a swiss watch.

 

Fair enough!

 

HOW did i know b4 clicking on that this thread concerned a VF 500 ???

The crank bearings are likely damaged and maybe the crank itself, depending upon how long it ran with a water/oil mix.

Admit defeat this time, part it, and look for a newer bike.

The recommendations above for a replacement bike are good ones, especially the NT 650 and the EX.

 

I've helped a bit.

Though I'm beginning to feel the need to piss on 2nd Gens too.

.....but that could be the beer and watermelon

 

I have taken apart many engines and with blown head gaskets and the crank bearings were not ruined. It could happen if rode for a couple years that way. I have not seen that happen. Water will not mix with the oil. It usually goes to the bottom of the oil pan. The oil pick up tube is not on the very bottom of the sump.

If the oil light is flickering that could be a sign of low oil pressure from coolant.

 

I agree that a complete tear down is best. And we do not know the milage.
But if the pan comes off of the bottom and the cases split horizontally like the VF1000R, then it is easy to check the rod bearings.

On an engine with blown head gasket, when you pull the oil drain plug usually you will see green coolant first before the oil com out of the drain hole. The milky white oil is usually in the radiator. But I have seen milky looking oil in engines from condensation too. Like in the desert where there are extreme temperature differences in day and night.
And the engine is just used for short trips.

For me a blown head gasket has three things present.
Coolant in the oil drain pan.
Low compression.
And oil in the radiator.
Also overheating.

 

Maybe if it was a different bike, but for a 1st gen there are too many unknowns.

You can pull the engine apart and fix everything....spend lots of money but you still have a motor that you can't push to the edge, and you need to constantly babysit the valvetrain to watch for problems.

.....and you may still drop a valve.

Donald B, how many VF500 motors have you worked on?

 

I have not worked on that 500 engine,but I have worked on many "problem"engines.
I just fix all the problems.

It does not matter to me how many engines another person has worked on.
When i work on an engine i go over the engine part by part and fix everything I see that looks like trouble. I make it better than when it came from the factory.
If it has a known issue I fix it, and get advice from machinists for the best possible solutions.

I would much rather rebuild a engine than to go get a used engine that could have the same ,or even more problems. I always want to know exactly what I have.

Stop being a bully. And get rid of that child bully avatar too!! LOL

 

You better get a job as a counter person at the local Honda shop or otherwise when you find out how much all the parts are gona cost youd better be sitting down or at least have a chain on your wallet cause the money will be flying.

You have to know when to walk away from some things, BTW The Donald, my Ducarti 900 SS had that trelis frame and it was bent like a banana, I still sold it on Ebay along with a title. Wonder what the hell that nut was gona do with it>? Steal another bike and re-assign the papers? Anyway, have fun and dont go broke...CHeeRss

 

huh oil in the radiator? never seen that one...and I've ruined plenty lf motors....the only time now that I think about it that I saw oil in the "radiator")( actually the water jackets) was when I blew the engine in my boat... it had a crack in the block in one of the water ways....The block filled up with water in a few short moments. when I removed the intake manifold it was completely full..........ruined engine......but that was because the block had frozen. over the winter.....

 

The problem with these bikes is the fact that you cant fix all of the problems. The valve springs are an issue and you'll need to make custom ones...which costs money. With the custom valve springs you now have to make sure the super soft cams and rockers don't wear out.

If you're gonna spend that kind of Ca$h on a motor I wouldn't do it on a 1st gen.

I agree with the above statement, but not in the context of a 1st gen. Either way you lose. You spend waaaaaaay too much money to make the motor better, or you get a used motor and it grenades down the road.

 

Respectfully you can fix 'em.

I do think Tink's point that many owners are not up to this challenge and would be better served by purchasing a newer bike is valid but,,,for those who enjoy owning and working on vintage motorcycles the VF500F is a great bike to have in the stable.

 

Sorry, Don, but i've seen an oil/water mix come out of engines in two ways. First way has oil with green cooloant floating on top, obviously not mixed. Second way drains a light chocolate frothy goo that resembles Starbucks double latte, and that, i believe, is water well and truly mixed with oil !! Mixed as inextricably as money and politics.


>>>>>redacted and withdrawn<<<<

 

Nice bike!!!

I really like it.

 

I agree about the chocolate stuff.
But oil floats on the water.
Try this.... take a glass jar and pour coolant in it. Now put engine oil on top. See what I mean?

Why do you think they say NEVER put water on a gasoline fire? Same thing , the fire just spreads out. Gas floats on water. Just like in your gas tank. The condensation collects on the bottom of the tank.

 

You can?

When I was researching parts for my 86 VF500 I couldn't find parts to replace all the flawed VF500 parts.

There are places that sell better quality VF500 Valve-train parts for all 3 years of the VF500.....even the 86?

....and importantly.....affordable parts?