Water dripping from the exhaust

BrianDubbs

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
41
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Burlington, Vermont
Visit site
It looks like under the back of the seat at the joint between the muffler/rear section of exhaust system, water drips everytime i start the bike. The weather is a little cold right now, is that a factor?

perhaps just a tighten? i dont like water inside the bike!!
 

reiobard

Samurai FZ Soldier
Elite Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
7,614
Reaction score
67
Points
0
Location
Hillsborough, NH
Visit site
my vote for condensation, no worries. just don't start the bike and then shut it off before it is completely warm, once hot the exhaust just evaporates the water. If you shut it off before it is hot the water just sits in there and can cause rust.
 

MarinaFazer

Wonderbread
Joined
May 8, 2008
Messages
2,259
Reaction score
19
Points
0
Location
Santa Monica, California
www.jwci.org
my vote for condensation, no worries. just don't start the bike and then shut it off before it is completely warm, once hot the exhaust just evaporates the water. If you shut it off before it is hot the water just sits in there and can cause rust.

sounds like a case of "You started it...you ride it" !!! not too shabby :rockon:
 

BrianDubbs

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
41
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Burlington, Vermont
Visit site
haha brilliant, i remember that clip! one of the best responses i have ever gotten on a forum!

I figured it was water, maybe ill make sure everything is tightened up and just ride!!!!
 

SovietRobot

Scourge Of Humanity
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
1,618
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Napa, CA
Visit site
Wipe it with your finger and smell it. If it doesn't smell like gasoline or coolant, you're good.
But like everyone said, it's condensation. The only time I don't get it is when I start my bike on a 100 degree day, because the water already evaporated from the heat.
 

Philippe1985

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
221
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
Belgium, Ghent
Visit site
I asked the same question to my dealer a couple days ago. He said that it is indeed condensation. And he also said that most exhausts do have small holes to let it go out because otherwise your exhaust can rust.
 

red_rock_beetle

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
628
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Location
New Braunfels, Texas
Visit site
im going to revive the dead here, mine does the same, but it will also white smoke i am told from those following me, is this steam,?i cant tell as i am riding, and again i am a worrier, so in my mind this is connected to the blow by (which may be normal, i dont know) which is not good

just a reminder folks, first bike, so got be too hard on me:Flash:
 

soupflakes

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
109
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Location
Rolla, MO
Visit site
How cold is it where you live? During the winter months you can ALWAYS see my exhaust. I think it just has to do with some magical qualities of hot air hitting cold air and making vapor. I could be wrong.
 

SovietRobot

Scourge Of Humanity
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
1,618
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Napa, CA
Visit site
im going to revive the dead here, mine does the same, but it will also white smoke i am told from those following me, is this steam,?i cant tell as i am riding, and again i am a worrier, so in my mind this is connected to the blow by (which may be normal, i dont know) which is not good

just a reminder folks, first bike, so got be too hard on me:Flash:
Usually it will all evaporate by the time the bike warms up.
If it does it constantly while riding at running temperature on a warm day, then it's possible you have coolant in your exhaust stream, which is usually caused by a blown headgasket.

Just something to consider.
 

SovietRobot

Scourge Of Humanity
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
1,618
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Napa, CA
Visit site
How cold is it where you live? During the winter months you can ALWAYS see my exhaust. I think it just has to do with some magical qualities of hot air hitting cold air and making vapor. I could be wrong.

Yes that's true. Same reason you see steam coming from storm drains and manhole covers when it's really cold.
 

red_rock_beetle

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
628
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Location
New Braunfels, Texas
Visit site
well the water dripping is clear, coolant is brown:ban: (its on my list:BLAA:) so i dont think its coolant, its been around 70 here so i guess ill wait until it warms up:thumbup:


speaking of coolant, do i just use regular ethylene glycol coolant?
 

soupflakes

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
109
Reaction score
4
Points
0
Location
Rolla, MO
Visit site
Hmmm, 70? I would imagine you shouldn't be able to see your exhaust once it warms up at that temperature. I was talking about the teens and twenties that I've been riding in.
 

FinalImpact

2 Da Street, Knobs R Gone
Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
11,137
Reaction score
184
Points
63
Location
USA, OR
Visit site
Its more about the humidity than the temperature. The engine is big old air compressor. At 12:1 you're compressing the vapor in the air and condensing it. At 50% humidity its actually a good deal of water in the air. Once it comes out of the pipe its free to expand again so it basically looks like steam. As the engine warms it pulls the moisture out of the air and burns it.

You might also notice the bike makes good power on high humidity days when your close to sea level. :thumbup:
 

SovietRobot

Scourge Of Humanity
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
1,618
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Napa, CA
Visit site
well the water dripping is clear, coolant is brown:ban: (its on my list:BLAA:) so i dont think its coolant, its been around 70 here so i guess ill wait until it warms up:thumbup:


speaking of coolant, do i just use regular ethylene glycol coolant?

1. Your coolant is brown? uhh wtf?
2. It doesn't matter what color it is, when it's burned you get a white smoke.

The easiest way to tell is to check your coolant level. If it stays the same and you're not refilling it all the time, then it's probably not that.

All coolant is basically ethylene glycol, but you need to use a 50/50 mix with DISTILLED water, or you can buy the 50/50 premix, but be sure to FLUSH your coolant completely if changing brand/type.
 
Top