I have a new 2009 KLX 250S with about 75 miles on the clock. I have been in some pretty muddy red clay areas. When I get back to the house I spray the bike down to get the mud off before it dries.

Both times I have done this, I have noticed water in the engine oil. I'm not spraying water into the exhaust pipe, so I find this a little odd.

Is there a problem with the bike? Should I wait until it cools down before spraying off the mud? Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks!

 

Where have you noticed water in the engine? How have you seen it? If your getting water inside the motor from spraying it off.... i highly doubt it thought.

 

Both times I noticed cloudy oil in the sight glass after running the engine to dry it off., after spraying the bike down including the engine.

 

Cloudy or foamy from running, wait an hour or so and look at the sight glass again, if there is water in the oil it will look like a vanilla milkshake. If the oil clears up that's normal. When was the oil last changed?

 

It is also pretty easy to shoot water into the snorkel on this bike. Once in the airbox it can possibly make its way into the engine oil but odds are very small. You can see the throat looking up under the seat.

I am a big fan of garden hosing the bike off before it dries when possible. Don't use a pressure washer and don't shoot water into the wheel bearings.

I am guessing that you are seeing a fogging of the oil level sight glass right?

 

After washing off the bike, I have been starting it back up and letting it run for a minute, then putting it in the garage. When I checked the sight glass, the oil was opaque and a little gray-looking with a tiny bit of foam on top. I think I possibly got some water in the exhaust pipe which runs downhill to the exhaust valve. The oil had been changed recently.

 

I guess I will change the oil, then go for a street ride and see if the problem occurs without washing the bike.

 

For water to have entered the exhaust, go into the headpipe, then enter an open valve, the go into the combustion chamber, then get by the piston rings, and finally get into the crankcase, you would have nearly had to hook up the garden to end of your exhaust pipe.

Water would have a better chance of going through the airbox through the crankcase ventilation hose into the crankcase but still not all that likely.

You may have more of a crankcase condensation issue going on here. If you drive your motorcycle for a little ride to let it run at full operating temp for a bit, that amount of condensation should disappear. If it doesn't, you may indeed have some other issue.

 

Sounds fairly normal, there is a silver metal plate behind the site glass that tends to make the oil gray looking when new and since it was just running there will be bubbles in it. The clutch is right there spinning around sucking all sorts of bubbles under the oil's surface.

Don't worry about it. Ride.

 

Have you checked your coolant level lately?