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Funny smell after spill

yticolev

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Two weeks ago I had a (relatively) small low speed accident. Bike was on left side for perhaps 5 minutes. Not sure how long the motor ran, I had earplugs in and was a bit rattled from broken collarbone and a rib or two, but no more than a minute I think. When it was picked up, it would not start. Got a tow home and it did start two hours after the accident and was ridden 50 feet up my driveway. Sounded normal, but there was a funny smell - no smoke though, guessing some oil got past rings but that still worries me. Haven't started it since.

Anything I need to check or worry about before starting it again? No fluids on the ground. Only the most minor of visible damage. Broken peg, bent shift lever and kickstand feeler, and popped turn signal stalk.

I've had several spills before on other bikes in my youth (all but one rider errors) but never thought to ask such a question, just rode on! No internet back then. It it had started, I would have ridden home this time too rather than wait for AAA (took two hours total in rather cold blustery weather). But this is my first time with a water cooled bike and that adds another layer of possible issues and I was trying to figure out if the smell was possible coolant.
 
Glad to hear you are mostly OK and the bike sounds like rather minor damage. A couple of questions what does the odor smell like and what happened when you picked it up to start it? The bike has a bank angle sensor so it should have shut itself off when tipped over. Was it completely dead when you hit the starter or did it try to start?
 
It turned over like normal, just never started. Two hours later at home, it started normally. I couldn't figure out if the smell was oil or coolant. The tow guy didn't have an opinion.

Thanks about the bank sensor. I wondered why I didn't hear it run, or at least turn off after the spill. In the past, bikes have continued to run on their side.
 
I'd guess some oil got past the rings also.

Same thing happened to my pickup truck when I flipped it sideways, had a weird smell first time we started it....
After sitting for a day or two while we remounted the tire, it seemed to go away, truck was fine after that (save for another large ding in the fender, but the rust drew attention away from that)

Truck did not have an angle bank sensor, I had to kill the motor by taking the keys out, which I did promptly (though I have no idea why I thought that was a good idea at the time, probably grabbed the keys just out of habit for getting out of the truck, which is a much more challenging task when it's sideways.)

It sat sideways for maybe an hour or two while waiting for the tow truck.



Check the fluid levels and see if anything is missing, maybe give it an oil change just for good measure.
 
My NC7 always is on the ground longer than a few minutes. At my age, I aways have to wait until someone comes along to help me pick the bike up. Otherwise, I would strain parts I didn't remember having on my body. One night in Canada I just feel asleep next to the bike on the road for a few hours, until a couple of guys happen to pass by. However, my NC7 has always started when uprighted.
 
Thanks guys. Followup with surgeon tomorrow and will see if I'm cleared for riding (probably not for falling but I'll be extra cautious).
 
I would recommend checking the fluid levels and maybe changing the oil but I suspect if the levels are OK you are good to go. Keep us posted on your condition as well as the bike's.
 
Yikes, sorry to hear about man and machine with busted bits :(


Probably just a bit of fuel into the overflow/breather canister before the tip over valve fully closed. I imagine liquid gasoline in the container will overwhelm the charcoal canister's vapour containment capabilities a wee bit until it evaporates. It can also make it hard to start for a little while after getting back upright, depending on circumstance, and length of time down.

Get well soon!
 
Nice balmy 50 degrees and an hour to spare this afternoon so I did some work. I started the NC up, ran at idle with an occasional blip for 10 minutes. A small amount of smoke (or condensation) diminishing to naught after the run. The smell lingered about two minutes into the run. Oil level on top mark. I'm embarrassed to say I could not locate the coolant reserve tank. The owners manual shows what appears to be a separate plastic tank similar to my car's, but no can find.

Shift lever and sidestand tab bent back into place easily. I added (not sure what they are called) some weather protecting rubber pieces to the cowl shortly after purchasing the bike. There is a bottom part on the left held into place by a single bolt and some double sided adhesive tape. When I installed it, I noted it wasn't the most aggressive of tape and indeed, it peeled off in the accident. I suspect good thick double sided tape in the right width will be hard to find but I'll visit a couple of stores.IMG_3032.jpg

Final issue is the turn signal. It sure looks like there should be a plastic locking part but there isn't one. The service manual does not show that it comes apart at that seam. I am happy that it didn't come apart in a destructive manner. No signs of glue, but that must be the fabrication method. So plastic cement I suppose?
IMG_3030.jpg
 
...I'm embarrassed to say I could not locate the coolant reserve tank. The owners manual shows what appears to be a separate plastic tank similar to my car's, but no can find.

Front lower right of the engine behind the lower cowl.

...Final issue is the turn signal. It sure looks like there should be a plastic locking part but there isn't one. The service manual does not show that it comes apart at that seam. I am happy that it didn't come apart in a destructive manner. No signs of glue, but that must be the fabrication method. So plastic cement I suppose?
View attachment 27705

Nope. You are seeing the tapping screw that holds it together at the bottom. But, you have to remove the turn signal in order to access the screw from the other side, which probably now has nothing left intact to screw into. Removing the turn signal requires removing the front side cowl. To facilitate that, you have to first remove the side cover. Do you have a shop manual? You risk massive frustration (in the least) or broken parts (at the worst) if you tackle it from head scratching and trying to figure it out.

I have a spare rear housing if you need it. They look the same to me. The difference between the front and rear is that the front has a two filament bulb and the rear has a single filament bulb. But, I believe that you can install the two filament bulb holder from your indicator into my rear housing. Let me know if you want it. I will follow up with some pics how the base and the bulb holder fit together.
 
Here are the pictures showing how it all fits together...

The Phillips screw that holds the housing to the base is accessed from the back side of the front cowl.

DSC04500.JPG

DSC04501.JPG

The lampholder is easily removed from the housing.

DSC04507.jpg

DSC04508.jpg

DSC04509.jpg

The threaded boss in the bottom of the housing is possibly broken off.

DSC04510.JPG
 
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I do have a shop manual. However, I think the path of least resistance is to simply glue it. If I have to break it later, that is easy enough. Thanks for the part offer though!

Does the right cowl have to come off before I can visualize the reservoir?


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I'll look at it tomorrow. I thought I had traced all the radiator hoses. Odd the owner's manual does not say to remove the cowl.


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You don't have to remove the cowl to fill the coolant reserve tank. The cap is removable from the top (between the stock horn and the exhaust pipe) and the low and high marks are visible through an opening in the lower cowl that wraps around the bike below and to each side of the engine. It is easier to see the coolant level by removing the cowl but it isn't strictly necessary. Perhaps that is Honda's reasoning.
 
The coolant level is hard to see thru the coolant tank. If you hold a flash light aiming down from the top of the coolant tank it will light up the white plastic tank and make it easier to see the level. At least it is for me?
 
newer bikes have a tipover switch that turns them off when on their side. You have to turn off the ignition for it to start again. But bikes go on their sides all the time. Nothing to worry about as far as the engine goes.
 
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