Oil Leaking..out of end of cans!

[Nicky]

It's a 250 and has been sitting around whilst I've restored the chassis, electrics etc. I've not touched the engine at all, other than bleeding the oil pump.

I started her up, it ran on the third kick and sounded a bit ropey which I was expecting. She's blowing a lot of blue smoke (excellent!) again expected with a cold start-up and I didn't run her, just idled and blip-warmed her a little. I repeated this three times, each time increasing the revs a bit. After a thorough examination of everything, I saw black oil (could it be crankcase / gear oil??) at both pipe ends. So much so that it was trickling down the pipe and dripping onto the floor. The other thing I should mention is that neither pipe was sealing at the manifold adequately (blue smoke coming out of both manifolds) as I've got a repair issue with one of the flange nuts and hadn't tightened it all down.

Before the resto work, it seemed perfectly normal in the smoking department.

Help! Please don't tell me it's the piston rings!!!

[bezzer]

Sounds like the standard accumulation of unburnt mixture/carbon if it’s black?. Did you store the pipes baffle side down, whilst you carried out the restoration?.

[mikee]

It’s an lc , they’re all like that sir
If your serious about owning one you’ll need to be fine with top end rebuilds , setting timing , doing plug chops
It’s neither difficult not particularly costly , but time consuming
However I can get a seized engine out and split in ( my personal record ) 22 mins
As for the oil , get it fully warmed up , a good hour thrash then check it
Pipes leaking , new gaskets and fire rings , and sealer upon assembly
If it needs rings or a rebore , that’s the nature of the beast
Enjoy

Mike

[doohanno1]

Bring it up the road and blow the bollo$x out it...simples..😲

[Nicky]

Do you know I was thinking in the back of head that this was the answer, but I was thinking it was a bit of a thrasher way to solve it!
There's a new development... I started her up this morning and took it out for a mile or so around the side roads. It felt OK and the heavy blue smoking did indeed lessen. When I came back an hour or two later (with lid / gloves etc) to take it out for a proper thrash, it wouldn't start. No amount of kicking would encourage it to breathe! It has always started well. With fuel also pissing out of one carb after I turn the tap on, I'm wondering if the lay-off of no action means I need to have the carbs off give them a good clean, clean the K&Ns and try again?
After the morning 'shakedown run' there was black oil coming out of one the manifolds again. I had both baffles out and they were just very rusty and not that oily actually. Was thinking I quite fancy a new set off Norbo - the Easy Breathers - but a bit worried that might upset the tuning?
Bezzer- thanks mate - the pipes were stored baffle / end down - for at least 5 months - and upright.
Mikee - again thanks - and yes, it's the reason I love Elsies - taking the thing apart, re-assembly, thrash, seize, repair repeat! You say for the pipes new gaskets and fire rings and sealer - what are fire rings? And by sealer do you mean silicon gasket?
Keep you posted