water in oil

[medgmon]

anyone have a problem with this. Have coolant in the oil. Bike still runs smooth so i don't think it will be a head gasket. No engine codes. Water pump or the seal?
This is in a 2002 gl1800. just noticed it the other day.

[WingAdmin]

anyone have a problem with this. Have coolant in the oil. Bike still runs smooth so i don't think it will be a head gasket. No engine codes. Water pump or the seal?
This is in a 2002 gl1800. just noticed it the other day.

Normally when the seals in the water pump go, it's the oil that will end up in the coolant, not the other way around. You would also see coolant/oil leaking out of the weep hole in the bottom of the water pump housing.

First thing I would do is pull your spark plugs. See if one of them looks shiny and steam-cleaned.

There's only a few ways for coolant to get into the oil:

- (two) failed water pump seals. Both the coolant seal and the oil seal would have to be compromised. Not impossible, but not common.
- Head gasket failure. This is the most common cause.
- Cracked block. Hope not.

[medgmon]

Thanks for into. i talked to a Honda service manager friend and one thing he told me was possible condensation build up inside the block. this could be caused by not running it long enough when i crank it. makes sense. gonna change the oil again and let it run a a good long while and change it again and see if it clears up. First time i have ran across this. This also my first gold wing. haven't ridden in years and got the bike late last summer. Thanks again.

[tfdeputydawg]

Some confusion here. Your title says water. In your message you say coolant. Which is it?
If it's water and you are one that starts your bike during the winter, then I can believe the condensation theory.
How did you discover it and how much is there?
If it's coolant, did you check the coolant level to see if it is low?

[medgmon]

I believe it will be water after all. I changed the right O2 sensor and for whatever reason i checked the oil and noticed it looking milky. However, i also checked my coolant level and it was approx a pint low as well. And I am the only one that's started the bike since i've had it. Haven't ridden in roughly 30 years and hard to get acclimated to a watercooled bike. used to ride a lot but all were air cooled motors. thanks for the input.

[Viking]

If it is condensation, then it is caused by not allowing the engine to get hot enough to evaporate the moisture out of the oil. The oil needs to get fairly hot for this. For people who have their motorcycles parked in cold storage over the winter, it is better to just not start them at all till spring, when you can ride them warm. I notice you do not live in this type of cold climate area, but you do live where there is lots of moisture and this year, you have had some cold weather. You are doing the correct thing changing the oil out, but you should make sure it is good and warm before doing it, so you get that moisture out of the sump.

[medgmon]

It has been unnormally cold here in AR this year and i would crank it and let it run long enough to get it up to near operating temp. Didn't think about the condensation. Honda service manager told me to run it til the fan comes on which i didn't so this ordeal is my fault. I'll know next time. thanks for all the input.

[WingAdmin]

It has been unnormally cold here in AR this year and i would crank it and let it run long enough to get it up to near operating temp. Didn't think about the condensation. Honda service manager told me to run it til the fan comes on which i didn't so this ordeal is my fault. I'll know next time. thanks for all the input.

Letting it sit and idle, you are not going to get everything up to operating temperature. The coolant will come up and the fan will run, but you are not getting the oil, exhaust, and other parts anywhere near hot enough. If it's cold out, you're doing FAR less damage to your bike by just letting it sit all winter than you are going out and starting it every once in a while.