Burning Smell

[myfirstluv]

Hello everybody! I am new here, but have reading your forum since I got my bike. '06GS500 , but I have hit a snagg.

My bike these past couple of days has been emitting a burning smell  . Can't tell if it was burning plastic or oil. But it's coming from the front of the bike in between the front right side of the tankand the fairing under the handlbars.

It started when I was riding in the rain, I would get a wiff of it when I stopped at a light and then also when I parked it in my garage. The smell wasn't too bad, I checked the oil, which was low, then proceeded to fill it up with castrol gtx 10w40 as recommended in the forums. The problem still occurred the next day but not as noticable (rained that day as well). Now today I was riding,no rain and about 10-15 min, and I would still get the smell, but a little bit stronger. It continued on when the bike was at a stop and while the engine was running while I was parking it in my garage. There is no smoke and the bike even runs better than normal due to the oil I added. As far as I can tell their are no leaks and the bike is running well. Its just a little dirty.

Like I said I'm new here and I'm not sure if I gave toomuch or too little description to my problem.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated

[Kerry]

The most likely culprit is oil dripping somewhere on the exhaust pipe assembly.  I don't know how easy it is to check that with a faired model.... 

An oil leak could help explain a low oil level, but make sure you check the oil level with the bike standing vertical.  (The photos in THIS POST show the difference in the appearance of the oil level with the bike in different positions.)

If you happened to check the oil level when the bike was on the sidestand, and then added oil, you may have overfilled it a bit, which could explain the "increase in smell" afterwards.

[CndnMax]

check for oil leaks or small puddle in the garage after its been sitting for a while, checking the cooling fin for oil too since its an 06  i remember a bit of a burning oil smell witch my oil leak 

[sledge]

Agreed......oil or plastic on the exhaust is favourite, it only takes a drop or two for it to smell nasty. Give the engine a good cleaning with some degreaser, then as soon as you smell burning jump off and look for oil dripping on the pipes. Consider also that some oil leaks only happen when the engine is running and the oil is hot and under pressure from the pump so no overnight puddles doesnt always mean no leaks. Another consideration is the front brake, if it is binding you will also get a slight burning smell, put the bike on the centerstand and see how the front wheel spins, should be nice and free and take its time to run down. The other possibilty is somthing electrical getting hot, have a good look at the loom for signs of heat damage and melting plastic parts, particularly under the side panels where the relays and reg/rec are fixed.

[myfirstluv]

As far as the oil leak goes, whn you said exhaust assembly, does that include the headers, because the smell is definitly coming from the front of the bike.

Is the cooling fin that silver vertical thing above the front fender below the handle bars?

I did order the Haynes manual and it should be coming within the weak, so I'm not sure how to fix everything yet or the location of all the parts.

And I checked the oil according to the post on the forums here step by step. http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=22993.0
There are no puddles in my garage

I did check the front brakes.  I put the bike on the center stand and lifted up the front end and spun the front tire.  It stopped in less than a second, so I'm assuming it's binding.  It looks like the front break is touching the front disk but then again so does the rear.  But the front wheel definitely doesn't take its time to run down.

[myfirstluv]

How should I fix this problem so I can rule it out when I ride again, if the problem continues???

[CndnMax]

the cooling fins are those rows on the cylinder. since the smell is coming from the front i would check the oil cooler connections for leaks as well as the fins 

[Affschnozel]

How should I fix this problem so I can rule it out when I ride again, if the problem continues???

Strip the lower plastics ,clean the engine bay and especially around the valve cover as it is the most likely culprit ,

go for a ride naked (the bike  ) come back and look for leaks 

[ohgood]

Here in Florida there are allot of squirrels and lizards. They like to hang out on the cooling fins of the gs when it's still a little warm. Sometimes they sleep there all night. After a rude awakening they find the ground rushing past too fast too jump. Then they start to smell funny. Sometimes it's a 4:20 kind of smell. Most times it's just lizard on the bar-b smell.

I'll bet yours is a leaking gasket though, and oil making it's way to the headers.

Clean, wipe with a cloth, ride for 30 minutes, wipe again. You'll find the leak. Don't forget to check where the tachometer intersects. It leaks there sometimes.

[myfirstluv]

I am going to check what you all have suggested as soon as soon as the ice rain stops. Weird weather


Meanwhile I am going to look for the location of all the parts you guys have mentioned and take off the lower fairings.

Too bad I have finals too

[myfirstluv]

Sledge: also suggested the front barkes could be binding up, and I did what he suggested and the front tire does NOT take its time to run down like he said.

So if anyone can tell me how to fix that as well that would be great.