ok guys, I've got a weird one. 2022 350 with under 10 hours that has a slight smell of burnt oil coming from engine breather tube area after the bike is warmed up and ridden. No smoke, not using oil, bike runs completely normal. Changed oil and no debris, metal shaving, weird color or odor. Bike has been to dealer and they cannot find anything abnormal. Best I can describe it is that you take it out, ride a moto and get it good and hot and pull off the track and you'll get a slight smell of burnt oil when you come to a stop. If you shut the bike off and fire it back up you'll notice it then also. It is definitely not coming from the exhaust. I can't for the life of me figure out what's going on with it. Motorex 10w-50 oil and not overfilled. Thoughts?
Is the oil level steady or possibly gaining coolant?
How does the oil smell behind the cap? Is it the same odor you get when you pull off the track?
Do you notice any leaks at all, like around the valve cover, cam chain tensioner, stator cover?
Of all the parts that could melt inside the 350, I'd be looking at the clutch rubbers and the oil pump gears. Definitely inspect your clutch pack and sniff the plates.
The oil level hasn't rose and coolant level is just as it should be. I will check the clutch plates and behind the oil cap. No oil leaks anywhere.
I have owned several different KTM 350 sxfs (2015, 16, 17, 19, 21) and they all smelled like burnt oil. I never had any issues but all my riding buddies gave me grief "whose bike is about to blow up?". I opened the clutch side cover and didn't see anything strange, but the clutch smelled a little burnt. I ride woods and use/abuse the clutch a little in the tight stuff to prevent stalling. I always used Motorex 10W-50 or 10W-60 in the summer when its hot and always used a Trailtech fan set to 190°F. Found out I was adding a little too much oil, top of the window when cold. I started measuring it in a Ratio-Rite cup per the manual and it seemed to improve, but would still stink on occasion. One of the bikes is still running strong with 200+ hours and when doing top end everything looked fine, including the piston. I am old and slow and I don't use the rev-limiter as a horn. My buddy joked about me being too easy on the motor during break-in, but I don't think that's the case.
I've seen two different '22's with the same issue. I never noticed it on my '17 or '19's.
I have also noticed that if you put in 1 Liter of oil (when changing the oil filter), it will read clear past the top of the sight glass even when taking extra care to get all the old oil out. Also, if you dump a Liter of Motorex out into a ratio rite, it actually comes out to be 1030-1040cc's. But that shouldn't make it overfilled. I am thinking of just trying to fill the bike until the oil reaches halfway in the sight glass and going from there. I may also try using a different brand of oil instead of Motorex (Maxima or Motul) and see if that changes anything.
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Just purchased a used 2022 sxf350 that had 2.4 hours on it. Now has 9 hours and I have smelled the same thing since new. Also notice a little chirp sound when the motor unloads and then loads back up when you land on the gas. I have noticed that since about 3.5 hours its leaking a tiny bit of oil out of the valve cover gasket. Thought it was that oil leaking and burning on something. Hearing this makes me think its all just part of the KTM experience.
Mine has 16 hours on it and it still does it. Filling the oil to halfway in the sight glass instead of dumping the whole Liter in seemed to help a little bit. My 2023 MC 350 does it and so did my '22. Never had this problem with my '17 or '19 so who knows. I quit worrying about it. Although I do get asked frequently at the starting gate if my bike is going to blow up and I usually respond with "yes, definitely." I think it helps keep guys from getting too close to me LOL!!
Every bike I've had smells of burnt oil because I use the clutch too much. The ktms have been worse since they have great clutches so you can use them more.
On my last 450, I had this wierd intermittent chirpy whistle on acceleration.... figured the clutch was toast and it was during covid so o jad to wait and overpay for a recluse clutch pack.
Damn it, the chirp was still there... dug in and found a woodchip lodged in my chain slider. Pulled it out, chirp was gone.
For those of you smelling oil, are you noticing the oil level dropping?
Nope. I even got OCD and measured what came out of it. Oil always looks fine when it comes out. No debris, shavings, etc. It doesn't smell burnt either. I honestly think its just the clutch getting hot and venting out. I am a little bit hard on the clutch but it doesn't slip or engage funny.
Side note. I was out the High Point national and it was super muddy for practice. I was in the pits with my son and every KTM that pulled off the track smelled like mine. Actually, about all the bikes did.
I have the same issue with my '23. It seems to be the most noticeable after a oil change. I use Motorex 10-50 and put the full liter in it.
I switched from motorex to maxima or motul 7100 and the burnt smell went away, it did it in my 20.5 FE 450 and my 21 350!
Hundreds of hrs on my 350”s, I use Maxima pro plus or T6 Rotella, I sometimes abuse the clutch in sand, never any burnt oil smell…
I’m still using Motorex. I’m gonna give Motul 300V a try.
No burnt oil smell on my 17 FC350. Have used Motorex and Maxima it's whole 135 hours, 99% moto.
Have not measured CCs in and CCs out but I am positive I am loosing oil as now i am leaking out of the valve cover gasket pretty good.
Welcome to the KTM experience, soon to be the triumph experience.
Every KTM 350 that I’ve ever owned and ridden along side of, smelled of burnt oil. This is going back to 2015
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