As the title states, recently my bike has started using a fair amount of oil. Slightly over 2 liters of oil in 3,000 miles. I'm riding to Argentina and this seems to have started in Colombia. Currently I'm in Bolivia and have just been adding often. I cleaned my air filter and checked the breather mesh, not blocked. Checked my valves before I left, in spec. Bike is an 06, about to turn 88,000 miles.
Any ideas? I'd love to lower the consumption but if I need valve guide seals or piston/rings, I'll wait until I get home.
I got back from Penn State this morning with about 700 miles since the last oil change, and the oil was a little over the halfway mark in the sightglass. This is with the rotella 5w40 that I use in the winter, and consumption with the synth doesn't seem quite as severe as conventional. It has been consistent for a very long time now.
Definitely subscribing to this thread, I also want to know if it's fixable. Huge pain in the ass to carry extra oil and add 1/3L every day during a trip.
I used rotella until Mexico. Then I switched to Bardhall, then she'll, then castrol. Tomorrow I'll be using PVD. I have yet to see Rotella anywhere. Everyone has Motul but I'm not paying to turn motul into black smoke. When I get home I'll probably do a top end. Maybe bump it up a bit closer to 700cc with some SV mods
Run heavy diesel oil until you can service the bike (60Wsomething) that'll cut the oil loss. Clean out the PAIR valves, or more easily install blanking plates.
If it's not that, it's usually the valve guides but do the easy things first. And FYI, if you can pick up a low k's DL head that may be a lot cheaper and easier than new guides in the existing one.
And I know it's difficult , but make sure the bike is cold and level when you check the oil, overfilling because it hasn't drained back yet will cause apparent oil loss.
If the increase in consumption has been gradual I wouldn't be too worried, but from what you said it sounds like its just started doing it, in which case it may be a broken ring? Compression check may yield more info.
Mine started this at about 60K and slowly got worse as miles were added. At 80K it was using 1/2 to 1 quart per 1000 mi. Switched from Rotella to Mobil1 15-50 and now use only 1/3 qt. per 1000. Now at 99K and going to tear it down to find out the cause so it can be fixed.
Mine uses a bit of oil too. I recently put Rotella in it and the usage went down.
A mechanic friend that kinda specializes in SV's suggested some oil usage is common after 50K miles or so.
Seems like as expected I use a lot less if I go slower so I think I'll just keep it around 60mph for the rest of this trip and then tear it down when I get home. I'm carrying two extra liters now and will probably change it every 2,000 miles for the duration.
One weird thing. Two times the bike has started surging like crazy, where it's unrideable. Turn off the ignition and its fine. Haven't figured out why. I have an extra fuel pump with me if it continues.
Does that surging thing only happen when the engine is hot? If so, it sounds kind of like a TPS on its way out.
As for the oil usage, that could be loose valve guides, but it also could be some gunked up rings. Might want to try some techron or ring free to see if you can blow some of the crud out.
My '04 DL1k is using some oil too. I find it is a little better with 15W50 Mobil1, and like you mentioned, it burns more the more you wind it up.
Just a note to members reading this thread in Australia and seeing reference to Shell Rotella oil - which is marketed in Australia as Rimula. I have spoken personally to Shell Technical and the Aust formulas and blends ARE different to the US ones..The Aust oils are NOT MA rated and NOT safe for wet clutches as used in "our" 'stroms.
re the oil consumption, I think I read somewhere of a crankcase breather being blocked? causing some phenomonon where oil consumption increased?
If your loaded down with a lot of extra weight, and crappy gas, carbon buildup around the valve stems may be an issue. Try several tanks with a heavy mix of Sea Foam.
Yea I don't think 87 octane or JASO MA rated oil has anything to do with it. Might be the fact the bike has 90,000 HARD miles through desolate parts of the world.
Wonder if I should try and pick up a TPS sensor while I'm here in Santiago. Won't have much of a chance after this.
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