| Author | Message | ||
     Ontheroad68 |
I've had (2) 2008 Ulys in the past and loved the bikes but always sold them for practical reasons. I thought, in a few years when these things are near extinction the prices will drop and I'll pick up another one. Unfortunately the prices seem to be going up ??!! So when I saw this 2009 XT for $1400 I nabbed it fast. It's burning oil and needs a top end but that will be my winter project. Here is the deal: - 1 owner bike, 42K miles and burning oil Comfort kit, Race ECU, Palmer windscreen brackets, factory service manual, K&N air filter, Oil temp dipstick, BRAND NEW Pilot road 4's mounted, 2K miles on the belt and a box full of spare parts for $1400!!! I'll have some questions in the future since I plan to thoroughly go through the bike this winter but I'll start with this one: Looks like everyone is putting 1250 kits in the bikes these days, I'm assuming this will require a different fuel/air map? Can you put that on the Race ECU? The Hammer kits are getting good reviews. But, I noticed the folks at Twin Motorcycles are advertising a 1250 kit that has nica-sil lined cylinders, which I didn't see on any other kits available (S&S, Hammer etc). Any one have any info or recommendations for a new top end kit I'd love to hear it, Thanks!!!   | ||
| Etennuly |
Nice grab! I'd have to ask. If it otherwise runs well what is up with the oil ? Likely PO ran full syn. Check the air box to see if that is where it went. I'd give it an oil change and run it before tearing it down. Rotella 15/40 with a pint of Lucas if it is still hot out. Run it 1000 miles see what happens. | ||
| Sharkguy |
Yep, what Etennuly said. My 09 has never liked syn oil so I've always run dino in it. It does use some oil and I usually end up adding about a pint or so every 2000 miles. I check my oil level with the bike on the sidestand, warm, and running. looking for the oil level at two or three xs on the stick after following the oil/filter change and fill procedure. It's the only consistent method I've ever found for this bike. Also clean your plugs or get a new set and check them after about a thousand miles and see what they look like. | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
I just texted the owner and he said he always ran Amsoil 20/50 full synthetic, and he's had the bike since new. I'll check the airbox, change the oil and plugs and give it a run. Sounds like these are known for not liking synthetic? | ||
| Tootal |
I check my oil level with the bike on the sidestand, warm, and running. looking for the oil level at two or three xs on the stick Never check the oil while running. The return line to the tank hits right at the XX mark and gives a false reading. I warm mine up then remove the dipstick while running but shut it off before taking a measurement. It made a huge difference. As far as synthetic being bad I don't totally agree. When new I like conventional for break in and for the first 5000 miles. After that synthetic is fine. You just have to get the rings seated real well before switching. Even doing this my front cylinder has always used oil from day one. Some day I'll do a top end, until then I'll just keep adding. If you try changing oil with no luck and decide you want a 1250 kit try going here: https://www.nrhsperformance.com/ | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
Can confirm the bike is using oil. Changed oil to 20/50 Castrol conventional and rode 112 miles, the bike used 1/2 quart of oil. No big deal, the PO said it burned oil so this has now been confirmed. Got 44mpg averaging 75-80 MPH (actual GPS mph, not indicated) all 112 miles were highway. Next step will be to pull the plugs and have a look, but planning a new top end for this winters project. The PO had a set of spare NGK Iridium plugs DCPR9EIX (2316) which is one step cooler than what NGK lists for this bike, what are you guys running? The 1250 kit looks the easiest to buy/instal but tuning the 1250 kit look like a pain, as I can not find any maps for it. I'd need to get a wide-band o2 sensor and do some data-logging and map making, which I don't have a lot of time for. I might be more interested in buying a 1200 kit with 10.5 pistons or maybe even just a light hone, new set of rings and head rebuild if the pistons and cylinders look to be in good condition. For $600 i'd prefer to just buy a new kit and install it but I really don't want to go through the tuning process... (Message edited by ontheroad68 on September 02, 2019) | ||
| Giarcg |
Once rebuilt think about getting rid of the K&N Filter... | ||
| Tpehak |
1/2 quart is 6 times more than dipstick lower to higher oil level. That's a lot. Are you sure the oil is not leaking somewhere? I would disassemble the cylinders and inspect them. Oil might seep thru the valve stem seals and maybe you just need to replace the seals. You also can do breather reroute mod and see how much air is escaping the engine. If it is just barely puffing the pistons and rings are likely OK and engine sucks oil from valve stem seals. | ||
| Cupcake_mike |
1/2 a quart of oil in 100 miles, that thing would look like a two stroke. Its going somewhere else or you aren't checking the oil right. The plugs would be dripping wet with oil. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My 2008 had a slow leak at the bottom of the crank case for a long time. I didn't figure it out until I had to remove my muffler for something. It was baking on top of the muffler and smoking lightly after highway runs. I tested the case bolts and sure enough there were two just a little bit lose. Get a strong flashlight and look under there. And yeah .5Qt in 100 miles is 'skeeter fog territory. Awesome deal either way though! | ||
| Pushr0d |
+1 - something isn't adding up. That's a lot of oil usage, and you don't mention your bike having the Agent 007 smoke feature. And, the bike seems to be running right - it wouldn't be with that sort of consumption. My vote on the 1250 kit - leave the engine in 'stock' configuration. The engine is already in a fairly high state of tune, you'll have tuning issues; and even when(if) you get them figured out, then you'll have heat issues. The '08 Uly I bought this past spring has 68K on it, runs V-Twin full synthetic, and doesn't burn a drop. My experience with HD engines is that the first 500 miles is very important in their break-in. Mistreat them, they never recover. My $.02. | ||
| Etennuly |
Wrong oil. Try again. Does no one read the service manual? Go to straight 60w or Rotella 15/40 with a pint of STP or Lucas. In the book for summer use. 60W. 20/50 is winter use. It will evaporate. My City X would not go 100 miles on anything other than what I mentioned in summer months. Straight 20/50 would disappear. It is recommended by Buell HD service. Took me a while to get over my stubborn I know better than them. Try it if all else is running well. | ||
| Etennuly |
Ask yourself..... Does it smoke? No Is there a quart of oil in the pipe? .... No Is oil running out the vent tube? ..... No Are the plugs douched with oil? .....no Are there puddles on the ground? ..... No Does it otherwise run well? ..... Yes It'll cost you so much less to fix nothing, if for 2 quarts of straight Rotella and a pint of STP. Put in the summer stuff! | ||
| Etennuly |
Oh I forgot..... Do I know more than the Buell HD engineers who wrote the service manual? That one tripped me up for a while. | ||
| Etennuly |
No one suggested to take out the synthetic winter oil to replace it with non syn winter oil. Mine did exactly the same thing. This fixed it. And as an added bonus, it became much quieter. I changed oil for many riding buddies who insisted on their synthetic. They always asked why my engine is so much quieter idling. Went from marbles in a dryer to marbles in a suitcase. | ||
| Steveford |
My guess is road construction grit got into the motor and you're talking top end refresh and a hone job/new rings at the very least, more likely cylinders and pistons. Figure $1200-1500 tops, you provide the labor. You can try different oil BUT they make a career out of grading pavement here in the wilds of Pennsyltucky and eventually that airborne cement and asphalt dust gets in where it doesn't belong. | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
I cleaned the underside very well before the ride and inspected afterwords. With that kind of oil loss I figured if it was leaking it would be pretty obvious but I will take another look and check the case bolts. I also let it idle in the driveway with the chin fairing off for a while to looks for oil after changing out the synthetic. The real tell will be when I get the spark plugs out and air box off this weekend. It was 62F yesterday in the Cascades where I was riding (and 72F in Seattle) so it's wasn't exactly screaming hot. Also, keep in mind that the PO is also the original owner and I have talked with him extensively. He had the harley dealer do the break-in oil change and he used 20/50 Amsoil Full Synthetic for the next 10 years and 40K miles with no problems at all. I don't think it's likely that, after 10 years and 40K miles, the engine decided it didn't like 20/50 in summer (62F) anymore. This oil consumption problem, according to him, happened very suddenly. It was not a small problem that got worse. Anyhow, The bike runs great, there is no blue smoke and when I get the plugs out we should learn something. PS - according to my shop book, over 60F I should be using straight 50 weight oil. At 62F I was very close to the 20/50 range but by the book I should have used 50W. Today however was actually pretty hot here in SEA at 77F. | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
Ok, got the plugs out. WTF? I did find the airbox very oily, and I found a stream of fresh oil running out of the airbox, down the frame and into the left side air scoop. The airbox has about (8) additional 1.5" holes drilled in it. More later     | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
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| Mtz117 |
Looks like the rings are shot, excessive pressure in the crank case causing oil to get pushed into the air box | ||
| Etennuly |
Plugs WTF? No antifreeze running straight water with a blown head gasket? Lol ! Not. Water got down the intake somehow while it was sitting somewhere for a long time? How'd the damn thing even run? Wow! | ||
| Tpehak |
This is not too much oil In airbox according the picture. | ||
| Steveford |
I've never seen that before. Private party, no returns? | ||
| Giarcg |
I consider those plugs ash fouled... caused by burning oil. It's not rust, insulators don't rust. | ||
| Ourdee |
The 9 is the correct temp Iridium plug for an XB12. | ||
| Etennuly |
I've seen several with more oil in the air box base. Plugs tell the story. I'm cheap as possible, lazy the same, old and tired. I'd do a compression check without touching anything else. If it shows good potential I'd be considering stuck oil rings. Squirt some ATF in the cylinders every day for a week. Just rotate a few revolutions each day. New plugs, fire it up to see what happens. The drilled air box won't hurt anything. That was a mod for 06/07 Ulys that had much smaller air intake holes in the cover. That was done to 08 up bikes by some who did not know it was fixed by then. And 20/50 is in no way covering for straight 50w. The deceptive numbers confuse people. Sure 50w of 20/50 is still 50, however it is still also 20w. Not the same as straight 50w. Pour some of each into bowls to compare. | ||
| Tootal |
The drilled air box doesn't hurt but was unnecessary. In 2007 they increased the amount of inlet holes on the right side to get more cool air. Many of us duplicated this on our 2006 models. 06 is the only year that needed it. So when you changed oil did you put in 2.5 quarts and stop, or did you keep filling till you were at the full mark? What we have found is that if you put more than 2.5 quarts in, it will end up in your air box. Always fill with only the 2.5 quarts and then get it hot. Check your level. What ever that level is, that's your new full mark. Usually around 2 X's. Add any more and it'll go to the air box. Also check both of your PCV valves. If they are clogged up the engine will pressurize and cause issues too. | ||
| Pushr0d |
And check the hose clamps on the PCV's. Mine had a significant leak down the right front of the engine - I went in thinking it was the valve cover grommet. Turned out it was leaking out of the hose/nipple. So I put a pair of zipties on it - no more leak. | ||
| Steveford |
You're right, insulators don't rust. When mine was burning oil like crazy the plugs were coming out black, though. The damned thing was even pushing oil out the intake manifold, it was pretty ugly. | ||
| Ontheroad68 |
I have an American Sportbike oil temp dipstick so I don't have any X's to reference on the dip stick. I did put closer to 3 quarts in (hot) to get the oil to the middle of the stick, and was sure to note the oil temp on the dip stick (100) and checked it again at the same temp. I had read some threads saying the oil changes usually takes 3 quarts and not the 2.5 listed in the book. So when after adding 2.5 quarts and the oil wasn't even touching the stick I figured those guys must be right. But perhaps not!?? I don't understand how we can accurately check the oil level when at the correct level the oil isn't touching the stick!! please advise... |
