| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_scooter |
I'm a proud owner of a XB12Scg which just hit 7000 miles. My major concern is that uses 1cc of oil per mile. 946cc = 1 quart. I'm trying to find out if this is just the nature of the beast. Warranty replaced rings and valve guide seals 2000 miles ago and it still has the same comsumption. Most driving is commuting to work. 100 miles round trip on highways. Anyone else out there having the same issue?? I've been riding Jap. bikes for 40 yrs. This is my first American ride. Thanks | ||
| Whodom |
Jay, I think I can summarize what's been said in a lot of posts on BadWeb: 1- Most of these air-cooled v-twins do use some oil. It's the nature of the beast. 2- Break-in significantly affects the amount of oil usage. Riding the snot out of it seems to contribute to a good break-in (see threads about the "Motoman" break-in) and low oil consumption. 3- The most important thing you can do to minimize oil consumption is learn to check the oil properly. Make sure it is HOT (engine completely up to operating temperature) before checking it, and check it with the bike on the sidestand and on level pavement. DO NOT add more oil until the level drops to the bottom line on the dip stick. When it does, fill it only to the half-way mark. These engines tend to be "self-correcting" as far as the correct oil level. If you over-fill it (or try to maintain the oil level higher than the bike "likes") it will blow the excess oil into the airbox. Several riders have found that if they try to keep the oil at the top mark on the dipstick, they're always adding oil. If they maintain it in the lower half range, they rarely have to add oil. Good luck. | ||
| Jkhawaii |
how would keeping the oil level in the swing arm lower lower oil consumption? its not like the oil tank is at the same level as the heads. maybe the engine is actually starving for oil with a low oil level, less flow and pressure ,less oil pumped to the heads | ||
| Whodom |
I'm not sure why it works, but many riders have posted that on both tubers and XB's the engine will blow out/injest "excess" oil if you maintain the level too high. I'd speculate that excess oil interferes with the ability of the scavenging side of the oil pump to pump the oil out of the crankcase and back to the swingarm. Oil puddles in the bottom of the crankcase (which should be dry) and gets blown into the rocker covers and out the breather tubes to the air cleaner or catch can. The oil in the swingarm eventually drops to the "proper" level and oil consumption tapers off. One other relevant point- on most bikes, if you drain the oil, change the filter, refill with the recommended 2.5 quarts of oil, crank the bike and bring it up to operating temperature, and then check the oil level, it will be smack in the middle of the operating range on the dipstick. That would seem to indicate that if you add oil to bring it up to the top of the operating range, it's too full. (Message edited by whodom on July 28, 2006) | ||
| Ted |
checking the spark plugs will clarify this issue. If they're oily then its using oil via rings or valves. Also hd/buell has said that using 1qt per 1000 miles is within specs. | ||
| Dr_scooter |
With 8200 miles on the bike, I tried running the oil level at the lower full mark. That lowered consumption to 300cc in about 500 miles. Which makes the consumption "acceptable" according to the manufacturer. I'm an old dog and have a hard time digesting this. Spark plugs do not show signs of oil burning. Has any one tried a different crankcase breather set-up? I hear that might help also. I'm surprised that more owners don't find this problem. Or I just have to get used to the "nature of this beast". Thanx for everyone's comments!! | ||
| Teeps |
I (by personal observation) concur with whodom's statement about maintaining the oil level to the middle of range. I changed the oil on my Ulysses at 1000 miles. Put in Mobil-1 V-Twin 20/50, filled to full level of dip stick. By 1500 miles the level was down to the 1/2 way area of the stick. Today at 2900 miles, the oil level remains in the same area. Interestingly, the level will fluctuate up and down from the 1/2 area, from one check to the next, by about one (X). |
