| Author | Message | ||
     Grianp |
I am running Syn3 in my 2005 XB9SX and it likes to use up a fair amount of oil during each ride. Just the other weekend I had the oil topped off and rode for approx 400 miles. I then checked the bike afterwards while it was hot and on the sidestand and the oil level was relatively low. I ended up having to add 8oz of oil to get it back to full. I also opened up the airbox and there was only a slight coating of oil on the top of my inner airbox, it wasnt dripping wet or anything. I just had the 10k maintenance done about a month ago. Is this normal oil consumption or could something else be wrong? I don't ride the bike very hard and rarely ride in high RPMs for an extended amount of time. I understand that this is an air cooled bike and using oil is part of it's nature, but I want to be sure that I am not just throwing money away unnecessarily by constantly adding oil when something else could be causing the issue. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Brian | ||
| Glitch |
If by topping it off you mean bringing the oil level up to the top full mark, you're over filling it. Mine is full at just over the low level. | ||
| Grianp |
Glitch- I was filling it to the bottom line of the full mark. Is that too much? Are you saying it should be towards the very bottom of the stick? Or should it be somewhere between the very bottom and the bottom full line? | ||
| Hogs |
Keep it on the ADD mark.. just keep checking it after when Hot back from a ride.. that way you can be sure all is good..I think from the add mark to full is like 4 oz. or LeSS, so keeping it there does not make it Puke into the air filter, Atleast not as much...! also make sure ya check it with it on the side stand, Hope that helps... (Message edited by hogs on April 22, 2008) | ||
| Grianp |
keep it so it still registers on the dipstick but towards the very bottom and I should be good? | ||
| Hogs |
Yuppers closer to the ADD the better...! | ||
| Sgthigg |
I disagree Ride till hot. Drain engine oil Replace filter and add 2.5 qts. (as per the manual) Go for a ride till hot Check you oil level THIS IS YOUR PROPER "FULL MARK".... Mark it,take a picture,burn it into memory,etc. Because now you can accurately gauge if she is over full, consuming oil,etc from this point. Hope this helps. | ||
| Hogs |
Well one to their own... All I can say is we have over 70,000 klms. now with my way so its been good so far..! On two xb`s that is...  | ||
| Towjam |
I've found that if you add oil much past the halfway mark, it will eventually burn down to just over the "add" mark and then it seems to settle in. This isn't unique to Buells either - I had the exact same behavior with my BMWs. If you filled them until the sight glass showed totally "full", they would burn down to the lower 1/4 - 1/3 of the glass within about 800-} miles then hold steady. | ||
| Metalstorm |
For what it's worth, If I check mine immediately after shutdown, I mean instantly within half a minute after shutdown mine will read right at full. If I wait so much as two minutes after shutdown it will read half way between the marks. | ||
| Etennuly |
I had a 2005 City-X and it used up a whole tank of oil in about 800 miles once. I run dino oil and had 20-50 in it when the temperature went from the 50's and 60's right to the 80's. I was shocked to have the oil light come on as I pulled into my driveway one day, I shut it down and checked the oil and it was gone! Two quarts brought it back on to the stick. I switched to 50W oil and then to 60W when the temperatures stayed above 90 degrees as per the manual. I never had the problem again. If you have a light winter oil in there you may need to change up for the season. | ||
| Swordsman |
When replacing and cold, the manual-specified amount brings it up just pass the add mark. However, after getting good and warm, it will rise to the middle or higher... I was really surprised just how much it expands! ~SM | ||
| Treadmarks |
Miles on the motor and driving habit have a lot to do with the oil consumption. For example: When my 06 Uly was new, and I was driving it easy it used a little bit of oil. Not even enough to have to add between 2k changes. After break in, I began to ride more aggressive. Oil use went up a little bit more, still not bad though. After changing out the muffler, going to open air and remapping to eliminate the popping, I started using decell braking a lot. Love the sound decell braking through the open air and micron. Oil use went through the roof. A look inside the throttle body showed that during the high vacuum decell braking oil is being drawn through the intake valve guide seals. You can see it in the throttle body past the injectors, as they wash it off. I cleaned the throttle body and I switched riding style so that I would coast to a stop instead of decell braking all the time. 2k miles later the intake was clean and oil consumption went back to hardly any. If you decell brake, check your throttle body. | ||
| Paul_in_japan |
Hey Grianp, Ive had my 05 XB12R a year and have spent most of it with problems like you. I switched from Syn 3 to Mobil 1 Syn but it wasn't much better. I was always having to check it and top it up with a small bottle i kept under the seat. The bike ran fine and I couldnt see any smoke so I just dealt with it. I did the proper measuring thing when changing the oil as described by Stghigg above but the dipstick reading was perfect. I ran with the 'as long as the stick is wet' method but it would still go down. So where's it all going??? Well, over winter the bike was running pretty rough (at idle and slow speeds) and I had multiple TPS resets and the intake seals replaced but it still ran rough and hot. Upon further inspection the mechanic found the problem. Bad valve oil seals. It had got to the point where so much oil had baked onto the back of the vales that they weren't seating properly. This caused the bike to surge and constantly hunt for idle. So $1350 later I got all new valves and seals and all seems to be good (touch wood). I changed the oil and have done about 600km so far and the oil hasn't dropped. The bike runs well the compression is better and therefore has a bit more kick than it used to. Like getting a new bike!!! heres some pics of my bad valves: http://www.bikepics.com/members/paulinjapan/05xb12 r/ I recommend getting a bright flash light and having a look down into your throttle body and see if you can see pools of oil in the bottom of them. Also I read on here somewhere that blue smoke from burning oil can be quite hard to see. Apparently the trick is to ride the bike hard at full open throttle then close it shut, this should cause a vacuum, sucking oil into the cylinder and producing smoke from the exhaust. You might need a buddy to follow you. anyway hopefully its something sinister but its worth a look. Good luck. | ||
| Fx1200 |
2006 XB12Scg 40,000 miles. I am using Castrol Syntec 5W-50 and the consumption rate is 1/2 pint/2500 miles. The does not seem to be much difference in usage during winter or summer riding. The bike is used in SoCal as a daily commuter. |
