| Author | Message | ||
     Svttodd |
I was wondering why the Buell only holds 2.5 quarts (or so) of oil? I would think that an oil cooled machine would need more oil than that to help keep it cooler. Not to mention more oil promotes longer engine life. I was expecting closer to 4 courts for a 1200cc engine. Hmmmm...just wondering out loud. | ||
| Fullpower |
yes that is the correct amount. how much oil do you suppose an 8100 cc chevrolet engine requires? | ||
| Firebolt020283  |
4 quarts of oil???????????four cylender cars only hold 4 quarts of oil why would a 2 clynder engine, or need all that weight???? and oil cooled??????i thought they were air cooled | ||
| 99buellx1  |
and oil cooled??????i thought they were air cooled Both, thats why there is an oil cooler. There are also jets that squirt oil on the bottom of the pistons to help keep them cool too. Craig | ||
| Static |
The oil is used to cool internal components as well as lubricate. ( that's why keeping the oil cooler free of debris is so important.) As far as the first question is concerned, why would 2.5q of oil not be enough? If the oil cooler is efficient enough than you don't have heat to worry about. Buell recommends the oils they do because of the additives in them and the change intervals to avoid the damaging depletion of those additives. This is not to say that in some cases more oil is not beneficial but that from an engineering standpoint Buell deems that no more oil appears to be needed for this application. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
ok i do see yalls point, thanks for educating me on something i didnt think about | ||
| Svttodd |
Well..., my 2003 Yamaha R1 (four cylinder 1000cc) holds 4.02 quarts (when totally dry), or 3.28 with a regular oil & filter change (since all of the oil doesn't come out when draining)- per the manual. I think a Hayabusa (1300cc four) holds around 4-4.5 quarts. These engines are primarily water cooled (with oil coolers as well). SO, I am not totally crazy for thinking an oil cooled engine should be designed to hold more. A 1977 Maserati Merek 3.0 V-6 for example, holds over 8 quarts (!) 'to ensure adequate cooling and lubrication of the high tech engine' -per the manual. Ferrari's and Lambo's hold more than 4 quarts. Motorcycles and high revving exotics are usually designed to hold more oil than your dad's 1975 Chevy Caprice V-8. Those little four banger econo cars hold the same amount as a Chevy Biscane, Impala, Caprice, Camaro,etc., and they usually run forever (even when you WANT the dang thing to die, they won't quit). 4 quarts in a small four cylinder vs. 4 in a big v-8, makes better cooling and lubrication, a v-8 should hold more like 6 or 8 quarts. How much does a Nascar engine hold (more than 4 quarts I think, someone out there knows I bet)? ...Just my two cents for discussion... | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
my firebird holds like 6.5 quarts | ||
| Static |
The issue is not really a matter of engine displacement. It is a matter of heat dissipation. For example, a 14 liter Cummins diesel may hold more than 20 quarts of oil, A 4.6 liter Cadilac may hold 7 where a GM 5.7 liter may have 5 quarts, 1.3 ( and larger) 4 cylinder engines from various manufacturers may hold as little as 2.5 quarts. In the end the real question is what thermal load will the oil be under, and what will the service life have to be. If more oil were needed in an xb than it would have been designed to hold more oil. If you were to build an xb beyond the original design parameters (like raise the compression ratio significantly) than more oil may be necessary. But on a stock or nearly stock bike 2.5 appears to be enough. | ||
| Freyke  |
my 4.6 V8 mustang GT takes 6 Qts of 5W-20.... | ||
| Freyke |
And my true blue 89 mustang LX 5.0 takes 5Qts 10W-30... | ||
| Clydeglide  |
Well..., my 2003 Yamaha R1 (four cylinder 1000cc) holds 4.02 quarts (when totally dry), or 3.28 with a regular oil & filter change (since all of the oil doesn't come out when draining)- per the manual. I think a Hayabusa (1300cc four) holds around 4-4.5 quarts. These engines are primarily water cooled (with oil coolers as well). Actually the Hayabusa takes ~3.7 Qts with a filter replacement. You also have to consider the fact that the Yamaha and Busa use that same oil to lube the trans and clutch as well. My Power Stroke Diesel holds 4.......Gallons. Including filter of course.  | ||
| M1combat  |
Yeah, it's "really" 3.5qt when you include the gearbox lubricant. | ||
| Clydeglide |
Yeah, it's "really" 3.5qt when you include the gearbox lubricant. You know what I mean. LMAO I gotta replace that "avatar". | ||
| Tank_bueller  |
Jeep 4.0l Inline 6 = 6 qts.(full synth. gets expensive!) | ||
| Koz5150  |
Tank - You're telling me. I bought this VIP card at my oil change place that gives me a 15% discount on oil changes. The card was $5.00 and I have used it for every oil change on my Wrangler (40,000) miles. BTW I run a Synth Blend oil. If you wanted to keep your oil cooler on the XB series bikes would you just weld cooling fins onto the swing arm??? | ||
| Kenb |
there are a couple other factors to consider why an engine holds the amount of oil it does. 1. the shear volume of oil required to fill all the oil galleys when the engine is running. this varies greatly by engne design and size. 2. provide sufficient pickup for the oil pump. in wet sump engines this usually means more oil because of the oil sloshing around and foaming in the "pan". 3. in the case of motorcycles with common trans/engine oil more oil is obviously needed to lube the gearbox and primary. 4. dry sump engines need less oil because the pickup for the oil pump is in the tank and therefore is always submersed regardless of lean angle or g forces from turning. why does a Nextel Cup car need 4 gallons of oil ? because a cup car will burn some of that oil during a 500 mile race since it is running at 7000 to 9900 rpm for 3-4 hours. actually the xb engines are very efficient in many regards one being the efficient use of oil, look at the shear number of moving parts that your 4 quarts of oil has to lubricate in your r1 versus the number of parts that the 2.5 in a xb have to lubricate. i'd be the ratio is 3 or 4 to 1. so before you knock the xb motor take a real good hard look at it, it's truly an engineering marvel. 100 hp out of a 2 cylinder 2 valve pushrod engine is amazing. remember truly good engineering means making something more efficient not necessarily more complex. | ||
| Hootowl  |
"4. dry sump engines need less oil because the pickup for the oil pump is in the tank and therefore is always submersed regardless of lean angle or g forces from turning." BINGO! | ||
| Raraf |
My 95 Dodge Dakota V8 doesn't take any oil. My driveway holds 4.5 quarts though. | ||
| M1combat |
Using 94RWHP out of 1.2L and 3.5Qt of oil... I get ~460HP, out of a 5.8L (351ci). I get ~17Qt of oil for the same 5.8L engine. Sounds to me like we have too much  . I think I'll only put 1.5 in mine next time  . |
