04' with a healthy appetite for Oil..

[DAQ421]

Hi all,

I have an 04' R1150R with 17,785 on the clock, which I bought about a month ago. I have read here that it's not unheard of for these to eat some Oil, but mine seems to have a pretty healthy appetite. I added about a Third of a quart yesterday (300ml) to get it up to the middle of the sigh glass, and today I took a 220 mile ride in the hills. Tonight I'm down almost everything I added last night. (I did follow the "check oil dance" as recommended here by the way, before the fill last night).

Er.. Thoughts?

-Peter

[Kartooo]

my 04 rt now has 27k and seems to be using less and less. they say around 30k it stops,some go as far as 60k before it stops. hard cylinders and hard rings......

[mnnden]

Hi all,

I have an 04' R1150R with 17,785 on the clock, which I bought about a month ago. I have read here that it's not unheard of for these to eat some Oil, but mine seems to have a pretty healthy appetite. I added about a Third of a quart yesterday (300ml) to get it up to the middle of the sigh glass, and today I took a 220 mile ride in the hills. Tonight I'm down almost everything I added last night. (I did follow the "check oil dance" as recommended here by the way, before the fill last night).

Er.. Thoughts?

-Peter

I hear ya!!!!!!, I purchased a new R1150R in "02" and experienced the same thing, (check some of my posts.) (however there is hope) At about 40k the consumption has slowed down (radically!! "knock on wood"). I don't know if you are using synthetic oil or not, but (and this is just my opinion) if you are I would switch back to reg oil. I switched to Rotella 15/40 and after the first oil change the consumption has been reduced radically, going from what you describe to 8oz per 1k, and getting better, Good Luck, mnn

[omg1010]

Peter,

higher consumption for young oilheads is nothing unusual. However 300 ml per 220 miles is quite high. Could be the oil (I'd suggest to always use 20/50 (and not thinner oil like 10/40) and see if this cures a bit. If not I'd go for some compression check.

With regards to checking the oil level it is best to warm her up, let her sit for 10 minutes and then check the level.

Brgds
Oliver

[DAQ421]

Thank you all for the insights..

I do feel that it's eating more than it should be, and I'm using BMW 20/50 (as did the shop at the last tune and Oil change, according to the paperwork)..

I guess I'll run it over to the shop this week and have them look it over..

Ah well, that is the challenge when buying a used machine..

-Peter

[iowabeakster]

If you've only had the bike a month, I bet you just haven't really PERFECTED the vague art of checking the oil level (I hadn't after only a month). I bet that the bike isn't really burning that much, but I believe that it's still probably burning some. I wouldn't start worrying (and spending money) yet. My bike has almost 30,000 miles, and it still burns some oil (sometimes more than others).

Check it often, after every ride, and try to maintain the same dance timing. And don't add oil the First time that you think the level has dropped, give it a couple more rides to verify the drop. You might be surprised how many times the level goes up from ride to ride.

You say you took it for a ride in the hills... that might have something to do with it. I always have felt that the more I tend to use the engine brake, the more oil it burns. By changing my riding habits, I can alter the oil usage.

[towerworker]

I am inclined to agree with Iowa. His advice is dead on. I have never heard of a machine w/low miles like yours to have any compression issues (unless it was abused terribly)

regards
Wayne

[pistonbroke]

hi
mine a few years back was terrible at first for using oil , i bought the bike with 2000 miles on , it would use a litre per 800 to 1000 miles ,the dealer said when it stops bring it back.. . I'd service myself with 10w 40 ,castrol. as recommended. 10000 miles on still the same ,seemed to be less if i did not thrash the beast . changed oil to 20w 50 castrol ,then only used just over half a ltr . it used to do a death rattle on start up ,worse when hot like after re-fueling on the 10w 40. when using the 20 w 50 ,much quieter.

tip for checking oil .
only check when hot ,level ground and left for five minutes.always in the same place to get accuracy right should read almost top of sight glass , when cold it will go down to around just over half . i used to check mine every 3 to 4 days , paranoid .
think the 10w 40 is to thin .
after 20000 miles did not burn a drop , changed the bike to a gs adv , i done 22000 on that one ,used oil up to 17000 ,almost as bad.
now use a gs 1200 and a r1200r for work use , one has 8000 mile on , uses oil as well and the r has 7000 on it and does not seem to use much as yet ,i have not had it very long , i would imagine it will use oil as well . .
years back all the jap bikes i used would use minimal oil. .
piston

[jas]

I’m going to agree with some of the others; the bike may not be eating as much oil as you think.

When I change the oil, 3.5+ quarts will bring the level right to the center of the site glass. I ride and check the oil daily. Some days the oil is back in the middle. Some days the site glass is empty. Same ride, same technique for checking, same everything. It is my understanding that the oil likes to play hide-and-go-seek. Go figure.

On a side note, how much oil, if any, is there in the basin below the pax seat? If you get more than a few drips at a time, the oil you have been adding might be blowing by.

[DAQ421]

On a side note, how much oil, if any, is there in the basin below the pax seat? .

I'm not sure what this means?

-Peter

[jas]

There is a catch basin or overflow tank with a drain cap (twist cap) located in the area I circled in red. Place a rag under the cap and twist it off. The rag is there to catch any oil that may have been blow through the crankcase if there was excess.

We may need someone else to chime in as my thoughts are not clear even to me. Been at work now for about ten hours and am starting to short out.

[omg1010]

I think what he means is the airbox. This is where excess oil (for example when overfilled) is found ... This is not an oil reservoir however ...

Brgds
Oliver

[rich1kim]

Do you see any oily film on the back part of the engine? Or does your clutch seem to slip a lot? Maybe rear main seal leakage?

[DAQ421]

Do you see any oily film on the back part of the engine? Or does your clutch seem to slip a lot? Maybe rear main seal leakage?

No wet spots on the motor, no drips, and no clutch slippage at all..

-Peter

[riceburner]

Sorry to hijack - but my 80K+ Rockster is using a fair bit of oil too - I don't tend to fill it past halfway on the sightglass, (bike hot, centre-stand etc), and I seem to have slight oil stains on the left-hand air-intake manifold where it leaves the airbox (oddly).
I think the oil-filler neck is leaking slightly too - but I wouldn't expect that to use up the amount it's getting through (about 300ml every 1000miles or so, haven't added it up properly tbh). the left side injector body is getting covered by this oil.
I emptied the air-box overflow for the first EVER time about a month or two ago - very little oil drained out (less than 10ml).

Any thoughts?? Could the rings or valve-seals be blowing slightly? What are the different symptoms for each? The plugs seem to be burning fine (no oily deposits - colour is light grey each and every time on mains - lowers less so).
I do ride the bike pretty hard (and always have done) so I would have thought the rings would be well seated.

[MIXR]

Peter - If it's not leaking, blowing excessive smoke, or pumping into the airbox, then consider the following:

Up to a litre per 600 miles is acceptible according to BMW, but would be unusual. The mileage on the bike should mean that the oil consumption period should be near to being over. However, this will depend on the bike's history. Case in point:

My old 2001 R1150R was picked up at 20,000 kms. It had a quiet life by the first owner. It burned lots of oil to 30,000 kms and then burned none to 155,000 kms.

My 'new' 2002 R1150 GSA was picked up at 42,000 kms. It had two previous owners. The first bloke was 70 years old and clearly 'babied' the bike. He did 30,000 kms. The second owner did one big trip and pretty much parked the bike. It did the other 12,000 kms with him. When I got the bike, I was riding it hard. It used 500 ml of oil every 1,000 kms (600 miles). I did 4 oil and filter changes in the first 10,000 kms of ownership, plus lots of topping up. It was a real concern that I had bought a lemon. I rode it hard and fast on several long rides in that first 10,000 kms. The bores were clearly showing signs of being glazed, the pistons had carbon on them (pinking/pinging), and the rings were obviously gunked and 'stuck' in the closed position. The bike gave very light wisps of smoke on the odd deceleration. Barely noticeable. It ran just fine.

At 53,000 kms I did a long and hard endurance ride of 1,400 kms at a fast pace. The bike burned no oil, and has used very little since. I'm now at 58,000 kms. No oil usage that would be abnormal, and almost due for another oil and filter change. The carbon is either gone or going to the point where it's not an issue. The bike has freed it's rings with the oil cleaning the engine up, and it now seals as it should and burns no oil.

What's the history of your bike? If it was treated gently by the previous owner, then it's going to take time to free up. Most of the problem is probably with the rings that are not closing off the oil path. Give it a couple of good runs and it should be fine. Change the oil often (every 200 miles?) in the next 600 service interval and see if it makes a difference. If it was run hard from new, then maybe it's just a good one that requires more 'breaking in' than normal.

For interest, I'm using Caltex Delo 400. Great high temp oil primarily designed for diesel engines but also used in petrol engines. It is an excellent cleaner. Most of my consumption was probably the oil cleaning up the engine and de-gunking (a non-technical term) the rings. They now seal properly and I don't use oil anymore. And it happened like switching on a light! All at once.

Don't panic about the oil use. It is not excessive and it is not uncommon. Just ride the thing a bit harder and treat it to some extra cleansing oil changes. Keep tabs on the oil level though. That's a pain, but it may reward you for your patience. Cheers, Mick.

[R1150Rclean]

I run it to get hot then park on side stand for ~5 min. to drain the oil coolers, then put on center stand and check after 10 min. That helps a lot to minimize the oil level variation (got the advice from someone on the board). You can also use Seafoam in the "engine oil" to clean/loosen sticky rings and valve stems. I have not tried that, but thinking of it.

[CycleRob]

My `02 R1150R used oil almost till 18K miles, then I switched over to Castrol Syntec 20W-50 full synthetic. What made it stop using oil was a high speed, hilly ride following 2 East Coast CCR racer friends on their street bikes. Sustained half+ throttle 3rd gear high speed climbs up steep mile long hills several times in upstate NY/NJ did the trick. That's what's needed, a high speed, heavy throttle, uphill, against a headwind many miles cruise/race. The difficult thing is you have to find the place and the time you can safely do those things without any consequences.

[DAQ421]

That's what's needed, a high speed, heavy throttle, uphill, against a headwind many miles cruise/race. The difficult thing is you have to find the place and the time you can safely do those things without any consequences.

The joy of Northern California living is there are places that demand this type of riding all over the place. I will do my best to test your idea.



-Peter

[sweatmark]

The joy of Northern California living is there are places that demand this type of riding all over the place. I will do my best to test your idea.

Peter,

Prescription: take two CA36 trips (Fortuna to Red Bluff and back) and call us in the morning.

I'll be down there myself next month for "oil consumption therapy".