Oil consumption

Hey guys, just wanted to do a quick survey about oil consumption.


My xrr is using a little oil between changes. It seems to have started recently, only had the bike since December of last year. I did a compression test, it was well within spec. Bike runs great. A friend said he noticed a slight oil smell when riding behind me, but never smoke. I'm thinking it's probably sucking some oil past the valve guide seals on deceleration. Hopefully it's not a problem.


What is everyone's experience with oil consumption?

Mine uses none.
You should go to a heavier weight oil man.

Thanks for the reply. 15w-40 isn't enough??

After I posted that, I rode it to work for 2 weeks straight, which is a 30 mile round trip. I checked it every morning when I got there, and the level never dropped. I have to assume that it's just the nature of a big ass single to use a little when ridden hard, at high RPM's.

Like i say mine uses none even at sustained high RPM.
Try a straight 30 or even 50 weight.
Or make a mix.

I only use Honda stuff to maintain the bike except for Evans in the radiators.

The big Honda singles are notorious for using a little oil over time. I've had several NX 650's, and while I know they are a completely different beast than the 650R, every one I've had has always used a little oil over time. Bikes never smoked, never made any kind of inclination towards oil consumption, but I would occasionally check, and each one would show a slight loss over time.

I've noticed it on other XR's as well. Its more prevalent with the older air cooled XR's, but the 650R DOES have a similar motor to the oil XR's as well. My 650R does use a slight bit of oil over time, but I change my oil frequently enough where I never really notice a difference in oil levels, at least nothing substantial.

I run the Mobil 1 stuff for water cooled bikes with wet clutches; its not supposed to have any Moly in it. I believe its a 10-40?

If it puffs out large clouds of blue smoke, I'd worry. But if it drops a 1/4 inch on the dipstick over a couple rides, I wouldn't sweat it. Just my .02.

Thumpmeister wrote:The big Honda singles are notorious for using a little oil over time. I've had several NX 650's, and while I know they are a completely different beast than the 650R, every one I've had has always used a little oil over time. Bikes never smoked, never made any kind of inclination towards oil consumption, but I would occasionally check, and each one would show a slight loss over time.

I've noticed it on other XR's as well. Its more prevalent with the older air cooled XR's, but the 650R DOES have a similar motor to the oil XR's as well. My 650R does use a slight bit of oil over time, but I change my oil frequently enough where I never really notice a difference in oil levels, at least nothing substantial.

If it puffs out large clouds of blue smoke, I'd worry. But if it drops a 1/4 inch on the dipstick over a couple rides, I wouldn't sweat it. Just my .02.

When your buddy is behind you; First why can he keep up with you on the XRR? Second, instead of you allowing him to smell your exhaust you should be spraying him with wet sloppy roost!

+1

AURORA wrote:

Thumpmeister wrote:The big Honda singles are notorious for using a little oil over time. I've had several NX 650's, and while I know they are a completely different beast than the 650R, every one I've had has always used a little oil over time. Bikes never smoked, never made any kind of inclination towards oil consumption, but I would occasionally check, and each one would show a slight loss over time.

I've noticed it on other XR's as well. Its more prevalent with the older air cooled XR's, but the 650R DOES have a similar motor to the oil XR's as well. My 650R does use a slight bit of oil over time, but I change my oil frequently enough where I never really notice a difference in oil levels, at least nothing substantial.

If it puffs out large clouds of blue smoke, I'd worry. But if it drops a 1/4 inch on the dipstick over a couple rides, I wouldn't sweat it. Just my .02.

When your buddy is behind you; First why can he keep up with you on the XRR? Second, instead of you allowing him to smell your exhaust you should be spraying him with wet sloppy roost!

+1

They've learned to back off a ways if they're right on my ass....

Update on this one...

I rode the TAT from AR to OR, then back home. 8,500 miles round trip on top of whatever it already had (guessing 8-10k).

The XRR was burning about a quart every 1000-1500 miles, nothing huge, but it was blowing smoke under hard acceleration. When I got home, I replaced my rings, and removed all the auto decomp junk from the cam. I've only put about 500 miles on the bike so far, but it seems to not burn oil anymore, and has not smoked after the first hundred miles of break in.

"You should go to a heavier weight oil man"
That is not a very clever advice. If you'd do that then you'd UP the pressure, especially when cold still, quite a bit, and consequently put a lot more strain on the parts involved.
ANY engine uses oil, it has to even! The fact that you notice /don't notice it makes no difference, it does use oil. Only when it uses too much one has to do something, but otherwise - no problem at all.


"... Evans in the radiators ..."
Shame! I've read about that stuff. I hope you did too - do you realize you put your cooling system under a lot of extra strain, in fact almost DOUBLE it?
Evans's specific heat (caloric value) is only some 60% of that of normal coolant, which means you have to flow 170% compared to my (coolant) 100%..... for which the bike was developed I should stress.
Mind, you could fill up with thermal oil, a silicone concoction. Superb for the waterpump, nothing will corrode, the rads will love it...... but you'd have to flow a horrendous lot more than what the bike was designed for.
If you want that Evans stuff in your engine (for whatever reason, the mind boggles here!) then also increase the capacity of the entire cooling system (engine galleries, pump-size & -capacity, hoses, radiator, surface area to name a few) to make things compatible. Oh wait, this stuff is alleged for racing engines, which put out more power hence more heat too - so then increase it even further so as to give your engine a fighting chance to cool itself.
Got an uncorked BRP? Then fill with coolant (the red Toyota coolant is best), put a rad-cap on with a pressure rating of 1.6Bar, and maybe get a thermostat of 80degC instead of the std 82degC >> that's it, end of story, and a whole lot better than putting nonsense in.
But hey, it's your bike, so...