Burns Oil?

[Steveyacht]

The low oil warning came on yesterday as I pulled into the parking lot at work, after a 13 mile ride.  I looked over, under and around the bike and saw not one sign of any leaks. The next oil change is due in about 400 miles or so, meaning there is about 5600 on the current oil, which was done at the BMW dealer.

When I got home and put it up on the center stand, the oil sight glass was in the bottom 1/4. I added about 4 or so ounces, bringing the level up to mid-line on the sight glass.  

Other than leaks, the only other thing I can think of is that I'm burning oil.  Has anyone experienced oil usage?

The bike is a 23 with 6200 miles on it.  And yea, I understand that 4 ounces is not a huge amount, but this is the first time I have experienced oil usage between oil changes since my 73 Norton.  

Bottom line, should I be concerned?

 

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[dirtrider]

43 minutes ago, Steveyacht said:

The low oil warning came on yesterday as I pulled into the parking lot at work, after a 13 mile ride.  I looked over, under and around the bike and saw not one sign of any leaks. The next oil change is due in about 400 miles or so, meaning there is about 5600 on the current oil, which was done at the BMW dealer.

When I got home and put it up on the center stand, the oil sight glass was in the bottom 1/4. I added about 4 or so ounces, bringing the level up to mid-line on the sight glass.  

Other than leaks, the only other thing I can think of is that I'm burning oil.  Has anyone experienced oil usage?

The bike is a 23 with 6200 miles on it.  And yea, I understand that 4 ounces is not a huge amount, but this is the first time I have experienced oil usage between oil changes since my 73 Norton.  

Bottom line, should I be concerned?

 

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Morning Steve

 

How full was it after the last oil change? If it wasn't completely full then possibly you haven't used very much. 4 ounces isn't a lot between oil change intervals. 

 

When you get the next oil change verify that it is full then monitor your oil usage from there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brorke]

My 2019 RT uses some oil. ....Always has.  Not much, and less now at 38,000 miles that when new.

[duckbubbles]

My personal experience with two R1200LC's and an R1250 is that none of them used enough oil to see a change in the sightglass between oil changes.

 

Frank

[Toruk]

If you always park on the side stand you will get more oil burn from that low cylinder at start-up. My 23 has 6,000 miles and it. I always garage park it on the center stand. I see no "appreciable" loss of oil. I will be doing my filter and oils (engine and rear) any day now. I will be using my new OBD MX+ and Motoscan Pro App for the first time!

[Boxflyer]

46 minutes ago, brorke said:

My 2019 RT uses some oil. ....Always has.  Not much, and less now at 38,000 miles that when new.

Bill,

I'll be looking inside your cylinders next week on Friday during your Cam Timing and Valve Clearance Checks at START.

All the images I record will be available to you for future reference along with all the other Service Documents we create.

 

If you are having oil consumption due to an issue with the cylinder walls, in other words, if excess oil is being left behind on the cylinder walls, and that is where the consumption is taking place, then most likely compression/combustion pressures are blowing by the rings into the crankcase as well.

If that's the case, there will be evidence of oil vapors in your air box...and even some oil on your intake valves.

 

Here are some examples of suspicious discoloration on the Nikasil coating of the cylinder walls of a 2016 WetHead as well as evidence of oil on the intake valve.

The oil on the intake valve is after only 10min from shutting the engine down, just enough time to remove the spark plugs. 

This engine uses NO oil between oil changes either with 18k miles.

  

[Dave_in_TX]

4 hours ago, Toruk said:

If you always park on the side stand you will get more oil burn from that low cylinder at start-up. My 23 has 6,000 miles and it. I always garage park it on the center stand. I see no "appreciable" loss of oil. I will be doing my filter and oils (engine and rear) any day now. I will be using my new OBD MX+ and Motoscan Pro App for the first time!

My 2020 R1250 GS (9÷k miles) and now my 2023 R1250GS (36k miles) were/are usually parked on centerstand. I had/have no noticeable oil use between oil changes.

[brorke]

4 hours ago, Boxflyer said:

Bill,

I'll be looking inside your cylinders next week on Friday during your Cam Timing and Valve Clearance Checks at START.

All the images I record will be available to you for future reference along with all the other Service Documents we create.

 

If you are having oil consumption due to an issue with the cylinder walls, in other words, if excess oil is being left behind on the cylinder walls, and that is where the consumption is taking place, then most likely compression/combustion pressures are blowing by the rings into the crankcase as well.

If that's the case, there will be evidence of oil vapors in your air box...and even some oil on your intake valves.

 

Here are some examples of suspicious discoloration on the Nikasil coating of the cylinder walls of a 2016 WetHead as well as evidence of oil on the intake valve.

The oil on the intake valve is after only 10min from shutting the engine down, just enough time to remove the spark plugs. 

This engine uses NO oil between oil changes either with 18k miles.

  

 

Cool!  Thanks Brad. Looking forward to seeing if you find anything. No residue in airbox when I last changed the air filter.

[JCtx]

The only way to know if your bike is burning oil is to carefully measure level after an oil change as a base line, and check oil exactly the same way. And just putting the bike on the center stand is not enough, since turning the handlebar even a little, changes the angle of the bike (and oil level too). I always use a level attached to a front rotor to make sure bike is fully vertical before checking oil level, and before topping off oil after an oil change. I've never done 6K-mile OCIs on a bike, due to clutch crap contaminating the oil. But so far I've done 3K miles on the oil (due to time), and no visible consumption. And I park my bike on the side stand. However, the freaking side stand is very long, so it's not that much leaned over than when using the center stand.

[Stiggy]

I just changed the oil on my '17 RT.

11,800 to 18,040 miles. No consumption.

Even with manufacturing tolerances taken into account, a low oil light in 5600 miles says something is amiss.

Did you check the site glass after BMW changed the oil this last time? (I'll get down on the floor about every 1,000 miles to check my sight glass, on my bike)

[dirtrider]

28 minutes ago, Stiggy said:

I just changed the oil on my '17 RT.

11,800 to 18,040 miles. No consumption.

Even with manufacturing tolerances taken into account, a low oil light in 5600 miles says something is amiss.

Did you check the site glass after BMW changed the oil this last time? (I'll get down on the floor about every 1,000 miles to check my sight glass, on my bike)

Afternoon  Stiggy

 

There is some variation on when the low-oil light comes on, riders can lean the motorcycle slightly at a stop, or the front of engine can be slightly high or low when stopped so those alone can skew the low-oil light accuracy.

 

The low-oil light is mainly there to tell the rider to stop at the next convenance & actually manually check the oil level. 

 

Usually when the engine oil is totally topped off the low-oil light normally won't come on, but at 1/4 of a quart low it can come on in certain outlier situations. 

 

If as Steveyacht stated it took 4oz to get the level to the middle of sight glass that most likely meant that his engine was about 8 ounces (1/4 quart) low & that isn't a big deal. 

[Steveyacht]

3 hours ago, Stiggy said:

I just changed the oil on my '17 RT.

11,800 to 18,040 miles. No consumption.

Even with manufacturing tolerances taken into account, a low oil light in 5600 miles says something is amiss.

Did you check the site glass after BMW changed the oil this last time? (I'll get down on the floor about every 1,000 miles to check my sight glass, on my bike)

Just to be sure, how high up on the sight glass should it be? Completely full? Half way? 

[Skywagon]

You will get a lot of varying opinions. Personally I keep mine at the top red line where there is only enough space left to see the oil. My view is simple… oil is a major cooler in engines, so as long as not over filling, I’m from the school of oil is your friend. 
 

Years ago there was a thought that anything above the center of the sight glass would just blow by. I never had that experience 

 

One more thought for you. BMW Nikasil cylinders are really hard and if babies during break-in can cause the rings to not seat properly. Once they do seat, could take a while, they are great cylinders. 
 

DR, Brad, and others will steer you down the right path. 
 

I’ve been riding multiple RT’s since 1979. The only one I ever had that used oil was a 2005 R1150RT. At the 5000 mile mark, it would be down about a pint. My current bike is getting 6000 mile oil changes and it is always full when changed. Bike has 30k. 

[JCtx]

The max oil line is the top of the red inner circle line, which is a few millimeters below the top of the glass, as mentioned above. That's where I always fill up mine, but that's why I put a level on a front rotor, since even a very slight inclination changes the level. To just check level before (or while) riding, it's fine to just put the bike relatively vertical, just to make sure you have enough. But to initially set the level, or before an oil change, I take the time to level the bike perfectly, so I can check if it burned any oil (it hasn't so far). And if you go a little bit over is not going to hurt anything. Some folks just pour 4 quarts and call it a day, which puts the level about halfway thru the glass. I always top it off, so it's about 4.2 qts, which I believe that's what the manual calls for. Hope this helps.

[Stiggy]

10 hours ago, Steveyacht said:

Just to be sure, how high up on the sight glass should it be? Completely full? Half way? 

 

When I did my first oil change (Previous owner did the 6,000,) at 12,000 and adjusted timing (with Brad's tools,) check valves and changed oil/filter, I sent Brad a pic of the sight glass.

The reason for that was that the bike's oil level via the wonder wheel showed me a tad short on oil level while the sight glass showed the oil at 3/4 up the glass.

Brad said it was 'perfect.' I put in just between 4 qts and 4 liters as I recall.

 

To the OP's post, I truly thought that the 4 oz added to make the oil light disappear was a misprint. ( I've never seen mine.)

[dirtrider]

12 hours ago, Steveyacht said:

Just to be sure, how high up on the sight glass should it be? Completely full? Half way? 

Morning Steveyacht

 

Top of inner red circle is full (hot engine level surface), center of red circle is about 4oz low (hot engine level surface), bottom of inner red circle is about 8oz low (again, hot engine level surface).

 

It really isn't rocket science, just find a level area, then put the (hot from riding) motorcycle on it's center stand on that level area, then wait 5 minutes (give or take), then see where the oil level is in the sight glass.  

 

Just make sure the engine is hot from riding  (not just an idle in place but riding hot) then be sure to wait the 5 minutes for oil drain-back before reading the oil level. 

 

Once you find your somewhat level spot use that same spot & same motorcycle facing direction to check the oil level once in awhile after a ride (just wait the 5 minutes before checking).

 

You can sometimes check them cold (once you educate yourself on the proper cold oil level height). Once you verify the proper HOT-engine 5 minute drain-back level then see where the oil level is cold the next morning. If it isn't above the top of the sight glass then you can use that as a cold check guide. If the cold level is above the top of sight glass then you have to be more creative in figuring out what the cold level really is.

 

Like when the hot oil (5 minute drain-back)  level reaches the center of sight glass see if the cold oil level is slightly below top of sight glass. Then use that as a quick cold check.

 

On my personal motorcycles I seldom check the oil level once I know it's oil usage history unless I see an oil spot under it. 

 

I don't even check it after an oil change as I just add the specified amount  then ride it. If I don't see oil on the ground under it then I assume it hasn't changed since I changed it. 

 

In your case it looks like your engine used about 8 ounces of oil for 5600 miles of riding (assuming it was set correctly at last oil change) so that is about 1/4 quart oil usage per oil change interval.  So at 3000 miles it will probably only be 4oz low (center of sight glass).