Beagles Posted October 31, 2007 Posted October 31, 2007 I have 2002 1150RT that burns about a quart of oil every 3k miles (I bought it with 10k on it). I have read posts that suggest that switching to synthetic oil can eliminate burning of oil. Is this true, and if so, why would it be true? If it matters I live in Florida, avoid stop and go situations (particularly in the summer when I get hotter than the bike), and the temperature bar is typically at five (highest ever is six when in stop and go situations).
T__ Posted October 31, 2007 Posted October 31, 2007 I have 2002 1150RT that burns about a quart of oil every 3k miles (I bought it with 10k on it). I have read posts that suggest that switching to synthetic oil can eliminate burning of oil. Is this true, and if so, why would it be true? If it matters I live in Florida, avoid stop and go situations (particularly in the summer when I get hotter than the bike), and the temperature bar is typically at five (highest ever is six when in stop and go situations). Beagles, using synthetic oil won’t eliminate oil burning.. It could help to eliminate some oil evaporation due to high heat operation - (doesn’t sound like you are facing that problem though).. In fact, in some cases using a synthetic based engine oil can increase oil usage slightly.. Remember most of the modern synthetics are just reformulated conventional motor oil that meets synthetic oil specs.. It really depends on the oil’s base viscosity (be it Dino or synthetic),, how much VI improver is used,, the oil’s evaporation temperature,, etc.. About all you can do is try different oil types & brands.. Some run to the high side of their rated viscosity range & others run to the low side.. As a rule engine oil marketed as for higher mile vehicles tend to stay in the engine longer than the engine oil’s marketed as for better fuel economy.. A quart in 3k doesn’t sound too bad though.. Twisty
BFish Posted October 31, 2007 Posted October 31, 2007 my 2004 RT did not stop using oil until about 15k miles. i then switched to syn oil. possibly yours is not broken in yet. do a search on break in and go for it. ride the crap out of it. let us know you're riding habits/style and the previous owners if possible. BTW when oil usage stopped in mine it was mor sudden than a taper. i also live in florida.
kioolt Posted October 31, 2007 Posted October 31, 2007 My 04 R1150RT used quite a bit of oil before my 18k oil change. It seems to me that it may have been about 1/2 quart in 3k. At 18k I switched to synthenic oil and then did 6.5k miles in the next two weeks without needing to add any oil at all. Since then I haven't added any oil between oil changes. The bike now has over 72k miles.
Beagles Posted October 31, 2007 Author Posted October 31, 2007 Forgot to mention it has 38k on it now. Unless I'm wrong its about as broke in as its going to get. I just carry oil around!
scout6 Posted October 31, 2007 Posted October 31, 2007 It might be broken in, or not. With both of my RTs, and my wife's, we had to ride the snot out of them to get them to seat up and stop burning oil. The one issue to be careful of with synthetic is that it will find places to slip by (like rings). On one of our other bikes, dino, no leaks. Put in the synthetic and oil squirts out the clutch actuator shaft on every squeeze of the clutch.
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