Break-in Technique vs Oil Useage

[Lynn Clark]

There have been many posts about both of the above subjects, and I was wondering if there is any correlation. Everyone seems to have a different opinion about how the bikes should be ridden during the break-in period, so to keep it simple, I have limited the choices to 'BMW Recommended Procedure' and 'Other Procedure'. So in answering this question, did you mostly follow BMW's recommendations or did you mostly do it some other way. In answering the question about oil usage, if you normally add oil between oil changes, choose 'Yes', otherwise choose 'No'. I’m ignoring the obvious question about how many miles between changes in an effort to keep the survey simple.

 

To keep the survey honest, please vote only once for each BMW that you currently own and purchased new.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Lynn

 

Your gettin' off easy this time cause I'm tired from 500 miles in the heat of the day. Questions are too broad.

 

Just a small example, my 1100S uses about 5 oz of oil in 8K miles. I don't add any between changes. 5 oz down just isn't worth the effort. My some other way of break in is quite detailed and methodical, and based on 40 odd years of engine building and wrenching, it involves much more so than the BMW method. I would really hate to see it lumped in with "other".

[Lynn Clark]

Ed -

I agree the questions are broad, which was by design. I couldn't think of a simple way to break the survey down further without adding too many questions. Almost everyone has a different opinion about how to break in the engine, so I decided to limit the survey to whether or not you PRIMARILY stayed within the BMW specs, or PRIMARILY did your own thing. Same issue with oil usage; only trying to find out if you add oil between oil changes. Some people add oil if the level drops half way down between the bubble and the bottom of the glass, others won't add until they can no longer see oil in the glass with the bike on the side stand. Too many options to breakout in detail.

 

After I posted the survey, I realized the way I set it up, it wasn’t going to breakout the results of oil usage under each category of break in technique, which was my original intent. I’ll wait to see more responses to see if it might be worth redoing the survey to get the separation.

[jackflash]

I broke in my 1200RT per the BMW manual. Today, it has about 3700 miles on it. I did the math last night, and at the rate I'm going, the bike should use a quart at 5999 miles. I don't consider this bad for a new bike considering that other's with more BMW experience than I, say that oil consumption will go down between 12k and 18k miles. Hell, I really don't care. I just ride the thing and add oil when needed. Life is complicated enough. FWIW, of course.

[BMT]

I'm ignoring the obvious question about how many miles between changes in an effort to keep the survey simple.

This alone makes the survey of little value, especially as many of your fellow Americans seem to halve BMW's recommended change distance as a matter of course.

 

It's a complicated subject: oversimplifying will achieve little. Although it's only anecdotal, there was enough evidence on this board to convince me to ride mine harder when it was a pup (thanks, SSEd, et al) and using oil. Now at 25k, I need add none between (often extended) oil changes. That's partly because I worry less about the indicated oil level.

[malcpowe]

Lynn, just to throw another spanner in the works, my BMW agent said to only use mineral oil for the first 20,000 miles then swap to synthetic, using synthetic before this would lenghten the break in period !

 

Malcolm

[malcpowe]

ooops sorry, meant lengthen, finger trouble.

 

Malcolm

[Global_Rider]

I was wondering if there is any correlation.

 

No.

 

Both my GS Adventures were broken in by the book. No constant RPMs, no high speeds, engines were loaded but nothing even close to full throttle acceleration.

 

My 2003 GS Adventure took 15,000 kms to stop using oil.

 

My 2004 GS Adventure NEVER USED ANY OIL from day one.

 

As for "ride it like you stole it" or that "Mototune USA" procedure, no thanks and no comment.

[Blue Beemer Dude]

I'm ignoring the obvious question about how many miles between changes in an effort to keep the survey simple.

This alone makes the survey of little value, especially as many of your fellow Americans seem to halve BMW's recommended change distance as a matter of course.

 

We have all been brainwashed from the oil industry and replacement parts consortium propaganda to change the engine oil every 3000 miles, more often if operated under dusty or extreme conditions.

 

You too will be assimilated. Go have a McDonald's burger and Coke and get back to us next week.

 

Ha! We'll have all of you Frenchmen smoking cigarettes and talking on cell phones before too long.

 

Michael

 

(for those of you who have never been to France, specifically, Paris, everyone there smokes and talks incessantly on their cell phone. It's the national pastime.)

[JPP]

My 04 R1150RT was broke in with lots of throttle twisting up and down! I eased it up a few rpm's every few hundred miles.

I just got back from a 2300 mile ride with temps ranging from 46-105 degrees...... I used about 1/4 of a quart on that trip.

I think I got my rings seated well with the way I broke it in.

My first bike I really feel I babied it too much during break in...... I didn't make that mistake on this bike!

I am off to Sturgis in a few days and am anxious to see how the Mobile 1 15W50 holds up to the heat....... my Harley ALWAYS ran cooler and with less comsupmtion with that oil.

My 2 cents!

 

JP

[Boffin]

I'm ignoring the obvious question about how many miles between changes in an effort to keep the survey simple.

This alone makes the survey of little value, especially as many of your fellow Americans seem to halve BMW's recommended change distance as a matter of course.

 

We have all been brainwashed from the oil industry and replacement parts consortium propaganda to change the engine oil every 3000 miles, more often if operated under dusty or extreme conditions.

 

You too will be assimilated. Go have a McDonald's burger and Coke and get back to us next week.

 

Ha! We'll have all of you Frenchmen smoking cigarettes and talking on cell phones before too long.

 

Michael

 

(for those of you who have never been to France, specifically, Paris, everyone there smokes and talks incessantly on their cell phone. It's the national pastime.)

Of course Nick is an ex-pat Brit

Leaving that to one side I found on my '02 1150RT that it used oil until after a long fast ride across France to Spain. For my '04 RT I broke it in by the book, then after the 600 mile service (carried out at 750 miles) I took it on a long fast ride to Scotland and my oil useage has always been virtually nil. Note, in Europe this necesitates varying load and speed as we do not have as much space as you guys.

 

Cya, Andy

[Rinkydink]

Amen JPP, my '04 RT was broken in the same way and used a good bit more oil than yours. At 15k it has leveled off to almost nil. Break it in per BMW and ride the dog sh** out of it.

[MachineJoe]

I'm a newbie and trying to understand why my 02 R1150RT is using the amount of oil that it is. 3000 miles after the oil change and I look at the site glass in Beemerville and there is nothing there while on the side stand. This is the second time this has happened. I got the bike used in Sept. 2004 with 2K miles and don't ride it hard(3k to 5k rpm). It now has 14K miles, have gone thru 3 oil changes. Any opinions? This baby is thirsty !!!!!!

 

Joe

[Blue Beemer Dude]

I think the difference between the oil being in the middle of the site glass and no oil (visible in the glass) is about a half quart, so I wouldn't get too excited. Of course, you know you're supposed to check the level with the center stand, not the side stand, right? From what I know of BMW, a quart every thousand miles is still considered "within specs". These engines will burn oil, even after break-in.

 

And don't listen to these guys who will tell you to run the thing at 5K RPM all day. You are doing fine.

 

Just check the oil level more often.

 

And check the air pressure in your tires too. OFTEN.

 

Like everytime you ride it.

 

Michael

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Stop changing the oil so often, it doesn't need it.

 

The bike needs to be a at full operating temperature when checking the oil. If you have only been for a short ride and shut it down, you could be mislead by the level in the sight glass as oil will have been pumped up into the cooler but not yet allowed to return.

 

Go for a good one hour long ride and then park the bike pn the side stand and go have lunch. When you come out, chcek the oil level. If you still see no oil in the glass, put the bike up on the center stand and wait a few minutes. See any oil now? If not, add about 8oz and wait a few minutes. See if you see oil. Repeat this until you see oil in the glass. Ideally you should be below or right at the center dot.

 

There is a good chance you are missing the oil level while on the side stand. If its fresh oil, it might be clear enough that you don't see it. If in doubt, perform yet another oil and filter change and put in exactly 3.75 quarts. Prefil your filter.

 

Now do your own particular oil level dance after riding the bike for 1/2 hour or so. You know you have the right level in there. Find a way to see it.

 

BMW recommends a 6K oil and filter change interval. No one has ever lost a motor by following that recommendation.

[MachineJoe]

Mike and Ed .... Thanks !! I've read past posts of the "oil dance" that you've written. I'll will try it again and hopefully the bike will follow my lead while dancing.