Oil Consumption

[mbenson]

Hello, I'm brand new to the forum and fairly new to the brand. I have an '04 R1150RT that I've had since November with about 7300 miles on it. I've noticed it's been losing quite a bit of oil. I've recently done an oil change and after about 700 miles it's already needed 1/2 lt to top it off. I've been reading and think I have a good grasp on the oil checking procedure and I do it the same way every time. I've also had the fairings off and know that there are no visible leaks but I do seam to smell oil burning when the engine gets hot. I know these engines have a fairly long break in time and that they burn oil until they are broken in but the amount seams excessive to me. Any help with understanding this would be greatly appreciated

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

10-40 weight will burn relatively quickly in my 1100RT. Going back to 20-50 this weekend.

[AndyS]

Welcome to the forum mbenson, Some of these bikes use a fair amount of oil in the first 20000 miles. Do you ride the bike very gently? If so, you could try going out and giving the bike a long good hard ride. Gentle riding can make the consuption worse at first because it extends the bedding in time of the engine.

[Jerry Duke]

+1 what Andy says. Around town don't shift until 4500 rpm. When you get a chance red line it, not drag racing red line, but run it up there. It will break in quicker if you run it a little hard versus babying it.

I bought a bike with 8,000 miles on it and it used about 200 - 300 cc of oil between 3,000 mile oil changes. Once in the mountains, I ran it to red line, in the curves up to 6,000 - 7,000 rpm in second and third. Hasn't used a drop of oil between changes since.

[Quinn]

After adding oil, be sure to wipe the o-ring, stopper, and fill hole dry with a rag. Otherwise capillary action or wicking will allow oil to seep out onto the head.

 

 

----

 

 

[tallman]

Your bike isn't broken in yet.

Run it up to the rev limit a bit.

I believe your oil consumption is w/in spec for the 1150.

It will decrease as you accumulate miles and rpm's.

[EricJRW]

Mine seems to eat oil too, though as the bike gets older it seems to eat less.

[Skywagon]

Benson...I have an 05 1150. Mine ate about the same amount as yours from birth until about 15k. It started slowing down a bit after that and at 28k it burns about 4oz every 5k miles.

 

It will get better. These bikes have tough cylinders. Takes a while for the cylinders and rings to break in and seat properly.

 

Weird but true and consistent.

[azccj]

My 04 RT with 19K miles doesn't seem to eat a drop of oil, at least in the 3000 miles I've put on it since buying it a few months ago. The level stays right on the red dot in the center of the sight glass. But once I was a little shocked when I checked the oil level without first letting it sit on the side stand for a bit before putting it on the center stand. The oil level went from on the red dot to barely reaching the bottom of the sight glass. But after a short ride and doing the side stand then center stand thing, the oil level returned to normal, at the red dot.

[hellmutt]

When I got my 99 rt it had 4,000 on it, that was in 2004. I remember that I was worried about the oil consumption. At this time it uses very little if any between changes.

The oil buring smell may be due to slight spillage onto the cat from a transmission fluid change.

[Dan M]

Welcome to the forum mbenson, Some of these bikes use a fair amount of oil in the first 20000 miles. Do you ride the bike very gently? If so, you could try going out and giving the bike a long good hard ride. Gentle riding can make the consuption worse at first because it extends the bedding in time of the engine.

 

+1 Mine hardly uses any oil but did when new. The consumption gradually reduced around 15,000. Pushing it hard does help.

[Ken Denton]

04 1150RT 22,000 miles

I get the 5 quart Mobil 1 container at Walmart. About 3.75 qts when I change. Use about 20/25 oz before next 6000 mile oil change. Leaves me 15/20 oz to top off a lawn mower or something. Life is good.

Ken Denton

 

[Mark Mayo]

I have the same bike and bought it with 18,000 miles - I had the same worry. I would suggest checking the oil filler cap. Mine leaked, I replaced all of the parts and it still leaked. I had the screw in aluminum cap installed and also added more miles on the bike (up to 35,000). Now, the cap is always dry and I use very little oil. On a quick 750 mile trip to and from Arizona I used NO visible oil. It was worth the money!

 

https://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=1912

[mbenson]

Excellent. Thanks to everyone for responding. I'd seen that my consumption was within spec in the manual but just wanted to hear others say that they'd seen the same thing. Better that that, you've all given me an excuse to run the piss out of it. Thanks again and I look forward to more enlightenment via this forum.