Typical oil use

[515PHOTO]

Hi all,

I did a full fluid change when I got my 01 1100RT 6 weeks ago. I filled the oil to the point on the sight glass it was just even with the top of the red circle. After 2,000 miles it is down to the bottom 1/3. At this rate it seems like it will leave the sight glass with only 3,000 since the oil change. This feels like excessive oil use to me.

The facts: Miles on bike: 25K. Oil: Valvoline 20/50 stnth. Riding style: mostly casual, back road twisties with only a little hard acceleration. Runs fine. No noticable smoking out the muffler. No leaks.

So, normal? What are you using over 2K miles?

Thanks,

Larry

[eddd]

I would say that is pretty normal. My oil usage is in line with your.

 

Over 2,000 miles I would expect to add about 1/2 quart.

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

I found something very interesting on a cross country ride. Oil usage went way down. 1/2 qt per 2500 miles. The best theory is that my oil consumption is predominantly during start up and warm up. That's when gaps are the biggest.

When putting around here, I get about 1 qt per 1500 or more miles. That is a lot of start up....about 8 cold starts per tank instead of close to 0.4 cold starts per tank due to long riding days.

[mneblett]

I found something very interesting on a cross country ride. Oil usage went way down. 1/2 qt per 2500 miles. The best theory is that my oil consumption is predominantly during start up and warm up. That's when gaps are the biggest.

When putting around here, I get about 1 qt per 1500 or more miles. That is a lot of start up....about 8 cold starts per tank instead of close to 0.4 cold starts per tank due to long riding days.

Interesting observation. In hindsight, I'd say the same thing -- the 2300 miles from/to Virigina for the MOA Rally in Missouri I used quite a bit less that the preceding 100 miles of daily commuting duty.

[Stan Walker]

I filled the oil to the point on the sight glass it was just even with the top of the red circle.

 

Did you fill the oil filter before installing it? If not some of the missing oil went there.

 

After 2,000 miles it is down to the bottom 1/3.

 

Are you doing the BMW oil dance? If not, some of the missing oil is hiding in the oil cooler.

 

Oil dance:

1) Engine must be fully warm before shutting down. If the engine is cold the oil can't flow through the oil cooler.

2) Put bike on side stand for about 5 minutes. This allow the oil to drain from the oil cooler.

3) Put bike on center stand on level ground.

4) Wait a minute or two.

5) Check oil level. The middle of the glass is about perfect.

 

If the above seems like too much trouble then use the following rule. If you can see oil you are OK to go.

 

Stan

[snod]

I have had two 1100RT's. Bought both of them with less that 20k on them. Both burned about a quart every 3000 miles until somewhere around 28k. My experience is that the oilhead boxer twin takes about 30k miles before it is "broken in". I retired my first RT at 190k, it burned maybe a half a quart in every 6000 miles at that point. My current one has 60k on it, and it burns about a half quart every 6000 miles also. I think what you are seeing is normal. I suspect you will see oil consumption drop slightly in the next 5-10k, or when ever the engine gets fully broken in. I tend to ride pretty hard. It may take you more miles to get it broken in, since you indicate that you don't ride it hard. Learn the oil dance that Stan outlined. If you can see oil in the glass, go ride.

[515PHOTO]

Looks like I am in line with others--so that is good. Looks like that is why there was a 1/2 full bottle of oil in the top case when I bought it.

Regarding filling the new filter. I brought the oil level up to the mentioned level after a brief run. Old habit is to put 90% of expected need in, run a bit, top off to proper level. I typically check the oil while puttering around in the garage which means 1 & 2 were done when I shut the bike down after the last ride.

Any harm in filling to the top of the glass? More miles to the bottom of the glass means less hunting for good oil on the road on long trips. I am, of course, assuming that the bottom of the glass is the 'time to add oil' level.

Thanks

[smiller]

As Stan noted be sure that you are using a consistent procedure to check the level. Also note that the top-to-bottom of sight glass is only about 8 ounces and that amount in 3,000 miles is not at all abnormal for this engine. Lastly, as snod just mentioned these engines can take a long time to break in. As I remember mine experienced a noticeable drop in oil usage at about 25-30k miles and I have seen several reports of the same. Before this experience I would have said that it was impossible for there to be any significant change on an engine with that many miles, but what can I say...

 

In any event I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[515PHOTO]

Ah, that bit about 8 oz, top to bottom, is very usefull. All looks good here.

[LBump]

As Stan noted be sure that you are using a consistent procedure to check the level. Also note that the top-to-bottom of sight glass is only about 8 ounces and that amount in 3,000 miles is not at all abnormal for this engine. Lastly, as snod just mentioned these engines can take a long time to break in. As I remember mine experienced a noticeable drop in oil usage at about 25-30k miles and I have seen several reports of the same. Before this experience I would have said that it was impossible for there to be any significant change on an engine with that many miles, but what can I say...

 

In any event I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

Everything I've read is that from top to bottom is 16oz.

[dirtrider]

From BMW service bulletin Dated : April 2002 ----

 

 

"The red ring of the oil sight glass has a diameter of 25 mm and

this corresponds to a difference of approximately 0.5 litre in the

quantity of oil in the engine. An oil level found to be midway up

the sight glass when the oil is checked at operating temperature

can drop to “minimum” when the oil is checked again at a very low

temperature."

 

[smiller]

Everything I've read is that from top to bottom is 16oz.

Sorry, I may have misspoke. Seems I remembered figuring out by experimentation that it was about 2 oz. per quarter of sight glass window but I guess I mis-remembered and it was actually 4 oz, and DR's quote would back that up. Well, it still isn't that much...

[SKYGZR]

I added aprx 12oz on a recent 2,650mi. ride. This I deem as "normal usage." It's a two cylinder airplane/radial engine after all, and those also "use" oil.

[LBump]

Everything I've read is that from top to bottom is 16oz.

Sorry, I may have misspoke. Seems I remembered figuring out by experimentation that it was about 2 oz. per quarter of sight glass window but I guess I mis-remembered and it was actually 4 oz, and DR's quote would back that up. Well, it still isn't that much...

 

Greetings Smiller,

 

No reason to be sorry.. just a bunch of numbers.

I recall early on this 2003 RT was using 1oz. of oil or more every 28 miles. At one point I thought the sight glass was 32oz. from top to bottom. I was ready to transform the glove box into an oil reservoir on a drip system... at least I wouldn't have to check the oil so often.

 

[Michaelr11]

Your oil usage seems pretty normal. I believe that you will see a change in consumption depending on type of riding, with engine braking causing an increase in oil usage and long steady highway riding resulting in less oil used.

[515PHOTO]

I'm doing a 1200 miler next week with WAY less stops/start ups than daily driving. I'll keep track of the usage. Thanks all.

[David R]

Top to bottom on my RT is 16 oz. It was going through that much every 800 to 1,000 miles.

[Mr. Frank]

Your experience is very normal. I find the most consumption in curvy riding with lots of engine braking. The least is on steady speed slab riding. Synthetic oil does better than dino for me.

[tallman]

It ain't the miles on the bike necessarily, rather it is how it was ridden.

W/out arguing about break in in first few hundred miles, after

that if bike not ridden hard through gears and rpm range it may need to be given a run up to the rev limiter and run for a 100 miles or so.

 

Can't hurt.

[Peter Parts]

My 2-cents:

 

1. I've been wondering if keeping bike on sidestand leads to greater consumption? The old k-bike "mosquito sprayer" problem is said to be related to sidestand use.

 

2. As far back as an earlier century or before, boxer consumption seems to be way higher if level is always kept full or esp. if high (like by the usual kind of compulsive person on this forum).

 

3. Trust BMW to amplify your compulsive tendencies: the sight glass with the tiny red circle is depicting the oil across the little surface in the sump. Could that be 25 square inches??? If so, that's pretty tiny amount of oil consumption before compulsive types reach for the funnel. Would you fill-up your car engine oil if the dipstick was down a quarter-inch (and the sump surface area is a whole lot bigger)?

 

Ben

[SKYGZR]

It ain't the miles on the bike necessarily, rather it is how it was ridden.W/out arguing about break in in first few hundred miles, after that if bike not ridden hard through gears and rpm range it may need to be given a run up to the rev limiter and run for a 100 miles or so.

 

"Break in in first 100mi"..the K was properly broken in (as it is the only machine i currently own that I had my hands on when it was "new"./except for an FZR 600 that I rebuilt the top end for track use..same procedure applies.) Procedure was/is.. easily run it in (4-5,000 rpm) for the first 100mi or so..then find a straight stretch of tarmac and run the thing to the limiter, or till the valves float, shift, shift, shift, shift...try to get to redline in top gear!!

 

If it's gonna grenade, best to get it out of the way early (ie;warranty), or if a rebuild, need to know if it was done right.

 

This get's the machine ready, willing, and able to "rev".

 

Lug it..it's gonna be a slug!

[Peter Parts]

If you believe it takes 25,000 miles to "break in" (funny term, eh) a BMW engine,then you believe it takes more than roughly 200,000,000 strokes (100,000,000 each way) for the rings and bore to make friends.

 

My guess is that it takes 25,000 miles before owners get good at not too frequently over-filling their Oilhead sumps.

 

Always amazes me at the fervor people show for their favorite break-in theory. For each of the 10 different theories. Anybody know of research, esp. involving more than one engine and conducted by somebody other than the owner?

 

Ben

[David R]

Oil level in my RT HOT. Hopefully I did the oil dance correctly.

 

Just to the top red line.

Cold the next morning about 5/8 the sight glass. LESS than 3/4 for sure. All it did was cool.

 

Looking at an R1200R.

 

I should not have to get on one knee and a flashlight to check the oil. Its the BMW prayer after the oil dance.

[John in NC]

I have found that keeping the rpm's up lowers the amount of oil burned. Now that I realized this, mine probably uses about 8 oz. between changes.