oil level mystery & screwless brakes

[jamak]

I looked at some of the posts on oil levels, but want to run this by.
A week or so after the second oil change, where I did not change the filter due to a stripped oil bolt, I noticed my oil level wasn't showing thru the window. I had put on about 700 miles since the last change, the bike was on the centerstand after riding for a few hours, and sitting for an hour. There are no leaks visable, and it burns no oil that I can tell.
I fired the bike up and let it run for 10 minutes, shut it down, and checked 10 minutes later-same deal. So I added about 10 ozs. of oil, the level showed about 1/2 way between min and max and I figured I'd keep an eye on it.
Next morning-no oil again! I did the run 10 minutes/sit 10 minutes deal again-NG. So I took it for a ride, and the level came back up after I parked and let it sit for a while.
Now the level is down again, after another 500 miles. WTF? I've combed this bke for leaks, it blows no smoke, doesn't smell like it burns oil.
I read the comments about no leak/no burn oil useage, but have never had any vehicle do this.
On the brake issue, I have serious squeals from the front. I read a lot of the threads, and took off the calipers to inspect them. The screw that is supposed to hold in the pads is missing-on both calipers.
When I went to buy some others, I was told you have to buy a new set of pads; that's the only way you can get the screws. $60.00 for 2 screws? Somebody HAS to have found a way around this one-I hope.
Comments, ideas?

[bikerphil]

You can get some metric threaded screws from Ace Hardware for those brake pads. Not sure of the size tho. Someone else might know.

[natemoen]

My new set of pads didnt even come with new screws

[Geezer]

It's a 5mm screw, I'll look around but I'm sure I have a couple I could spare.

Check the air box to see if it's blowing oil into the filter.

Geezer

[bikerphil]

Ok, as for the size of the screw, it's pitch is .80, the length is 20mm. Not sure of the thickness, maybe 5mm? Same screw as the ones that hold the carb tops on, but 20mm long. Also, use a lock washer. HTH

[Geezer]

Now you've done it, you made me go and check... I went out to the shop for my box of calipers and parts and found that it is a 5mm screw 20mm long but the threads are ground off the last 8 to 10mm of the screw toward the end.

If it were my bike, I'd go to the hardware store and buy a couple screws and file the threads off the end by hand or on a bench grinder.

Geezer

[bikerphil]

I've replaced mine before and found no need to grind the end down, YMMV. Threads are .80 pitch, checked with my metric thread checker.

[Crazcnuk]

Anyone have a clue what those screws do? I've been runnng bout 5yrs without them.

I've replaced pads several times, and never got any screws with them.

[jamak]

oil level mystery and screwless brakes

Thanks guys. Ya just saved me $60.00 . I don't know for sure if this is the cause of my squealies. It's worst at a slow roll, and goes away as you pick up speed. I originally took off the calipers and blew them out with some brakeclean, and that helped somewhat. But now it's back with a vengeance.
I'll check the air filter for oil, but other than that, no ideas, huh?
Phil, did I read a comment of yours, or was in Fredintoon, about oil 'useage'?
I don't want to overfill this puppy, but it was 95+ degrees here yesterday.
I was on the road all morning, parked it in the shade around 1:00, and when I went out to start it an hour later, it was ticking like a time bomb. Sounded like valves? It was very pronounced, but went away after a few minutes. This is a mystery I have to solve.

[Crazcnuk]

There should be little metal 'shims' behind the pad on the piston side. If they are missing you can get more squeal.

You can buy a type of grease, for disc brakes, that you put on the back of the pads as well that sometimes helps.

My 80G used a fair amount of oil. It doesn't burn blue, but the level goes down. I park it in the same spot (for the last 3-4 yrs) and no oil spots on the driveway, so it's not a leak.

It used to use about a liter every 200kms or so.

It seems that Electronic ignition vehicles don't show blue smoke as readily as the older point type engines. You can be burning a lot of oil, and yet get no smoke. Either that, or modern oils are ore 'smokeless'?

[randy]

One more thing on squealing brakes. I battled it on and off for a while. There are two areas on each caliper that contact the mounting bracket, they're perpendicular to the pads. Clean any paint or other stuff off both the caliper and the mount. Use brake lube (not regular grease). do all three calipers.

[WMarshy]

Oil Usage

A few questions you should consider regarding the oil usage. How long has your bike been sitting before you started riding it? I know mine had very little use over a 10 year period prior to me owning it and it used a good amount of oil on a regular basis for a little while. Also, how hard have you been riding it? The valve stem seals can dry up and are suspected to leak untill they see more regular exposure to the oil. Even then, after they "swell up" you will still use oul to some extent. Riding hard makes my oil level drop as well. Hard decel will pull the oil through the stem seals and hard accels will push oil through worn rings. It can be really difficult to tell if your burning oil unless your riding directly behind your own bike during all this... I did noticed my oil level didnt drop as much when I use some really overpriced 20-50 oil from a HD shop. (Stupid $10 min purchase with the card when all I needed was the filter) No...seriously though, 20-50 seemed to help with the oil usage. Seems like I have to watch my level more closely when Im using 10-40 over the 20-50...

[bikerphil]

If you're using synthetic oil, it won't smoke when burned like conventional motor oil will. Also, for the brakes squeaking, all the info above is very good, the rotors can also be scuffed with medium grit sandpaper to remove the glaze.

[jamak]

oil level mystery and screwless brakes

Same ticking noise today. I adjusted the cam chain last week, and the motor has been running fine. It gets less noisy after you ride for a while, but comes back every time you start it.
Valves? Lifters? It almost sounds like the cam chain again, but I don't know these motors well enough to guess. I would think that wouldn't quiet down, but I'm listening for wiser, more well informed opinions.

[natemoen]

Could some of the oil passages in the motor be plugged a little?? If that were the case it would take oil awhile to get up to the valves which would cause the valves to click until the oil got up to them. then on the reverse side it could take oil quite a while to get back down to the pan thus making it look like you had no oil??

Just a thought....