Does your XS burn oil?

[Joe02151]

This is my first post here, been browsing the forums for a while though. I have an 80 SG, 36,000 miles on it. I ride 100 miles or more a day going to work and back. I noticed that I'm burning some oil. I'd say about half a quart every 1.5 to 2k miles, is this normal?

[MaximPhil]

This is my first post here, been browsing the forums for a while though. I have an 80 SG, 36,000 miles on it. I ride 100 miles or more a day going to work and back. I noticed that I'm burning some oil. I'd say about half a quart every 1.5 to 2k miles, is this normal?

Hi Joe,
From my experience I would say Yes about normal. I find with mine that the grade of oil being used affects consumption. 20/50 seems to be the popular choice. Just keep checking it and ride on
Phil

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Joe,

Some burn, some don't. Can depend on a lot of factors re. how the bike had been used/abused in those 36K miles? A compression test would show how the comp. rings are, but won't necessarily show you the oil/scrubber rings condition, so you could be getting oil from there. OR...your valve seals are finally dried/hardened and worn out allowing oil to leak down with the valves and fuel intake to get burned that way vs. past the piston rings.

You could get someone behind you to watch your exhaust....then rev it fairly hard and see if it smokes on the power throttle, and then back off and let it run with engine compression/braking and see if it smokes then. The first would/could be worn rings....the latter leaky valve seals.

If it's not smoking much at all....then as stated just monitor the oil level and top off every so often and just ride. If it's smoking alot, then you may be headed for a tear down....either valve seal job....or ring job.

IF the bike has been recently put back into service after a long nap....years, then the oil rings might be gummed/varnished and stuck a bit, and a treatment with Mystery Marvel Oil at the next oil/filter change might help...
putting several ounces in after bike warmed up, then let idle for 5 minutes on centerstand or very gentle throttle as you go thru the gears to help get it all through the clutch plates and such, but NO LOAD/WOT/NO RIDING. Then drain oil/filter and refill and then see if the consumption changes. MMO is good for unsticking rings and such!

T.C.

[BA80]

That's about average Joe........Ha ha ha I made a joke.

Mine uses about a quart between changes under normal use. More or less depending on how much I abuse it.

[jayel]

if I fill mine (80 XS) to the top line it uses oil until it's about mid level between the lines and then seems to hold there, another case of Yamaha over filling? like the XS650s?

[alaskey2]

I've always been told to put MMO in and then run the bike as normal for the lst 100-200 miles before changing the oil. Why do you say different?

[Joe02151]

Thanks for the info guys, I changed the oil this morning again, I'll have to check it more often, and just keep it topped off.

[TopCatGr58]

I've always been told to put MMO in and then run the bike as normal for the lst 100-200 miles before changing the oil. Why do you say different?

Hey there,

MMO is a very good cleaner, but it reduces the actually lubricating affect, and IF you ride the bike putting loads on it, can stress the bearings and cause damage, crank, rod, cams, etc.! Even when I used a similar engine oil cleaning product on my old GM V-8 350, it also warned against any actual loads, just idle after warmed up for 5 minutes, to get it pumped throughout the engine, and then drain.

Think of MMO being similar to GAS/Fuel in the oil.....folks have destroyed their engines from accidentally running their bikes with gas/oil not knowing that it had been contaminated.

Now folks have put MMO into their GAS TANKS, and run it just fine...it's also promoted as a top end lubricant when in the FUEL, but not to be used under load when in the OIL.

T.C.

[Bonz]

The "similar stuff" I see on shelves is not similar, it is a specific oil system flush that is in a different world than MMO if understand what you are referencing by the speific instructions you stated.

Yes, don't run that stuff under a load. As much for the fact it can loosen up lots of crap and cause the junk to compromise oil flow causing damage, as much or more than thinning of the oil would ever do.

I second the ability to run MMO in a crankcase in normal riding to let it work. Millions of vehicles have used it at every change for a century, I would never hesitate to add it to the oil in a recommended doseage and ride away.

It works well for sticky oil rings by pouring a tablespoon or so into each spark plug hole and letting it sit for a day or two, turn the engine over a few times, then repeat for another day or two. Then ride, it is now in the crankcase working. I know it works from curing the oil consumption issue on my project 80G a couple years ago.

Also just bought a 2000 Grand Cherokee 4.7l V8 that had a recent poor oil change history as witnessed by the otherwise recent good maintenance that had been done on the vehicle, and had sat with little driving for the past 4 years.

Used a quart to my surprise in the first 500 miles I owned it. Replaced that quart of oil with a half quart of MMO and half quart of oil, drove an 875 mile round trip with no additional oil consumption after the first 200 miles. Changed the oil after that trip, and never looked back.

Yeah, MMO is not a bad thing to use, I think it is being compared with nasty GUNK engine flush.

[skids]

"Replaced that quart of oil with a half quart of MMO and half quart of oil, drove an 875 mile round trip with no additional oil consumption after the first 200 miles. Changed the oil after that trip, and never looked back."

Bonz, what exactly does that mean?

[Rasputin]

I have a 79SF that burns oil like no tomorrow will ever come! At least for the first couple of miles, every year. After about a 100 miles it quits and I am good for the rest of the year. These bikes are notorious for valve seals not doing their job for the first few miles. Ride it after changing to a 20/50 oil if you have not already done so and see what happens after it has a few miles on it.

[Bonz]

In the paragraph above that, I mentioned I had just got a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it was burning oil. Jeep burned 1 qt right off the bat when I got it, then did the MMO in the crankcase, and after the first couple hundred miles on a road trip, the oil consumption ceased. Then I changed the oil when I got back from the trip.

Sorry for the confusion.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bonz,

Thanks for the testimonial for this product. Yes, I was comparing it to ENGINE FLUSH...My bad I guess!

Here's the FAQ's from the MMO site:

ADDING MARVEL MYSTERY OIL® TO ENGINE OIL


How much MMO do I add to the crankcase?
Marvel recommends replacing between 10 and 25 percent of your motor oil with MMO. For example, if the crankcase capacity is 5-quarts, add 4 quarts of your favorite motor oil and one quart of Marvel Mystery Oil. If you get your oil changed at a “quick-lube” facility, bring a quart of Marvel with you and ask them to add it to your engine in lieu of one quart of traditional motor oil.

Can MMO be used with synthetic motor oils?
Yes, MMO is compatible with synthetic, semi-synthetic blends and regular types of motor oils.

OTHER USES


Can I use Marvel Mystery Oil® in my motorcycle?
Yes, add MMO in the ratios recommended in the fuel and oil section above.

T.C.

[BA80]

In the paragraph above that, I mentioned I had just got a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it was burning oil. Jeep burned 1 qt right off the bat when I got it, then did the MMO in the crankcase, and after the first couple hundred miles on a road trip, the oil consumption ceased. Then I changed the oil when I got back from the trip.

Sorry for the confusion.

LOL....Jeeps are a big chunk of my paycheck. Keep buying them.

[Radioguylogs]

Minor Hijack

LOL....Jeeps are a big chunk of my paycheck. Keep buying them.

Greg:

I'm on my 10th Grand Cherokee- I was waiting in line when the first one came out.

What are you making for Jeeps?

We've been doing Radios, Navigation, Blu-ray/DVD/CD Players, LCD Screens, and Starter Motors.