Using oil???

[BFC]

Just got back from a road trip of 550 miles and checked my oil.. It was down 2 full blocks on the stick.. Is that normal to use that much?? It was all highway riding at 65-80 mph with temps in the high 70s to lower 80s.. My bike is a 2007 street glide with a big bore kit with S&S compression release cams 585 I believe... Any input would be great... I searched but didn't get a solid answer

[slypig]

Guess I'm not familiar with the blocks on the stick.  How much oil did you use?  In 550 miles you shouldn't be using any measurable amount.

Sly

[Just Nick]

Keep a eye on it for the next 1k or so miles then make a decision if it is or not


And go back to your other thread and tell us what you Dryed off to get you bike to start for your trip.

[BFC]

I've been keeping a eye on it Nick.. Right now I've used a little over 1/2to 3/4 of a quart in 3850 miles... I use Mobil 1 20/50.  When I ride on the highway I keep my rpms up around 2500 to 3000 in 5th gear would that affect anything?? Motor only has bout 22,000 miles on it since upgrades... 40,000 miles on the bike.. Thanks

[Hossamania]

1/2 to 3/4 of a quart in 3800 miles doesn't seem too excessive to me. Not perfect, but acceptable.

[BFC]

I don't know why it would use that much though...  Engine builder has a great reputation.... I know a lot of people who use him...

[calif phil]

1/2 qt in 3000 miles is nothing. 

[q1svt]

Keep a eye on it for the next 1k or so miles then make a decision if it is or not

Right now I've used a little over 1/2to 3/4 of a quart in 3850 miles...

I'm guessing that you might be toping the oil level off each time you check it... Harley's kind of make their own level, extra oil is pushed out the breathers, more so on built motors.  just ensure that your filling it to the correct level based on oil temp at the time and the specific procedure for the model & year.

If it just down a little from HD full specification, try riding it more without adding more oil to see if that's the level it likes.

[kd]

Are you venting into the breather?

[BFC]

Keep a eye on it for the next 1k or so miles then make a decision if it is or not

Right now I've used a little over 1/2to 3/4 of a quart in 3850 miles...

I'm guessing that you might be toping the oil level off each time you check it... Harley's kind of make their own level, extra oil is pushed out the breathers, more so on built motors.  just ensure that your filling it to the correct level based on oil temp at the time and the specific procedure for the model & year.

If it just down a little from HD full specification, try riding it more without adding more oil to see if that's the level it likes.

Thanks for the reply.. I only put enough oil in it to put it half way up on the stick and it still goes down... It was one full block above the add mark when I add enough to bring it up to the 3rd block on the stick.. After 550 mi it's down to where there is just 2 full sets of blocks before the add mark... I don't know if something may be wrong or just am paranoid lol...

[q1svt]

Thanks for the reply.. I only put enough oil in it to put it half way up on the stick and it still goes down... It was one full block above the add mark when I add enough to bring it up to the 3rd block on the stick.. After 550 mi it's down to where there is just 2 full sets of blocks before the add mark... I don't know if something may be wrong or just am paranoid lol...

At that level, don't add any and ride it to see if it still drops more.

Are all of your checking done when the motor is at operating temp, on side stand after motor idles for 1-2 minutes?  HD  procedure...

[Hossamania]

And level ground. Many driveways are sloped a bit. Even at gas stations.

[BFC]

Yeah I'm checking it when it's hot and on level ground.. I don't let it idle for 1-2 minutes though... What idling supposed to do for it???

[Hossamania]

Allow motor to scavenge properly and get excess oil back to the oil tank.

[BFC]

Keep a eye on it for the next 1k or so miles then make a decision if it is or not

Right now I've used a little over 1/2to 3/4 of a quart in 3850 miles...

I'm guessing that you might be toping the oil level off each time you check it... Harley's kind of make their own level, extra oil is pushed out the breathers, more so on built motors.  just ensure that your filling it to the correct level based on oil temp at the time and the specific procedure for the model & year.

If it just down a little from HD full specification, try riding it more without adding more oil to see if that's the level it likes.

Thanks for the reply.. I only put enough oil in it to put it half way up on the stick and it still goes down... It was one full block above the add mark when I add enough to bring it up to the 3rd block on the stick.. After 550 mi it's down to where there is just 2 full sets of blocks before the add mark... I don't know if something may be wrong or just am paranoid lol...

I'm getting a tapping sound up in the left front part of the motor on cold start up... It sounds like it's coming from the front part of the primary.. It goes away once I start going through the gears and the motor gets warm..

[q1svt]

Heard it had to do with the old style oil pan baffle [not sure the newer 2009+ bikes have the idle step]... and it gives the motor oil time to eliminate any air bubbles that may have formed getting the oil up to temperature.

Again try riding it see if it drops more or not... as Just Nick stated.


edited:

Allow motor to scavenge properly and get excess oil back to the oil tank.

[klammer76]

When changing the oil on my 2002 103" FLH, I start by filling the filter with 8oz then add 3.5 qts to the oil tank. This puts the oil level at the half way mark on my dip stick. After starting the bike the level drops a bit. After riding it for a while, highway speeds etc the level will drop to approx 3/16 inch from add mark. I don't see any oil oil from the external breather but that is where the level likes to be and seems to stabilize there. Drives me nuts but that is where it likes to be on mine. The picture was a cold check prior to riding. I have never seem much difference between hot & cold checks on my bike. I also have a new style oil pan, don't know if that makes any difference or not.

klammer

[q1svt]

I'm getting a tapping sound up in the left front part of the motor on cold start up... It sounds like it's coming from the front part of the primary.. It goes away once I start going through the gears and the motor gets warm..

Primary chain adjusted correctly??? not sure the 2007 had the auto adjusters, even with them it's worth checking

[BFC]

Thanks for the help guys

[nibroc]

have ya completely forgotten to explain how ya dried yer bike?

[BFC]

have ya completely forgotten to explain how ya dried yer bike?

I did explain on that post

[texaskatfish]

a tapping sound up in the left front part of the motor on cold start up... It sounds like it's coming from the front part of the primary

In my totally NON techie experiences - "noises" emanating from these twin cam engines can be (and are) very misleading when it comes to confirming the actual location of the noise.........I recall one of Gracie's stator & rotor going bad a few years ago that I would have sworn was making noise on the RIGHT side of the engine........

setting the WHERE of your noise aside - if it is heard at startup and goes away fairly quickly my first thought is perhaps a lifter............but I am far FAR from being any sort of expert

hope Ya get it figured out!

[BFC]

a tapping sound up in the left front part of the motor on cold start up... It sounds like it's coming from the front part of the primary

In my totally NON techie experiences - "noises" emanating from these twin cam engines can be (and are) very misleading when it comes to confirming the actual location of the noise.........I recall one of Gracie's stator & rotor going bad a few years ago that I would have sworn was making noise on the RIGHT side of the engine........

setting the WHERE of your noise aside - if it is heard at startup and goes away fairly quickly my first thought is perhaps a lifter............but I am far FAR from being any sort of expert

hope Ya get it figured out!

I kinda thought the same thing bout the lifter.. But it does it through the first couple of gears at lower speed..

[tqjunkie]

If I ride my bike on the super slab often and run between 70-80 it will use some oil  at least a half quart  or  more in 3000 miles,if I ride it on the secondary  highways and run between 55-60 it will use very little if any in 3000 miles,I think my ring seal isn't the best,I have read that if your cylinders are a little  out of round it is harder for the rings to conform to the cylinder walls at higher rpms and oil gets past them easier then if they were true and straight,I do plan to fix the problem eventually but it runs so good I haven't bothered,it is a 07 roadglide with 70000  miles and  has a 113 inch motor with 50000 miles on it

[Buffalo]

 I believe that the breather system, ie the umbrella and fibre fill have more to do with engine losing oil than even bad ring seal. It is now becoming common practise to drill out the drain holes under the umbrellas to .100" or slightly larger. It may also help to replace the umbrellas as hot engines can make them go hard or even curl at the edges, losing seal and allowing oil thru.
I also agree with others, that a Harley using 1/2 qt in 3000miles is nothing, many of them leak that much!
jm2c  Buffalo

[BFC]

I believe that the breather system, ie the umbrella and fibre fill have more to do with engine losing oil than even bad ring seal. It is now becoming common practise to drill out the drain holes under the umbrellas to .100" or slightly larger. It may also help to replace the umbrellas as hot engines can make them go hard or even curl at the edges, losing seal and allowing oil thru.
I also agree with others, that a Harley using 1/2 qt in 3000miles is nothing, many of them leak that much!
jm2c  Buffalo

The more I think about it and figure it up I've used right at a quart in 3750 miles.. It went down one full block on the stick after 550 miles 335 of those in one day of 70 mph highway riding... I don't like it..

[PoorUB]

One quart in 3750 miles?!

Sounds normal to me. Don't worry about it!

Both of my HD's I have had will use some oil, maybe a quart in 3,000 miles on interstate.

[BFC]

One quart in 3750 miles?!

Sounds normal to me. Don't worry about it!

Both of my HD's I have had will use some oil, maybe a quart in 3,000 miles on interstate.

Thanks for the help

[BFC]

Just asked a friend I ride with a lot if he's noticed my bike smoking.. He said he's seen it puff out a lighter color smoke on take off... Has to be rings or valve seals... What do you think???

[PoorUB]

What is it going to take to convince you that your engine is fine? A puff of smoke might be from unburned fuel. 1 quart in 3750 mikes is far from a problem. Back in 2005 HD had a run of bad valve guide seals. The engine had to use one quart in less than 1,000 miles before HD would consider a repair.

[fleetmechanic]

We have a couple dozen '07-later 103" police models in use and we run Mobil 1 for 10K miles between changes .  They all average about a quart every 2,500-3,000. miles and none of them smoke.

[BFC]

Thanks guys...

[BFC]

What is it going to take to convince you that your engine is fine? A puff of smoke might be from unburned fuel. 1 quart in 3750 mikes is far from a problem. Back in 2005 HD had a run of bad valve guide seals. The engine had to use one quart in less than 1,000 miles before HD would consider a repair.

I'm a worrier lol...

[chico]

my 07 110 always used close to 1 qt between oil changes @3000 miles, switched to suburban speeds 113 kit, no more oil useage. Their piston kit runs tighter clearances than harley,
harley claims your oil usage is ok, but i say that there is a problem and it could be fixed.

[BFC]

my 07 110 always used close to 1 qt between oil changes @3000 miles, switched to suburban speeds 113 kit, no more oil useage. Their piston kit runs tighter clearances than harley,
harley claims your oil usage is ok, but i say that there is a problem and it could be fixed.

Would the smoke that's lighter in color be oil or fuel?? He said he noticed it on take off.. I had it remapped later part of last year... Bike runs good.. My buddy said it only does it once in awhile.

[chico]

Blue smoke is oil, puff of black smoke is fuel

[Admiral Akbar]

my 07 110 always used close to 1 qt between oil changes @3000 miles, switched to suburban speeds 113 kit, no more oil useage. Their piston kit runs tighter clearances than harley,
harley claims your oil usage is ok, but i say that there is a problem and it could be fixed.

Not tighter tolerances.. Seasoned cylinders..

[chico]

my 07 110 always used close to 1 qt between oil changes @3000 miles, switched to suburban speeds 113 kit, no more oil useage. Their piston kit runs tighter clearances than harley,
harley claims your oil usage is ok, but i say that there is a problem and it could be fixed.

Not tighter tolerances.. Seasoned cylinders..

Yes cylinders are seasoned, but also they make their pistons out of a different material that allows for a tighter bore. That also did away with alot of the engine noise.

[Ohio HD]

OEM piston fit is 0.0014"-0.0025". What are the Suburban pistons fit at?

[FLTRI]

I'm getting a tapping sound up in the left front part of the motor on cold start up... It sounds like it's coming from the front part of the primary.. It goes away once I start going through the gears and the motor gets warm..

Check the primary chain adjustment. Typically, when they are too loose the chain will slap up against the inner primary... sounds like a tapping for a few minutes until warm and the chain no longer touches the primary.
Bob

[chico]

OEM piston fit is 0.0014"-0.0025". What are the Suburban pistons fit at?

Its been a while, but if i remember it was between .0008 and .0012