TOPIC:

Hey guys,

Ive been busy riding, so I have not been posting, but I have a problem maybe you can help me with.

I pulled the bike into the basement since it's raining here in TN and I dont like her out in the rain even when she's covered. I put her up on the centerstand for the first time in quite a while, and noticed that I couldnt see any oil in the window. I leaned her over a bit and sure enough some oil showed up, but it seemed like it wasnt much.

Long story short, I decided to do an oil/filter change immediately. I drained all of the old oil out (what little there was left) and it was still almost clear from the last change less than 1000 miles ago. My oil light never came on (yes it works), and I have not sprung any leaks as far as I can tell (I have a little residue in the airbox as usual and the tiny seep from the head gasket on cyl 1 that shows up when its hot). She is also not smoking at all, like if I had bad valve seals or something.

My question is...where could it have gone? How likely is it that damage to the engine occurred with the low oil level (like 1.5 quarts tops). I mean....I am missing 1.5 quarts of oil for cripes sake. It had to have happened fast, as I check for these sorts of things.

Help ease my mind and assuage my guilt.

Speed

My GPz has similar symptoms:
very little noticeable oil smoke
very minor weeping at the valve cover
a little blow by at the crankcase breather filter
no visible leaks anywhere else

Despite this, I add 1/2 to 1 cup of oil every couple hundred miles or so just to keep the level up in the window.

I am probably due to adjust the valves soon and I'm about ready for an oil change so...

Apologies I don't have a firm answer for you, but you are not alone!

Is your mind eased?
Has you guilt been assuaged?



Post edited by: neilage66, at: 2006/09/23 19:03

Your engine is burning the oil. My 650 did that for years before I overhauled it. I could never see smoke come out the exhaust but non the less it was buring oil.
I have owned numerous vehicles over the years that did this.
I think it's the rings not seating properly during initial break-in.

Thats it.....Im buying a big bore kit

I was needing an excuse.....and this disappearing oil will not do at all

Speed

Post edited by: Speedbump, at: 2006/10/21 21:45

Gratuitous mountain ride pic.

Speedbump wrote:

Thats it.....Im buying a big bore kit

I was needing an excuse.....and this disappearing oil will not do at all

Realistically, as an excuse, it's a good one - but probably entirely not necessary.

Seen these (and other) motors with minor ring seepage issues like this run for yearsandyearsandyears without skipping a beat.

Another possibility is leaky exhaust valves. Might want to try a valve job before blowing the bucks on the biggie pistons, bore job and other goodies the motor would likely eat on the way to a big bore done *right*.

As long as the compression is tolerable, she don't foul plugs and you keep oil in the window, the motor is likely to be totally happy running like that.

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2006/10/21 21:58

Speedbump wrote:

Gratuitous mountain ride pic.

Beats the heck out of the scenery around where you lived in Indiana don't it

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/10/21 22:30

Speedbump wrote:

Thats it.....Im buying a big bore kit

thats what I like to hear:evil: wiseco 615cc kit coming up?

77KZ650 wrote:

Speedbump wrote:

Thats it.....Im buying a big bore kit

thats what I like to hear:evil: wiseco 615cc kit coming up?

thats what i like to hear!

my kz1000 is the same. i just have to remind
myself to check it every so often..

Pterosaur wrote:

Realistically, as an excuse, it's a good one - but probably entirely not necessary.

SHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Dont tell my wife that stuff!

Steell Wrote:

Beats the heck out of the scenery around where you lived in Indiana don't it

You bet yer ass it does

More gratuitous pics: