ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
I've put 1200 kms (750 miles) on my 05 RX-1 since the first oil change.
The oil level has dropped from the full mark to about 3/16 of an inch below it. I'd guess somewhere around 3/16 of a liter has been burnt.
How does this compare to your 05's? 03's and 04's?
I broke it in by the book, but did include a number of short WOT bursts increasing in duration (starting at less than a second duration at around 15 miles) as the miles went on. By the time it hit 500 miles I was holding it wide open for about 8 seconds.
The oil level has dropped from the full mark to about 3/16 of an inch below it. I'd guess somewhere around 3/16 of a liter has been burnt.
How does this compare to your 05's? 03's and 04's?
I broke it in by the book, but did include a number of short WOT bursts increasing in duration (starting at less than a second duration at around 15 miles) as the miles went on. By the time it hit 500 miles I was holding it wide open for about 8 seconds.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
You should be fine. By the time I hit my first 500 miles, I had added a full quart of oil already. I changed the oil at 500 miles, and used another quart by 1000 miles. The little bit of difference shown on your dipstick could be nothing more than a little more oil being retained in the engine which hasn't drained down completely. There is a bit of a margin of error to the oil level. If it ever goes down 1/2 way between full and the Add line, then you shoudl start worrying and really begin watching the level.
Jim
Jim
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
Ouch! I wouldn't be a happy RX-1 owner if it burnt a quart in the first 500 miles, nor a quart in the next 1000 miles. Is yours still burning oil?
Mine is definitely burning some oil.
After changing the oil I drove it around for about 30 minutes, let it idle in my garage for 1 minute, shut it down and checked the oil. Right on the full mark.
Now I repeated the same ritual after 1200 kms and it was down about 3/16".
At this rate it will probably be just about at the add mark by the time it is due for an oil change.
I was hoping it would use no oil. Hopefully it won't get much worse than this.
Mine is definitely burning some oil.
After changing the oil I drove it around for about 30 minutes, let it idle in my garage for 1 minute, shut it down and checked the oil. Right on the full mark.
Now I repeated the same ritual after 1200 kms and it was down about 3/16".
At this rate it will probably be just about at the add mark by the time it is due for an oil change.
I was hoping it would use no oil. Hopefully it won't get much worse than this.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Well at the end of last season it was using a quart every 200 miles with average riding. I figured it would be the same this year and increase gradually, but after going for about a 4 mile test ride I checked the oil and it went down noticably...and I had checked it before the ride. When I pulled the vent hose and started the sled the oil was coming out in almost a spray, not a very fine vapor like minor oil usage. I'm not a happy camper...I have to do a longer test ride once we get snow, but it looks like I may not be riding this season. I just don't have the money for major repairs...which is why I bought a 4 stroke that shouldn't NEED repairs. At least when my Cat died it was cheaper to fix.
Jim
Jim
Correct me if I am wrong but during the break in period a small amount of oil usage is normal until the rings seat and bearings loosen up that little bit.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
That used to be a common thing, but these days engines are made to much tighter tollerances, and in reality, very little break-in is required. We now have coated cylinders which don't need to run for a period to become snooth as used to be required; and rings are made from much harder materials and to a more precise size and shape so actual break-in is minimal. The statement is still usually put in owner's manuals to cover the manufacturers butts, but thats about it. As an engine builder (ASE certified Master Engine Machinist) and having been around professional performance engine machine shops all my life (a very good friend's father owns a well respected shop and builds lots of circle track engines for Modified and Busch circle track cars), even I am surprised at how little break-in is required. For a brand new performance street engine, all that is suggested is to start the vehicle and check for any leaks, etc., while setting the timing and adjusting the fuel system as necessary. Once that is set, run until warm then bump it up to around 2000-2500 RPMs and hold it there several minutes. After that bring it out on the street and do several runs from idling to almost redline. Let it cool down, then repeat, and then the engine is considered broken in. All thats required are a few runs hard enough for the combustion pressure to force the rings out against the cylinder walls to seal them.
Jim
Jim
Buckeye
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Just out of curiosity, have you tried Sea Foam or Ring Free to remove any carbon?
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
I only did 4 miles so far...no snow...as soon as we have snow I'm running some seafoam through. I think at this point though, its probably beyond sea-foam. To be blowing this much, I'm worried I actually have a broken ring, or worse...but I don't have the proper adapter for my compression gauge, so I can't check that. I'll have to order one up soon.
Jim
Jim
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
Just a little update.
Tonight I checked the oil again and this time it was just about at the E!!!
It took almost 1/2 a liter to bring it to the F.
I was expecting it to take a whole liter from E to F. I guess not...
I still love the sled, but this oil burning is more than I was expecting. It only has 2000 kms on it now (1250 kms since the oil change - last time I checked I must have posted an error on the mileage, more like 950 kms since the oil change).
I also checked the coolant and it pegged my tester. I drained out 2 liters and poured in 2 liters of distilled water. My tester still shows it's good for -40°.
I wonder if the reduced cooling due to the pure antifreeze let the motor have hot spots during early break in?...? The temp light has never come on though.
Hopefully I'll put around 600 kms on the sled this weekend. I'll check the oil again after that.
Tonight I checked the oil again and this time it was just about at the E!!!
It took almost 1/2 a liter to bring it to the F.
I was expecting it to take a whole liter from E to F. I guess not...
I still love the sled, but this oil burning is more than I was expecting. It only has 2000 kms on it now (1250 kms since the oil change - last time I checked I must have posted an error on the mileage, more like 950 kms since the oil change).
I also checked the coolant and it pegged my tester. I drained out 2 liters and poured in 2 liters of distilled water. My tester still shows it's good for -40°.
I wonder if the reduced cooling due to the pure antifreeze let the motor have hot spots during early break in?...? The temp light has never come on though.
Hopefully I'll put around 600 kms on the sled this weekend. I'll check the oil again after that.
nhrxrider
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Get used to it...speaking from experience, it will only get worse. If I had it to do over again, I would have sold my sled 3000 miles ago when the oil usage wasn't nearly as bad and the sled still had value. Now if running seafoam through it doesn't cure the problem, I'm stuck with a boat anchor that I can't afford to fix and is burning way too much oil to continue riding.
Jim
Jim
Roadrunner
Expert
nhrxrider,
I posted this before, but here it is again
FYI, here's what I did at the end of the season using seafoam. I removed the spark plugs and raised the back of the sled so the rear bumper was approx. 5 feet off the ground. Since the motor is angled backwards in the sled approximately 30 degrees, raising the sled this amount will make the top if the piston parallel with the ground. This would insure that the seafoam would contact the rings all the way around. I then put maybe 1 ounce or so of seafoam in each spark plug hole and turned the motor over by hand. I let the seafoam work for a couple of days occasionally turning the motor 1/2 a turn. After 2 days I used the starter to crank the motor over for 5 seconds and then lowered the sled to the floor and replaced the spark plugs. The sled fired right up with maybe a slight puff of smoke. After it warmed up it sure seems to idle smoother and I even think it starts easier. My exhaust tips seem to stay cleaner also. Oh, by the way, I removed the skis before I lifted the back, the front bumper will almost touch the ground this way if you lift it high enough.
I figured by doing it this way I could get concentrated Seafoam right to the rings.
I posted this before, but here it is again
FYI, here's what I did at the end of the season using seafoam. I removed the spark plugs and raised the back of the sled so the rear bumper was approx. 5 feet off the ground. Since the motor is angled backwards in the sled approximately 30 degrees, raising the sled this amount will make the top if the piston parallel with the ground. This would insure that the seafoam would contact the rings all the way around. I then put maybe 1 ounce or so of seafoam in each spark plug hole and turned the motor over by hand. I let the seafoam work for a couple of days occasionally turning the motor 1/2 a turn. After 2 days I used the starter to crank the motor over for 5 seconds and then lowered the sled to the floor and replaced the spark plugs. The sled fired right up with maybe a slight puff of smoke. After it warmed up it sure seems to idle smoother and I even think it starts easier. My exhaust tips seem to stay cleaner also. Oh, by the way, I removed the skis before I lifted the back, the front bumper will almost touch the ground this way if you lift it high enough.
I figured by doing it this way I could get concentrated Seafoam right to the rings.
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
nhrxrider,
From what I understand, not all RX-1's burn huge amounts of oil - only some.
It turned out I slightly overfilled the oil. I drove the sled for 30 minutes, let it idle and checked it and it was over full (the day before I had only let it idle for 15 minutes, shut it down and checked it). I had to take out about 1/8 of a liter to bring it to the full mark.
So - in reality it burnt less than 3/8 of a liter, possibly as little as 1/4 of a liter in the 1250 kms.
I put about 400 kms on yesterday, but didn't check yet.
Can anyone who isn't burning huge amounts of oil post how much they were burning early in the sled's life (1500 miles or less)?
Anyone else with 05's checking their oil consumption?
I'd like to know where my sled fits in the oil burning category (hoping to predict what will happen at 3000 miles and up).
From what I understand, not all RX-1's burn huge amounts of oil - only some.
It turned out I slightly overfilled the oil. I drove the sled for 30 minutes, let it idle and checked it and it was over full (the day before I had only let it idle for 15 minutes, shut it down and checked it). I had to take out about 1/8 of a liter to bring it to the full mark.
So - in reality it burnt less than 3/8 of a liter, possibly as little as 1/4 of a liter in the 1250 kms.
I put about 400 kms on yesterday, but didn't check yet.
Can anyone who isn't burning huge amounts of oil post how much they were burning early in the sled's life (1500 miles or less)?
Anyone else with 05's checking their oil consumption?
I'd like to know where my sled fits in the oil burning category (hoping to predict what will happen at 3000 miles and up).
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
On my 05 RX-1, I have used very little oil in 450 miles. On my 03 RX-1, I never suffered any engine oil burn problems in over 4,000 miles. Both sleds are stock and I do not use Seaform.
Not saying you guys aren't having a problem, just posting my results.
Not saying you guys aren't having a problem, just posting my results.
ReX
TY 4 Stroke God
Suisse Sledder said:
Did you check it carefully or just not have to add any between changes?
Swiss Sledder
TY 4 Stroke God
Both. The only time I had oil problems was when my breather hose got ice and shot oil out the bottom. That was in the 03 before I did the "slit in the hose" trick.
I checked the oil after our 450 mile ride at Christmas and it was fine, very little used at all. To be honest, it is kind of weird how some sleds use oil when the others don't. It must be riding style or mods is all I think.
I checked the oil after our 450 mile ride at Christmas and it was fine, very little used at all. To be honest, it is kind of weird how some sleds use oil when the others don't. It must be riding style or mods is all I think.
