Oil Consumption - light at the end of tunnel...maybe

[4Fighter]

I asked my friend, the yamaha mechanic, about oil consumption/loss and how to correctly check the level. He told me that they just received a bulletin on this issue. That it might actually be the dipstick that's at fault. I'm currently verifying this with him and should now more tonight or tomorrow.

I noticed this after having the oil changed. The sled was plenty warm, but it seemed like there wasn't any oil near the F mark at all. I'd venture a guess that not too many of you have had the oil light come on durring operation within 100 -200 or even a 1000 miles of what you thought was full? I know I haven't and I have almost 1700 miles with 1 oil/filter change so far. It certainly makes sense that if you keep adding oil when you don't need it, you're going to blow it out through the breather.

 

[KbxSrx]

oil use

My dealer friend told me that adding oil is a bad thing. Remember, you are measuring the sump reservoir. If it is below E then add, between and even to the E line, dont touch it.

 

[treewhacker]

I guess I'm a little confused here because being a dry sump motor, the reservoir only houses oil to be used in the engine, the only oil being used in the engine at any one time is what is pumped through the lines. So why would it make any difference how much oil is in the tank as long as there is sufficient oil returning to keep it from going low and cavitating? Wheteher you have 1 quart in the tank or 3 quarts, the same amount will be pumped through the engine. For this reason I am skeptical that having too much oil in the reservoir will increase useage. Do you see what I'm getting at?

 

[Mighty]

I changed the oil in my Warrior yesterday and found that the oil has to be over 1 quart low for the warning light to come on. I found this out by running the sled with only 2 quarts in it. The manual says that when changing the oil to add it back thru the reservoir. After pouring 2 quarts in, I wanted to get the level down a little so I started the sled. To my surprise the warning light never came on. And yes I put the dipstick back in and re-connected the connector.

 

[SumpBuster]

Yeah, I see what you're saying, Tree. I know I thought my oil level was low, and the next time I checked it, there was more showing on the stick!! So I don't check much anymore. It's always above the e line.
As far as too much oil in the reservoir, is it possible with more oil, and less air, some could be vented out under higher pressure, causing a loss? Or to take it to the extreme to understand what's happening, why can't we fill the reservoir up to the top, instead of staying between the lines on the dipstick? What would happen then? Would some be vented out due to higher than normal pressure in the tank? If so, maybe it does occur, to a lesser extent, with a 'higher' level in the tank.
I do know the crank is oiled first from the sump. That's why I didn't lose all my oil from the tank when the sumpcover broke...but I did lose crank oiling.

 

[snappy]

about every 700 miles (alot of w o t)the oil light comes on.i throw a quart in (wich i keep on the sled)then i am good for another 700.

 

[ger]

I only checked mine and never added any even thought it said it was low, eventually the light came on so I added a liter , so I am not overfilling it . I have no oil in my breather so it must be using it .

I figured that by not adding it , it would settle down to where it wanted to be but it must of kept going unless the light is set to high too ( along with the dipstick)

 

[RX-1MAN]

I think the problem is that the engines find their own level of oil they want to run at, unfortunately for alot of them it it below where the warning light will trip. It would be interesting to see how often you would actually add oil if the light wouldn't trip until it was 1 1/2 qts low. The aircraft turbine engines I am familiar with are dry sump and normally will maintain oil at 1-2 qts below full(this is with a 7-8 qt. tank). If you continually add oil to the full mark like the pilot's like to see it will just blow it out the breather. If they want to keep buying oil I'll gladly sell it.

 

[4Fighter]

Well, RX-1man sort of hit it on the head - turns out that's what Yamaha seems to be saying too :roll: There are two things that the bulletin indicates: 1) The level is to be checked with the engine at or near operating temperature, the dip stick un-screwed, sitting in the reservoir. 2.) Any oil level above the E is acceptable. At or below E then add enough oil to bring the level back up. Now here's the kicker - they don't specify how much, or to what level :?

When I spoke to my friend it sounded like the dip stick was not designed correctly for the reservoir so they have to fudge the actual full mark :?

Unfortunately, it sounds as if this information is nothing new. As I've said before, I checked my level after driving my sled home from the dealership, after the oil change and it seemed that the level was lower than what I expected, almost as if it wasn't on the cross-hatches at all :shock: Besides, unless the oil is black, I find it near impossible to tell where it's at anyway.

That has got to be the worst dipstick I've ever seen :evil:

So, I'll keep checking it and as long as there's oil on the dipstick, I'm calling it good. It was their idea to put a level warning indicator in the dash pod, but not really inform the customers about the oil consumption, or actual level to expect. But the warning light seems to work as designed :roll:

 

[treewhacker]

Sumpbuster
There's no pressure in the oil reservoir ....ever. It isn't a closed system because the crank case is vented so there could never be any pressure in the tank.

 

[SSShop]

It is very easy to slide the plastic up the pair of rods on the dipstick when checking the level, if you do, it will show lower than it truely is. also all the oil needs to be up to temp, not just the engine, run it for a good hot lap then check it..

 

[Snorover]

I was at the Yamaha show last nite and asked about the oil use problem. The answer I got was that they have found that if the oil level checks out at the add oil mark that that is the level to keep it at. They had no answer as to why. :?:

 

[TURBO TIME]

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON OIL CONSUMPTION, I AM A TECHNICIAN FOR A FORD DEALER AND AS A RULE OF THUMB 1 QT IN 1000 MILES IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE. NOW THIS IS IN A STREET VEHICLE THAT TURNS MAYBE 6000 RPM AND THEY RARELY SEE THAT, ALL 4 STROKE ENGINES USE OIL DUE TO THE FACT THAT VALVE GUIDES AND STEMS HAVE TO HAVE LUBE IT WILL END UP IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AND THERE ARE NO PISTON RINGS THAT SEAL 100% NOW THINK OF AN ENGINE TURNING UPWARDS OF 10000 RPM AND IF YOU RIDE LIKE ME THEY TURN THAT FOR MOST OF THE DAY, SO IF IT IS OKAY FOR AN ENGINE THAT TURNS 5-6000 RPM TO BURN 1 QT EVERY 1000 MILES THEN AN ENGINE TURNING 10000 RPM SHOULD BE FINE USING 1 QT EVERY 500 OR SO MILES, SO I WOULD NOT WORRY AT ALL ABOUT RX1 ENGINES USING A LITTLE OIL, IN FACT IF IT DIDNT USE OIL I WOULD BE SCARED TO DEATH BECAUSE THAT MEANS SOME PARTS ARE NOT RECIEVING PROPER LUBRICATION.

 

[LazyBastard]

I only get oil light every 1500 or so miles - about right to do an oil change. Its not like it uses oil like a Chrysler (2 qt/hr on the highway) - mind you, at least with a Chrysler, you never have to change the oil.....

 

[Boston RX1]

A previous post stole my thunder. I have a hard time telling how much oil is in my tank. I think the dip stick sucks. I can never tell whether to add or not. Maybe next years sled will have a stick that a normal person can read instead of having to be a mind reader.