Oil consumption

[Lordy]

Help,

I have an '03 Tiger with 35,000 klms (give or take a few) on it.  I have recently returned from a longish ride of around 7,600 klms and the bike used oil like you wouldn't believe. I will list the facts below and let you guys have a think about them and maybe come up with a few answers or suggestions for me

* Castrol TT mineral oil:  1ltr in 10,000klms; City riding only (This is when it started)
* Motul Semi Synthetic: 3 litres in 3,500 klms;  Outback Australia riding (not particularly hot but some sustained 140+kph riding)
* Mobil 1 Full Synthetic (It was here I discovered this is the recommended oil): 3 liters 4,200 klms:  Outback Australia riding (not particularly hot but some sustained 150+kph riding and also a lot at speed limits at approx 5,000rpm)
* The bike started using oil "out of the blue"
* No oil in air filter box from breather tube
* No blue smoke unless ridden at sustained high revs, 8,000+rpm and then not much and wispy.
* No smoke on deceleration followed by abrupt acceleration
* No smoke on start up, engine cold or hot
* Oil consumption seems not to be associated to engine revs.
* I check the oil, usually, with 10mins of the engine being shut down.

Last weekend I rode, as a test, approx 500klms. Upon returning home I checked the oil after about 15 mins, it was showing half way down the cross hatch on the dip stick.  The next morning I went out to top it up and re dipped it and it then read a tad over full, as it had prior to leaving the previous morning.
My questions are:
* Does any of your bikes take 12 hrs for all the oil to drain back into the sump?
* Have I been overfilling the bike and has the bike been blowing out the excess all this time? (I don't think so!)
* Has anyone out there heard of a "fix" that was put out by Triumph for excessive oil use on 955's that required replacement of an internal oil seal on the engine breather system located behind the L/H engine (alternator) cover?

I am interested to read your comments and if anyone has info on the last point ?????

Thanks

Peter

[The Kurgan]

I certainly hope you get this matter sorted.

I'm a little confused,... your signature says 2006 Tiger, but you refer to a Dec 2003 build date Tiger.

Anyway, I have had better luck with semi-synthetic motor oils over the years, as they seem to resist burning up. Having said that, my motorcycles seem to run cooler using full synthetics.

My 2005 Tiger doesn't seem to burn a drop of oil, but I live a cooler climate and I rarely push the engine at sustained rpms.

Good luck and I will be following your saga closely.

[The Kurgan]

BTW, thanks for posting up regarding leaky gaskets! I appreciate the input.

[Lordy]

I will change info now, and no probs with the head gasket info, it is basically 10ftlbs higher than std in stages 1 & 2 with the std 90 deg angle tighten

Peter

[NortonCharlie]

The cam chain channel (where the oil runs back from the head to the case) is on the right hand side of the engine.  When you shut down before checking the oil it is a good idea to lean the bike slightly right for after shut down.  also any residual oil hanging up top will collect in the head if it is sitting on the side stand.  I typically lean bike a little right for a bit just prior to checking the oil.

[Lordy]

Thanks for the replys so far, the oil is always checked with the bike on the centrestand.  The last check, with the oil mysteriously appearing, was done with the bike being on the centrestand from pullup at the finish of the ride and not being moved at all. It really has me bamboozled.

[The Kurgan]

Hey Lordy, any updates on your oil consumption saga?

[Lordy]

G'day Kurgan

Yeah, there may be a ray of sunshine but it is yet to be confirmed.  The story so far is.....  I was speaking to an ex Triumph mechanic recently and he recollected a service bulletin being sent out some years back by triumph regarding oil consumption in Tigers he thought.  

The cause was crankcase pressurisation by blocked/restricted crankcase breather pipe or failed internal seal in crankcase breather tract.
The fix is this:
1st: Check that the rubber breather tube between airbox and front of the left crankcase cover (alternator) is free and unrestricted.
2nd: Remove left hand (alternator) cover and replace oil seal situated in the cover. This oil seal receives a steel tube routed from within the crankcase which is the internals of the breather system.

Apparently if this seal fails the crankcase becomes pressurised and blows oil up the liners and under the rings causing oil consumption. I also spoke with a colleague of mine about poor crankcase ventilation in general and he confirmed the very real possibility of that being a cause of oil consumption.  Tomorrow, Monday, I will ring a contact I have at the Triumph Australia technical area and double check the info I have been given and to see if he can come up with any other causes or fixes.

Since we spoke last I have had a total hip replacement so it will be a few months before I can do the work and get my bum in the saddle to test it so don't hold your breath for an immediate result.  I timed it right as far as the weather is concerned, it is 4deg c here and has been snowing this morning so the bike is better off tucked up in the shed. You can have riding in the cold all to yourself  ha ha ha ha

Peter

[Lordy]

Forget what I mentioned above with the breather etc, that problem was with the twin cylinder versions.

The news from Triumph........  I will not mention the brand of oils used before BUT I was told to use Mobil1 only.  I have used Mobil1 5w-50 and that has about halved the consumption.  Since using the 5w-50 it has been pointed out I should be using Mobil1 Extra 4T 10w-40. I should put a measured amount (not relying on dipstick measurement) into the engine and travel 1,000klms at "normal" speeds. I should then drop out the oil and measure consumption for that distance.  If consumption is at 400mls or less that is considered to be normal.  I am a bit antzy about that because it used absolutely none for the 1st 25,000klms of it's life.

I invite your considered comments on my thoughts below please.

If consumption dropped by approx 40%-50% by changing to Synthetic 5w-50 (and remember that it is winter here and operating temps are lower than summer therefore the oil is operating at the lower, thinner, end of it's viscosity rating) what would happen if I were to use  Mobil1 Synthetic 15w-50oil? or to a Mobil mineral oil 20w-50 which is thicker again at the colder (thinner) end of the scale?  Do you think consumption would drop further?

Along the same vein of thought I could use Penrite who Have Synthetics rated at 10w-70 or 15w-40 or 25w-60. What will the higher viscositys to to clutch drag on a hot day in the city traffic?

Gimme a hand here guys please   :?

[The Kurgan]

Lordy;

Alot of guys at the KLR650.net forum have been experimenting with heavier weight dino oils as there have been NUMEROUS reports of serious oil consumption, even with the 2008+ KLR650 models! Results are mixed, but generally speaking... there seems to be improvements when using the Shell Rotella 15w40 diesel oil -- all the qualities you look for in a motorcycle oil, but cheaper and thicker.

I would say that you are looking for bandaid solutions. If your Tiger is burning oil, something is wrong with it and it needs to be fixed. I would bet my bottom dollar you need new and/or upgraded rings and/or valve seals.

I am also a bit weary of going with oils out of the Triumph recommended range... only because of the tight tolerances in the engine. You want to be sure the proper amount of oil is reaching every nook and cranny or you'll have bigger headaches down the road.

[Lordy]

Kurgman,
I would say that you are right, to a certain extent, about bandaid solutions.
The primary reason is cost. I visited a US sight and priced all parts required to re-ring the engine and replace valve guide oils seals and the cost was in the vicinity of $250.00 US + postage.  The equivalent parts purchased in Australia came in a tad over $1,000.00.  And that was without sleeves that I am told are unable to be honed to receive new rings.

When I run the engine on Triumph recommended oil and if consumption drops to or below 400mls per 1,000klms it will be deemed as "normal" consumption by Triumph.  Even though that amount of consumption is small it is inconvenient on long trips. If i can reduce consumption further by "playing" with different oil viscosities (and not spending in excess of a grand to do it) I will.

On the other hand if the oil consumption is greater than the 400mls per 1,000klms I will have to lobby Triumph pretty hard to get any sort of assistance due to the age of the machine. If no assistance is forthcoming any reasonable method I can find of reducing oil consumption will be welcome.

Peter