Serious oil consumption

[NortonCharlie]

I've got a 2001 955i Tiger with about 49000 miles.  About 3 oil changes back, I had to add a little oil.  The next I used about a quart or so in 5000 miles,  Last oil change I used 2 1/2 quarts in 4000 miles.  I just had the oil changed at the 48k checkup, since I have ridden about 400 miles and I am guessing it is about 4 oz down.  When I had the valves adjusted at about 35k, I had them run a compression check and the checked about 185, 185, 190



No drips, it doesn't appear to be leaking.  The air cleaner box is clean with no sign of oil residue.  It doesn't smoke on startup.  I had people watch my exhaust during the leaf ride Sunday.  It appear to puff a fair amount of black smoke when I get on it, which I was doing alot.  No one seemed to smell oil or describe the smoke as blue.  Another odd thing I found was at full throttle in top gear at about 115 MPH (professional driver on closed course of course)  It missed a bit and didn't feel real strong.  It alway used to pull up past 130 without missing a beat.  It pulled 140 on the dyno as smooth as silk.



I pulled the breather hose at the motor side and it was a little oily on the motor end, but nothing ran out.  I started the motor and I didn't  see anything come out and felt very little air movement.



Is it time to find a new engine?

[Sasquatch]

I'll post the same reply to you here that I did on the Tiger Yahoo group:



I am going to guess that your O2 sensor is a little weak, forcing your motor to run a tad rich.  By running rich, the fuel will wash down the oil on the cylinder walls faster and burn it off.  50k miles is a fair run for an oxygen sensor.  Replace it, have the shop check what tune is in your bike, install a clean air filter and see what that does.

 

Sasquatch

[Patrick the Scot]

Tigerjay, you are a wealth of knowledge.  Simply amazing. Your response almost makes me want to get up and go to the fridge and crack a beer...  Hold on a minute... Ok. I'm back.  Ssssss-craaack.  Glug,glug,glug. Ahhhh.  Here's to you Tigerjay for knowing far more than 91.37% of all "motorcycle mechanics" in the USA.   Even if you are wrong on your diagnosis, at least you had the  knowledge to make the suggestion!

[Sasquatch]

Tigerjay, you are a wealth of knowledge.  Simply amazing. Your response almost makes me want to get up and go to the fridge and crack a beer...  Hold on a minute... Ok. I'm back.  Ssssss-craaack.  Glug,glug,glug. Ahhhh.  Here's to you Tigerjay for knowing far more than 91.37% of all "motorcycle mechanics" in the USA.   Even if you are wrong on your diagnosis, at least you had the  knowledge to make the suggestion!

Thank you for the kind words.  Have a good chipped beef BBQ sandwich for me as well.  That is the one thing I miss about my time in Texas.  Good BBQ.



I feel the same thing about most mechanics.  They are not mechanics any more, simply "parts changers".  They expect the computer to tell them what the problem is, then they change parts untill it is fixed (at your expense, of course).

[Patrick the Scot]

Yes Sir!  Good BBQ.  However, up here in Lubbock on the Llano Estacado Plains, we don't have the real BBQ.  The best BBQ is down in the Hill Country deep in the Heart of Texas.  Cooper's Old Time Texas BBQ, in Llano Tx, is the best that I've found.  



As to your musings on mechanics.  It is just sad that the motorcycle industry is infested with these young, hat-on-backwards, baggy pants punks who bought some Snap-On tools on credit and then called themselves mechanics.  Conversely, I have run into burned-out old time mechanics who are tired of the business and would rather just change parts that do some homework. And yes, we the customer and our motorcycles are the ones that pay the price.



However, I do know some consumate professionals.  One in particular is the Cycle Shack in Lubbock TX. They are a KTM race shop that knows the physics of the engines, suspension,  etc. inside and out.  



Also, from what I have heard the guys at PJ's Triumph in Albuquerque NM, are also a real mechanics.  I have not had to use their services yet, but their reputation for working on the bikes is the main reason that I purchased from them and not here in Lubbock.

[NortonCharlie]

I have been thinking about the running rich thinning the oil thing.  The oxygen sensor makes sence.  If I look at the history.  About 10K miles ago I was told my bike puffed a bit of black right before shifting when all the way in it.  Now it puffs black whenever I get in it hard.  Oil consumption doesn't seem to bad for the 1st 1,000 miles then prograssively worse to the point it seemed to drink it the last 1000 miles.



I will pull the O2 sensor out his afternoon and clean it.  I guess they (at least in some Hondas) get a little carbon build up then start running rich which causes more build up etc.  The other suggestion was trying a different tune.  I'm not even sure what tune I am running.  It was the latest early this spring.  A guy was telling me about 1 tune for a 595 Datona that was so rich it would barely run.



BTW, I have run either Triumph 4t or Mobil1 MX4T exclusively in my Tiger.  I don't really think it is starting to wear out yet.  It for the most part runs to good for that and it isn't showing the classic signs of rings or valve seals.  The thing about running rich is I have been getting 42-45 MPG same as new.

[NortonCharlie]

I pulled the Oxygen sensor and it was black but wasn't plugged with carbon.  I brushed it off with a brass brush and put it back in.  There really wasn't much carbon on so don't think I fixed anything.  I will probably have to spend the $140.00 for a new one to find out.

[Sasquatch]

I pulled the Oxygen sensor and it was black but wasn't plugged with carbon.  I brushed it off with a brass brush and put it back in.  There really wasn't much carbon on so don't think I fixed anything.  I will probably have to spend the $140.00 for a new one to find out.

No you don't.  First of all, brushing off the outside did nothing.  The probe that gets contaminated is within the metal housing (with the fins on it).  Try saturating it with aresol carburator cleaner a couple of times.



If you need a new O2 sensor, just count how many wires come out of it.  I think ours are 3 wire.  One sensor wire (black) and a power and ground for the preheater element (both white).  Just go to your FLAPS (Friendly Local Auto Parts Store) and get the cheapest generic 3 wire O2 sensor they have (usually $30-50).  Cut the wires and use crimp butt splices to attach it to the Triumph harness.  Do not solder the leads.  The O2 sensors get oxygen down the core of the wires to operate.  Sounds wierd, but trust me.  The two white wires can attach to either white wire, but the black wire needs to go to black wire.



O2 sensors are basicly all the same.  You just have one wire, three wire and four wire sensors.  One wire is not heated (rare any more), three and four wire are pre-heated.  Most are all made by Bosch, even if they are branded with another name.



(Did I earn a BBQ sammich yet?)

[NortonCharlie]

Try saturating it with aresol carburator cleaner a couple of times.

I considered doing just that but didn't want to contaminate the sensor.  I don't know how they actually work and was concerned a solvent might solve my dilema by making it quit working completely.



Shouldn't my check engine light come on if the Oxygen sensor goes out of spec?

[Sasquatch]

Not always.  If it totally fails, yes.  But if it is reading a little off, the computer does not know anything.  If the O2 sensor is telling the ECM that the motor is lean, the coputer will simply richen it up.  That is how it is supposed to work.  Only a total failure of the O2 sensor will trigger a CEL.



At near 50k miles, I would not even fight it.  I would replace the O2 sensor anyway.  I would even do it if the motor was running good.  Preventative maint.

[Patrick the Scot]

Tigerjay, If your diagnosis is correct, I will deliver a BBQ sammidge to Meridian, Idaho next year at the ADV rally. Of course, that is going to be 1700 miles one way, so the Q sauce might be at little rancid after riding in my ammo crate for two days.

[NortonCharlie]

I hooked my Tiger up the the Triumph Diagnostic tool today.  Under Fuel System Status it Read "OPEN" rather than "CLOSED LOOP"  I am guessing that means it isn't looking at the Oxygen sensor.  



Does the Tune for the Offroad exhaust disable the Oxygen sensor?



If so the new O2 sensor won't help much.



I did find the throttle closed setting was 12% rather than 0 so that is reset.  I guess that might have been messing up my mixture.  I'll keep at this till I figure it out.  900 miles on this last oil change and it doesn't appear to have used any oil, but it does smell like gas.

[NortonCharlie]

PROBLEM FIXED



The seal on the end of the couterbalance shaft (located in the alternator cover on the left side of the motor) was installed upside down from the factory.  I guess it worked for 20,000 miles or so.  I put in a new seal and another new seal after screwing up the 1st and no more smoke, very low if any oil consumption, back up to 44 MPG from 40 MPG,  and it runs great again.



 As per Tiger guru Johann



Thanks