1200 Hex Head Burning Oil!!!

[RoyF]

Likewise Tam, we must be one of the lucky ones, bought a 90th edition GSA new in March 2013, and have never had to top it up in 14,500 miles. Typically drops from about 3/4 up the sight glass down to around halfway between 6,000 mile oil changes. Ran it in as per the book, never thrashed it but rode it normally on hilly type B and smaller roads for a good 1,000 miles, various revs and gears, never let it labour or over rev or wide open throttle.....seems to have done the trick

 

[Bendy toy]

I've just done another 500 mile day return trip to London. Horses were not spared and it got quite hot in city traffic. The oil level has not moved even slightly.

 

[deerstalker]

No oil burn

I've just done another 500 mile day return trip to London. Horses were not spared and it got quite hot in city traffic. The oil level has not moved even slightly.

Run 2010 gs bought new.
Dun first 70 miles like I stole it. ( distance from dealers home) then changed oil and filter. Does not use any oil between servicing

 

[fizzer]

make sure its got the correct oil in ,defo not a 5w /30 to thin it will burn it off, use a 20/50 or a 15/40
then then again i reccon you already knew that

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

My 09 GSA uses about 1 Litre every 1000 miles.

 

[tuftywhite]

My 09 GSA uses about 1 Litre every 1000 miles.

Yeah, but you're using olive oil. Just in case you need to cook something!

 

[tanneman]

In the 24000mls of ownership of an 09 GSA the bike has always needed a top up every now and then. It really drank oil on the single track day, 2 top ups during the day. But when ridden enthusiastic it barely registers. Just had to keep an eye on it for there where no set of circumstances or riding conditions or riding standard apart from the track day that would leave me in no doubt it would use oil. The only time it did caught me out was in France. Set of with what appeared a normal oil level. Near our destination at the end of the day the low oil warning light illuminated prompting a refill at the side of the road (it was bloody hot though). Then I might add that it needed no top up during my Iron Butt Saddle Sore run. For info I prefer 10W40 Castrol Racing 4T.

I don't have such problem on the LC. I think it depends on the oil grade, tolerances and also how the piston rings are assembled. These rings if for some reason the compression and scraper ring sort of line up the gap a bit of oil can enter the combustion chamber. In the worst case you would have a smoky engine and sump compression just like a worn engine. That said the 996 era Porsche 911 suffered a bit from bore score due to being a boxer engine and improper cylinder wall treatment. Oil consumption was an indication of bore score. An inspection can be conducted by endoscope or cylinder head removal. I have no knowledge of a BMW boxer engine wearing the cylinders oval and everybody is as happy as a pig in muck with their very high mileage GSs'. So it probably is an oil grade issue.

 

[Bendy toy]

make sure its got the correct oil in ,defo not a 5w /30 to thin it will burn it off, use a 20/50 or a 15/40
then then again i reccon you already knew that

Mine has 10-40 semi synthetic oil and hardly uses any. These days it does far too many short runs but as said above 250 mile motorway to town trundling it hardly burns any oil. However, over fill it and it will burn off the excess. If its drastically overfilled and side stand parked, the exhaust will blow blue smoke on startup.

 

[Andy63]

When I bought my GSA it had 20000 on the clock which is high by Jersey standards.

The dealer did mention to me once i had bought the bike that it will burn oil especially if i took it to France or UK and to keep an eye on it.
I was fairly suspicious that I may have bought a bike that had been ragged and had a knackered engine.

Any how while away in France it did go through about a litre of oil averaging 1500 miles.

I read on here somewhere that once the engine has done around 25000 you can change from Mineral to Semi synthetic, so I changed over at 34,000.

Engine sounded better and stopped burning oil mileage is at 47000 and haven't needed to top up between oil changes.