Carrying engine oil

[thedukeofhunslet]

I thought this post was a bit weak when I first read it - I mean, if you need oil just stop and buy some right?

Err... wrong.

Its my own fault but with the bike only being serviced in May I fell into the false security of not checking my oil. So off I went... Otley, Pately bridge, Lofthouse, Leyburn, Richmond, catterick and then whoa! What''s that on the dash.

I'm 10 miles from Northallerton and the oil light is on. There's no flashing amber triangle just a little oil picture. So I stop on a flat surface and hoist it up on the centrestand and let it rest for a few minutes to see how much oil is in it.
Answer... err... none. I leave it a few minutes more and still none. I tip it over and see a little bit sloshing about at the bottom of the glass inspection lens.

Jesus. So I set off to the garage in Northallerton - slowly, listening for tell tale signs of trouble.
When I get to the petrol station I find that it is now more interested in being a Co-op then it is in serving the needs of the modern motorist - and while it has a choice of 7 different kinds of drinking water it has only 2 different types of oil - and one of those is for diesel.

So I now have 3/4 litre at a whopping £8 a litre of a brand of oil in it that I didn't want in it.

So it transpires that carrying a 500ml SIG bottle isn't such a daft idea after all - if like me you forget to check it.

 

[Micky]

I ride an F800GS and therefore don't need to carry oil

 

[Voyager61]

Now that should be on!
If I just press this little button here.............. Doh!

How about that! Had the same sort of mod made for me ... though the aluminium is 'L' shaped and removable, but the rubber surround ensures a snug fit.

I usually carry a chain in the space ... more pics here:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155486

I have a BMW bag for my litre of oil, complete with disposable gloves, funnels and wipes (under £3 from my dealership)

which I'll carry in a pannier - prevent it being half-inched ....

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

Honestly, I can't think of a single modern production bike that requires the carrying of oil, unless hundreds of miles from nowhere, which in the modern world means you're at one of the poles on your bike, and probably f*cked anyway. All these oil carrying "solutions"!

 

[King Rat]

If you put the bike on the side stand it always has enough oil in it when I check mine this way.

 

[LEGOscum]

Sorry to necrobump and old post, I'm new but I have some thoughts on this topic:

With all the suggestions of what kind of bottle to put the oil in I wondered by no-one has suggested using the oil bottle that they are sold in.

I also wondered what is so "wannabe" about fixing them to the rear of pannier? It makes sense to have them fitted somewhere that they can't be damaged by flying debris or a collision, which means putting them at the back of something is sensible. Also, if they leak then the will drip behind the bike rather than onto the frame/chain/etc.

I'm impressed by the pannier mod some of you have done. I have a suggestion to make that might improve it - trim a cooling rack to fit the base and fold down some extra wire to create a gap beneath, and put some women's sanitary products below to soak up the oil.

 

[pistonbrokescooby]

hi all
i carry a litre of oil ,castrol ,castrol supplied plastic container attached to frame with 2 1inch wide cam buckle staps. no probs. have not had one slit yet . kiss a death on it now.

 

[Pathologic]

Jury rigg

I took a scotoiler top up bottle to Syria and back in a small home made bag strapped underneath the topbox rack and above the rear light. Also had room for some bungee straps and a rachet strap for the ferry. It worked a treat.

Didn't use any oil in 7,000 miles

Regards,

Path.

 

[andyclift]

I wondered by no-one has suggested using the oil bottle that they are sold in.

A couple of years back and oil a bit low while driving through Italy and a ltre of oil cost me a really stupid price. Used about half and being a tight git did up the cap tightly and placed bottle in plastic bag in pannier.

OK for a week then drove home. On arrival discovered oil everywhere. Expensive spare leather gloves soaked, pannier inner bag soaked, clothes soaked. After repeated unsuccessful washing I threw the lot away.

Since then have carried a small Sigg bottle of oil on a TT rack on rear of pannier. Rarely use it but I always carry a first aid kit, bulbs and puncture outfit and rarely use those either. Still carry them though.

 

[GSmonkey]

I just stand a standard topup bottle upright in one of the panniers. Always keep it in a plastic bag with duct tape over the lid to stop leaks.

 

[MattW]

My 1100 uses about 200ml / 1000 miles. Not many garages stock 20w50 these days, so on a trip I carry oil in a little 500ml Sig fuel bottle in a pannier (in a plastic bag with a little cut down funnel cos I'm sad ). This bottle is wrapped in a couple of metres of duct tape (to store the duct tape, not because I'm worried about the bottle bursting).

 

[mirboo72]

My 1100 uses about 200ml / 1000 miles. Not many garages stock 20w50 these days, so on a trip I carry oil in a little 500ml Sig fuel bottle in a pannier (in a plastic bag with a little cut down funnel cos I'm sad ). This bottle is wrapped in a couple of metres of duct tape (to store the duct tape, not because I'm worried about the bottle bursting).

I got one of those nippy norman bottles that fit in the carbon canister space that adventure models have from 2008 on..
But i binned it as the screw top rubs against the frame and cuts it open with vibes.. so picked up a copy of sigg bottle for £7.00 500ml..at cotswolds lots better and cheaper than NN bottle..
If you crash and have a fracture, and oil leeks out that 500 ml could get you to help....you just don't know what can happen out on the road..
If you use it once...blalala you know the rest.

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

I got one of those nippy norman bottles that fit in the carbon canister space that adventure models have from 2008 on..
But i binned it as the screw top rubs against the frame and cuts it open with vibes.. ..

Ditto that... Does the Sigg fit the same place?

 

[brianmaslen]

I got one of those nippy norman bottles that fit in the carbon canister space that adventure models have from 2008 on..
But i binned it as the screw top rubs against the frame and cuts it open with vibes.. so picked up a copy of sigg bottle for £7.00 500ml..at cotswolds lots better and cheaper than NN bottle..
If you crash and have a fracture, and oil leeks out that 500 ml could get you to help....you just don't know what can happen out on the road..
If you use it once...blalala you know the rest.

A Scottoiler bottle fits in the carbon canister space perfectly, all you need is a short rubber strap (stretchy) and a couple of screws to fit in the holes that are already there. Oh and I just asked for a used one from the bike shop and saved £19 on the NN one.

 

[Jake666]

oil

I carry oil and I've used it loads of times. If your in the third world you cant get the oil you need, even if it was there somewhere you waste time looking for it. If your high revving the engine in dozens of short spurts then the oil drops as pistons often find a pitch where they open and allow oil past which burns up. If your cruising no matter what speed you may not need it. Carrying oil is a pain in the ass. I have had them leak in extreme heat and run over the back wheel. I'm just building an ally box, actually two. for the underside of the zega pannier and the rear. If you place it on the front it gets in the way of the pillion, if you pick one up. When I've finished it I'll put up some photos. But I'm off now for 4 months so wont be for a while.

 

[Rasher]

Some claim many "high revving" engines are more prone to using oil when being revved hard, often this is not burning, but from vapourisation, the oil mists up and seeps out via the breather.

Others claim it has a lot to do with how the bike was run-in, I have never religously dawdled about on a new engine after advice from a well respected engine specialist / tuner I was given years ago, along these lines:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

My 1400 never used any oil, even on 3,000 mile tours upon returning the level had barely changed, other owners do use a litre or so between services (3000m) who knows if it is because they cane the bikes, or they were run in differently, or maybe just production tolerances

I have heard the 1200 GS can use 1 litre per 1,000 miles, mine is certainly not doing that, in 800 miles I have put in a bit, but I never checked it out from dealers, I assume it was full when I collected it.

I tend to ride the same home and abroad so will see my consumption before I next go a long way, unless I reckon it will guzzle oil I will take my chances, plus for a bit of topping up type and grade is not really critical, certainly better than not enough oil.

 

[Steptoe]

I carry oil and I've used it loads of times. If your in the third world you cant get the oil you need, even if it was there somewhere you waste time looking for it.

You generally know when your going to need oil well before you actually need it.

If you get to the point where you leave it until you can't ride unless you add some oil you'd better learn to think ahead.

Have a nice time..

 

[Steptoe]

Some claim many "high revving" engines are more prone to using oil when being revved hard, often this is not burning, but from vapourisation, the oil mists up and seeps out via the breather.

.

Simple remedy, add an oil breather filter in the breather line.

I used to work on a despatch riders K75 with over 300K miles that burned oil through the breather. Added a rover 800 oil breather filter and it stopped using oil .

 

[buellzebub]

Simple remedy, add an oil breather filter in the breather line.

I used to work on a despatch riders K75 with over 300K miles that burned oil through the breather. Added a rover 800 oil breather filter and it stopped using oil .

How does that work? Is there a negative pressure/vacuum in the airbox that 'sucks' the oil vapour through, but which is eliminated by venting to atmosphere through a breather filter?
Could a breather filter possibly cause emulsification through airborne moisture or rain entering the crankcase?

Mick

 

[Gazzabart]

none

during the summer i did a 5536 mile trip over 3 weeks
we were two up n fully / overloaded
i once to be safe put in 20ML of oil cos i prop miss read the glass window
prob didnt even need it
but i am convinced the more miles you put on your bike
the more the engine settles
the less oil is req
oh yea its a 06 1200GSA