Oil consumption....

[Funners]

so....is there a "normal" consumption for these engines ???
the reason I ask is that I keep regularly chekcing the oil level and it's still full... I've covered around 800 miles and as I was under the impression they used a bit (especially at new) I'm concerend/curious
I'm checking whilst fully warm (after a ride) and after sitting for a few mins to let it all settle back down again...
any comments ??

 

[MattSwain]

It varies

There's another thread about the running-in procedure over the last few days where this has been discussed. Sounds like you are doing the right thing to check your oil, make sure the ground is level and you use the centre stand rather than the side stand to be as accurate as possible.

Some people say they've never needed to put oil in despite having done thousands of miles, whereas mine has needed a litre of oil since the 600 mile service and I'm only just over 3000 miles now. It seems that they're all a bit different.

 

[Hexme]

Mines the same mate, got 2500 miles on the clock since I got it new in November, hasn't used any oil apart from the obvious oil change at 600 miles. Must have run my bike in for at least 20 miles before riding it normally.

 

[GSmonkey]

I've found that if I ride round like a granny the consumption is quite low. As soon as I start giving it a few beans or run it at high rpm down the motorway it starts to drink.

 

[Tim Cullis]

45000 miles on my 06 1200GSA and it's never used oil between changes.

Tim

 

[Funners]

Thanks for the replies, thats put my mind at rest (tho why NOT using oil should be a problem I don't know ) I suspect it's just that the Salesman made a specific mention of Boxers using oil and it being normal...
cheers

 

[patboy]

Yeah mine is the same never put oil into it since I bought it (05 reg), presently 35000 due next service 36000. Its about half full on the level but so far I have only used it commuting. A guy I work with tends to give his more welly to and from work, bit motorway etc and always seems to be putting oil in the bike. You have to run it and check the level. When I was away on holiday and first checked the oil it showed empty! Yikes I thought then rushed out to buy some oil, rechecked, and it was half full. When I come back from a run, I put it on the side stand for a short period, then on the main stand and 5mins after check. The test will be this weekend up and down to Congleton to get some lights fitted. I might just take a some oil with me!

 

[spock]

45000 miles on my 06 1200GSA and it's never used oil between changes.

Tim

are'but,did you check it

 

[ghost-rider]

i know somebodys gonna come and say this is wrong, but ive found that its better to check my oil when its been stood on its ctr stand all night after a long run, come out in the morning and check it, coz i found that if you take it for a good run get it warmed right up and then put it on the ctr stand and give it 20mins,the oil was still showing full in the sight glass!! the oil aint gonna av settled down in a few mins I dont care what anybody says!, its gonna take quite a while for the oil to all run back down specially with oil pressure aswell

I rang North oxford bmw and told him what id just said and he said, to be fare thats the only way you can check it because otherwise you'll be waiting round for ages for the oil to settle down

 

[GSmonkey]

...don't forget manual says check hot oil. Hot oil will expand by over 10% over cold. You're reading will therefore be well off if you're doing it cold. 4ltr of oil hot will be 3.6ltr cold....or virtually at the bottom of the glass.

 

[ghost-rider]

so if your taking a reading off "expanded" oil, surely thats not a true reading????

for instance if you were doing an oil change you'd be putting the oil in cold and filling to the correct level, or am i missing somat

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Anyproblems?

".......I dont care what anybody says!, ....." Not even the handbook ? I don't believe that the level is at all critical and as long as oil is visible in the glass I would sayit is OK. The faster you travel it seems, the more oil you will burn. If you ride within the speed limits (well, perhaps somebody does somewhere) you are unlikely to need to top up between services it seems;

 

[ghost-rider]

".......I dont care what anybody says!, ....." Not even the handbook ? I don't believe that the level is at all critical and as long as oil is visible in the glass I would sayit is OK. The faster you travel it seems, the more oil you will burn. If you ride within the speed limits (well, perhaps somebody does somewhere) you are unlikely to need to top up between services it seems;

its already been proved mate, the handbook aint exactly the best book to use "bmw handbook" or not, take the "bmw" suspension settings for the rear shock for example, if you took notice of what they tell ya to do, your bike will be draggin its arse all over the floor like a dog with worms!!!

And as for "I dont believe the oil level is critical" yeah ok mate!!, its only an air/oil cooled bike after all

 

[Tommo]

".......I dont care what anybody says!, ....." Not even the handbook ? I don't believe that the level is at all critical and as long as oil is visible in the glass I would sayit is OK. The faster you travel it seems, the more oil you will burn. If you ride within the speed limits (well, perhaps somebody does somewhere) you are unlikely to need to top up between services it seems;

Very well put agree 100 %

 

[Sgt Bilco]

its already been proved mate, the handbook aint exactly the best book to use "bmw handbook" or not, take the "bmw" suspension settings for the rear shock for example, if you took notice of what they tell ya to do, your bike will be draggin its arse all over the floor like a dog with worms!!!

And as for "I dont believe the oil level is critical" yeah ok mate!!, its only an air/oil cooled bike after all

Brian never said oil level wasn`t critical. As long as it`s in the sight glass..... that`ll do

I guess that means it doesn`t need to be critical

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Words of one sylable

".....And as for "I dont believe the oil level is critical" yeah ok mate!!, its only an air/oil cooled bike after all..." says Ghost-rider.
Let me put it more clearly for you then... the oil level that you can see in the "window" will vary between MAX and MIN. If the actual level is apparent - i.e. IF YOU CAN SEE THE LEVEL it is nither too full nor too empty. The diffference is HALF a LITRE - and that means that you can have 12.5% less oil than the full 4 litres before you need to DO SOMETHING - now that is not too critical is it?! The makers have decided where to put the window and the acceptable minimum and maximum capacities - who am I to argue? ' Oil will expand when warm therefore the window is only in the right place IF it is at the right temperature and that is why the cooling down period before reading is important..(Yes, I actually WAS a rocket scientist once, when we produced such things)
As far as I am concerned this is all theory because for some 'strange reason' I have never had to top up between services.

 

[ghost-rider]

yeah ok, but nobody actually answerd my question did they, " why is it if you were doing an oil change you would be filling the bike to the correct level with cold oil"???????, bearing in mind i understand that oil expands when its hot

 

[GSmonkey]

yeah ok, but nobody actually answerd my question did they, " why is it if you were doing an oil change you would be filling the bike to the correct level with cold oil"???????, bearing in mind i understand that oil expands when its hot

I didn't think that was the case. You put thee 'correct' amount of oil in, then take it for a ride, measure hot, then top up if necessary. Rocket science it ain't !! The manual tells you to check hot for a reason. The sight glass is in it's very position for a reason. At least if you check cold you'll only overrfill slightly rather than underfill.

Either way if you at least pay attention to your oil you won't go too far wrong.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Sorry about that!

yeah ok, but nobody actually answerd my question did they, " why is it if you were doing an oil change you would be filling the bike to the correct level with cold oil"???????, bearing in mind i understand that oil expands when its hot

I did not realise that that was the question - however it is simple to answer! When you change the oil fill it to THE TOP of the window. Then take it out for a ride and (again in theory) the oil will have filled all the other bits and pieces you have drained off. Let it cool for 5 minutes to the 'right' temperature and hey presto (as they used to say) the level will be just about the mid point - it will certainly be visible and thus OK. (You can top it up if it is slightly below - but so long as you check it regularly and it doesn't vary greatly don't worry and keep on riding.)

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Mountains from mole hills?

I see that we have two chartered engineers working on this formidable problem! Ghost-rider - I see that you are a caravan engineer - just tell me how to chnage my submersed pump on the toilet on my Abbey caravan - that is MORE complicated than rocket science. (only joking - I do know how, but it is a job I have put off for too long!)