Oil usage: Africa Twin
 

Hi Guys
I got myself a 1998 Africa Twin about a year ago.
Got 52 000 km's on the clock at the moment.
My worry is that the motor is using about 250 ml oil on about 700 km's.
My question is: Is it normal? Spoken to some Africa Twin buddies of mine and some has the same problem. Others not.
Please advice
Ferdie

Hi mate

I'm on a 2002 africa twin and having similar issues - about a litre of oil every 1000 miles, but no smoking (that I have seen) and no leaks. Having asked over on XRV.ORG it doesnt seem to be a common problem, with many not needing to top up between services. Sadly nobody offered up a solution either.

It's due a service in the next month or two so i'll ask and come back with any advice/solutions.


Paul

Hi Guys,
I have had two ATs and neither of them ever need oil top up (but then i do change the oil at 4000miles). Neither of you are having any smoking (even when cold)? and no seepage at all? Okay first thing to do is pull you plugs out and see what colour they are. This will tell you if you are burning oil or if your mixture is too ritch/lean. Then stick your finger in the tail pipe (no rude comments please) and it will come out black but should be a dry(ish) black feeling if it feels like talcum power you are getting oil in there. You have to then thing rings/seal/gasget type problem (cant tell you more with out knowing colour, type of black stuff. Lastly take off radiator cap, feel around if it comes out white-oilly-frothy-stuff you have a blown head gasket.

Also take off the bash plate (turn off your scott oiler if you have one) wash the under side of the bike throughly so that there is as no oil and as little muck as possible, then check again for seepage hot/cold after a long ride, traffic. If there is some it may simple be that your compression (oil plug) washer is buggered. Or maybe an other gasket, oil filter seal.. Have you replaced the compression washer EVERY time you change oil (common thing to forget.. in truth i only do mine when i know it has perished or every 3 time which ever comes first). If not it is a likely cause, only little dent in them.. drip drip drip.. .

Cowhoon where did you post on XRV.org (and under what name?) it is just rare that someone there does not have an answer!? there is some real experts (like pros!), not like me.

Good luck to you both.
Xander


p.s. I could not think of a fast way to describe the colour chat thing so i typed it in to google and came up with this (among 100s of others but this looks like a good enough guide.. )

Motorcycle Sparkplug Maintenace Guide - Motorcycle Maintenance Guide

this one is even better
Spark Plugs

Not abnormal I think. When my 2002 Africa Twin set off from the UK it had 17000 miles on the clock (27000 kms) and it got through half a litre every thousand miles (so to compare to yours, 250ml every 800kms).

Now it's in Cape Town having done a total of 35000 miles (56000 kms) and it gets through maybe 750ml every thousand miles (or 250ml every 530kms!). No leakage, no oiled plugs, no sign of oil residues in exhaust, all looks normal. So I'm not worrying about it and I suggest you don't either!

What you can do though is downgrade the quality of the oil you're using as you're nolonger asking it to last the full 8000mile service interval, as a lot of it is burnt and replaced. So I've stopped using synth based and started using mineral based oil, which keeps costs a bit lower.

And why don't petrol stations sell oil in proper sized containers in South Africa!? It's harder to buy a top up here than it was in blinkin' Niger!

It happens sometimes if you use aftermarket exhaust. One of my friends never had problems with oil level and after he changed exhast (Arrow) he had add 250 ml every 1000 km.
My AT is 18 years old and takes oil only if I drive very fast on motorway.

I recon he need to re-jet his then...
Arrow race can right? A not road leagal one... !!

I dont think you have anything to worry about. Motorway speeds will often use more oil, but lesser speeds seem to use nothing.

I think that some bikes just use a little more, and if I had your bike I wouldnt worry at all. I'd just check it more.

Anyway, thanks for getting back to everyone who offered some help.......

What's the manufacturer's specified maximum oil consumption? (if Honda specifies it?) That is your benchmark, if it's less than that, it's OK. If more, you ought to check the top end and compression and or/replace the oil rings if necesarry.

Oil consumption always varies even on the same model of bikes. Couple of microns difference in the oil rings can cause a visible oil consumption difference - also bikes are run-in differently and ridden differently. I know mates of mine having 2 similar CBR1000s, one has an relatively excessive oil consumption (but apparently within the spec) while the other has almost nothing.

I reckon around 300ml for 1000km would never put the exhaust to smoke on such a big CC bike, it has to be more than a liter per 1Kkm to see visible smoke from the exhaust. If the consumption doesn't grow after 10+Kkm ride, I wouldn't worry too much about it, just top it up more frequently and ride on :)