oil leak

i know there is another thred about this but i cant seem to find any info...

ive got a curvey and i recently rode over to JHS for a service price check... james( i think thats his name ) noticed i had no oil in my bike and i think ahh crap... so i go home and fil my oil up.... it was nearly dry i filed it up between full and low mark... with bike stood upright.... i then ride to work and ride home ... and today i rode to work again and looked at my oil and its only showing when i tip the bike over past center....... .... my engine is clean no oil marks or snail trails!

they only thing i can think of is its burning oil.. but i dont see any white smoke out of my lovery viper

i use my bike everyday and through out the winter..im no fair weather rider ... so this needs to be fixed!

anoyone got any ideals?

ps distance to work is roughly 10 miles thire and back!

Drain off your oil and replace with 2.3l if it's a curvy (2.6l I think if it's a pointy). At least then you'll know it has precisely the amount of oil required.

The best way to check oil is to start the engine for a minute or two (to allow the oil to warm) and then after switching off wait approx five minutes (to allow the warm oil to flow freely into the crankcase) before checking. I find holding the bike perfectly upright for a good ten seconds gives time for the oil to move to a central position rather than still partly being on the left hand side due to being on the sidestand. Also if checked on a rear paddock stand it will show more than it really has.


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It worries me the amount of people who do this.

noticed i had no oil in my bike and i think ahh crap... so i go home and fil my oil up.... it was nearly dry i filed it up between full and low mark... with bike stood upright....

Oil is the most important fluid in the bike. Without petrol, the engine stops, no problem

Without Water or Oil you will and maybe have wrecked the Engine. Make a concious effort to check the oil before you ride, at least every weekend.

Warm the engine up by riding it to get the temperature to normal. Then either with assistance to hold the bike level or prop it up level, make sure the oil is at least visible in the window.

If you are looking for smoke from the exhaust, its already too late. White smoke would generally point to head gasket or cooling problems where burning oil smoke is blue

[northwind]

TBH if it was that low I'm amazed JHS would let you ride away, not without some serious warnings anyway...

[squirrel_hunter]

I have the same problem. My bike drinks it faster than I can replace it!

I'm just waiting for it to go pop again... I have no smoke and the gas feels dry (cause I think I'm running lean anyway). Appart from checking everyday the only advice that I have been given is buy a bike that can keep up with me! So out of interest whats your ridding style? After doing 2strokes and a CBR400 I live next to the red line, plus with the SV's engine breaking I'm in the power band 90% of the time going up and down the box.

Also the oil warning light never goes on! I'm told this is because its oil pressure and not level... what use is that? and is there a mod to turn it into a useful level indicator?

[northwind]

I rag the **** out of mine daily and it doesn't burn much oil. It is dropping a fair amount just now, mind, but when it's not leaking it very rarely needs more.

[Richie]

Originally Posted by suzsv650

they only thing i can think of is its burning oil.. but i dont see any white smoke out of my lovery viper

anoyone got any ideals?

Blue smoke is oil burning, White smoke is Coolant (or condensation on a cold morning)

maybe the oil was that low that the oil had not filled up all the gallery's in the engine, so when the oil pump stared pumping the oil round it filled them up,

Jonboy has the best solution

Originally Posted by jonboy

Drain off your oil and replace with 2.3l if it's a curvy (2.6l I think if it's a pointy). At least then you'll know it has precisely the amount of oil required.

The best way to check oil is to start the engine for a minute or two (to allow the oil to warm) and then after switching off wait approx five minutes (to allow the warm oil to flow freely into the crankcase) before checking. I find holding the bike perfectly upright for a good ten seconds gives time for the oil to move to a central position rather than still partly being on the left hand side due to being on the sidestand. Also if checked on a rear paddock stand it will show more than it really has.


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[northwind]

This whole thread reminds me of when i took the Horrible Yam in for its first service, and when I went to collect it the mechanic had a coke can and a big tub of oil set out in the workshop... "This is all the oil that was in your engine. This big container is how much oil should be in your engine." He poured the coke can into an oil tray "See all those shiney bits? Those would still be part of your engine if you had aver checked the oil. You're a jammy b******."

Course, I still reckon it left the dealers in the first place short since it never burned a drop after that...

Got mine back from the dealer yesterday after the 600 mile service.

The oil was only just visible in the bottom of the window so I had to top it up.

Good job I don't trust dealers and check everything.

[squirrel_hunter]

Originally Posted by northwind

This whole thread reminds me of when i took the Horrible Yam in for its first service, and when I went to collect it the mechanic had a coke can and a big tub of oil set out in the workshop... "This is all the oil that was in your engine. This big container is how much oil should be in your engine."

I hate it when that happens!