My poorly bike! (sorry - it's a long one!) - SV650.org

12-10-04, 10:51 AM

Right, just thought I'd share my tale of woe with you!

A couple of weeks ago now, I had my bike serviced (it was the 8,000 mile but a few hundred miles late - not really a problem though as i always change oil & filter inbetween services any way!).

I informed them that it's drunk a bit more oil than it usually does in the last thousand miles or so, so could they please have a check for me!?
They did the service while I hung around, lounging in the sun!
There was aparrently no problem with the oil - "that's proably just normal!"
So I paid my £150-odd and rode the 15 miles home.
On the way home I noticed a faint smell of hot oil but thought it was probably where they'd spilled a bit on the engine or some such!

So, I get home & notice that there's a waterfall of oil down the left hand side of the bike coming from the top of the engine!
I assumed it was just that they'd over-filled it a bit and me 'giving it the berries' on the way home had forced it out through the airbox.
Checked the oil level & it looked pretty much fine (about 1mm below max).
Went out the next day (Sunday), met up with chutz, Leigh_Bradbury, UKajay and one of ctutz's workmates for a blast round the area from Wessons.
At the cafe I noticed that more oil had appeared on the side of the bike (after having cleaned off the previous lot) so checked the oil level again & it was still fine (it didn't seem to have moved from where it was the previous night!) so went for the ride any way, making a conscious effort to be a bit more sensible and to be more alert in case something should go wrong.
I would have taken the bike back straight away if it was a week day!

Got home after the ride to find more oil and to notice that my left boot was now somewhat lubricated!!!

Checked the oil level again & it'd dropped to about 1.5 - 2mm below max.
I was a little confused, so wiped her down & decided to take her back as soon as I had a chance!

They had a look at it straight away for me (fair play - they dropped everything to do it!), stuck his arms inside the fram, fiddled a bit & in as many words, told me what I suspected - they'd not re-tightened something properly enough at the service so it was coming out the top of the engine! All fixed!

No!!

I rode to Essex & back that week for work and had been out once or twice else. Totalled about 350 - 400 miles (forgot to check before I dropped it off AGAIN!) and it's dropped to just beow minimum on the sight glass!

I only noticed this because for the last 50 miles or so it'd been a bit noisy - especialy at high revs (it sounded like there was a metallic ringing sound coming from the engine!) so checked the oil!
There are no leaks aparrent (I have a light concrete floor in my garage!) and it doesn't seem to be smoking from the exhaust!

So I drove over to the dealer's to tell them about it & the only time they could 'fit me in' was a week and a half in advance - and I'd have to get it there! With hardly any oil in it! I would then have to leave it there for a few days while they try a few things and aim to work out what it is that's causing this pretty major loss of oil!

So for the past week and a half I haven't been able to ride! I've ben going absolutely MAD (thank god for having been pillion on chutz's bike the other night or I'd have done something stupid by now, I'm sure!!).

To make matters worse, I had a little accident in my works van the other week and have buggered the suspnsion so that's being repaired... My MGBGT is still off road & I've lent my push-bike to a friend so I have NO transport!

Sorry for such a long post but I am very bored and quite annoyed!!

12-10-04, 10:53 AM

. . .so we won't expect to see you tomorrow night, unless you're on foot

12-10-04, 11:10 AM

Do let us know what happens Tim, in case its something we may all be looking forward to

12-10-04, 11:45 AM

Doh, Hope it gets fixed asap

12-10-04, 04:45 PM

sorry to hear that dude... hope your sorted soon.

12-10-04, 06:45 PM

Tim, any news yet from the garage? Or do I have to pull more wheelies with you on the back?

12-10-04, 11:49 PM

The sv is not an oil burner, 8000 miles is only just run in. Don't let them use that one

13-10-04, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Toad

. . .so we won't expect to see you tomorrow night, unless you're on foot

Err - (for once in a blue moon now, it would seem!) No, I'll be there!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

Do let us know what happens Tim, in case its something we may all be looking forward to

Will do indeed, although I can't imagine it's anything inherent to SVs as chutz had done nearly 19,000 miles

on his naked which was bought from the same place as me a couple of weeks apart and he's had no major problems!

Quote:

Originally Posted by chutz

Tim, any news yet from the garage? Or do I have to pull more wheelies with you on the back?

Nope - nothing yet. They did say they'd need it for a few days and I'm off up to Essex for work tonight/tomorrow & maybe even Friday any way so I wouldn't be able to ride it if it was ready!

And if it's not done by Saturday, I think I might explode so might have to work on you & plead very nicely to see if you might just let me show your bike how it's meant to be ridden!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

The sv is not an oil burner, 8000 miles is only just run in. Don't let them use that one

No, I know! That's exactly why I've taken it back to them and am fully expecting it to be 100% perfect and ready to ride (safely) very soon (haha!!). I will also be expecting a full reasonable explanation of what was wrong with it.

If any work has to be carried out under warranty, I assume I will get a detailed description, on paper, of exactly what has been done! (I get the feeling I may be expecting a little too much there!!) If not - I will ask for one for my records!

rictus01 · 13-10-04, 04:49 PM

On a 58,000 mile engine mine burns about a third the gap between "max &Min" every 1000 miles or so, just as a bench mark for you.

Cheers Mark.

14-10-04, 02:04 AM

A benchmark for a worn engine maybe, Not being nasty but It should burn no oil at all at those sort of miles. Mine burns none thank god.

12-10-04, 10:51 AM	#1
coombest Guest Posts: n/a	My poorly bike! (sorry - it's a long one!) Right, just thought I'd share my tale of woe with you! A couple of weeks ago now, I had my bike serviced (it was the 8,000 mile but a few hundred miles late - not really a problem though as i always change oil & filter inbetween services any way!). I informed them that it's drunk a bit more oil than it usually does in the last thousand miles or so, so could they please have a check for me!? They did the service while I hung around, lounging in the sun! There was aparrently no problem with the oil - "that's proably just normal!" So I paid my £150-odd and rode the 15 miles home. On the way home I noticed a faint smell of hot oil but thought it was probably where they'd spilled a bit on the engine or some such! So, I get home & notice that there's a waterfall of oil down the left hand side of the bike coming from the top of the engine! I assumed it was just that they'd over-filled it a bit and me 'giving it the berries' on the way home had forced it out through the airbox. Checked the oil level & it looked pretty much fine (about 1mm below max). Went out the next day (Sunday), met up with chutz, Leigh_Bradbury, UKajay and one of ctutz's workmates for a blast round the area from Wessons. At the cafe I noticed that more oil had appeared on the side of the bike (after having cleaned off the previous lot) so checked the oil level again & it was still fine (it didn't seem to have moved from where it was the previous night!) so went for the ride any way, making a conscious effort to be a bit more sensible and to be more alert in case something should go wrong. I would have taken the bike back straight away if it was a week day! Got home after the ride to find more oil and to notice that my left boot was now somewhat lubricated!!! Checked the oil level again & it'd dropped to about 1.5 - 2mm below max. I was a little confused, so wiped her down & decided to take her back as soon as I had a chance! They had a look at it straight away for me (fair play - they dropped everything to do it!), stuck his arms inside the fram, fiddled a bit & in as many words, told me what I suspected - they'd not re-tightened something properly enough at the service so it was coming out the top of the engine! All fixed! No!! I rode to Essex & back that week for work and had been out once or twice else. Totalled about 350 - 400 miles (forgot to check before I dropped it off AGAIN!) and it's dropped to just beow minimum on the sight glass! I only noticed this because for the last 50 miles or so it'd been a bit noisy - especialy at high revs (it sounded like there was a metallic ringing sound coming from the engine!) so checked the oil! There are no leaks aparrent (I have a light concrete floor in my garage!) and it doesn't seem to be smoking from the exhaust! So I drove over to the dealer's to tell them about it & the only time they could 'fit me in' was a week and a half in advance - and I'd have to get it there! With hardly any oil in it! I would then have to leave it there for a few days while they try a few things and aim to work out what it is that's causing this pretty major loss of oil! So for the past week and a half I haven't been able to ride! I've ben going absolutely MAD (thank god for having been pillion on chutz's bike the other night or I'd have done something stupid by now, I'm sure!!). To make matters worse, I had a little accident in my works van the other week and have buggered the suspnsion so that's being repaired... My MGBGT is still off road & I've lent my push-bike to a friend so I have NO transport! Sorry for such a long post but I am very bored and quite annoyed!!

12-10-04, 06:45 PM	#6
chutz Guest Posts: n/a	******** Tim, any news yet from the garage? Or do I have to pull more wheelies with you on the back?

13-10-04, 04:49 PM	#9
rictus01 Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: South London Posts: 9,799	On a 58,000 mile engine mine burns about a third the gap between "max &Min" every 1000 miles or so, just as a bench mark for you. Cheers Mark. __________________ Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a Ride!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Steve's Poorly SV & arm	startrek.steve	Photos	9	23-08-08 02:23 PM
Bike Down (little long)	KillaSV	SV Talk, Tuning & Tweaking	5	19-04-08 09:20 AM
I'm poorly	The Basket	Idle Banter	8	06-05-06 04:17 PM
my bike - at long last	pljharvey	The Essex Lounge	25	22-06-05 10:14 AM
poorly baby already	shutdown	SV Talk, Tuning & Tweaking	12	18-11-04 07:42 PM

12-10-04, 10:53 AM	#2
Mr Toad Guest Posts: n/a	. . .so we won't expect to see you tomorrow night, unless you're on foot

12-10-04, 11:10 AM	#3
Anonymous Guest Posts: n/a	Do let us know what happens Tim, in case its something we may all be looking forward to

12-10-04, 11:45 AM	#4
Iansv Guest Posts: n/a	Doh, Hope it gets fixed asap

12-10-04, 04:45 PM	#5
DeeJay Guest Posts: n/a	sorry to hear that dude... hope your sorted soon.

12-10-04, 11:49 PM	#7
Graham Guest Posts: n/a	The sv is not an oil burner, 8000 miles is only just run in. Don't let them use that one

14-10-04, 02:04 AM	#10
Graham Guest Posts: n/a	A benchmark for a worn engine maybe, Not being nasty but It should burn no oil at all at those sort of miles. Mine burns none thank god.