Oil Consumption Sorted

[Punchy]

Hi guys
As some of you know my Bird has been using oil at the rate of 250ml per 1000 miles. So I've grabbed the nettle so to speak and filled her up with EP90.
I've done about 500 miles so far this week and the consumption problem has been sorted.

It now feals a bit sluggish do the collective think that a power commander would sort that out?

Punchy

 

[roXXo]

Punchy

Excuse me for being direct but I think you are being naive if you think you have your problem sorted. I am not a mechanic or an engineer but IMHO
If you are using oil at 250ml per 1000 miles then you are either
1. burning it (how are the exhausts and plugs)
2. You have an oil leak

My Bird has done 19000 miles and does not use/lose a drop.

As I understand it some engines do naturally burn a little oil. Some when newish before surfaces "bed in" and some when older due to wear, but I have never heard of a Blackbird using oil.

As regards using EP90.
Isn't this gearbox oil?
You should only use the oil recommended by the bike manufacturer or an equivalent specification.
Seek professional advice from a Honda dealer before you do anything else and change the oil and filter.
You could do irrepairable damage to your engine by using incorrect oil.

 

[EdCBRCastrol]

EP90 is considerably thicker than the correct oil for the bike so that would be why it doesnt lose oil any more, it is also why it now feels sluggish because the moving parts will now be struggling to do so.
If you have used EP90 gearbox oil i really would recomend draining it out ASAP as it will do your engine and clutch no favours at all. Gearbox oil does not have the same properties as straight engine oil so will not do the same job.

 

[R2B2]

And I think...

... it could well bring you clutch problems too. It's an oil clutch and very specific to the oil it operates in...

Time for a rethink here...

 

[Supabird1100]

I'm With Clive On This One........

It's gotta be a wind-up !!!!!

If you really have filled ya engine with hypoid gear oil, all I can say is........ 'you must hate that bike with avengence'!!!!!

First thing to go will be the clutch plates (if you've run 'em for 500 miles in EP90 they are now beyond help)....next will be the valve gear and cams......then it's goodbye pistons and bores, and hello Mr. Cheque-book !!!!!!

Mind you...........if it was a Harley D, you'd be OK....EP90 is the recommended engine oil for them !!!!!!!:} :}

 

[Black and Swoopy]

Definitely a dry sense of humour here but if true, deserves to have his privates put in a vice and tightened to at least 50 foot pound.

If Punchy did have a genuine consuption prob I would suggest having a compression test done. I once had a VF1000R that did not smoke but used a similar amount every 1000kms. Turned out that it was a bad valve that somehow or other (I forget the techno babble) was causing it.

 

[Punchy]

Hi guys

Thanks Black n Swoopy but I'm not into bondage. And no Clive I'm not daft either, EP90 has sorted my oil consumption problem for the time being, the bike runs OK but a bit sluggish as I said. My old Norton ran on it for years with no problem and its a lot cheaper than this modern fully sinfetic stuff.
Ive now discovered that Castrol also do an EP140 so if the Bird starts using oil again I shall try that.
I'm off to the Peak district next week so I will let you guys know how the bike ran when I return.

Punchy

 

[Supabird1100]

Originally posted by Punchy

I'm off to the Peak district next week so I will let you guys know how the bike ran when I return.

Punchy [/B]

Please tell me you're jokin' !!!!

I have my doubts that you'll make it to the end of ya street....let alone to the Peak District !!!!

There is a slight difference in 40 year old Norton technology and the 'Bird !!!!!

 

[Black and Swoopy]

OK Punchy-so I and one or two others took your bait.
But you gave yourself away with your knowledge of gear oil.

BTW-There is a product by Wynn's called "Charge". Use two bottles plus three mashed bananas (unskinned) and your consumptiom problems will be over.

 

[Punchy]

Sorry B+S dont know what your getting at?
Punchy

 

[Jon and Anya]

I think

that the guys trying to advise you are getting at your nuts, and IMHO, I have to agree with them. Saying that, its your bike and if you want to run it on deisel its up to you, so enjoy he short time you have with your bird.

:dunno:

 

[Amsterdam]

Just add some sawdust.....

to the oil m8, that'll sort it :dunno:

 

[Murt]

Then again, You could use pigs blood, if you let the Bird run hot enough you get black pudding out of the exhausts.
( so Im told )
:dunno:

 

[Punchy]

Hi Guys

Well the bike ran OK on my trip to the Peak District. The weather on Tuesday was fuggin aweful so I spent the day around Buxton. I covered just over 1000 miles and the motor seems to be loosing that sluggish fealing. It hasnt used any oil although I took the precation of packing a couple of 500ml bottles.

This is my first longish trip and what I did find was that the bike is .... well... rather bland. It doesnt have any character, I feel like I'm just there to make up the numbers. Does everyone else get the same lack of feedback or is it just me?

Punchy

 

[Punchy]

Just re-read the thread.
Thanks Murt, Clive, Amsterdam just what I wanted to know, I ask a relevant question and all I get is a load of nobbers making cheap remarks. Thanks guys!
Hope we meet one day
Punchy

 

[Black and Swoopy]

Punchy, I think you used to own a 'Bird and then bought a Hayabusa because it was faster. But after the subframe kept falling off and you lost a finger through constant vibration, you then bought a Kawasaki 12R because it was supposed to be faster again and smoother. But when the main bearings seized the second time because the original dipstick encouraged overfilling and Kawasaki released its second appendage to the handbook on running in procedures, you got rid of it and now own a Harley. That would run quite well on hypoid. But the vibes through the engine mountings over time have caused an early onset of dementia, your short term memory the first to go and you are living in the past from when you used to ride the best bike in the world.
You are a welcome reminder of charity to this forum. We spend too much time riding perfection and it makes us self absorbed and forget how lucky we all are.
I am not sure where you live, but it is too far for me to come, so may I suggest we start a "Reach For a Dream" type project for you. All 'Bird riders that have access to you should get together and pay you a visit. They can take turns at giving you pillion rides to put a smile back on your face and try to miraculously rejuvenate your last remaining brain cell.
:k

 

[Punchy]

Clive

<I really doubt that even an old steam engine like the Norton would suffer such an incorrect grade of oil for long>

One of my bikes is a Norton... a 1968 Atlas to be precise and yes it does run on EP90 because thats the recommended oil for it.

Clockwork Punchy

 

[roXXo]

Punchy

I've had a few Biritsh bikes since I started biking in 1973 and EP 90 was used in the GEARBOX of pre unit engines of my Matchless, Triumphs and BSA. The ENGINE oil was always a multigrade like Castrol GTX or other 20/50 oil.
Are you sure you are not getting mixed up with bikes with separate gearboxes?
Modern bikes engines and gearboxes (four strokes- NOT two strokes) are lubricated by the same engine oil, UNLIKE cars wich have separate engine and gearbox oil.

 

[R2B2]

Mmmmmmmm...

... BK.. The Doctor.. Punchy...

 

[Punchy]

Clive
The Atlas was introduced initially (1962 I think) to the USA market only due to the demand in the states for cubes. About 2 years later it was also released to the UK market. The engine is too big for a vertical twin and it shakes like a road drill, and Norton being a typical UK bike company dumps the featherbed frame, which still is an excellent handling piece of kit, and puts the worst vibrating engine into rubber mounts (Commando). That was in 1968, so my Atlas is one of the last ones built. All engine parts are interchangeable between the Atlas and 750 Commando.

The Commando has never been unit construction it still has seperate engine, primary drive and gearbox .

The recommended lubricants for the Atlas are 1 imp pint EP90 for the gearbox and straight 50 for the engine / primary drive. GTX, 20w50 or 10w40 would piss through the geared oil pump thus wet sumping the engine.

Punchy