If ur oil level is fine then dont worry bout it. He was just prolly smelling his own bike.
am i burning oil?
so im riding down the freeway and i go by this Harley rider. changed into his lane and then went on the throttle a bit. a few min later i look to my left and there he is, trying to flag me down. he then tells me that he can smell burning oil as im riding. he also said it might be because my piston rings are worn out. im freaking out. how do i know for sure if i am burning oil before i take it in? is putting new piston rings in expensive?
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Hahahaha. I was gunna say the same thing! Harley riders sure got a nose for oil but it's usually their own bike!
I wouldn't worry about it like he said, if your oil level stays consistent. A piston ring is one of those things that if it's gunna go, it's gunna go. Not much you can do about it. Sure you can rip apart the block and replace them, but you're gunna have to do that anyway if you blow a piston ring. Might as well wait for it to happen.
Check the bottom of the engine case for oil leaks. You could just be leaking oil onto the engine that's burning off. Simple torque of your drain plug or an errant bolt that's coming lose, and problem fixed. Usually you can see oil residue even if you can't spot the leak. Leaking oil picks up dirt very fast.
You can also throw down a piece of cardboard or newspaper under your bike after you park it to see if oil is leaking out of it although this it might not be until the engine starts building pressure that it starts leaking so sometimes this isn't the best method of finding a leak.
I wouldn't worry about it like he said, if your oil level stays consistent. A piston ring is one of those things that if it's gunna go, it's gunna go. Not much you can do about it. Sure you can rip apart the block and replace them, but you're gunna have to do that anyway if you blow a piston ring. Might as well wait for it to happen.
Check the bottom of the engine case for oil leaks. You could just be leaking oil onto the engine that's burning off. Simple torque of your drain plug or an errant bolt that's coming lose, and problem fixed. Usually you can see oil residue even if you can't spot the leak. Leaking oil picks up dirt very fast.
You can also throw down a piece of cardboard or newspaper under your bike after you park it to see if oil is leaking out of it although this it might not be until the engine starts building pressure that it starts leaking so sometimes this isn't the best method of finding a leak.
Monitor your oil level
Do you have a power commander or some such bs........it could be just pig rich....air filter clean......
Again what are his qualifications for knowing burning oil from rich to the fucking pig barn-- you don't know...so don't get all worrisome over what he says, but it does pay to monitor those things regularly so you actually know if/when the bike is having problems...
I will say--if it is burning oil and the rings were the cause---it is far cheaper to do it sooner than later
Do you have a power commander or some such bs........it could be just pig rich....air filter clean......
Again what are his qualifications for knowing burning oil from rich to the fucking pig barn-- you don't know...so don't get all worrisome over what he says, but it does pay to monitor those things regularly so you actually know if/when the bike is having problems...
I will say--if it is burning oil and the rings were the cause---it is far cheaper to do it sooner than later
omg thank you all so much! funny thing is my friend said the same thing. i will monitor my oil level and if it gets bad i will take it in for a ring change.
EASY!! Do not go over 20ft-lbs. The only way an oil drain plug will leak is if it's hand tight, or stripped. Snug is good.Simple torque of your drain plug or an errant bolt that's coming lose, and problem fixed.
This. Engine oil thins, and is most likely to leak after a hot run.You can also throw down a piece of cardboard or newspaper under your bike after you park it to see if oil is leaking out of it although this it might not be until the engine starts building pressure that it starts leaking so sometimes this isn't the best method of finding a leak.
Also chain lube that drips down onto the hot exhaust can create a burning oil smell as well.
well for future references blue smoke is oil, black smoke is fuel, and white smoke is coolant. so when you go to give your bike some gas just check n see if its shooting anything out the exhaust.
I was gonna say... ride around with someone and see if there's any wisps of blue smoke coming from your bike. If so, then yes, you are leaking and burning oil somewhere.
I wouldn't call it common to be flagged down by someone saying that you're burning oil, so I would take the comment seriously for sure, and at least look for overt signs of a leak.
I wouldn't call it common to be flagged down by someone saying that you're burning oil, so I would take the comment seriously for sure, and at least look for overt signs of a leak.
White "smoke" on cold start up is normal as well. It's condensation evaporating from the exhaust.
Exactly.Monitor your oil level
Do you have a power commander or some such bs........it could be just pig rich....air filter clean......
Again what are his qualifications for knowing burning oil from rich to the fucking pig barn-- you don't know...so don't get all worrisome over what he says, but it does pay to monitor those things regularly so you actually know if/when the bike is having problems...
I will say--if it is burning oil and the rings were the cause---it is far cheaper to do it sooner than later
Just like that huh:hmmm:omg thank you all so much! funny thing is my friend said the same thing. i will monitor my oil level and if it gets bad i will take it in for a ring change.
Be ready to drop a grand.....or more:sigh:
i asked him specifically if he could see smoke and his response was "no, but you were going pretty fast" so i dont think its smoking blue smoke or anything. i just recently got a new exhaust with link pipe its still not 100% tuned, going in on Thursday for dyno. also if it was burning oil how fast would the oil level go down?I was gonna say... ride around with someone and see if there's any wisps of blue smoke coming from your bike. If so, then yes, you are leaking and burning oil somewhere.
I wouldn't call it common to be flagged down by someone saying that you're burning oil, so I would take the comment seriously for sure, and at least look for overt signs of a leak.
is it really that much? how many hours you think it would be?Just like that huh:hmmm:
Be ready to drop a grand.....or more:sigh:
rivers can better answer that.i asked him specifically if he could see smoke and his response was "no, but you were going pretty fast" so i dont think its smoking blue smoke or anything. i just recently got a new exhaust with link pipe its still not 100% tuned, going in on Thursday for dyno. also if it was burning oil how fast would the oil level go down?
is it really that much? how many hours you think it would be?
I'll just tell you what I did, Mine started to burn some oil (very little at first) in 2012,
after watching it closely for two years & seeing it get worse, I bought another motor for $610.
way cheaper than paying to have new rings in.
If you take it in to a dealer or shop it will be more than $1000 for sure, engine has to come out and go back in it won't be quick or easy...i asked him specifically if he could see smoke and his response was "no, but you were going pretty fast" so i dont think its smoking blue smoke or anything. i just recently got a new exhaust with link pipe its still not 100% tuned, going in on Thursday for dyno. also if it was burning oil how fast would the oil level go down?
is it really that much? how many hours you think it would be?
the parts would probably be the cheap part;
rings at $40 a set x 4
plus gaskets etc.....
And if you are in that far.......head off---certainly adjust the valves when reassembling !
Do they only measure CO? or do the measure HC etc...??? 3 gas or 5 gas ?
fuck really? thats crazy. well i really hope that its not the rings and everything is all good.If you take it in to a dealer or shop it will be more than $1000 for sure, engine has to come out and go back in it won't be quick or easy...
the parts would probably be the cheap part;
rings at $40 a set x 4
plus gaskets etc.....
And if you are in that far.......head off---certainly adjust the valves when reassembling !
Do they only measure CO? or do the measure HC etc...??? 3 gas or 5 gas ?
i just finished changing my oil. after my long ride tomorrow i will monitor my oil level and report back...
Unless you are really drinking oil fast, you likely won't even be able to see a change in the window in under 1000 miles.... and even then you have to consider~fuck really? thats crazy. well i really hope that its not the rings and everything is all good.
i just finished changing my oil. after my long ride tomorrow i will monitor my oil level and report back...
is the bike in the exact same spot as last I checked
did I let it drain the same length of time from running
was the temp the same at shut down (doesn't have to be exactly the same, but within 20 degrees on the gauge)
Was I pounding the shit out of the bike (that will drink more oil than "normal" riding)
etc...
got the bike on the dyno today, they said they will check for leaks and smoke as it rev up to red line.
if it is burning oil, i'm buying a brand new 2015 today. fuck it. :rant
if it is burning oil, i'm buying a brand new 2015 today. fuck it. :rant
I wouldnt trust any mechanical advice from a Harley rider...
:laugh
:laugh
Can't hardly go wrong starting with brand new, then you know every mile of its life and how it has been treated!got the bike on the dyno today, they said they will check for leaks and smoke as it rev up to red line.
if it is burning oil, i'm buying a brand new 2015 today. fuck it. :rant
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