In the last few rides that I have taken, mostly over 150-200 miles each, I have noticed two different things.  

First, is noticed oil consumption.  Now I have not pulled the plug yet to see what it looks like (it's been over 105* here during the day and my shop heats up to over 140* and is still over 100* at 5am).  I am adding roughly a pint to the crankcase every 300-400 miles.  I switched over to the 15W-40 T5 Rotella oil.  I have not noticed any oil smoke and there are no oil puddles on the ground after my rides.  Really makes me wonder where the heck it is all going.  I have not pulled the air filter assembly out either to see if it is full of oil.  I am hoping that there is something easy that I can look at to see what is going on.

Second, there has been a thump inside the block that I can feel in my right foot.  Now I cannot hear it, but I feel it.  And No, it is not the normal vibration, this is above and beyond all that.  And since it has started, it has only gotten worse.  And this really has me worried.  Any ideas before I start to tear it all apart during the riding season?

Bottom line is I am hoping that there is something easy that I can fix without pushing myself to the limit taking the motor apart to fix it.  Sorry for being a newb!  I really don't need the wife killing me over this.

Thanks in advance,

Jim B .

All the motor mount bolts/peg bolts tite?

How many miles since an oil change?

Tinfoil-Jim wrote on 08/11/12 at 17:41:57:

Come over to McAlester and we check it out together.  

Tinfoil-Jim wrote on 08/11/12 at 22:41:54:


Would be actually really cool to meet a fellow Savage rider in person. I never met one before. In fact that I have never seen another Savage than mine around here...maybe once...

Well except the actual cylinder, I have turned pretty much any other of the bolts on mine, so if you think you need to look underneath the clutch cover to check and see if that thump comes from the cam chain tensioner, I'll help you. I got the tools to make it easy.  

Once youve seen it, you can do it w/o being skeert.

You guys otta run thru the valve adjust procedure just for training. Wouldnt try to actually adjust anything, cuz the engine is sposed to be cool for that job. I guess you could cool it off.
If you cant lay a finger on the valve & hold it, its too hot to adjust. Thats just MY Opinion,

Let it sit a while, then hit it with a fine mist from the hose a second, stop, do it again & again, dont shock it more than necessary. Once its kinda cool on the outside, wait a while, let heat migrate from the inside, hit it again, otta be able to have it ready to play with by the time the burgers are eaten.

Tinfoil-Jim wrote on 08/11/12 at 13:45:16:

There is something very easy put some premium motorcycle oil in it.

If I remember correctly, Verslagen performed an experiment some time back during which he put some pretty high-dollar premium motorcycle oils in his. He reported the bike consumed them all, at about the same rate. I guess you could feel better knowing the exhaust smoke cost more.