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Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes (Read 47 times)
DragBikeMike
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Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
03/31/24 at 11:22:11
 
On 3/27/24 badwolf wrote:

"Fast forward to now with 153,000 miles. It was using oil, like 8 oz per thousand miles, so it's time for rings and valve guide seals,,,right? I pulled the head and jug off in the frame (by the way, those cylnder studs are m9x1.25 thread, RARE, I found nuts to fit off a Vespa crankshaft! had to get them from Italy!)  No measurable wear to the cylnder, no lip on top, and the new rings had the same end gap as the old ones! The valve guide seals LOOKED fine, but I changed them anyways. Where was the oil going???  The holes in the sides of the piston were clogged solid. Not allowing the oil to pass from the cylnder in or from the inside out to the cylnder.  I cleaned them out with a drill bit by hand and am in the process of putting it all back together now."

First, I am really impressed with your mileage.  That is a pile-o-miles.  How in the world do you do it?

Regarding the oil consumption, what kind of oil consumption do you consider normal?  I assume you must be doing a lot of freeway riding to rack up that amount of miles.  Do you ride above 55 mph a lot?  How does your airbox look?  Do you accumulate a lot of oil in the airbox?

Regarding the piston drain holes, which holes were plugged?  The holes in the groove, the holes below the groove, or all holes.

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Worn_Piston_2.JPG

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badwolf
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #1 - 03/31/24 at 20:51:24
 
DBM,
We have longer roads here on the mainland than you guys. I don't think you have any interstates on the islands.

ALL of the holes were plugged!

I had a history of 2 maybe 3 oz. per thousand miles, and about 4 or 5 thousand miles ago it started drinking oil. I am hoping it's cause thats when the all holes clogged. I am about finished puting it back together an should have it running tommorow.

As far as I know Dave and I are the only ones running BOTH Kaw pulleys 25/65. They drop the final drive to 2.6, with a 140-90 15 rear tire that gives me about 3400 rpm at 60, compared to 4100. So crusing at 60-65 is easy on the motor. I ride quite easy in my old age and seldom go over 4000 rpm or 65 on a I.

I am using the dual piston caliper and larger disc (290mm) from a SV650. With a braided SS brake line, and a 16" front rim. 3 fingers WILL lock-up the front wheel at 30mph, I haven't really tried faster than that, but when I need to stop quick I can.
Mounting the caliper is easy, tape a piece of single strand insulated 14ga electric wire to the outside of the disc, that will be your clearance. Place the caliper where you want it,and make a template for your mount out of cardboard. Transfer the template to steel, I used 3/16", cut it out and drill some holes,,,,TA DAAA!

You were right a couple years back saying that without the pawl on the chain tensioner the cam would jump all over messing up the timing. I think more so on the bench than when running at speed thou. But I ran 40k miles with the movement growing from 1.5mm to 6.5mm and never noticed a big change in the way it ran. (other than the oil useage) I am going to check it more often now and try to keep it at less than 3mm.

I am still hoping to ride out to see you, as soon as they build a bridge.

badwolf
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LANCER
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #2 - 04/01/24 at 04:28:36
 
When that bridge is done, hopefully there are a number of rest stops along the way to make pit stops.  Well, fuel would be handy too, that’s a long haul out to the islands.
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Dave
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #3 - 04/01/24 at 04:50:52
 
Badwolf:

Congratulations on the mileage - it is nice that you ride your bike a lot!

Your oil drain hole issue has me wondering?  It seems odd the drain holes would plug up - but you did not indicate the ring grooves were filled with carbon.  In the old days I expected to see old engines have the rings cemented in place by the build up of carbon in the ring grooves.

From the lack of wear on the engine parts it appears the oil is doing a good job of lubricating - but for some reason it isn't cleaning the piston holes adequately.

In the risk of starting an oil war - what type of oil and what change interval are you using?  Does the inside of your engine have dark staining or build up of sludge on the head or other surfaces?

Were the holes plugged up all the way around the piston - or only on the exhaust side?

Are you running an oil cooler?
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DragBikeMike
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #4 - 04/01/24 at 10:55:08
 
The obstructed drain holes would most certainly increase oil consumption.  It is interesting to hear that these holes coked up.  Dave has raised excellent questions regarding the oil and oil cooler.  It's been a long time since I've seen an engine with crud in the ring grooves.  I thought sludge and coking were a thing of the past.  But then again, I have never been in a motorcycle engine with 153K on the odo.

Thanks for your comments on the brake caliper.  I see you are using it with a larger diameter rotor.  I aim to find out how it works with a stock diameter rotor.  I surely could use a little more deceleration capability.

I don't think that bridge is covered on the infrastructure bill.  It would be a helluva ride.  They could put HoJos along the way for rest stops.
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badwolf
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #5 - 04/01/24 at 16:18:44
 
The holes were pluged all around, the rings had crap around and under them, but were not frozen. You could move them around and expanded by themselves when I removed the cylnder.
The top of the piston was covered with a THICK layer of carbon along with the head.
No oil cooler, and I have always run Rotella T4 dino.

Rode it today, started right up, idled nice and ran fine 25 miles. Put a new (to me) Dyna muffler on, much quieter than the worn-out one I had been running. Feels like this one is more restrictive thou, have to run a couple tanks thru it and check the mileage.....AND OIL.
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ThumperPaul
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Re: Oil Consumption - Piston Drain Holes
Reply #6 - 04/01/24 at 17:31:17
 
Could the lower final drive ratio be causing a mild form of engine lugging and putting more stress on the piston and causing excess oil consumption.  Newbie here so my idea may be way off base.
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