• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

excessive engine oil consumption

  • Thread starter Thread starter dominicpcl
  • Start date Start date
D

dominicpcl

Guest
I'm about to buy GS550 1979 from this seller. He told me that the bike consume quite a lot of engine oil due to some problem. What is the major problem and what parts need to be done in order to fix this? I'm not sure if i should still buy this bike off him. Please advice...
 
dominicpcl said:
I'm about to buy GS550 1979 from this seller. He told me that the bike consume quite a lot of engine oil due to some problem. What is the major problem and what parts need to be done in order to fix this? I'm not sure if i should still buy this bike off him. Please advice...
Click to expand...
Don't buy it, there's lots of other bikes. Thank the seller for his honesty.
 
should be burning it as there's no obvious oil leak from the engine..
 
Rings and valve guide seals are the two most likely causes. If you can do a compression check you can see if it's rings. It's probably both though. You'd be better off spending a few hundred more on a known good runner.
 
Some people's idea of too much oil may not be much at all. For instance, BMW's standard for new bikes is a liter in 1,000 miles. Some folks would say that's too much, depends on your purpose for the bike. How much does it burn? Is it smoking? Does it run well otherwise? Is it a very nice bike other than that or a piece of crap? Are you easily able to do a top end rebuild or not? (it's pretty simple)

It could also be that he doesn't know how to check the oil and keeps it too full, or that there is a minor problem putting fuel in the oil, both of which will lead to high oil consumption.

One more thing, high oil consumption gives you a great excuse to put on the 650 top end.:D
 
I would not shy away from it simply because of the oil issue. As tkent stated, a top end refresh is not very difficult and can be done with the engine still in the frame.
 
koolaid_kid said:
I would not shy away from it simply because of the oil issue. As tkent stated, a top end refresh is not very difficult and can be done with the engine still in the frame.
Click to expand...

The top end is doable, but you should factor the potential costs of new gaskets, pistons, and rings for the top end into the purchase price. Those parts will cost a couple hundred bucks. Even if the pistons and rings are good, you'll have to replace the head gasket when you put it back together. An OEM head gasket for your bike is $100 at Part Shark.
 
dominicpcl said:
should be burning it as there's no obvious oil leak from the engine..
Click to expand...

Wherever the oil's going is trouble- I'll say you can find a better candidate, as lots of these critters get sidelined for carb and electrical problem, easy cheap fix with a little time and effort.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top