Oil usage

[Nessism]

Any time the cylinder head is removed the base gasket should be changed since the head provides the clamp load. Old gaskets get stiff and brittle so it's a big gamble if you choose to not replace it.

[DanTheMan]

Any time the cylinder head is removed the base gasket should be changed since the head provides the clamp load. Old gaskets get stiff and brittle so it's a big gamble if you choose to not replace it.

I gambled and won, but not everybody does. I had to change my head gasket, didn't disturb the base gasket, that was 4 years ago, and many miles as well. It's just now starting to seep, and has 93k miles, however, since the head gasket replacement was a quick job, I didn't do the valve guide seals and they've been leaking for a while now, using oil.

[alnmike]

My last post, the link didnt work, here it is. So is number 4 what I need to replace? I can stomach 30 bucks alot more than I can 160. Im just worried about cylinder glazing or any other problems. If its not that big of a deal, ill just keep topping up the oil and put off the maintenance until this winter, good suggestion about the heavier weight oil.

[DanTheMan]

My last post, the link didnt work, here it is. So is number 4 what I need to replace? I can stomach 30 bucks alot more than I can 160. Im just worried about cylinder glazing or any other problems. If its not that big of a deal, ill just keep topping up the oil and put off the maintenance until this winter, good suggestion about the heavier weight oil.

If you do the #4 gasket (cylinder gasket) you also have to replace the head gasket (cylinder head gasket $160). You may not have to do either one, if it's just burning oil out of the valve guides. The compression figures are good, so I wouldn't mess with it other than to do the valve shims and replace the cam cover gasket with a new one.
I run 20w50 in my 850 during the summer months.

[alnmike]

Cam cover gasket is what needs to be replaced when you do valve shim adjustment right? If so, I grabbed the orange rubber ones recommended here when I did my valve shims last winter. Next winter ill do another adjustment and thats when ill replace the valve oil seals, since the oil consumption isnt engine threatening at this moment.


Thanks for the help everyone.

[alnmike]

Bleh, was going to get my bike at lunch and ride it back to work. Started it up (First time since the compression test), and it blew a huge cloud of smoke out of the same side (cyl 1-2), with distinct puffs with engine rpm and increasing smoke with higher revs, didnt need choke to get it going. Do valve oil seals cause this?

[DanTheMan]

Did you squirt any oil in the cylinders for the compression test? No choke to start sounds like you've got a carb or two dumping fuel in the cylinders. That would cause white or extremely black, but not blue smoke. Blue is oil burning, otherwise you're looking at a carb issue.

[Nessism]

OE head gasket for a fair price... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Genui...item35b26fd4fb

Base gasket... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuk...item20b9c63b23

There are other gaskets on ebay as well. If you are really in a pinch, get an Athena kit and supplement the OE base gasket (Athena kits have green colored gaskets).

Good luck

[alnmike]

I cant remember if it was slightly blue, thinking it was white. Also dont know what color 3-in-1 oil burns. I left sparkplug holes open for roughly 15 minutes, thinking that (and the overnight sit) would prevent the engine from being too rich.
Sorry, let me clarify, I used choke to start, but turned it off as soon as I saw the smoke cloud, thinking it was the same thing as the last smoke I saw (during choke last week).
Thanks for those ebay links, im probably going to buy them now for my winter happenings. I looked on Z1 and couldnt find an Athena kit. Found them on bikebandit, but not for my bike.

[waterman]

My 650 uses oil. Some is lost to a leaking valve cover gasket, most I believe is being burnt. Your oil usage seems pretty normal to me, I add some every other tank of gas.

I have replaced rings, honed cylinders, valve seals, gaskets, etc. I ran it hard during break in, it still uses oil.

Someone had posted a link about the history of the Katanas and in it, there was a brief mention of problems with oil consumption in the 650s. I have tried a brief search without any hits, will try again.

Why it uses oil, I don't know. My suspicion is with the higher oil pressure involved with the plain bearing crank assembly. I think Suzuki was still learning how to build this type of motor when they came out with plain crank 650 and other GS models.

[waterman]

Found the link to the 650 oil thirst:

http://members.home.nl/marijke-bert/Pictures/SuzukiEnglish.pdf

Great write up on Kat history.

[alnmike]

Thanks, reading it now, itneresting. The only reason I was worried was for 2 summers, the bike didnt use a bit of oil, and then it decided to use about 4 ounces in 20 miles. I park in exact same place and center stand it every night to check oil level in the morning heh.

Edit: Got home and finally took a good video. Ive been hearing this sound for a while, way more pronounced in the last few days. Every 1.5-2 seconds, it sounds like extra tinking, clunking, whatever. Anyone know what it is? Or just normal from a 30 year old engine?