Oil consumption

[Guest]

Ok all of you GS 850 aficionados got a question for those that know this engine. My 82 GS 850 G consumes oil at an unpredictable rate. If ridden conservatively, highway speeds 70 to 80 range, no revving beyond 7000 or so, she will burn about one quart in 1600 miles, approximately. If I ride her spirited she will burn a quart in 500 to 600 miles. Valves have been adjusted, compressions on all cylinders are between 154 and 160 psi, the plugs look good, she doesn't smoke or leak. She runs great and smooth. What's normal?

Thanks Guys
BBjumper

[Nessism]

Sounds like a valve stem seal issue. No big deal unless you start fouling spark plugs or fogging the neighborhood.

[duaneage]

Check the airbox, you might be losing oil out the top. if the tube from the engine top to airbox is wet with oil try adding some steel wool in the top chamber to collect liquid oil and prevent it from being drawn up.

[bbjumper]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it.

[gane]

oil use

BB, Offer these from experiance. Oil consumption from bad valve guide seals alone, is usually evidenced by smoke on start-up & deminishes w/warming... worn guides & seals by a more consistant oil consumption, w/ heavier smoke on de-cel. with compression #'s as good as yours, and consumption varying with load, My Wild-Assed Guess is that you have some "stuck" oil rings. Some things to consider checking/doing.... 1 pop your' exhaust. a glance at what you'll be able to see of open exhaust valves (shaft & inner head) is an excellent view to their condition. if no "red flags", prior to next oil change, top oil level w/ @ 1/2 qt atf, or "rislone" (TM), & "mild ride" for @ a hundred miles or so before oil & filter change.... both Rislone & ATF have addditives which are excellent "cleaners" (they're also low viscosity, thus "mild ride".) To your' question. Fresh engines used no discernable amount of oil between changes. Your' "processing" a qt between changes w/moderate riding is nothing to be overly concerned about, tho you must be the judge. luck, g

[bbjumper]

I Pulled the exhaust off a few weeks ago to change gaskets and replace a broken stud. All ex. valves are light ash in color, the surrounding head has black carbon on it, nothing heavy but black in color. I don't' ever see any smoke on start up and haven’t seen any smoke on decel. Consumption does vary, I can ride for 400 mi. or so with little consumption, then in the next 100 or so it will use 6 to 8 ounces. I'm an aviation guy, a perfectionist about machines and this stuff drives me crazy. I considered pulling the head but it runs great and is smooth. Thanks for your help

[SqDancerLynn1]

Your too worried about it.. If it starts smoking like a two stroke It's time for a top end rebuild

[gshub]

Ok all of you GS 850 aficionados got a question for those that know this engine. My 82 GS 850 G consumes oil at an unpredictable rate. If ridden conservatively, highway speeds 70 to 80 range, no revving beyond 7000 or so, she will burn about one quart in 1600 miles, approximately. If I ride her spirited she will burn a quart in 500 to 600 miles. Valves have been adjusted, compressions on all cylinders are between 154 and 160 psi, the plugs look good, she doesn't smoke or leak. She runs great and smooth. What's normal?

Thanks Guys
BBjumper

before i had my Gs1000s rebored it drank a litre of oil at a rate of 200miles at those speeds
so never had to change the oil regually and it was a 20/50 oil.

[bbjumper]

Oil leak

I think I figured out where my disappearing oil is going. Last Saturday when I stopped at a friends house I noticed a fair amount of oil (about 10 drops) on the ground just forward and inboard of the shift lever. Got down and saw it was coming out of a drain hole just aft of the cylinder and under the cam chain tensioner, saw a drop coming off of the tensioner also. I rode home, checked again and the area was dry, no drips! WTF, I ordered all of the O'rings, seals and gaskets for overhaul of the tensioner as per the tutorial on this site.

http://www.bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

Anybody ever heard of this before?

Thanks Guys

[SqDancerLynn1]

That's the mystery hole. A drain for the starter cavity. COuld be the tensioner leaking, could also be the O ring on the starter.. My vote would be to do Both with new seals

[bbjumper]

Got it, never even knew it was there until Saturday. That's why I missed it, when it leaks there you don't see it anywhere on the bike. I'll get the seal for the starter. Where on the parts fische is it located?

Thanks

[1948man]

Starting motor

[bbjumper]

Starting motor

Got it, on order

Thanks

[uk gs nut]

My gs1000 had an oil leak which had me baffled, if i rode about at normal speeds 50-70 mph, no leak. but over 70 and i got a few oil spots on my left boot and oil under the engine, i found it to be starter motor oil seal. changed that and no more oil leak and a clean boot.

[bbjumper]

Thanks Nut,

That's similar to what I have experienced, I'm hoping this takes care of most of the oil consumption issue that I have had. I want to take it on a 4000 mile ride next spring and don't want to add oil every time I fill the tank. This bike is such a great balance and I enjoy bringing her back to life.

Thanks