Burning Oil!!! Engine Rebuild help!!!!

[climber_dhl]

Hello again. I have an urgent question. I am burning oil almost faster than gas. For example I put oil in my bike at work drove 35 miles home and I my oil level went from just over the full line at the beginning of the ride to below empty on the viewfinder by the end! I need to drive back to school this weekend and I will probably have to just stop every 30 or so miles and refill by tank. (that will suck since it is about 200 miles) The exhaust is coming out clear but smells like oil so I am assuming it is being burned since I don't know where else it would go?

What I am wondering is if anybody knows what could cause this. My best guess is that one of my cylinders rings are completely gone and the oil is going through there. Are there any easy fixs for this without rebuilding the engine?

If I have to rebuild the engine, what parts do I need and what do they cost. I have never done serious engine, but I have replaced just about every other system on this darn bike (front master cylinder, rebuilt rear master and, rebuilt rear and front calipers, new pads, progressive front fork springs, rewired the lights and iginition system, tires, carb air filters, resewed seat, all the fluids, headlight, clutch lever, repainted it, fork seals and bolts that hold the front axel on, etc.).

Is the bike worth keeping or should I sell it. I have put over $1300 dollars into it and I can't really afford much more in time or money. School starts next week I am just debating on selling it. The problem is I love the bike and I really want to keep it I just can't afford to much more. Please help. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Please fell free to e-mail me at:
climber_dhl@yahoo.com

Thank you so much.

[tkent02]

A top end rebuild is not that expensive if you do it yourself, a few hundred or so for parts, depending on how worn your engine is and how much of a perfectionist you are. With patience and a good manual anybody can do an acceptable job.
Those who rebuild engines professionally will disagree, but guys like us have been rebuilding motorcycle engines at home in their spare time for a century now.
But first, find out where/how the oil is going away, maybe you just need some new valve stem seals, or a gasket or two.
Does it leak oil on the ground?
Have you done a compression check?
Does it run well?
What engine is it, anyway?

[climber_dhl]

Sorry the bike is a 1980 GS850G(T). No the bike does not leak anything on the ground. I have done a compression check yet since I don't have a gauge yet since there pricey, but I am hoping to purchase one soon. I engine runs well though. I hear a metallic rattlingish sound, which if I had to guess was the chain from the camshaft to the crankshaft. how do I tell if I need just a valve job? and is a few hundred like 2-4 hundred or 7-9 hundred? Sorry just on a small budget. Thanks again.

[Nessism]

For the engine to burn as much oil as you say, there would be a lot of blue smoke out the exhaust. That amount of consumption will also foul out spark plugs very quickly.

Are you checking the oil level with the bike on the center stand? Proper checking method is to put the bike on the center stand and then shut off the engine. Oil level in the sight glass will raise for a few minuets after you shut down – I suggest checking at a specific interval such as 1 minuet so you can properly gauge oil consumption.

[chef1366]

I agree with Ed. If you are burning that much oil you would see it.
If your ring were really worn you should see oil in your airbox.
Inspect the engine all around for oil leaks. Especially around the cam chain tensioner.

[Redman]

Just a complete engine gasket set is going to be close to $100.

That sounds like quite a lot of oil consumption. So your rebuild would most likley be more than dissasembling engine and replaceing valve seals and piston rings ..... meaning expensive.

But, have someone do a compression test. THere are some tricks to see if compression loss is related to top end (valves, valve seals) or the piston rings. If the problem is just the top end, then cost will be less than if need cyclinder boring and oversize pistons. But what you describe is a lot of oil consumption..........

Maybe somebody else here knows of some other possible reason for the oil consumption, but sounds pretty bad. But, yet, I agree with others that with that much oil consumption you should be seeing it (and everybody else on the road looking for you).
.

Oh, about finding oil in airbox, do you have that breather hose/tube between the cam cover and top of air box?
.

[climber_dhl]

Thanks. Where is my airbox on my GS850GT (1980)??? I looked in the manual and they say I have one, but they never say where on the bike it is. I can't find it to save my life.

[Nessism]

Airbox has a couple of parts: main section with the filter (under the seat) and on front where it's attached to the back side of the carbs.