[hippo888]

Well, for those suffering from oil consumption / gas in oil, here is my data.

Over the previous 2897 miles, my V-Rod consumed 90 ozs. of oil. That works out to be 1.0 qts/1000 miles. Maximum usage rate was 1.4 qts/1000 miles, minimum usage rate was 0.8 qts/1000 miles. Without having graphed the data, I believe there is a very, very slight trend downwards in the rate of oil consumption.

The bike shows 220/165 psi compression and 8/6% leak-down (front cylinder/rear cylinder). I was concerned at the difference between the cylinders in regards to compression, but was told that one cylinder has an automatic compression realease and that the figures observed are within factory specs.

Oil analysis shows that I have 2.5% fuel in the oil (Blackstone Labs says <2.0% is normal). The 'SUS viscosity @ 210F' should have been 82-98 and the 'oil flashpoint' should have been >385, but mine was 71.7 and 335, respectively. All other oil analysis data are within Blackstone's recommendations.

From my observations (very sooty exhaust pipes, soot on the right saddlebag, soot on my girlfriend riding behind me) the bike is running rich. The technician said the plugs were a bit dark, but nothing excessive (I should have asked for the old plugs and had new ones put in). The technician told me that HD told him that '03 bikes running the 28 tooth ECM software will run rich -- reason unknown and solution unknown.

Since the oil change, oil consumption has SEEMED to drop, but with only 300 miles, I can't be sure.

I will continue to run normal HD 20W50 oil and see how the consumption rate behaves. Hopefully, there will soon be a downward trend in the consumption rate.

 

[hippo888]

I'm wondering if there's any connection between 'high oil consumption' and 'gas in oil'.

I'm using a lot of oil, but don't have extremely high amounts of gas in my oil. o2man98, like Greenham, you seem to have lots of has in the oil, but very little oil consumption.

I now know that lots of gas in the oil can cause oil consumption, but it doesn't seem that the levels o2man98 and Greenham have in their oil is causing oil consumption. I have much less gas in my oil and very high oil consumption. I'm thinking that in our cases, the oil consumption and gas in oil are not related.

 

[hippo888]

danafwelch,

I've unfortunately become very, very familiar with my V-Rod's dipstick. My bike doesn't have a "natural" oil level that it settles into (or if it does, it's way below the 'add 1/2 quart' markings). Like ihringert's old motors, my bike will just keep eating and eating oil. I do concur that 4.5 qts. fills my dipstick to just BELOW the cross-hatched area when the bike is cold.

I'm going to just religiously document and track my oil consumption (thank goodness the local dealer down here is willing to help). If it doesn't improve significantly by 10,000 miles, I guess I'm going to have to become that proverbial "squeaky wheel".

Thanks everyone.

 

[hippo888]

The dealership measured oil consumption of 0.8 qts/1000 miles. They said that HD won't do anything unless the consumption is above 1.0 qts/1000 miles AND there is a problem with compression/leakdown.

Since my engine has good compression/leakdown numbers, and I'm below the 1.0 qts/1000 miles, I was told that the V-Rod uses a new ring material on nickel-silicon bores, so it may take a long time to break in. I've seen similar behavior with BMW's I've owned and recieved the same recommendation from HD that I've heard from BMW -- go on the highway and run the bike hard.

 

[hippo888]

ihringert,

I've just been running a gear lower than I normally do. Visions of red-line in 2nd gear on the highway have me laughing hysterically. I thought I was running the bike hard! I guess it worked since you're no longer consuming oil.