[danafwelch]

Three things

1) You might consider double checking the accuracy of your dipstick. I kept topping mine off to the full mark by following the instructions. When I changed the oil/fiter at 5K, I noticed after putting in the exact amount of oil and testing the bike on a short ride, when I rechecked the dipstick...it's reading was below the crosshatch indicating "add". Apparently, the dipstick is too short and I was adding 3/4 of a qt too much which was being siphoned off by the engine.

2) My plugs at 5K looked dark also. I believe this was due to my trying to top off the oil to the "full" mark and causing the "blow by" of the oil. At 10K, I'll check them again...if they are still dark, I'll put in the K&N high flow air filter.

3) I switched to Syn3 at 1,000 and used it again at 5K. Coupled with keeping the oil level at the "add" level (just below the crosshatch like when I changed the oil) and the 4K on the Syn3, oil consumption is now reduced to near zero.

Hope this helps your process.

 

[danafwelch]

Very interesting. I just checked the oil again Sunday after an all day ride from the Monterey Penisula up through San Jose, Los Gatos and down through Santa Cruz. The oil was exactly at the top of the "add" mark and just at the bottom of the "cross hatches" of the full area. This seems to once again provide evidence that the dipstick is incorrect since this level is precisely where it was after changing the oil and filter about 480 miles ago with the exact amount of oil called for in the manual.

Also, the first time I changed the oil at the 1K, I added more than the manual called for to bring it up to the top of the "cross hatches" and then kept checking and adding oil to keep it up to that level (following the manual's procedures to the letter). Which dealer up there did the warranty work for you? I'll be up there mid Sept. for www.airraces.org