Correcting excessive Oil Consumption

[Earl43P]

I have a good-running 82.
I've put about 12k miles on it since May.

Seems rock-solid and I love it.
I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the USA tomorrow, except for the oil usage.
Right now, I'm putting the better part of a quart in it every 300 miles (every two tanks when I'm on a trip).

http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic. ... alve+seals

I read that thread ^.

I've been toying with getting yet another replacement engine.
http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 98#p425598

http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=39920

The engine presently installed needed some work.
I only pulled the LH head, due to a VC bolt snapped off. Reconfig'd my good RH head and viola.
It had normal-looking cylinder walls, but they were smooth, no evidence left of any cross-hatching.
So, I assume this engine had high mileage. I did nothing mechanical to it other than a new LH HG and transferred my new WP to it.

I have the luxury of time this winter.
My options are get another engine and go through it, install new HG's and new valve guide seals.
Lap the valves while I am at it. Maybe a light cylinder wall honing with the pistons bottomed out.
The problem with that option is the unknown factor of "another engine", and its cost + parts.

Or, I could leave my present engine installed.
Replace the valve guide seals with the heads in place.
And hope that the rings aren't the reason why it burns so much oil.

One cylinder's spark plug gets very fouled with goo.
I can tell when it's getting fouled because the idle falters.
The other plugs look nice and tan/brown.


Opinions? Suggestions? Cheap/good engines? (I saw the one FS in Scottsdale, AZ)

I just might buy this one on the 26th, depends on the price, 60k miles. I'm driving past that exit anyway....
http://morgantown.craigslist.org/mcy/3458520030.html
It's still in the frame and he wants $350. Not sure how much "bike" that includes, likely all of it.

I'll get back home on the 28th, I've been in SW Pa since 11/16, bike-less.
I think I'll be doing a compression check; will that help the decision process?
Squirt oil = increased psi = bad rings?
Of course, that is AFTER I see the engine in WV.
I think I should pass on it for now, can still grab it later, after the compression check.

Decisions, decisions.

[robin1731]

That much usage probably won't be fixed with valve guide seals. To check another engine you need more than just a compression check. Leakdown will tell you more.

I would look for another engine if it were me.

[dan filipi]

I had an engine that smoked quite a bit burning oil that didn't use that much oil.
Turned out it had a damaged oil ring.
I've since put another engine in it but it too has problems.

[Earl43P]

It is a LOT of oil.

I can see the smoke when I look in my mirrors at night when a car is behind me.
It gets worse when I romp on the throttle to higher rpms too.
Other bikers don't like to follow me.

The good news is it is very consistent, not getting worse.

Mine does smoke on startup, then clears. Mostly the left side.
But then, when I roll on the throttle, it comes back from both exhausts.
A lot of riders comment about that and stay in front of me.
It's not as noticeable at a stately pace.

I have been looking for another engine, but they are few and far between in the Mid-Atlantic region.

What about the rudimentary crankcase ventilation tube that goes up to the intake box?
I haven't looked at my air filter at all, but do you think it could be sucking oil in from that tube?
Somewhat like a stuck open PCV valve? Is that called blow-by?
Moot point if that means bad oil rings, or just rings in general.

I read comments on here about keeping the oil level at 1/2 window. HA!
Trust me, I was shocked the first trip I took and realized it was down two full quarts when the oil light started flickering at idle.
I was about 600 miles into a 800 mile round trip. Put in a full quart and it was still below the window.

Thanks for the expert advice.

[dan filipi]

In my case it was burning from only one cylinder with a lot of smoke out the left pipe especially when first started after sitting a few hours.
What gets me is your burning it that fast.
Quite possible sucking it in thru the breather.
Pull the breather hose off an see if there's blowby.

[Whiskerfish]

If it was feeding back through the breather system then all 4 plugs should be fouling equally???

[CYBORG]

if only one cyl shows oil fowled plug, and the other three look good, i would suspect a broken ring on that cyl. i would replace the rings, and the valve seals while i was in there

[Earl43P]

You make that ring job sound so easy.

I'll start reading the book, see if that is even an option. I know my limitations.

I just hate the thought of that length of down time.
Might also grab the one in WV, unless the wife spent me dry.
He still has it in the frame, last I checked.

[JBz]

you can always try the old comet cleanser trick Mix up a fairly decent batch of comet or ajax and some water. Put a fitting on the intake tube on the bad cylinder and a tube on it with some vise grips as a valve and let it suck up a little at a time. A glazed cylinder it might help. A busted or stuck ring no. jb

[Recycled Roadkill]

you can always try the old comet cleanser trick Mix up a fairly decent batch of comet or ajax and some water. Put a fitting on the intake tube on the bad cylinder and a tube on it with some vise grips as a valve and let it suck up a little at a time. A glazed cylinder it might help. A busted or stuck ring no. jb

Yeah... Don't even think of trying that. every bearing in the engine/transmission will suffer and you'll end up replacing everything.

Edit: Fixed error with sentancing. Musta been late for me.

[Earl43P]

If all goes to plan, I'll pick up a running 83 on Monday.

It'll be the engine donor.

I disassembled the RH head and found the oil jet had only one small o-ring, none where it mates head to case. Oil didn't get into the coolant. I hadn't touched that side when I installed that engine. Plan to put it back together and stick it into the 83, making it an oil burning runner. May take some other goodies off the 83, like the rims, put them on my 82.

Is the 83 rear rim tire a 16", like the 82 is?

Is the rear drive ratio different or was the gearing change done with a tire size difference?

It's coming with another engine, unknown condition. Might put it into the donor in the off chance that it doesn't burn as much oil. I'm also going to change some valve guide seals and lap valves, measure springs (I have extras) and all that fun stuff.. If the 83 runner is sound when I get it running, I'll see if my older son wants it. Or keep it at my Mother's place up in Pa.

I've been reading up.
http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45223
http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45537

I also hear the 83 swingarm might be wider, any truth to that? This comes with a spare swingarm and rear drive, supposedly from another 93. Might put them on the 82 if it's wider and geared differently.

Could I darkside it if it's wider? Could I grind the swingarm wider to darkside it? What size car tire fits?
Reason I ask, I already wore out one rear tire in 12k miles, since May. It's ok for a few more miles, but getting there. Might as well do it all at once.
So many questions, too little time on the internet to search.

Making room in the garage for Monday! MWS is about to set in.
Starting to cool off, might light the heater out here.

[Whiskerfish]

Sorry I can not help much with the 1100 specific questions but 12,000 miles out of a back tire is not too terrible. A Lot depends on riding style and tire quality. The Dunlop 404's I would usually see less than 10,000 and now running the more expensive Metzlers I see close to 15 on a back. Aggressive starts and stops and proper inflation will also have huge impact on longevity.

[Sagebrush]

I'm pretty sure the swingarm is the same between the 82 & 83. Rear wheel should bolt right up. 12K on a rear is pretty good particularly the way I ride and do try a Metzler. I've gotten good results on my 1800 with them and I currently have one on the rear of my blue 1100 but I don't know what kind of mileage I'll get from it yet.

[ericheath]

According to my info the only gearing difference was the secondary gearing, 0.973 for 80-82 and 0.897 in the 83 model. The 82 83 had 3.1 final drive, 80-81 had 3.091. So the 83 has a little higher gearing. It came with a 16inch rear rim. I'm not sure if the 82 came with a stock 16" rim. Here's where I found this: http://classicgoldwings.com/forum/galle ... e_id=13544 This would be good to have saved somewhere it won't get lost.

[Sagebrush]

I'm not sure if the 82 came with a stock 16" rim.

It did.