Going through 1/2-1/3 quart of oil every 800 mi on 2010 RT-S SE5

[Bandera]

I have a 2010 RTS SE5. Just turned circa 36000 mi. I went to the homecoming this summer and found I was going through 1/4 to 1/3 quart of oil every 500-800 miles. Is this normal.

Thanks

Michael

[jcthorne]

Completely normal for a 998 engine.

[Bob Denman]

Yup!
Docdoru once posted a chart of the leakdown results for the Vee-Twin engine: the results were pretty........ leaky!

[BajaRon]

Completely normal for a 998 engine.

Not so sure about that. I have just over 35K on my 998 and it uses about 3/4 qt with 5-6K service intervals. That works out to less than 1/10th quart every 500 miles. I use Amsoil 10w/40.

[Pirate looks at --]

I have to agree with Ron, that amount of oil use seems to be excessive. We have 47000 on our 13 RT and we may add a 1/2 quart every 3000 miles! Unfortunately I can't tell you what maybe causing your oil consumption, but someone on here can!

[murphybrown]

I have a 2010 RTS SE5. Just turned circa 36000 mi. I went to the homecoming this summer and found I was going through 1/4 to 1/3 quart of oil every 500-800 miles. Is this normal.

Thanks

Michael

My '10 RTSE5...did the same...

[jcthorne]

Oil consumption on the 998 varies greatly with RPM use. The more you use the upper RPM ranges, the more oil it will consume. Always shift below 4000 and it will consume very little. But whats the fun in that?

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Oil consumption on the 998 varies greatly with RPM use. The more you use the upper RPM ranges, the more oil it will consume. Always shift below 4000 and it will consume very little. But whats the fun in that?

Exactly. You'll use 1/2 quart or more in 500 miles on the BRP because you're running around in third gear all day. (How do I know?) It's very difficult to get an apples to apples comparison with someone else. So Mike, as long as you don't see the oil on the floor, ride it and check it every 300 miles or so as your manual says.

[BajaRon]

Oil consumption on the 998 varies greatly with RPM use. The more you use the upper RPM ranges, the more oil it will consume. Always shift below 4000 and it will consume very little. But whats the fun in that?

I ride my Spyder pretty hard. And I agree. It will use more oil at higher RPM. When I rode with Lamont (and he pulled a trailer) he used about the same amount of oil in his 998 that I did. There does seems to be quite a spread on oil usage and there doesn't seem to be any simple answer as to why. I'm surprised that some aren't getting fouled plugs with these high rates of oil consumption. I didn't use that much oil in my 2-Stroke bikes!

[DGoebel]

[2013 998 RTL] I recently did the Smackdab 2017 Run, I filled my 998's oil to the Full line the night before our departure. Rode 500 miles to get to the start on Friday. (Did not check oil), got up after 4+ hours of sleep, Rode the Smackdab's 700ish miles from 6 AM to 8:45 PM Saturday. Went to Hotel. (Did not check oil). Sunday Morning, Rode home to MN, another 500+ miles, total was 1739miles. Checked oil, added 1/2 quart to get it back to the Full line (Doing a IBA SS1K on Wednesday). After reading here, I only fill it to the full line when I know I'm going to do a LONG mellow touring ride to get to a destination.
Day to day around town use, I keep it halfway between full and add on the stick.

[BajaRon]

[2013 998 RTL] I recently did the Smackdab 2017 Run, I filled my 998's oil to the Full line the night before our departure. Rode 500 miles to get to the start on Friday. (Did not check oil), got up after 4+ hours of sleep, Rode the Smackdab's 700ish miles from 6 AM to 8:45 PM Saturday. Went to Hotel. (Did not check oil). Sunday Morning, Rode home to MN, another 500+ miles, total was 1739miles. Checked oil, added 1/2 quart to get it back to the Full line (Doing a IBA SS1K on Wednesday). After reading here, I only fill it to the full line when I know I'm going to do a LONG mellow touring ride to get to a destination.
Day to day around town use, I keep it halfway between full and add on the stick.

This brings up a point that may apply here (not to your particular post but to the overall subject of why some are burning a lot more oil than others. If you check your oil cold it will always show low. If you fill it to the full mark (cold) then it is actually being overfilled and you will burn a lot more oil if you overfill the reservoir.

I always check my oil level at a gas stop or when I get home from a ride. Never cold.

[Montery]

This brings up a point that may apply here (not to your particular post but to the overall subject of why some are burning a lot more oil than others. If you check your oil cold it will always show low. If you fill it to the full mark (cold) then it is actually being overfilled and you will burn a lot more oil if you overfill the reservoir.

I always check my oil level at a gas stop or when I get home from a ride. Never cold.

I agree with Ron Never check your oil in a cold machine.
I have a 2012 RT and I only ride 2 up because my wife loves to go.
We live in Arizona and with long long stretches of roads I am constantly in the upper RPMs in the 6 years that I have had this machine I have never burned/used the amount of oil that some of you have experienced, my useage has been more inline with what Ron has experienced

[DGoebel]

I remember somewhere (Maybe in the Do's and Don'ts) where someone posted that they normally check their oil when they finish a ride, while the engine is at maximum heat soak. I've followed that suggestion ever since. And I normally always check the oil with my Spyder in the same spot and orientation. (Backed in my garage that has a 2in drop from back of garage to the garage door on the slab.) And When I fill it up, I stop below the Full line (or halfway to the Full line). Then take it out for a spin to bring that fresh oil up to temp before double checking the level.

[timeless]

Not so sure about that. I have just over 35K on my 998 and it uses about 3/4 qt with 5-6K service intervals. That works out to less than 1/10th quart every 500 miles. I use Amsoil 10w/40.

I had a discussion with Ron regarding my Valvoline synthetic, I was using 1/2 quart every 7 or 8 hundred miles.

I switched to the Amsoil per Ron's suggestion. I have 2600 miles on this oil change and put a 1/2 quart in at 2500 miles. That is a huge improvement for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chupaca]

There are a lot of variables when it comes to oil consumption on V-Twins. Use the information above and vary your ryding style a bit and see if it helps. Still seems a bit much but then I don't keep track and check usually coming home from a long ryde or a lot of small rydes..My oil change kit comes with an extra qt and it lasts me till the next change about 4,000 miles...