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998 oil consumption

fulltimer

Member
First let me say that I don't think I have any thing wrong with my ST. But I have noticed that when I ride the bike at 70+ for very long, I seem to use oil. Example; Saturday I took a ride with a group of which about 200 of the 300 total miles were at around 75 MPH (5200+ RPM). When I got home, the oil was down about 3/4 of a qt. It was at the full line when I started. When I ride it at lower speeds/RPMs, I don't get this consumption. This has happened repeatedly with this machine. Is this normal for this engine? As I check the oil regularly, I'm not worried about damage. Just wondering what others experience under similar conditions.
 
OIL CONSUMPTION

I had two 998 V-twins and they can be oil thirsty.....so to speak......The earlier ones like mine suffered from blow-by and would send excess oil up into the air-box.....you could plug and this helped .....I don't know if this is still the case with the newer 998 engine .........The more you rev it the higher the pressure so the more the oil gets pushed .......Mike :thumbup:
 
Oh yeah....

This is normal. As you get higher mileage it does get better but you will always have to add oil. This is a high rpm engine and I ryde it hard and faster than you do and always check it after a long ryde or two. Make sure you check the oil as per the manual or do like I do and check it right after you get in from a ryde. I have over 33,000 miles and the consumptions is way less than at the begining. I use about a qt or more between oil changes 4,500 miles. :thumbup:
 
They do use some oil. However, I'll bet that in your attempt to keep the oil "full" your sucking a lot of that oil up to the airbox.
Running the oil a bit lower on the stick prevents this. Full oil IMHO is half-3/4 up the grid and its good as long as it's on the grid. Any more than 3/4 and its going to the airbox. Won't hurt anything, just a mess when you pull it all apart. I don't even think I lose 1/4-1/2 qt between 3k-4k mile changes. I don't add any oil between changes.
Good Luck

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:agree:
Since it's a "dry sump" engine; the oil level just isn't quite as critical.
As long as you've got enough in it to keep the oil pumped running at full capacity: :thumbup:
However; keeping it full of oil will obviously give your more oil to keep things lubed-up and slick... :clap:
That'll allow the oil that's in it to run cooler, and last a little bit longer.
 
They do use some oil. However, I'll bet that in your attempt to keep the oil "full" your sucking a lot of that oil up to the airbox.
Running the oil a bit lower on the stick prevents this. Full oil IMHO is half-3/4 up the grid and its good as long as it's on the grid. Any more than 3/4 and its going to the airbox. Won't hurt anything, just a mess when you pull it all apart. I don't even think I lose 1/4-1/2 qt between 3k-4k mile changes. I don't add any oil between changes.
Good Luck

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I tend to run the oil a little low on the stick. In all engines I have ever had, car or bike, this seems to work better. But this time the level was completely off the stick at the end of the ryde. I guess I can live with that. I am not one who tends to have to fix the factory incompetence. I rode Hondas for too many years. I'll just keep checking the oil at the end of every spirited ryde.

Thanks for all the feedback folks:clap:.
 
So if the oil is not going to the airbox.....where does it go ? Is it being burned off ? Otherwise you would think you would see leakage or an airbox dripping with oil. :popcorn:
 
My ST consumes oil also Don't feel bad, you're not alone.

Dealers have all the excuses for oil consumption so I don't even bother mentioning it. It doesn't leave a drip on the garage floor ever so I know it's not leaking.

I had a VW dealer tell me that 1 quart in a 1000 miles was considered in spec. Sheesh.
 
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I tend to run the oil a little low on the stick. In all engines I have ever had, car or bike, this seems to work better. But this time the level was completely off the stick at the end of the ryde. I guess I can live with that. I am not one who tends to have to fix the factory incompetence. I rode Hondas for too many years. I'll just keep checking the oil at the end of every spirited ryde.

Thanks for all the feedback folks:clap:.
While some oil usage is normal on these motors, yours sounds excessive.

When your riding, not on the highway, how do you ride? Do you lug it along cruising or do you rev it out with some heavy throttle once in awhile?
The 998 needs to be run to stay healthy. They like to run.

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Oil consumption

If you ever figure it out. Let us in on it. I've gone 1500 miles on a road trip before without needing to add any, yet again, I've had to add at 500 miles during everyday use. It gets checked every 500 regardless. That's what I use trip counter #2 for. Makes it easy for this old guy to remember when the last check was.
 
The farther up the dipstick the oil is the faster it disappears. Don't lug my motor; rarely in 5th before expressway speeds. Commute on most 2 lanes in 4th gear.

As long as I can see oil on the dipstick I don't get excited!! I use 1/2-3/4 quart between oil changes
:2thumbs::thumbup:
 
The farther up the dipstick the oil is the faster it disappears. Don't lug my motor; rarely in 5th before expressway speeds. Commute on most 2 lanes in 4th gear.

As long as I can see oil on the dipstick I don't get excited!! I use 1/2-3/4 quart between oil changes
:2thumbs::thumbup:


That sounds about right 1/2 to 3/4 quart between changes. That is about what mine takes and I do not fill it more than half way up the grid on the dip stick. It will put it in the air box if you fill to the full mark.
 
TRY THIS

That sounds about right 1/2 to 3/4 quart between changes. That is about what mine takes and I do not fill it more than half way up the grid on the dip stick. It will put it in the air box if you fill to the full mark.
Dave, if you dis-connect the hose on the left side of the engine that goes into the Air box and put a regular cheapo gas filter on it this will end your problem.......and just plug the hole in the Air box.......Mike :bbq:
 
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