http://www.amsoil.com/techservicesbulletin/MotorOil/TSB%20MO-2004-04-03%20Oil%20Consumption.pdf

It gets past rings, seals, etc and gets burned in the combustion chamber.  All engines do it, and my old Land Cruiser has a chapter in the owners manual dedicated to explaining it; because the Toyota 1FZ-FE engine was also well know to have the "characteristic" of burning lots of it.

Dan

Got what the had in stock at Autozone.  Castrol 10w-40 motorcycle oil.  No issues.

Golden Spectro seems to be a good oil for the price from what I hear.

Caltex havoline 20W/50 :/

Quote from: Turd Ferguson on October 22, 2013, 07:13:40 PM
http://www.amsoil.com/techservicesbulletin/MotorOil/TSB%20MO-2004-04-03%20Oil%20Consumption.pdf

It gets past rings, seals, etc and gets burned in the combustion chamber.  All engines do it, and my old Land Cruiser has a chapter in the owners manual dedicated to explaining it; because the Toyota 1FZ-FE engine was also well know to have the "characteristic" of burning lots of it.

Dan

1FZ-FE engine! ... Luxury!! ... 

Used to have a '82 HJ47 ute ... 2H motor .. But it burned bugger all oil eh! ... 

The H motor (gen 1) used to use a little though ... And was known as 'the rattler' ... At idle all the mirrors on the vehicles would vibrate.... And I don't mean just vibrate....like Shake so bad you couldn't use them for vision! .. And the door panels, bonnet, roof etc ... Not a well balanced unit for idle!

But yeah ... Oil use in some/most engines of whatever type is to be expected... And more so I think if the engine gets pushed to near or on its rev limit often... Part of the fun of engines!

Cheers for all the info

I learned about the GS burning oil the hard way with my '06.  Checked it after a thousand miles or so (WHOOOPS!) and it took right around 3/4 qt to reach the full mark.  I hope that I didn't completely destroy the engine.  I've put around 200 miles on it since topping off and haven't heard any knocking, so crossing my fingers.

I owned a '00 Isuzu Amigo that burned 1 qt every 1K miles which was very typical for the V6, and actually quite easy to maintain.  My '06 F-150 hardly burns a drop.  Go figure. 

Assuming I didn't completely destroy the GS, I'll start checking it every other fill up as others have suggested.  I could just kick myself!!

Oil gets burnt through the valve guides doesn't it on these things?

Don't confuse burning with evaporation.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Newrider/newriderresults/2010/December/dec1510-know-your-bikes-oil-consumption/

Explains why some owners whose engines are in otherwise good condition have lost a high amount of oil on long run.

Yeah but you didn't answer my question. Does it get lost through the valve guides or under the pistons? Specifically for this engine on this bike where does the oil go?

Pressurize the cylinder and listen for where it is leaking out. Intake, exhaust, crankcase.
Just be careful if you have it in gear, hold the rear brake to keep it from running off the stand.

regards
Mech

Quote from: slipperymongoose on October 23, 2013, 06:57:48 PM
Yeah but you didn't answer my question. Does it get lost through the valve guides or under the pistons? Specifically for this engine on this bike where does the oil go?

Sorry...I wasn't talking to anyone specifically, but to answer your question.....

If the valve stems, guides and seals are in good order the amount lost through them will be minimal. And assuming the lower end of the engine is in good order you are far more likely to suffer loss through evaporation than through burning if the bike is ridden hard for long periods, particularly if the oil you are using has a low resistance to volatility (or evaporation)

http://www.combscustoms.com/pdfs/Amsoil_Study.pdf   

Check the test figures on page 17. It would appear some brands evaporate at up to almost 3x the rate of others under the same conditions 

Well holy shaZam! a proper answer

That was an interesting read. Something useful for once.

I think I'm making the switch over to 20w50 next spring. Oil consumption is creeping up especially on my long spirited back road commutes. I'm not hard on my bike by any means, but I do drive it the way the Suzuki gods intended.

Yeah i just read it all was very interesting

Quote from: slipperymongoose on October 23, 2013, 06:57:48 PM
Yeah but you didn't answer my question. Does it get lost through the valve guides or under the pistons? Specifically for this engine on this bike where does the oil go?

Evaporation , then into the breather, through the combustion chamber, and our the pipe? The engine has to circulate air, and oil is sloshing in there, a lot.



The oil study is neat, but doesn't define what is an acceptable low limit for engine oil. It's focus is only the high limits of wear. The 4 ball bearing test is an extreme exaggeration of what should not happen in an engine, ever.

Or maybe I missed it ?

I understand oil evporation under the hot pistons being a consideration but still don't believe it has much of anything to do with the GS's much higher oil consumption at high speeds after it gets high mileage on it, the evaporation should be about the same regardless of the bikes mileage.  The more the rings wear the more the oil sprayed up on the cylinder walls gets sucked up into the combustion chambers to burn.

Burned oil is then expended back down past the rings into the sump as well as out the exhust.  Way back in the good old days, pre EPA, crankcases were vented to the atmosphere thru an open tube runnung down towards the road under the engine.  On an old worn engine there was a steady thick cloud of smoke coming out.  Now all that worthles crap is recirculated back thru the engine again.

Quote from: hovermn on October 23, 2013, 04:04:20 PM
I learned about the GS burning oil the hard way with my '06.  Checked it after a thousand miles or so (WHOOOPS!) and it took right around 3/4 qt to reach the full mark.  I hope that I didn't completely destroy the engine.  I've put around 200 miles on it since topping off and haven't heard any knocking, so crossing my fingers.

I owned a '00 Isuzu Amigo that burned 1 qt every 1K miles which was very typical for the V6, and actually quite easy to maintain.  My '06 F-150 hardly burns a drop.  Go figure. 

Assuming I didn't completely destroy the GS, I'll start checking it every other fill up as others have suggested.  I could just kick myself!!

The worst part about the gs500 engine is that it hasn't had much done to it since 89 (and really even earlier than that).

The best part about the gs500 is that it hasn't had much done to it since 89 (and really even earlier than that).

Basically if you're not knocking you're probably fine. Don't do it again. The GS500 engine, as old, outdated, and unimpressive as it is, is basically a tank. I wouldn't worry about it.

I use to be the "Mobil1 Poster Child", I have since drank from the Rotella T Golden Chalis. Rotella T6 Full Synthetic works fine, I also picked up a gallon of Rotella T3 SAE 15W-40 for $12.99 at Wal-Mart. My WR is my guinea pig at the moment, all bikes going to Rotella T soon. Mobil1 T4 is good stuff, but @ over $10.00 a quart 

Changing your oil on time is more important than what oil your changing

Ive never used moto specific oils in my bikes. except for one oil change on my harley. used car oils. w/o a problem. certain car oils you shouldnt use btw. but fwiw i cannot remember which ones.