Breakin oil consumption?

[harleydog]

I am the goof that purchased the new LT in May of this year and traded it for the RT a couple weeks ago. Did I mention how much I love this RT. Anywho I have read so much on this board I feel like and old pro on the bike just from this site. I have been reading with interest about oil consumption before break in on this boxer motor. The delivering dealer said to keep an eye on the window just in case but should not need to add any prior to the 600 service. Well I have been watching and can say that never has the top line of oil been visible. Not when I picked it up or now with 650 miles. I don not think they would have overfilled it and there are no indications of such so I is this normal? If there is such a thing as normal. I can say that I have not babied this bike at all. First 50 miles kinda easy and then as normal. No rev limiter action, well maybe once, but just vigorous exercising of the through the range of rpms. I know there are all sorts of opinions on break-in I just am of the school to follow the Mfg. recommendations but also believe that the motor needs some pressure from time to time to help set the rings,etc.

So what do any of you other guys that have gone through the break-in period think, normal or not. Thanks, BTW, Have I told you how much I love this bike?

David

[brick_haus]

Well mine didnt use any oil leading up to the 600 mile service although I was able to see it in the glass. When the dealer did the service, they filled it above the sight glass with oil and I was unable to see the level. I could see that it was oil in the glass (color). It must have burned a little thereafter as after 1500 miles further I was able to read the level. Now, 3500 miles after the service, the oil is 1/2 way up the glass.

[ukrt]

I am the goof that purchased the new LT in May of this year and traded it for the RT a couple weeks ago. Did I mention how much I love this RT. Anywho I have read so much on this board I feel like and old pro on the bike just from this site. I have been reading with interest about oil consumption before break in on this boxer motor. The delivering dealer said to keep an eye on the window just in case but should not need to add any prior to the 600 service. Well I have been watching and can say that never has the top line of oil been visible. Not when I picked it up or now with 650 miles. I don not think they would have overfilled it and there are no indications of such so I is this normal? If there is such a thing as normal. I can say that I have not babied this bike at all. First 50 miles kinda easy and then as normal. No rev limiter action, well maybe once, but just vigorous exercising of the through the range of rpms. I know there are all sorts of opinions on break-in I just am of the school to follow the Mfg. recommendations but also believe that the motor needs some pressure from time to time to help set the rings,etc.

So what do any of you other guys that have gone through the break-in period think, normal or not. Thanks, BTW, Have I told you how much I love this bike?

David

If it helps my 2005 used loads of oil my 2008 in 10'000 miles has not used any.

[tlc]

I had my 600-mile service done a couple weeks ago. Before then the sight glass was completely full of oil, with no line visible. Since the service the oil level is now visibly halfway up the sight glass.

[Orpheus]

Get a friend (who's used to a heavy bike) to sit on it and lean it to the right a bit while you watch the oil window. You'll soon tell if it's just a tad full or really over-filled & should have a bit drained.
Mine needed oil quite regularly for the first 1500km but hasn't used a drop since.

[Steve_]

Your dealer has overfilled the bike at the pre delivery check.
BMW design them to run at a set level so the engine crankshaft is not trying to drive through the oil.

When you run in a boxer "DO NOT TAKE IT TOO EASY" it will result in less power,poorer fuel consumption and increased oil use.

Basically it will take about fifty to a hundred miles to get a working surface on a plain bearing crankshaft setup.
After that vary the speed,and load on the engine open the throttle more than is needed to get gas pressure behind the rings.This will result in the rings bedding in correctly giving a good seal,more compression and minimal oil use in the future.

Take it too easy and you will "glaze" the cylinder walls rather than bed the rings.
Like Subaru,BMW are paranoid about lubrication on startup due to the horizontal engine layout,consequently they use very low tension oil rings.
this is why run in is so critical to a long lasting good running boxer engine.

Best place to run in a new bike is nowhere near a freeway for this reason.
Enjoy your new toy Regards Steve

[atps1234]

This bit me in tha a** when I got my bike. I kept watching the oil window, but I could never see the level. I called the shop and they asked me what color the window was, I told them it was yellow - they said it's full and just over the window. To confirm, they had me start it on the centerstand and watch the window. As soon as I started it the oil came down to under the window and I could see it spashing around in there. Saved me from potentially adding too much oil. I lost almost nothing at the 600mi service, and now at 1900 miles it's down to around 2/3 full in the window.

OB

[OHRider]

The best dance for checking the oil is:
Run the bike to 3+ bars
Leave bike on side stand for 3+ minutes to drain oil cooler
Put the bike on the center stand for 3+ minutes
Check Oil
From the bottom of site glass to the dot in the middle is about 4OZ.

[Cerviperus]

I had my 600-mile service done a couple weeks ago. Before then the sight glass was completely full of oil, with no line visible. Since the service the oil level is now visibly halfway up the sight glass.Exact same here. I actually took mine in for the 600-mile service right at 1000 miles... which the dealer told me well in advance was fine. At 1000 miles the line was maybe a 1/3 of the way up the glass. After the service and oil change, I've put approximately 300 miles on it, and the line is already half way down. I just checked last night because I'm taking it on a 4 hour round trip today. I plan to call the service department just to make sure it's normal burning. I'll probably add a little before I take off.

[hopz]

Here ia question for the oil "experts"...

Where (in the sight glass) is the proper oil level... using the side stand then center stand method described above?

Is the "proper" level in the center, or anywhere in the glass, or just barely above the top of the glass...

By the way... when I do an oil change and refill with the recommended 4 quarts, the level is just above the glass...

[Stixx]

Someone mistakingly told me they used a LOT of oil at first but at 2300 miles mine has only tropped to the fist third of the window. I topped it off with some leftover , I'd say about one cup of oil and it came fully back up.
I'm not adding any more unless it is at the bottom of the window and learned my lesson on my last BMW, never had more than a cup of oil at the time if you can see any in the window.

BTW, this method of determining oil level is not very accurate nor is it satisfying. What the heck is wrong with dipsticks on bikes . I never really can guage how much if any oil is needed , it is either showing some obscure level amount is low then you add a bit and think will the window is full did I add too much for then you worry if the airbox is getting blown into. BS if you ask me . Give me a screw in dipstick , much more accurate.

[Semper_Fi]

Here ia question for the oil "experts"...

Where (in the sight glass) is the proper oil level... using the side stand then center stand method described above?

Is the "proper" level in the center, or anywhere in the glass, or just barely above the top of the glass...

By the way... when I do an oil change and refill with the recommended 4 quarts, the level is just above the glass...

I do the oil check dance - get home put the bike on side stand, take gear off in house, put bike on center stand, come back a few minutes later and check glass.

The sight window has a dot dead center.

I use this as my low point (not that it is), when i see that my oil is at the dot level I add. I try to keep the oil to just about the top of the window - i can still see the oil

My bike has 10K miles and have used 1 additional quart (since mile 12) for re-fills to keep in between the dot and the top of the sight glass

Hope this helps

[OHRider]

Here ia question for the oil "experts"...

Where (in the sight glass) is the proper oil level... using the side stand then center stand method described above?

Is the "proper" level in the center, or anywhere in the glass, or just barely above the top of the glass...

By the way... when I do an oil change and refill with the recommended 4 quarts, the level is just above the glass...
I keep mine a the dot.
When changing i put in 3 quarts the check it. i normally only need 3.5 quarts with filter. 4OZ of oil is half of the site glass. if i put in the 4 quarts its way over. i always check my oil at 5 bars of temp.

[PlaneGeek]

I got my 600 mile service at about 1100 miles with the oil just approaching the bottom of the window. I'm at over 3500 miles now and I've had to top off only once since the 600 mile service.

[switz]

I find the idea of over filling the oil strange. As plastic tends to yellow with heat and age, one could get to the point that the oil color is not different from that of the plastic. Thus are you over full or low?

In the engine room of the navy ships I was on, they had a tube to show the level of the water in the boiler. If no line was present, one would not know if it was too full or too low. Thus a safety shutdown was required to verify the water level. They also had a person assigned to just watch that water level.

Just my $0.02 on the topic.

[ranks]

Having had two recent boxers, the 2005 GS wich I sold and now the 2008 RT, they have been wildly different in oil consumption.

I bought both new, with no miles, so it wasn't someone test driving them.

The GS used 1/2 qt on the 600 mile service and 1 1/2 quart at the first 6K and 1 qt from 6-12K, and about 3 oz from 12K to when I sold it.

My 2008 RT has used nothing at 600 mile service and I've added about 1 -2 oz since the 600 mile service. It has 5800 miles on it now.


I don't know what it means, if anything, but I've had no problems with either bike except addidng oil on the GS.

[Bob1200rtc1]

I broke my RT in pretty much the way the owners manual said. I used a couple ounces the first couple hundred miles and now it doesn't use any oil.