Is this normal?

kaiserz · May 8th, 2011, 08:07 PM

is it normal that I'm losing a lot of oil, I did my first oil change a couple of days ago and I think it went well, lately I've been checking my oil level a lot and I've noticed that my oil is dropping everytime I ride my bike. is that normal? it went from full to half of the sightglass in like an 80mile ride.

Cuongism · May 8th, 2011, 11:55 PM

What year is your bike? It looks like you have a newgen in your avatar which is definitely too new to burn any oil. I generally freeway on my bike so constantly above 11k and the oil level is always the same.
Are you checking at the same "intervals?". As in comparing oil levels when cold both times or comparing them after riding, but letting the oil drip back down?

kaiserz · May 9th, 2011, 06:30 AM

It's a new gen got it last year october brand new, i put it up on its stands check it when it's cold and I also check it after riding (i put it on its stands wait for like 30 mins then check) it's really weird it never did this before my oil change.

dubojr1 · May 9th, 2011, 06:41 AM

What kind of oil and filter did you use?

kaiserz · May 9th, 2011, 06:54 AM

I used a CASTROL GTX sae 10w - 40

and a Fram: CH6012 filter, I know fram is not the best filter out there but yeah... And i'm planning to do another oil/filter change after 50miles.

CC Cowboy · May 9th, 2011, 07:00 AM

Is that motorcycle oil?

Are you checking the oil level with the bike on the side stand or with the bike upright?

Do you see oil coating any part of the bike (from a leak)? Is the oil filter tight?

Is the inside of your exhaust pipe oily?

kaiserz · May 9th, 2011, 07:21 AM

It's not a motorcycle specific oil, it's conventional oil i believe, I'm still at my break-in period and almost all the motorcycle specific oil that I've seen are synthetic I also did my research on this oil and one of the members here uses it without any problems

I check the oil level with my GPI stands

I don't see any signs of oil leaks anywhere, and I used a torque wrench to tighten my oil filter.

I checked, I even try putting a piece paper towel just to see if it's oily but i dont think it is, (I didnt take the thing a part.)

cwb48 · May 9th, 2011, 07:27 AM

Don't check it on stands. Hold the bike upright on a level surface and look at the glass. You can do this by crouching on the right side of the bike and pulling the right handlebar toward you carefully until the bike is balanced upright (easier than it sounds). The stand may be tilting the bike forward and messing up your reading.

Chris

cwb48 · May 9th, 2011, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaiserz

It's not a motorcycle specific oil, it's conventional oil i believe, I'm still at my break-in period and almost all the motorcycle specific oil that I've seen are synthetic I also did my research on this oil and one of the members here uses it without any problems

The manual says API SE, SF or SG, or API SH, SJ or SL with JASO MA.
I believe that the Castrol GTX is SJ and SL (so called "dino" oil), so it's OK by factory recommendations, but some believe that the specific motorcycle oils contain additives that help the transmission work better. I use Spectro 4, which is SL and JASO MA, but it costs more than twice what the GTX does. I've used the GTX in the past without any problems, and I still use it in my cars, but many here prefer the synthetic- I would at least spring for the motorcycle oil- it only takes 1.6 quarts.

Chris

dubojr1 · May 9th, 2011, 08:26 AM

Many of us use and swear by Rotella oils. They can be purchased just about anywhere and its protection has been discussed and proven by many. I love their T6 and used their Triple prior to switching to synthetic. It is not "Motorcycle" oil but it does meet factory standards.

I would also recommend a NAPA #PS4941 filter. It is made by WIX and for the price of under $7, it is almost unbeatable. PLEASE stay away from ALL Fram filters...

setasai · May 9th, 2011, 09:38 AM

When you changed the filter, did you run the bike for 5 mins and then top it off? If not, the oil drop might just be the filter soaking up more oil. When in doubt, do another oil change and see what happens. Oil + filter is only like $15 and for a piece of mind, it couldnt hurt. Or add more oil to a particular level and see if it stabilizes. The sight glass from low to high really isnt that much.

kaiserz · May 9th, 2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwb48

Don't check it on stands. Hold the bike upright on a level surface and look at the glass. You can do this by crouching on the right side of the bike and pulling the right handlebar toward you carefully until the bike is balanced upright (easier than it sounds). The stand may be tilting the bike forward and messing up your reading.

Chris

Thanks Chris! i think i found the problem, (I tried using the front stand too and bam there's my oil heheh)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubojr1

Many of us use and swear by Rotella oils. They can be purchased just about anywhere and its protection has been discussed and proven by many. I love their T6 and used their Triple prior to switching to synthetic. It is not "Motorcycle" oil but it does meet factory standards.

I would also recommend a NAPA #PS4941 filter. It is made by WIX and for the price of under $7, it is almost unbeatable. PLEASE stay away from ALL Fram filters...

Thanks for the oil recommendation (: and yes I am staying away from the frams filters I actually have a WIX filter ready and I'm gonna use it this wed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by setasai

When you changed the filter, did you run the bike for 5 mins and then top it off? If not, the oil drop might just be the filter soaking up more oil. When in doubt, do another oil change and see what happens. Oil + filter is only like $15 and for a piece of mind, it couldnt hurt. Or add more oil to a particular level and see if it stabilizes. The sight glass from low to high really isnt that much.

and yes I did this, I've changed the oil 2 times already.

THANKS GUYS (:!

setasai · May 9th, 2011, 05:41 PM

Phew... glad you figured it out so easily. Funny how bike owners see little changes everywhere and wonder if it's something wrong and find out it's something little or normal. I bet if we paid this much attention to our cars, we'd be panicking every time we take it out.

May 8th, 2011, 08:07 PM	#1
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	Is this normal? is it normal that I'm losing a lot of oil, I did my first oil change a couple of days ago and I think it went well, lately I've been checking my oil level a lot and I've noticed that my oil is dropping everytime I ride my bike. is that normal? it went from full to half of the sightglass in like an 80mile ride.

May 9th, 2011, 06:41 AM	#4
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	What kind of oil and filter did you use? __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

May 9th, 2011, 07:00 AM	#6
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Is that motorcycle oil? Are you checking the oil level with the bike on the side stand or with the bike upright? Do you see oil coating any part of the bike (from a leak)? Is the oil filter tight? Is the inside of your exhaust pipe oily? __________________________________________________ If everything seems under control; you're just not going fast enough!

May 9th, 2011, 08:26 AM	#10
dubojr1 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Jacksonville, Florida Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250R SE, 07 Honda CRF230F, 06 Honda CRF150F Posts: A lot.	Many of us use and swear by Rotella oils. They can be purchased just about anywhere and its protection has been discussed and proven by many. I love their T6 and used their Triple prior to switching to synthetic. It is not "Motorcycle" oil but it does meet factory standards. I would also recommend a NAPA #PS4941 filter. It is made by WIX and for the price of under $7, it is almost unbeatable. *PLEASE* stay away from ALL Fram filters... __________________________________________________ 09 250R SE: Paying it forward one post at a time! Don't forget to add yourself to our Member Map

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May 8th, 2011, 11:55 PM	#2
Cuongism ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Cuong Location: San Diego Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r, 2007 Daytona 675 Posts: A lot.	What year is your bike? It looks like you have a newgen in your avatar which is definitely too new to burn any oil. I generally freeway on my bike so constantly above 11k and the oil level is always the same. Are you checking at the same "intervals?". As in comparing oil levels when cold both times or comparing them after riding, but letting the oil drip back down?

May 9th, 2011, 06:30 AM	#3
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	It's a new gen got it last year october brand new, i put it up on its stands check it when it's cold and I also check it after riding (i put it on its stands wait for like 30 mins then check) it's really weird it never did this before my oil change.

May 9th, 2011, 06:54 AM	#5
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	I used a CASTROL GTX sae 10w - 40 and a Fram: CH6012 filter, I know fram is not the best filter out there but yeah... And i'm planning to do another oil/filter change after 50miles.

May 9th, 2011, 07:21 AM	#7
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	It's not a motorcycle specific oil, it's conventional oil i believe, I'm still at my break-in period and almost all the motorcycle specific oil that I've seen are synthetic I also did my research on this oil and one of the members here uses it without any problems I check the oil level with my GPI stands I don't see any signs of oil leaks anywhere, and I used a torque wrench to tighten my oil filter. I checked, I even try putting a piece paper towel just to see if it's oily but i dont think it is, (I didnt take the thing a part.)

May 9th, 2011, 07:27 AM	#8
cwb48 Mature motorcyclist Name: Chris Location: Sykesville, MD Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R, blue Posts: 126	Don't check it on stands. Hold the bike upright on a level surface and look at the glass. You can do this by crouching on the right side of the bike and pulling the right handlebar toward you carefully until the bike is balanced upright (easier than it sounds). The stand may be tilting the bike forward and messing up your reading. Chris

May 9th, 2011, 09:38 AM	#11
setasai ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Brian Location: Detroit, MI Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Green Posts: A lot.	When you changed the filter, did you run the bike for 5 mins and then top it off? If not, the oil drop might just be the filter soaking up more oil. When in doubt, do another oil change and see what happens. Oil + filter is only like $15 and for a piece of mind, it couldnt hurt. Or add more oil to a particular level and see if it stabilizes. The sight glass from low to high really isnt that much.

May 9th, 2011, 05:41 PM	#13
setasai ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Brian Location: Detroit, MI Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Green Posts: A lot.	Phew... glad you figured it out so easily. Funny how bike owners see little changes everywhere and wonder if it's something wrong and find out it's something little or normal. I bet if we paid this much attention to our cars, we'd be panicking every time we take it out.