Well,I'm just wondering now.....I've been using Royal Purple 10/40 syn MaxCycle now for two oil changes.I noticed that my sight glass level is below the low level(no reading when straightening the bike up vertical) when I check er cold.I don't remember the Kawachem/Motul doing this ever before(it always stayed right where I filled it to....just over half with the bike vertical and checking cold).It appears that somehow I'm losing oil.But there are no leaks and my engine runs really strong.With the Motul,she never dropped between changes.Twice now after riding over a several ride/several week period,the level is definitely low....I've needed to add oil.Any thoughts about oil burning....signs,besides smoke....which I don't have at all...the plugs are not oil fouling either(ALMOST positive...they're new and running exactly as when I put em in...no changes that I can tell...Idles fine,and steady at idle...OR...could I know besides pulling one out?What's the difference between oil in the exhaust,and carbon sooting of the exhaust...any way to determine which is which?.It only began doing this since I've used the RP.There is no abnormal engine noise going on,or temperature swings that aren't normal.No valve cover leaks.Nada.I went for a ride today...good ride.IT rained so I took er over and just sprayed off the grit and mud.I looked at the sightglass there,and it had condensation in it.(which disappeared after restarting).You guys think I've got a problem here?The spray washer deal was COLD water.The engine was definitely WARM.My oil addage has been both times around a 1/8 of a qt.Maybe just a smidgen more.I appreciate all the experience here...thanks guys.Next oil change I'm gonna go with Kawachem again....just to compare.It's excellent oil IMO anyway.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 6/10/2010 @ 11:58 PM *

Leak down tester says to make no other move until you know that number. 1-2% leak says valve/ring/gasket, 'It Doesn't get any better than that, Maverick.'

Leak at 8-9%, you will hear the exhaust blow. The intake whoosh, the crankcase hiss, and the water bubbles are telling you the head gasket leaks down. Those are the percentages scattered around said areas and/or only one area.

We need that variable out of the way or here we go again, you throwing parts at it, not knowing the very first move so the wallet stays in pocket.

Pull out the socket.
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Ho K now, that was like pulling teef. Say, nice leak down numbers. Lets move on...

Short of a compression test, which is more a quick, "I got over 100 piss on it" is that test. Ain't my bike in other words. But say we have a smooth idle and the needles bounce even. That would tell you also, you have pretty good compression, no need to drag you, nag you to stop squidding out on the chain spray and socket to me is that number is first move with an OTTO.

See how I go back, I'm stuck in the mud thinking out the ass now? Now I'm going to say it's the oil. It's too slick. Too many times being evaporated off the cylinder wall> what the scraper ring could not scrap away is vaporized @ flame front times 4 barrels, times rpm, times the hours spinning the oil out the exhaust.

You never see it. Only way is to have the wife start the engine. You stand in the back and get a better perspective rather than looking around the pipe and tire for the other pipe's puff. This way, you eliminate valve guide wear or seal suppleness turning hard, cannot cockring the valve stem any longer.

Standing there watching the engine warm, you tell her you are going out for breakfast. She jumps in the car, follows you to the place. You in the meantime, want her to see if you puff smoke on decel and then accel away. So, find a highway sort of straight so you can lift from say 80 mph, coast to the speed limit, then accelerate away hard.

She or your buddy should mention they saw a puff momentarily or the puff continued. Puff at the moment was the oil being sucked on the intake side at the guide. This fires with the fuel or power stroke. They witness the exhaust stroke out the end. Then you have guide problems.

Constant oil burning are poor rings. Say the rings have a huge gap at the ends. They are out of spec, wide. Oil can get in there under crankcase compression. Then, if we are not sealing out the crankcase splash under the piston skirts, you know there is a compression rise under fire. When the piston is pushed down, so goes the air pressure. A burned fuel that cannot burn completely, being low on compression to hold the charge and light most of it off; is sent down the crankcase called blow-by.

See how we have to look in the service door of the ram chamber, see how bad that oil is peppered in the closed loop ventilation? We could look at our drain line, see if oil has flowed into that plastic catch tank. Follow the idle cable down to the oiled bottle container.

If we see that oil vapor in the catch bottle, we might have too good an oil. It just is slippery, it can tumble behind a ring seal and burn. We can pull teeth out the ass, you do not get a compression read and make sure it's not the oil. But, then again, you may answered your own question since you do suggest oil and I suggest oil. Only her hairdresser knows for sure.

Try the oil swap.

Okay Hub...I'll go the "easy" route first...oil switch.BTW....good explanation there Bro!Thanks man!

I've never run royal purple so I'm not sure about it> like Hub said some oils are not going to handle heat well and will evaporate just like water. Belray racing oil is bad about this, after about 2000 miles after an oil change in the 14 you'll actually have to add about a half a quart. I'd say switch oil brands and see what she does. In a test I saw Mobile1 did the best in a high heat test and was the only oil to retain over 90% of it's original weight at the end.

Okay...sounds good guys....(Hi Heathun!).My thinking exactly.RP may be good oil,but I think it's disappearing while I'm riding.I didn't know if an oil could actually "evaporate" OR slip by the rings....but that makes sense to me.No More RP.Thanks youse two!

Do like I did. I went to advanced auto parts website, order 5 quarts of mobil1 4t. Total was $49.95. I ordered 1 more thing that was $1. Add promo code em123 and you get $20 off so I got 5 qts and a sponge to wash it with for $31. You have to hurry though the code is good for 3 days and today may be the last day.

Thanks Rebus...I already ordered some 7100 Motul Next time.(maybe)

IT rained so I took er over and just sprayed off the grit and mud.I looked at the sightglass there,and it had condensation in it.(which disappeared after restarting).You guys think I've got a problem here?The spray washer deal was COLD water.The engine was definitely WARM.

I don't worry about the condensation on the sightglass. I get that in the colder weather. The moisture evaporates off after a good long run. I'm sure it could form in summer if there is a rapid change in internal/external temp such as you mentioned with the bath.

Far as needing to add oil. I add a couple hundred ml every 700 miles or so. It requires more frequent additions in hotter weather. No big deal. The bike runs great and has no leaks and doesn't smoke. Seems like a compression gauge in the spark plug holes should tell you if you have loose rings. I doubt it if you don't see any smoke.

Well I'll update this now...I changed oil out a week ago...went with Motul 300V.10/40 Synester.Been riding now....several times...good,brisk semi long rides.I've not had to add any new oil to er.She's holding steady at just above the center line in the glass.Guess that Royal Purple just isn't gonna be my oil anymore.Good quality no doubt,but I don't like the idea of having it "slip by" while I'm ridin.Stay safe all...have fun!