trx burning oil

[dfh]

Cause I want something a little more manageable, comfortable, nimble and a little more pillion-worthy.

I'm going to miss my TRX but my new SV650 is pretty awesome

Sound logic... and a good description of the differences between the two.

But there is one point to consider. I have a friend with a Mk1 SV650. Helped him fit new forksprings, emulators and a WP rear shock. He lets me ride it now and then but only for a short time. Why? the SV turns me into a complete nutter, maximum throttle or lean angle... or both at the same time. Backing it into turns, bouncing it off the limiter, clutchless gearchanges up and down the box.

If the TRX makes me ride like Troy Corser, then the SV makes me ride like Garry McCoy

As for the combination of a fettled SV and the Adelaide Hills

Enjoy it

DFH

[haggisbash]

I still reckon if a TRX is using oil and the valves, guides, seals and output shaft seal are okay then it has to go past the rings.
Modern oils are so good it can be a problem to get the rings to bed in properly.
Sooo, what you do is hone the bore, fit new rings and when you fit the barrels only put a litttle oil on the piston skirts - none on the rings or bore!!!
When you first start the engine immediately take the revs to 4000 and hold them there for 60 seconds or so. (Seems like an age when you do it).
Sounds brutal eh
The theory is that the honing marks in the bore are there to act like a file to shape the new rings - "bed" them in. If you start the engine and baby it the bores get a coating of oil and the rings slide on this and never fit well enough to stop oil from getting past even though the compression can be good.
I have used this approach on a Ducati I had plus a couple of old brit bikes and it worked perfectly. Must admit I haven't had to do it to my TRX - never had to do anything to the top end except valve clearances so far.
Coming up 30,000k and using maybe 100ml/1000k's
Silkoline fully synth 15/50 oil. TRX seems to like this oil but made 3rd gear a little noisier. Was using Silkoline Super 4 semi synth but cant get this here now. Will try Spectro super 4 next time its cheaper.

[phuk72]

Agree - it must come past the rings.

Picking up on the comment above, I have never run in new rings or pistons.

I let the bike go through three heat cycles (i.e. completely warm and then allow to completely cool) and then get on and then ride it hard through the entire rev range for 50 miles or so (not constant revs).

Many people believe that the best place to 'bed in' new pistons and rings is on the dyno or a race track.

Then normal riding. (My bike uses no oil at all BTW.)

Please note, I accept absolutely no liability whatsoever if you do this a fcuk your bike up

Personally I wouldn't worry about a bit of oil blowing past the rings. Most race bike lose oil this way as they run less rings or thinner rings to reduce friction.

[kebab19]

Sorry, I'm a bit confused.

I'm running Halfraud's 10w-40 semi synth, but as I've stated, it's being guzzled at an alarming rate.

If I wanted to try a heavier oil in the future, is it the first number I need to consider, the second number or both? I thought the first number was the thickness of the oil upon start-up, and the second number the thickness (cant spell viskosity) when the engine runs at optimum temperature?

I noticed Halfords do a couple of 15w-40 oils - are they an option? Or do I need to track down some 20w-50 treacle?

Forgive my ignorance!

[steve speed]

i would not use 20w/50 in our part of the world its just to f**king cold if its going though 10w/40 then it might be worth a strip down it depends on how much its using ,,can you do the job yourself? you will save a bucket load of cash if you can and you will get loads of help from this site

[burty]

Mine uses at least the specified 1litre in 1000 miles that Yamaha suggest is acceptable.

wow Burty...

Actually I've ridden around 400 miles this week a mix of fast motorway, and London town stuff, in that I have used about a pint, so a litre in 1000 miles is probably a bit of an exaggeration really. The problem I have now is that I ride the bike irregularly so I don't keep track, just top it up when it needs it.

A while ago I had ideas of rebuilding again - I even had ideas of big boring the bike but in truth I don't really find it wanting in the performance department, so that would be rather a pointless exercise. I used to commute to work daily, now I mainly work from home, so my mileage has dropped from something like 1200+ per month to pleasure miles only. Consequently the highish oil usage is tolerable. It's not doing any harm and the power is there so I shall continue as it is.

[phuk72]

Mine uses at least the specified 1litre in 1000 miles that Yamaha suggest is acceptable.

wow Burty...

Actually I've ridden around 400 miles this week a mix of fast motorway, and London town stuff, in that I have used about a pint, so a litre in 1000 miles is probably a bit of an exaggeration really. .

Burty

I think you'll find you are understimating oil consumption

a pint (558ml) every 400 miles is the equivalent of 1.4 litres per 1000 miles

[burty]

'Tis true.

Oh well.

I don't much care TBH.

I just like twisting the loud handle thing on the right. I've been hooning about London all week, nothing quite beats accellerating hard down Piccadilly, Bus on one side Taxi on the other.

[phuk72]

Yeah - I miss commutting to central london on a bike

[burty]

Fortunately I don't do it every day, so it remains a novelty. This week it's been 4 days, and the first proper commuting since December. Even though it rained a few times it's been fun.

I even met another TRX owner who'd parked his bike in the same parking bay (Just off Kensington Church Street).

Oh well that's this thread proper derailed now, sorry.

[Jak]

Yeah - I miss commutting to central london on a bike

Me too ............NOT! Mind you I did it one day in the car - took 3½ hours (vs 1½ on the bike). Two years since I last went up there - don't miss it a bit!!

Sorry - I'm off topic too - what was the question?

[burty]

Car sucks. If ever I've used the car I sit there watching the bikes go past thinking why did I....

Plus it's congestion charge too, so bikes get it freeeeee.

Biggest downside is the shortage of parking spaces.

[devlin]

Agree - it must come past the rings.

Picking up on the comment above, I have never run in new rings or pistons. etc. etc.

There is a web site by a bike tuner in the US, he is a big advocate of giving the motor a good seeing too in the first 1 or 2 rides. As Phuk says it helps to bed the rings in hard against the bore. I must admit to not being 100% convinced, about 99% as I was the only place I have seen it mentioned. I'll see if I can find it again.

[dfh]

Picking up on the comment above, I have never run in new rings or pistons.....

.....Personally I wouldn't worry about a bit of oil blowing past the rings. Most race bike lose oil this way as they run less rings or thinner rings to reduce friction.

I agree totally

After having my head rebuilt and new rings/light hone done I was advised by the workshop to ride it as normal as I had not replaced any bearings. So after picking it up, doing a coupla hundred kays locally, dropping the oil and filter we were off on week long tour. Within 600km of the rebuild my TRX was flat out in top chasing an Aprilia SL1000 and BMW R1200R....

Now it uses virtually no oil, and less oil than it did new

Oddly enough it will still be hard to start and blow blue smoke if I am silly enough to leave it on the paddock stand overnight. My theory is if you look at the head there is an oil return line from the side opposite the camchain to drain oil away from the head when parked on the sidestand. On the paddock stand the oil does not drain, but stays pooled around the exhaust valves and a little of this drains into the cylinders overnight.

DFH

[kebab19]

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I believe is the site you were looking for?

It makes sense, did Yamaha supply TRX's from the crate with synthetic oil? Could explain why they drink a bit. Should have started them off with cheap mineral, perhaps....

Should I ever get round to taking the top-end off I might rebore and break it in using this technique.