cleaning the injectors

[ian]

If I'm burning oil at a rate of about a quart ever 500 miles, how often should I be using fuel injector cleaner?

[ragedigital]

What kind of car is it?

And if you're burning that much oil, it's time to get it serviced.

[ian]

haha not the car, it's my bike

[ragedigital]

I figured. There's no injectors, so I just made a little crack.

I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you let the bike sit for a while. Change your fuel filter every season though...

[Luke-a-Tron]

Running a detergent (I like SeaFoam) will generally make oil leaks/burning worse rather than better. If you're burning oil, cleaning out the gunk and getting it flowing better will make you burn more oil. That's a high rate to be losing oil, are you sure it's all burning? Are you fouling plugs left and right?

[ian]

actually my plugs are fine as far as I can tell, I haven't actually checked them since I got the bike back in January. And yes, I'm sure it's burning off, because I have no puddles anywhere.

[Luke-a-Tron]

It's probably your exhaust valve seals in that case because that much oil would have to foul the plugs pretty quickly if it were getting into the cylinder. Either that or it's only leaking when it's moving. Goopy crap deposited on the frame or the inside of the fairings is a sure sign of that.

[ian]

haha well if I had fairings I could tell you if it was there. Where would it be on the frame? underside? clutch cover?

[Luke-a-Tron]

Around where it's leaking, . Look around, if you see a bunch of oil and road grime some place, investigate.

[ian]

will do. Leaks are usually easier to fix than valve seals I'm guessing...

[ian]

unfortunately it looks like the only gunk/grime is from lube being thrown off the chain...

[Luke-a-Tron]

It depends where it's leaking. Clean out the filth behind the sprocket cover and take a look after a short ride. Two of the most suspect seals under there, the main output shaft behind the front sprocket (PITA to replace) and the clutch rod seal (very easy to replace).

Is your bike smoking? That's just a very large quantity of oil to loose in a short period.

[ian]

Yes, she does smoke, quite a bit when I wring her out.

[Luke-a-Tron]

Then I'm suspect of the exhaust valve stem seals. I'd do a compression test. If all is well there it more or less has to be the valves.

You might just plan on doing a full top end rebuild this winter. Valves, rings, cylinder hone, the whole nine yards. It's silly not to do the rings and cylinders if you've go the head off already.

[ian]

Do I have to buy a compression tester or can I borrow one from autoreilly zone?