Oil Vanishing

[Toftnator]

I’ve had my rocket 3 for about a year now I haven’t done much to it. I’ve put a ram air filter on it and straight piped it. Then I was looking to getting it tuned, when all of a sudden it’s just blowing through oil. I have no clue where it’s going there’s no oil under and it’s not smoking, yet in a 20-30 min ride it lost 2 quarts of oil. If it was burning it wouldn’t it be smoking especially losing that much in such a short time?

 

[atomsplitter]

Are you actually losing the oil? The oil tank can drain into the sump and look like it has lost volume when the volume is in the sump. Start the bike and let it run for 60 to 90 seconds, shut it off then check oil level on the tank dipstick. If the oil magically reappears it's not being lost, just misplaced. If you are actually losing 2 quarts it will show up somewhere, whether on the road or all over your pants, it just doesn't evaporate.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Its very unusual for these to burn oil, much less 2 qts. You should look at crankcase breather, and verify quantity of oil in bike. From your statement that you lost 2qts. something is way off.

 

[jake shaw]

I worked on a BMW one time that leaked oil into the rear drive shaft unit. This may be a worth looking at.

 

[Toftnator]

Are you actually losing the oil? The oil tank can drain into the sump and look like it has lost volume when the volume is in the sump. Start the bike and let it run for 60 to 90 seconds, shut it off then check oil level on the tank dipstick. If the oil magically reappears it's not being lost, just misplaced. If you are actually losing 2 quarts it will show up somewhere, whether on the road or all over your pants, it just doesn't evaporate.

I tried that it is a little over full. Is it normal to be able to check oil level with out having to start it or is there something wrong that needs to be fixed? I also just rode it around the neighborhood real quick and the oil pressure light comes on and off at idle and on deceleration.

 

[TURBO200R4]

I tried that it is a little over full. Is it normal to be able to check oil level with out having to start it or is there something wrong that needs to be fixed? I also just rode it around the neighborhood real quick and the oil pressure light comes on and off at idle and on deceleration.

sounds like you have a problem.
first i would change out the oil sending.
on my rocket i can hold the throttle wide open (so it won't start) then crank the motor the light should go out after a few cranks (but not if you have a bad oil sensor or oil pressure problem)
i can check mine any time i want even idling this eliminates a drain back valve problem. but some rockets have a bad drain back valve which you may have.
if the new oil sending unit does not fix the oil light situation then you will need to drop the bottom pan and see if the filters are plugged.
you may get other opinions with time

 

[atomsplitter]

I tried that it is a little over full. Is it normal to be able to check oil level with out having to start it or is there something wrong that needs to be fixed? I also just rode it around the neighborhood real quick and the oil pressure light comes on and off at idle and on deceleration.

You may have an oil pump or oil pressure switch issue. It's most likely an oil pressure switch problem but needs to be determined sooner than later. The Rocket has TWO oil pumps, one for lubrication and one to send sump oil to the tank (scavenge pump). The engine lubricating pump can be replaced with engine in frame, but the scavenge pump requires engine removal. The cheapest and easiest thing to do first is check the oil pressure switch. It's located on the back of the cylinder head. You have to remove the seat, remove the fuel tank, remove the intake duct work, and you'll see a rubber boot on the back of the cylinder head with a single wire coming out of it, that's the oil pressure switch. Unscrew the elecrical lead, clean the terminals, reinstall the wire and tighten the connection. If it was a bad connection the oil pressure light will stay out with the bike running. If the light is still intermittent, then replace the oil pressure switch. If that isn't it the oil pump is where the problem is.

 

[Jhortz]

I worked on a BMW one time that leaked oil into the rear drive shaft unit. This may be a worth looking at.

This is where I would start. You would very likely see if you were burning or losing that much oil, it's most likely hiding in a different compartment it's not meant to be in.