Engine oil use

[Matias]

Hello everybody,

My Griso 1100 has now 2.000 km.
The last service was at 1.000 km, so it was the first time I checked the engine oil level.
I was surprised because it was too low (slightly below the minimum).
I'm in doubt if the engine is consuming oil or the guys that serviced the bike didn't filled it up correctly.

Is it normal for these engines to consume oil? What about the breaking-in period?

Thanks in advance for your inputs....

Luis Matias

 

[john zibell]

Since you don't know where it started from, add about 500cc of oil and check it in 500Km (you don't want to over fill, between the fill and add marks is good). Then you can reasonable ask the questions about oil consumption.

 

[Matias]

You are right and that's what I'll do.
But meanwhile...is it common for these engines to consume oil? Will it have to do with the breaking-in period?

 

[Penis Rotor]

Don't be too gentle with it during break in. Just ride it 'Normally' and do a few good full throttle pulls in the higher gears to seat the rings.

Don't over fill the sump. About a third of the way between the 'Add' and 'Full' marks is where you want it otherwise it'll just pump it out into the airbox.

Pete

 

[Matias]

Hello Griso riders,

Comming back to this issue....
What level of engine oil consumption is normal for a 1100 Griso?
How much per 1000km, i.e.?

Thanks in advance for your inputs...

Matias

 

[uzidzit]

my g12 uses none but it is a 4v head, and my '12 stelvio uses none. the only loss is a little out the breather if I overfill....so normal use over 1000mi is none

 

[Matias]

Curiously my oil level seems to go down to minimum and then stay there....
Can it be that it is 'breathing' it out?....I don't see any signs of it though...

Any 1100 Griso riders out there that can add something to the subject?.

 

[GTM®]

How are you checking it with the stick. threaded in or resting on the top? Either way, the 1064cc 2VPC motors tend to find their preferred level. Typically it's 3 qts with a filter change. On your next change do this, and note where it is on the stick on however it is that you check it. I doubt it's using anything substantial since you didn't check it when you picked it up.

 

[Matias]

I'm checking it with the stick resting on top, like mentioned on the manual.
The bike has now 5.000 km.....hope this improves with a couple of thousands of km more on it....

 

[jiltedjohn]

My G 11 used oil up to 16,000 miles then stopped, they take a good while to fully bed in especially on fully synthetic

 

[ghezzi]

Time for a track day, canning the piss out of it.
My Cali Stone used just a little oil (500ml/5000K) all the way to 30,000klm, then I did a track day and it never used a drop for ever after .........................

 

[johnd]

Frankly, I find the task of checking engine oil levels has become increasingly more difficult and subjective with every new "advancement" Guzzi makes. It was more difficult on my V11 LeMans than it was on my 74 V7 Sport, and even more difficult on my 2009 Griso. It's almost like the factory doesn't really want you to do it.

First of all, the dipstick is very hard to read. It traps oil in the grooves; it's black; and it feeds in at an angle such that any deviation can result in erroneous readings. Second, the manual says to check the level when the engine is hot. But when the engine is hot, so are the exhaust pipes. And the dipstick is neatly nessled into a small cavity right between the exhaust and the left cylinder. If I don't burn myself checking the level, I'm certain to do it when I try to clean up the inevitable drips that come off of the dipstick in the process. Third, the oil is to be checked with the bike level. Since it doesn't have a center stand, this is a risky task unless you have a helper. And because of the angled dipstick, a slight variation from level can make a big difference in the reading.

I have a theory as to why they didn't include level marks for a cold engine - I believe the dipstick came from another bike. Since it already had marks in the wrong place, the factory decided to modify the procedure to fit the marks. It makes sense when you consider that the V11 LeMans level was to be checked with the dipstick screwed in, while the Griso is to be checked with it screwed out.

Fortunately, my 2009 doesn't use any oil between 3,000 mile changes. So every thousand miles or so, I just check it cold ,and try to get it as level as I can. I find that, when I fill with the recommended amount (3.7 quarts for my 8v after draining the oil and replacing the filter), the oil is about 3/8-inch above the high mark on the dipstick with the bike level and the engine cold (after an initial run to make sure everything is circulated). I've never had any oil in the air box drain line. In fact, I periodically blow air through it to make sure it is clear.

 

[Guz5]

One litre per 1000 km is the expexted maximum oil useage

 

[Pascal]

I have a theory as to why they didn't include level marks for a cold engine - I believe the dipstick came from another bike. Since it already had marks in the wrong place, the factory decided to modify the procedure to fit the marks.

Geez :roll: :roll: :roll:
Fantasy land is precious...

 

[contractor20]

I do mine when its cooled a little or cold and just run it up and turn it off . Yeah the bloody dipstick is a pain, so i painted mine with grey epoxy paint and it's now an easy task except the balancing act but I have a short length of wood and just prop it near the L/H pot and pull her against it at vertical with the left hand and check with the right.

 

[Charlie J]

My G11 had a very slow motion gravity attack onto his right side,he didn't fall right over but sure enough snapped the cast plate just above the rear brake pivot. $10 worth of 8mm aluminium plate and an hour or two later I had a gusset plate bolted up. I use a sandstone block under the sidestand when the bike is in the shed, and when I check his oil I put another sandstone block and various bits of flat bar under the gusset plate to hold him upright. This holds the bike very firmly, not real portable though....

 

[johnd]

I have a theory as to why they didn't include level marks for a cold engine - I believe the dipstick came from another bike. Since it already had marks in the wrong place, the factory decided to modify the procedure to fit the marks.

Geez :roll: :roll: :roll:
Fantasy land is precious...

It was a joke, man. Don't be such a tight ass.

 

[moto]

My Griso 1100 uses oil, even though I did my best to follow Dr. Roper's break-in advice, and even though I fill it only to halfway between the "add" and "full" marks, with the dipstick not screwed in.

I've got about 17,000 miles on it, but maybe I can still look forward to improvement, based on jiltedjohn's earlier remark.

 

[johnno]

5 years ago I had a griso11 and it was an exdemo bike with 900 miles on the clock .I was also worried about oil used .
From what I can remember I used a litre to 500 miles which my dealer did not believe so we measured it to upper level and I rode it 500 miles and he agreed it was using this amount of oil.
I had a compression test and checked the breather system out ,all was fine .
I then rode it as hard as I could and after awhile the oil consumption got better.,As someone else has said don't be to gentle when riding. I ended up doing 33 500 miles on this bike no problem.
Hope this helps.
Like you I posted this question on a number of guzzi sites at the time

 

[Pascal]

I have a theory as to why they didn't include level marks for a cold engine - I believe the dipstick came from another bike. Since it already had marks in the wrong place, the factory decided to modify the procedure to fit the marks.

Geez :roll: :roll: :roll:
Fantasy land is precious...

It was a joke, man. Don't be such a tight ass.

And that's the way I like to keep it.