From: Luke Dean Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 09:28:53 +0100 Subject: Oil level & consumption I seem to recall a few weeks back a thread about the oil level light and the rate of oil consumption. I don't have any wisdom myself on the subject but I want to report on a conversation I overheard at my motorcycle dealers and which I later took up. The conversation was about filling the oil to the correct level and procedure that should be adopted. The conversation continued with the phrase "Of course all the big Yamahas burn oil, they are designed to do so to aid cooling". It seemed very odd to me that a water cooled bike would be designed to do this so I asked the dealer more about it. He said that they had ask the Yamaha importer in UK after a number of owners complained about the amount of oil consumption. Yamaha apparently said that the oil consumption was a design feature for improving cooling. The dealer said that it was only noticeable or only appeared to occur on runs where speeds of around 70mph or more were sustained for any length of time. My engineering ability is insufficient to comment on the validity of this claim however, it certainly reflects my experience of the GTS. Luke Dean (Software Engineer) Spectra Precision Software, Inc. 8 North Street Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7DD U.K. Tel : +44 (0)1243 373504 Fax : +44 (0)1243 379481 email to: luke@bluemoon.co.uk ------------------------------ From: ALAN TOORAEN Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 03:07:20 -0700 Subject: Re: Oil level & consumption Luke, I agree with the cooling story. It is designed to cool the heat customers are putting on Yamaha about their GTS oil consumption. If this was a design feature of the engine, it would be very prominently displayed in the owners manual and explained to customers when they bought new bikes. I can think of few things as fun as being in the middle of East Jesus nowhereville and having your GTS oil light come on. You never know if it is low on oil or perhaps just out due to some engine malfunction. This is the true story that I got from a guy that owns four GTS 1000 bikes. He rides alot in Europe at fairly high speeds( 85-120 MPH). He said the oil consumption got to be so inconvenient for him that he had a ring job done in France. The French mechanics said that most GTS bikes use a lot of oil because the rings that Yamaha used were put in wrong and were not up to specs. They also said that every bike GTS they put new rings in stopped using oil. I have asked a few FZR owners about oil consumption and they have said it is not a problem. The FZR has nearly the same motor as the GTS except it is a high performance version. If the cooling story is true the FZR should use more oil than a GTS! My own bike has used oil from day one, and seems to use more Yamalube than any other brand. I have used Mobil One with some success in cutting down consumption. I just have to remember that all in all the GTS is a wonderful ride , and it like all experimental and cutting edge vehicles has it's quirks. All The Best To You, Alan Tooraen