83 185s using oil - opinions please

[Worden18]

I've had my 185 for about 3 and 1/2 months now. I ride almost every day, for at least an hour, sometimes 2. I'm on my second oil change with it. The oil still pretty clean, but lately the machine has been consuming oil. It has never smoked, and up until a few days ago, never used/burned any oil. I always check the oil before I ride.

Since it has always been full, when I checked it 2 days ago and it was down (halfway on the dipstick), I was a little alarmed. I don't beat it or wind it out excessively, I'm more of a slow trailin' kind of rider. So I added a little bit of oil to fill it back up...yeah I know, it's not much.

I went for a 2 hour trail ride this morning, trike ran great, idled great, no loss of power, etc. Checked the oil again long after it had cooled down...same thing; back down to the middle of the dipstick. It's still in the safe zone, yes, but it never used/burned any before...so what's the problem?

Is it just a coincidence and maybe it needs a top end rebuild? Is it as simple as a valve adjustment or timing adjustment? My spark plug is not fouled out, it looks pretty darn good I was surprised. It's been in there since Jan. 9th. I'm a little worried, kinda stumped here. Opinions from the more experienced please. Thanks

[barnett468]

Hello

Sorry to hear about your problem.

Here's what I guess it is. If there are no oil leaks it is bad rings. The guides couldn't leak this mUch oil past them that fast. I know your plug is dry and color is good so that's a mystery for sure. Oil either leaks out the cases or past the rings and valve guides or both. It will never evaporate or simply disappear.

The first thing is to check for leaks but I'm assuming you would have noticed one that large.

Any drips on the bottom of the motor including at the drain plug gasket?

Look at the crankcase breather tube there should be oil mist on the end of it if rings are bad.

Do a compression test?

[Worden18]

Hello

Sorry to hear about your problem.

Here's what I guess it is. If there are no oli leaks it is bad rings. Yhe guides couldn't leak this mich oil past them that fast. I know your plug is dry and color is good so that's a mystery forv sure. Oil either leaks out the cases or past the rings and valve guides or both. It will never evaporate or simply disappear.

The first thing is to check for leaks but I'm assuming you would have noticed one that large.

Any drips on the bottom of the motor including at the drain plug gasket?

Look at the crankcase breather tube there shiul be oil mist on the end of it.

Do a compression test?

Thanks for the response barnett. No leaks at all. Dry as a bone. I'll check the things you've mentioned for sure. One quick question; if it indeed is bad rings wouldn't the bike smoke to beat hell? I'm not totally green when it comes to motors, but I do have a lot to learn, especially about these old Hondas. I've never rebuilt one of these old engines before, but I may be learning how soon LOL.

I'm just baffled at how it didn't burn any oil at all then all of the sudden one day quite a bit of consumption on not too long of a ride.

[trike savior]

i agree with both of you. i would say rings because it is burning it that fast but it should smoke really bad. i would look over it again for leaks. could be a drip thats hard to notice and may do it when its cold not hot. i would throw a clean piece of cardboard under it for a night or two and then take it out and get it hot and bring it back on cardboard and leave run for hour or so. theoretically should drip somewhere. i would imagine being in minnesota things are wet right now so all the water from riding could be hiding the leak

[Worden18]

Thanks fellas, I'll try these things. I'll report back when I get them done. In the meantime if anyone else has an opinion please chime in. I'm all ears.

[barnett468]

Hello

Yes from your comments it has NO signs of burning oil. Something is obviously being missed Einsteins theory of relativity says so, lol.

You aren't using clear smokeless oil are you? Ita mineral based and doesn't burn blue.

It would at the very LEAST leave a thin oil film on your plug, if it does not do this and has no leaks then call the police because someone is stealing your oil while you ride it!

[Worden18]

Hello

Yes from your comments it has NO signs of burning oil. Something is obviously being missed Einsteins theory of relativity says so, lol.

You aren't using clear smokeless oil are you? Ita mineral based and doesn't burn blue.

Nope. Straight conventional Chevron 10w-30....

[barnett468]

hello

That's what I figuered. This should be a good one hope someone here can figure it out and do it fast for you.

[Worden18]

Hello

Yes from your comments it has NO signs of burning oil. Something is obviously being missed Einsteins theory of relativity says so, lol.

You aren't using clear smokeless oil are you? Ita mineral based and doesn't burn blue.

It would at the very LEAST leave a thin oil film on your plug, if it does not do this and has no leaks then call the police because someone is stealing your oil while you ride it!

Well I may have to re-evaluate my plug. Seems to be a thin film on it. I had quickly looked at the condition without checking for oil on it... But I've been using what the manual calls for, which is the DR8ES-L as opposed to the D8EA which I think is a hotter plug? (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) I realize the DR8ES-L is going to foul out quicker, but the machine seems to run good and the white part of the plug has turned a nice lighter brown, which is what should happen, correct?

Maybe tomorrow I will put a brand new plug in and run the machine for a test. It's kinda hard for me to evaluate the plug and feel that I've gotten it right. I'm going to have my brother look at it tomorrow; we'll see what he thinks.

[barnett468]

Well I may have to re-evaluate my plug. Seems to be a thin film on it. I had quickly looked at the condition without checking for oil on it... But I've been using what the manual calls for, which is the DR8ES-L as opposed to the D8EA which I think is a hotter plug? (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) I realize the DR8ES-L is going to foul out quicker, but the machine seems to run good and the white part of the plug has turned a nice lighter brown, which is what should happen, correct?

Maybe tomorrow I will put a brand new plug in and run the machine for a test. It's kinda hard for me to evaluate the plug and feel that I've gotten it right. I'm going to have my brother look at it tomorrow; we'll see what he thinks.

OK so you confess,lol. Just kidding, It's EXTREMELY easy to overlook the thin oil film if you are not used to doing so. If you stop youir bike and look at the plug and it is wet at all it is oil and never gas as the gas will always burn/evaporate etc.

The plug color should be a pale tan after an hor or so. It ideally should never get to a medium or dark tan if all is well.

[kb0nly]

If your not seeing any smoke then its not burning much if any, a drop of oil into the top end will make her smoke like heck. Usually on these motors if you have bad valve stem seals the oil leaks down over night after sitting and you get a nice cloud on startup and then its done til it sits a while again. If its burning oil all the time its usually rings/bore causing the issue.

Check your recoil rope, is it oily? Also check the weep hole at the bottom of the recoil for any oil residue. A common leak thats been coming up a lot lately is the seal around the recoil pulley going and the recoil getting oil puked into it. If it has fresh oil the clean oil is harder to spot if its weeping out somewhere, and this time of year without road dust to stick to it you don't have obvious signs. Check the valve adjustment caps, and look around the cylinder where it meets the bottom end and the head for any signs of leakage.

I have also seen them suck some oil out through the crankcase breather if the tube to the airbox is restricted and so it pumps from the crankcase, but again this usually causes burning oil by getting breathed into the motor and burned. But check your airbox for any oil just in case.

Let it sit overnight, then start it up the next day, let it idle, don't rev it up, just let it idle a while, watch the exhaust, look for leaks, its going somewhere! As long as you continue checking the oil though at least your not going to hurt it til you find it.

[Worden18]

Time to bump this thread...finally

I've gone thru 2 more oil changes on this machine, and it was the same both times...when the oil starts to get thin, the machine uses it. It's like it's telling me that it needs an oil change at that point. The machine doesn't smoke or leak, and the plug looks normal. I had a car once that would use oil once it started to thin out. On this little 185, it's about every 3 months with all the riding I do. So there's my conclusion on this; it's just using the oil once it gets thin. Anyone else experience this?

[barnett468]

Hello

I've gone thru 2 more oil changes on this machine, and it was the same both times...when the oil starts to get thin, the machine uses it.The machine doesn't smoke or leak, and the plug looks normal.

Well since that's the case and oil does not evaporate it is either burning it like I first suggested or someone is stealing it.

Here's what I guess it is. If there are no oil leaks it is bad rings. The guides couldn't leak this much oil past them that fast. I know your plug is dry and color is good so that's a mystery for sure. Oil either leaks out the cases or past the rings and valve guides or both. It will never evaporate or simply disappear.

The first thing is to check for leaks but I'm assuming you would have noticed one that large.

Any drips on the bottom of the motor including at the drain plug gasket?

Look at the crankcase breather tube there should be oil mist on the end of it if rings are bad.

Do a compression test.

Anyone experience this?

Yes it was always burning oil.

Time to bump this thread...finally

It's time to take your top end apart.

[Worden18]

Hello



Well since that's the case and oil does not evaporate it is either burning it like I first suggested or someone is stealing it.









Yes it was always burning oil.




It's time to take your top end apart.

If it is indeed burning oil, then it is doing it without any smoke whatsoever, and the plug is clean, and there is no leaks at all anywhere. Why would it burn oil only when it thins out, and not immediately after an oil change? It starts using it/burning it only when the oil is getting dirty/thin, which is about the time I change it; and that's at about the 3 month interval - with at least 5-10 hours a week on the machine.

[barnett468]

Yes from your comments it has NO signs of burning oil. It would at the very LEAST leave a thin oil film on your plug, if it does not do this and has no leaks then call the police because someone is stealing your oil while you ride it!

Well I may have to re-evaluate my plug. Seems to be a thin film on it.

I've gone thru 2 more oil changes on this machine, and it was the same both times...when the oil starts to get thin, the machine uses it.

Well since that's the case and oil does not evaporate it is either burning it like I first suggested or someone is stealing it.

If it is indeed burning oil, then it is doing it without any smoke whatsoever, and the plug is clean,

You said your plug is not clean. See your quote below.

Well I may have to re-evaluate my plug. Seems to be a thin film on it.

Time to bump this thread.

It's time to take your top end apart.