My mom has a 06 VTX1300R that began to use oil last summer. It was a very intermittent problem. The most it used was 1 qt in approx. 400 miles, then it would stop for a while then start again. They re-routed the crankcase breather and drove it for the end of the season. When it did use the oil there was nothing that came out the hose. There are also no external leaks on the engine/tranny. Has anyone else experienced this? Did a search but did not find any answers. I am thinking rings but it seems odd that it is intermittent. Is there a PCV valve on these that may be getting stuck? The pipes are dark as well as all the plugs. When it is in the garage and you crack the throttle you can see a bit of a dark cloud coming out the pipes. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Oil consumption
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I also have a '06 1300R which I purchased used in 2010 with 20,000 miles on it. The previous owner had installed a hypercharger air cleaner and Dyno-Jet carb kit. The Dyno-jet kit is crap so I replaced it after the 1st year of my ownership. It had the engine running very rich and I found it carbonned up the plugs and pipes quite a bit.
During last winter's storage I replaced the carb kit with a Factory Pro-3 kit and added Glen's Air/Fuel adjusted and got the bike running right. I also did a Seafoam treatment which removed the carbon build up within the engine and which I believe would have eventually had caused a stuck ring and oil loss like what you are experiencing.
Here is how I did the Seafoam treatment.
I ran the bike until the engine was hot.
I poured about 4oz of Seafoam into a small plastic dish.
I pulled off the vacuum line from the hypercharger and with the engine running stuck the vacuum line into the dish of Seafoam letting it suck it up. All the while keeping the engine from stalling by playing with the throttle. Just as the last of the Seafoam was sucked up I let the engine die and turned it off.
Then I let it sit for 30 minutes or so and reattached the vacuum line.
Then I started the bike and kept it running until all the smoke cleared.
I did this procedure once more the following day and then changed the plugs for new ones and have run fine ever since.
I don't know if this will fix your issues, but it is worth a try.
Good luck, blackdot/Tom
During last winter's storage I replaced the carb kit with a Factory Pro-3 kit and added Glen's Air/Fuel adjusted and got the bike running right. I also did a Seafoam treatment which removed the carbon build up within the engine and which I believe would have eventually had caused a stuck ring and oil loss like what you are experiencing.
Here is how I did the Seafoam treatment.
I ran the bike until the engine was hot.
I poured about 4oz of Seafoam into a small plastic dish.
I pulled off the vacuum line from the hypercharger and with the engine running stuck the vacuum line into the dish of Seafoam letting it suck it up. All the while keeping the engine from stalling by playing with the throttle. Just as the last of the Seafoam was sucked up I let the engine die and turned it off.
Then I let it sit for 30 minutes or so and reattached the vacuum line.
Then I started the bike and kept it running until all the smoke cleared.
I did this procedure once more the following day and then changed the plugs for new ones and have run fine ever since.
I don't know if this will fix your issues, but it is worth a try.
Good luck, blackdot/Tom
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I dont know if I can really assist to much, but they guys who can will really want to know what your set-up is on the bike.
1. Stock air intake?
2. Stock Exhuast?
3. Stock fuel managment systems (carb kit)
4. Any other modifications or aftermarket parts?
1. Stock air intake?
2. Stock Exhuast?
3. Stock fuel managment systems (carb kit)
4. Any other modifications or aftermarket parts?
Just talked to dad and got some more info. It currently has approx. 19,000 miles, Cobra pipes, Dyna-Jet kit, had a K&N air filter (stock housing) but replaced it with an OEM (no difference). They did run Sea Foam in it last fall as well but that did not change anything either. Other than that it is pretty much stock other than a windshield, saddlebags, radio communication, and heated grips.
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How does the oil look when you change it? Just oil? Any other substances, coolant or flakes of metal? How does the coolant in the reservoir look?
I'm just thinking out loud here. I hope someone else chimes in. From what you said there is no blow-by from the breather, what about down by the shifter? Any noticable leaks down there?
I'm just thinking out loud here. I hope someone else chimes in. From what you said there is no blow-by from the breather, what about down by the shifter? Any noticable leaks down there?
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A quart of oil is allot of oil...
no leaks...is bottom of motor dry? or wet? check all over the engines bottom.
if dry...remove the rubber cover at the front of the swingarm...and put your finger inside the rubber cover...I am thinking the shaft seal out of the transmision....
check that the crankcase vent system is venting...
if it was the piston rings...you would see alto of blue smoke out the exhaust going down the road.
I am not trying to make anyone feel BAD...when the oil was last changed...Were he completely sure...the correct amount of oil was installed in the engine...
no leaks...is bottom of motor dry? or wet? check all over the engines bottom.
if dry...remove the rubber cover at the front of the swingarm...and put your finger inside the rubber cover...I am thinking the shaft seal out of the transmision....
check that the crankcase vent system is venting...
if it was the piston rings...you would see alto of blue smoke out the exhaust going down the road.
I am not trying to make anyone feel BAD...when the oil was last changed...Were he completely sure...the correct amount of oil was installed in the engine...
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They probably Seafoam treated the fuel, which is good, it keeps the carb clean. But that is not what I was suggesting. You need to introduce the Seafoam directly into the intake manifold so that it gets to the cylinder in it raw form. That is why I allowed the vacuum line to suck it up.
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There is no PCV valve, just the hose. Make sure it's not crimped or plugged. Other than running rich, how does it run at low and high RPM? You could check the coils and wires, make sure they're all firing. Does she let the engine warm up before riding? I've noticed that running hard with a cold engine will cause oil consumption.
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which vacuum hose is that? in the stock setup, there is one hose for the crank case vent, one large hose that goes into the stock airbox...there is no other vacuum hose....can you tell us which one? thx
Just talked to dad and here are some more answers.
The oil is black when they change it after 3000 miles. They bought the bike with 10,000 miles on it and he said that after about 1000 miles it turns black. It has been that way since they bought it, but just started using oil last year. There is no evidence of coolant/metal in the oil, but maybe a oil analysis would be in order. The coolant in the reservoir looks fine. There are no leaks anywhere on the engine. He has looked over it many times, as well there are never marks under it when they park it in their garage.
As just posted, the engine is dry everywhere. I do agree that with the amount of oil that is lost that there should be a haze behind her on the highway. He changes the oil himself religously every 3000 miles with OEM oil. This is mom's 2nd VTX and dad is currently on his 3rd Wing and looking at the new ones again.
He ran the Sea Foam in the engine oil as described on their website. Ran it for a couple hundred miles to see if there was a problem with the rings that something may loosen up- out of desperation for anything to work. I suggested to him sucking it through the intake.
Thanks. He put a new hose on it when he ran the breather hose to the back of the bike. Mom has not noticed this bike to run any different than her last one. They do let them warm up before driving.
On another note, what type of compression gauge do you guys use on this engine? I went to hook mine up and the threads on the plugs are nothing like my gauge.
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When thay cold start the bike and let it warm up, do they use the choke/enricher?
It is a no-no on these 1300's. The choke/enricher is not like a normal choke, it dumps loads of raw fuel right in and is the biggest cause of plug fouling and carbon build-up on these bikes.
It is a no-no on these 1300's. The choke/enricher is not like a normal choke, it dumps loads of raw fuel right in and is the biggest cause of plug fouling and carbon build-up on these bikes.
Thanks. I have no idea if she does, I will let them know. She does have a throttle lock installed so she could use that as an alternative.
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Most pressure gauge setups that I've seen usually come with several adapters for the plug threads which are threaded in first then the gauge hose would thread into the adapter.
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Originally Posted by footprintsinconc
hi,
in a post you said to such sea foam into manifold through a vacuum hose:
which vacuum hose is that? in the stock setup, there is one hose for the crank case vent, one large hose that goes into the stock airbox...there is no other vacuum hose....can you tell us which one?
Out of the intake manifold on a stock 1300 there is a vacuum fitting which feeds vacuum to the carb and to the petcock fuel valve. I have an extra vacuum line running to the Hyper-Charger air cleaner on my bike which is convient for this type of procedure.
On a bike without the extra vacuum line I would use the line going to the petcock fuel valve. You may find this hose to be too short for this procedure, but you can insert small Tee fitting with one side going to the petcock fuel valve, one side to the vacuum source (intake) and the other would be used to suck up the Seafoam. A fitting and extra vacuum line can be picked up at most auto parts stores, as well as the Seafoam.
hi,
in a post you said to such sea foam into manifold through a vacuum hose:
which vacuum hose is that? in the stock setup, there is one hose for the crank case vent, one large hose that goes into the stock airbox...there is no other vacuum hose....can you tell us which one?
Out of the intake manifold on a stock 1300 there is a vacuum fitting which feeds vacuum to the carb and to the petcock fuel valve. I have an extra vacuum line running to the Hyper-Charger air cleaner on my bike which is convient for this type of procedure.
On a bike without the extra vacuum line I would use the line going to the petcock fuel valve. You may find this hose to be too short for this procedure, but you can insert small Tee fitting with one side going to the petcock fuel valve, one side to the vacuum source (intake) and the other would be used to suck up the Seafoam. A fitting and extra vacuum line can be picked up at most auto parts stores, as well as the Seafoam.
Here is an update incase anyone else finds themselves in the same situation. We pulled the engine this winter and tore it apart. We got 0.010" over pistons for it and brought the cylinders to a local engine shop. When I went to pick them up we were talking about the bike and they made an interesting observation when they measured the cylinders before machining. Both cylinders were between 0.003" to 0.004" out of round! She has put on a few thousand km this year already without any problems, the oil is also staying clean now too.
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Not to start an argument but I have had several Honda's including a new shadow phantom. Have had engine noise leaks and other issues. Currently have an 04 vtx 1300 with 45k miles. High oil consumption noisy valvetrain clunky jerky transmisdion. Oh well it's a honda..most overrated bike on the planet.
That's your first post?
Sorry your bike has issues but vast majority don't with proper maintenance.
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Well, first off you are not going to get an argument from any of the previous responders to this thread with possibly the exception of footprintsinconcrete and Chuck_vtx F since you are replying to a thread that was started in January of 2012 and the last poster before you was posted in August of 2012, which makes this a over 7 year old thread. Secondly, personally I think you are overlooking the Harley Davidson, given it's high purchase price and little things like the horrible vibration, air cooling instead of water cooling, a large number of Harley's have suffered a catastrophic failure of the frame at the rear axle to frame interface
that Harley has never issued a recall on nor will they ever admit to unless forced to. This bike belonged to the father of my nieces husband. That's how I got this picture and I would hazard to guess that this would trump your contention that Honda is the most overrated bike on the planet and your statement that you do not want to start an argument,............... that is exactly what you are trying to do other wise you would not have come to a Honda users group and start trying to create hate and miscontent. Consider yourself warned that we will not stand by and let that happen here.
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No I'm just stating a fact I've had a CX500 Honda had a head gasket issues and timing chain issues I had a CB650 78 model had carburetor issues electrical issues I had a 2002 Silverwing 600 had noisy riding rod bearings. 22000 Mi I had a 2015 Shadow Phantom got brand new the engine was really noisy from the time it was new and Honda didn't know me and now I have the VTX and it's drinking oil that's my luck with Honda that's why I feel the way I do and by the way I'm not a Harley fan either
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I love the looks and the way the vtx rides. Do not enjoy the oil consumption noisy valve train and clunky jerky transmisdion
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