Are you adding oil

[papat]

We have almost 6000 miles on the nomad now and have done 2 oil changes. Have not had to add oil till last week when we took a 1400 mile trip to Colorado added most of a full quart along the way. Most of the ride was up hill, down hill or interstate speed. Have not put on many miles back at home yet, bike runs fine no change in fuel mileage. Any one adding more oil on there longer trips where interstate speed or longer hill pulls may be a factor?

Valvoline 20/50 MC oil

[audiogooroo]

Yep. About 3/4 quart going to Mesquite and back, which was mostly interstate riding.

[rlfaubion]

Not to sound braggart, but just for the info - in 24K miles I've never added oil. Now my Harley was a different deal.

[Idaho]

I just put 5000 miles on my '07 during a cross country trip, all interstate. Checked the oil at home and it is fine. Thought that I would have to add some but was real surprised. Bike has 17,000+ miles on it.

[jmorrow]

At 44300 mile have never had to add any oil. Have done several
1600 - 3600 mile trips with interstate travel..

[Top Cat]

Hey Jim, 2 Nomads in your sig pic. Is the back one your wifes?

[blowndodge]

My bike used a little oil until 6K. The 1200 mile Mesquite trip I had 3500 on that oil change and didn't use any. Still at the top of the site glass.

I have "heard" that over filling and/or pinched breather tubes can cause the oil to pump up to the fuel injection system.

[coacha]

I have done 3 oil changes since I got my '99 in November and have never had to add oil between changes.

[msharrelson]

On my '04 1600 Classic I have had to add 1 quart 1 time on 1100+ mile trip in 95+ degree weather. When I took it back into the shop for service, the Mechanic told me that it was alright and common for these models to use up to 1 quart of oil between changes. My mouth about hit the floor. Since then I have had to top off a little bit one time. I use the Synthetic type. They bulk of my riding is to and from work about 30 miles total a day. That does not seem to use the oil as much as those long rides in high temp weather.

Just my experience
Michael

[waterman]

The three vulcan's that I have owned have never used any oil. I run Amsoil 10-40 in all of them. If this continues to happen, you may want to try a synthetic. They have a higher flash point and most reports that I have read also talk about lowering oil consumption.

[dogdoc]

Mine '05 has never needed to add any oil so far, sounds a bit much for the trip.

[scion0]

Man, I've never even checked it other than at oil change time.

[ells]

Checked mine after a 1400 mi trip and looked like it was down a bit so added some, didn't change level so added a little more then then a little more and then a little more and even then it seemed low. Looked at it after the next ride as was way high. Drained some out just to get to where seemed right and I drained about as much as I added in the first place. Lesson learned, normally these biks use none, if it looks low add a very little, may 1/4 cup and ride it and check again. I was seriously concerned about blowing seals because of over filling.

E

When I ride to work and back all the time, I never have to add oil.

When I go balls-out on the freeway for long stretches, I always do.

I think that raising the high point of the crankcase breather hose may help with that issue. I haven't tried it yet.

[davidjones1]

never had to add between changes, always check when I am on a rode trip but have not had to add. 03 running synthetic.
ride safe.

[papat]

The replies have been great per blowndodge I removed the right side cover to find a small amount of oil in the cover, traced the breather hose to the front don't find it pinched. As with Ells it does take a long time to run down so I may change to 10/40. CaddmanQ it does seem the faster hot interstate speed may be the culprit, I had thought maybe the coasting down hill in Colorado may create more vacume to pull oil into the cylinder? Did look at Gadget's page about adding the remote crankcase breather.
Thanks for the input

[jmorrow]

Hey Jim, 2 Nomads in your sig pic. Is the back one your wifes?
Yes, She bought it in April off Ebay. They are both 2004 models. By sheer coincidence
they are sister bikes. The last 5 digits on the vin. are 1 digit different. My Nomad is
27699, my wife's Nomad is 27700. We're ready to roll to Custer. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif

[dkdixie]

In 7,000+ miles, have not had to add any oil. All but first few hundred miles has been Amsoil 20-50.

[ronnie]

Got close to 40,000 miles on my 06...... when I change the oil..... I just pour in 3 quarts and close it up..........It's never used any oil..........I guess I'm just lucky....

also never added a drop (past two years have gone 5000 miles between oil changes)

[ponch]

Not yet.

I wonder if this is just a matter of blow by in a big V-twin being an issue or is it something else? Is the thinner nature of synthetic oil an issue? Part of this may have to do with excessive road draft also.

In the old days, road draft tubes were used to vent the crankcase, but like all modern vehicles the Nomads use PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) for various reasons. That is until you change the air intake setup. With the Caddmann Kit, Coyote Kit, Thunder Kit, Big Air Kit, etc. the opening of the vent tube is exposed to road draft . At low speeds this is a non issue, but at high speeds there may possibly be a big suction on that tube from road draft, depending on how it's positioned, etc.

More than just if people are using oil, it would be interesting to know if they're also running synthetic oil, and if they've modded the intake tract.

I think it's considered that at normal speeds PCV would use less oil than road draft, but at higher speeds just the opposite.

[skeeter]

When I ride to work and back all the time, I never have to add oil.

When I go balls-out on the freeway for long stretches, I always do.

I think that raising the high point of the crankcase breather hose may help with that issue. I haven't tried it yet.

I've heard about raising the height of the breather tube and have seen first hand where a person had done this. Something was said about crankcase pressure at higher speeds and atomization or misting of the oil escaping out of the breather. Still looking for confirmation of this idea. I think it was McDaddy who extended his breather tube.

[mcdaddy]

Skeeter, yes .. I got a piece of tubing that is much stiffer than the Kaw vent tubing and put a breather filter on it. Ran it straight up under the steering head. You have to look real hard to see it. Then plugged of the hole behind the right side intake cover.

The breather looks like this:
http://i10.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/a2/c8/2878_2.JPG

If you are running the stock vent setup and sucking some oil from the crankcase into the throttlebody, you can probably see a little oil inside that right side cover.

[papat]

There was a small amount in right side breather cover also Gadget's page gives instructions for the remote vent

[aj]

The Synth v Hyd oil question is going to be interesting. I had hyd when I picked up the bike 4K ago and it needed a top up. When it was serviced moved to Synth, I hav'nt used a drop.

[Todd]

I have never had to add any either.....2006 with a little over 13k on it.....it has run sustained for several miles at higher speeds both with stock breather and an open filter breather on the intake side of the bike.

[ringadingh]

I just changed mine yesterday with Rotella dino, in 3,300 miles I was almost down a litre. Most of that was high speed highway riding.

It looks to me like it's the 1500's that are using more oil.

[mrclean]

My '07 has 27,000 miles never had to add a drop between oil changes.