Triumphrat

DiggerTunstill

I have recently bought an 03 955i with 2,500 miles on clock from a dealer.
Before a long trip I thought I would check the oil level and it was a litre and a half low. I assumed the dealer had not done the service properly so phoned and complained.
After another 500 miles it has used another half litre so it is going back to be checked as it is under warranty. There is no smoke and no leaks at all. Any one had anything similar or any idea what may cause this?
The bike runs fine, the only thing I notice is when I am slowing down, there is a series of what sound like mini back fires or crackles. Is this normal?

Thanks

DiggerT

Pickaxe

Popping noise on the overun is perfectly normal.

Your oil consumption I would say is higher than average, albeit,I'm sure Triumph will say it's within tolerances.

miker

Not to try and scare you Digger, but is it possible your bike has done 102,500 miles? Being an '03 model it's entirely possible.

Other reasons for burning oil can be as simple as using the wrong kind of oil. When I had my Speed Triple, I tried a change of Motul semi synth, which burned at a rate similar to yours. I then tried the Silkolene full synth and it didn't burn at all. Nothing scientific, just seat of the pants stuff.

When I sold the S3 it had done 110,000kms and so long as you used Silkolene or Mobil it didn't burn oil more than about 500ml per change.

I also watched a friend with an S3 worry about his bike burning oil, or worrying that his dealer didn't top up the oil properly. In fact, the guy was checking it incorrectly, so make sure it's on level ground, with the dip stick screwed all the way in.

Mick

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What Miker said...

AVM

Interested to see where this thread goes. My 03 Tiger with 56k miles burns oil and has as long sa I've had it. When I first change the oil all is good but after a couple of thousand miles it starts needing to be topped off regularly. I've used Triumph oil, Mobil 1, Rotella synth. All the same.

Brooks

My '06 Tiger 955 doesn't burn oil at all. I've used Mobil 1 Racing 4T full synthetic oil since the 600 mile service, it now has 25,000 miles. I broke it in per the owner's manual's specs.

This bike is the first bike I've had that doesn't burn any oil. I've put over 200,000 miles on BMW's (K 75 RT and R1100 and R1150 RT's) since the mid nineties and they all burned oil at the rate of a pint every 2500 miles.

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Brooks

sprintstrider

Hey Digger, I already replied to your post on Tigertriple.com, but wanted to add my 2 cents here too.

I just bought my 05 Tiger with 12K miles on it a few months ago. My bike uses about 1/2 quart every 1K-1.5K miles. It will veryt occassionaly put out a puff a blue smopke when first started cold, but it is intermittent and will run clean once warmed up.

The services guys says they adjusted valves at 12,000 miles and all was well. I have about 16K on and the service guy at Baxter cycle (dealer in Iowa where it was purchased and may be serviced) said that the 955 are typically very tight and do not burn oil.

I had a 2001 Sprint, it started burning a slight bit at 22K miles about the same. I sold it before I had it checked out (Not because of that). I would love to find out what the dealer says.

I have a fear of course to consider rings...I hope not as these 955 motors are supposed to be the bomb. I loved mine on the Sprint.....I hope it doesn't disappoint me

blacktiger

I'm wondering if these engines will use/burn a 10W40 oil.
For the first 40000 miles on mine I always used Mobil 1 15W50 which is what the Triumph dealers all used when servicing it and it never used a drop. The handbook, however, recommends 10W40 which I always found strange.
Since the 40K mark I've been doing my own changes and have been using Castrol Racing4T 10W40 (because it's cheaper) and the bike has started using a bit. My bike's now done 50K and I'll be going back to Mobil1.

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'02 Tiger955i in black.

DiggerTunstill

I will check with dealer on saturday and see if they have any different reports with different spec and makes of oil?
Are you doing the May Day run Blacktiger, not far for you is it??

Digger

Pickaxe

I used Halfords 10-40 part synthetic motorcycle oil for 4000 miles in my 06 Tiger and it never needed topping up.

I've now had Halford 5-40 fully synthetic for over 1000 miles and it has maintained its level.

I do kid myself that the gearbox/clutch feels nicer with the synthetic, probably because it costs £26 for 5 litres against £20.

My experience is, an engine that burns oil, will continue to burn oil to some extent, whatever oil you put in it.

The air cooled BMW R series twins now use 20-50 grade oil, which, seems to have reduced their oil consumption.

It's often recommended to use a different grade of oil in high mileage/oil burning car engines.