Hey folks. I'm coming up on my 1000 mile service and another oil change on my V-Rod. The first change I didn't really worry about analysis because the results are so skewed from the first runs. But I'm thinking that now would be the time to establish a baseline for oil analysis. A testing program is mandatory for the turbine airplane engines that I own, and I'm wondering if any of you guys do it with your bikes. Obviously it can't hurt to do it, but do any of you have any real life experience where the analysis was the stitch in time that saved nine? Or would it be just an unnecessary expense of questionable value? I'm wondering if the engine modes of failure would happen so quickly that one would be lucky to catch it. I'm also thinking that it might not hurt for an engine as new as the Revolution. I'd also be interested in any reputable labs that you guys might use. Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to offer!
Oil analysis
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Your too deep. The best thing for anybody that has that type of worrysome mind is to peal open the oil filter. Look for metalic particals. Use a black light if you want but realy its over kill. Do what you want to feal right but even some of the best engine builders simply use the oil filter test to check things on a new build.
It might make a little more sense on a VRod, on the air cooled TC you just don't have all the different possibilities. When you are sitting on the engine and something is wrong you know it.
It is routinely done on OTR trucks but the emphasis is as much on reducing maintenance costs by extending drain intervals as on failure prediction. In all these cases you are talking of large quantities of oil so the cost of the test becomes pretty insignificant.
Once you have enough damage to show on the test and you have to go into the engine anyway the savings would be questionable.
It is routinely done on OTR trucks but the emphasis is as much on reducing maintenance costs by extending drain intervals as on failure prediction. In all these cases you are talking of large quantities of oil so the cost of the test becomes pretty insignificant.
Once you have enough damage to show on the test and you have to go into the engine anyway the savings would be questionable.
Nah, not deep. Just curious and precise. I thought that it was probably overkill, but OA is relatively cheap, and if I saw good reason to do it I would. I've wrenched for years on planes and have seen the benefits of OA in that application. I've seen OA diagnose things like wrist pin failures that saved engine owners lots of money by early repair as opposed to complete failure and the collateral damage done. I've never wrenched much on my bikes in the past, truthfully, most have been rice burners and didn't require much wrench. And as a rule they were cheap so I wasn't really concerned about close montioring.Kags said:
Hehe, you think I have a worrisome mind? No way. If I had a worrisome mind there is no way I'd be able to do what I do. If you're ever up this way be sure and stop in and say hello. I'll take you up for a plane ride and we'll see who's worrisome when we land.
Anyway thanks for the comments.I agree with hippo, if I was going to fly my bike like you do planes. YOU BET CHECK THE OIL!!!!!! It isn't like your going to fall to the earth if you have motor failure. I ride because I want to relax and enjoy not so I can spend even mor money on TEST and worry about catching a motor problem when it happens. I guess this is reactive instead of proactive, but I get tired of being proactive during the day I want to relax. (This doesn't mean I don't do a pre ride inspection).
One of the reasons that I even considered it on the V-Rod is because of the shared lubrication system. I was thinking that OA might help with the diagnosis of both engine and tranny systems.HIPPO said:
When you're sitting behind, say, a four banger Lycoming and something is wrong you know it too. The idea is to hopefully detect something before you feel it. I was thinking though that the long period between services on the bike might make the service too unreliable.
In regards to your other post, well, I've been to some places where I'd almost prefer to be in that airplane falling out of the sky than broken down on the side of the road. At least in the plane I'd have a chance!
Thanks for your comments Hippo. I've lurked here for quite a while and I've seen your replies. I know that you know your sh1t. I was just curious if you guys had ever seen OA service prove to be beneficial. He11, the bike's under warranty now anyway. I'll probably up the warranty for a few years shortly so hopefully if something's gonna happen it will happen during this time. I'll just keep on riding the sh1t out of it. Have a good one!
Hehe, jeez, you guys must think I'm some kind of paranoid pu$$y that putts around at 30 concerned I'm gonna blow a jug or something! I ride hard, all the time, cold or no cold, I don't care. I don't really ride to relax, I ride for the rush. I'm kind of an adrenaline junkie. Relaxing is for the couch. But I take darn good care of my equipment and if there is a cost-effective product or service available that will help me do so then I'll do it, or at least seriously consider it.bruuuuce said:
Which brings up another question. Should I use conventional or synthetic oil?
Just kidding on the oil. I've got better dead horses to flog here.
And thanks for your comments. Hey, if you're ever riding in this neighborhood give me a yell. I'm in the book.Maybe I should have been a bit clearer, the TC's are very simple engines and all you have in there is aluminum and steel, other then the small end rod bushing. No coolant, major thrustwashers, etc, etc.
So, even if you had abnormally high levels of one or the other you would still be far from pinpointing a exact failure.
Maybe if you had extensive statistical data and operated a fleet of them it would make sense.
The reason I mentioned it might make sense on the VRod is because it is watercooled. I know on some engines creeping head gasket and cylinder head failures (as in small cracks) are one of the main reasons of doing the analysis. Don't know enough about the VRod to give an opinion and probably no one does yet outside of maybe the factory as there aren't enough of these bikes around to have significant data.
As far as those special places, that's why you throw a Glock or something in the tool kit.
So, even if you had abnormally high levels of one or the other you would still be far from pinpointing a exact failure.
Maybe if you had extensive statistical data and operated a fleet of them it would make sense.
The reason I mentioned it might make sense on the VRod is because it is watercooled. I know on some engines creeping head gasket and cylinder head failures (as in small cracks) are one of the main reasons of doing the analysis. Don't know enough about the VRod to give an opinion and probably no one does yet outside of maybe the factory as there aren't enough of these bikes around to have significant data.
As far as those special places, that's why you throw a Glock or something in the tool kit.
I ant worried about it. Fly around in an SH3 Sea King with chip lights going on&off everywhere - no problem. Thing is when you relie on air as your safety cusion its a hole new world, and we all know that PM/SM/100hour ect is the MAJOR reason for much of the aircraft safety that exist in the industry. Aplying such a test on any motorcycle would put you in a leage of your own I think.Agcatman said:
Hehe, you think I have a worrisome mind? No way. If I had a worrisome mind there is no way I'd be able to do what I do. If you're ever up this way be sure and stop in and say hello. I'll take you up for a plane ride and we'll see who's worrisome when we land.
Did it at the end of last season. Hit my first wire in ten years of working. Err, should say wires. Four of them. Straight through a three-phase line. Wouldn't have know anything happened if I hadn't have seen the fireworks. Prop and frame damage minimal. Almost went ahead and flew it but came to my senses and pulled it for lightning strike inspection.flyinlo said:
Whoo boy, good thing I did. Got pretty much a new gearbox. Still wouldn't make power on the Lebow. So into the hot section they went. New first stage wheel, new second stage wheel, new ducting and all the new stuff to sign off the hot. Many, many, many thousands of dollars. Heck the first stage wheel alone was over $40,000! But I got practically a brand new engine for about $35,000 out of my pocket. Insurance picked up the rest.
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