Mobil Racing 4T, '03 Kawasaki Concours, 4190miles

[jsharp]

The latest from my Concours -

Earlier UOA is here -

http://www.jimsharpphotography.com/oa/Concours_oil_anaylsis_1.jpg

And thread here - http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1590619

This is certainly underwhelming. Wear metals are better than the previous report but still not very good. The fuel dilution is a worry. It makes me wonder if I don't have a float needle leaking. I should probably check that this winter.

To make matters worse, with the factory oil cooler with no thermostat the oil temp on these bikes never really gets high enough in cooler weather. I've checked with my IR gun and after a 45 minute ride in 70+ degree ambient the cooler is about 155 degrees. Others with oil temp gauges have confirmed similar oil temps in similar conditions.

I think I'm going to start blocking airflow to the oil cooler when the temps are below 70 degrees.

I changed the oil and filter. The bike now has Amsoil MCF and a K&N oil filter as used on this interval. I'll run it 4000+- miles and check things again.

Comments welcome!

 

[Mackelroy]

When you do your samples, I always do them immediately after a 4 or 5 hour run, so everything is well mixed and heated. Id run the 15w40's to soak up some of that fuel dilution, either ams 15w40 or a Delo 400 is $2.87 perquart at walmart . Cause a 5w or 10w 40 can end up a 20 weight in 4000 mile if you have any fuel dilution.

 

[jsharp]

It was cold the day I took the sample and the bike never did get completely warm. I'd planned on doing the change while it was still warm weather but I never got it done. I just ran out of good weather this year.

I don't think the fuel problem is normal. The first sample I took on the bike the previous year showed no fuel but it was hot when I did the change and it was still warm weather.

I looked at a few other UOA's on the Kawasaki engines and I'm not as unhappy with this one as I was initially. These things have a lot of parts to shear oil and throw off wear metals.

I put Amsoil MCF in the bike. I've noticed some complaints about shifting with dino oils like Rotella which is why I didn't use it. The shifting was super with the Mobil 1 and it's just as good with the Amsoil. Both are a lot better than the petroleum oil that was in the bike when I got it.

 

[sunruh]

interesting report to say the least.

2.9% throws the vis out the window. impressive it wsa even a 30wt with all that fuel.

wear metals are either ok or bad. you pick.

the low levels of tin and lead are either background scatter
OR
you really are wearing.

with that iron, copper and aluminum, it very could well be wear.

starting at 11k miles i would think it was all broken in.
so maybe you were still flushing it out?
or not!

rad temp of 155 does not mean oil temp of 155. always point the gun at the inlet connector. not the fins.

with no silver and no chrome and no nickel we can hope there is no ball bearning wear.

are the cams on aluminum perches or do they have plain clam bearings they ride in?

 

[jsharp]

It's hard for me to tell much with all the fuel. I really wish I would have gotten the oil changed while it was still warm weather.

I'm not enthused about the wear numbers but they're a good reduction from the previous run. 30-50% less depending on the metal in question.

The cams run in the head with no bearing inserts. It uses the [censored] dual fingered rocker arm working against a single cam lobe with dual screw and nut adjusters. The cams tend to pit on these bikes, especially the later years because for some reason Kawasaki 'forgot' how to harden camshafts as the model run continued.

I checked the cooler temps on the ends not the fins. The 155 +- degree measurement is the high temp end and that's on a 70+ degree day after a 45 minute ride. The day I pulled this sample was about 50 degrees and I only rode a few minutes.

It would certainly help if I could ride this bike more in the winter instead of letting it sit and rust/corrode. I keep it in a metal 30' x 56' building and it's not the driest place in the world. Too many weather changes and too much humidity in Illinois.

It seems I'm not the only one with this situation. Check this ZRX report. He had some fuel dilution too, possibly for the same reason I did.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2006386#Post2006386

 

[sunruh]

yeah kawa is known for doing stupid things like that!
can you say "forgot to heat treat the wrist pin on the kxf450"? sure i knew ya could.

you could potentially put a ball bearing where the oil line leaves the motor going to the rad to block it off. for the winter. but i am gonna bet you dont ride much in the winter in IL.

maybe this winter you can talk around and see if others are having fuel dilution issues on their Conc's. if they even know what that is.

 

[FZ1]

Well,it's much better than the first uoa and you ran it 25% farther. How's the shift quality w/the M1 compared to the original oil?

 

[jsharp]

The shift quality was instantly better with the change to M1. I haven't ridden it since I changed to the Amsoil to see how it compares. Winter hit hard early in Illinois this year.

Maybe we'll get a day to two to ride in the next 3 months. If we do I may cover the oil cooler to see if that helps the low oil temps.

I doubt any of the other Concours riders I know would know about fuel dilution. None of them would even bother with a UOA for that matter. The low oil temps have be discussed but everyone just shrugs it off.

 

[FZ1]

Thanks. Think I'll run the 4T next oci. 60* forecast Sunday,70* forecast for Monday,down here.