I used a quart of oil in 4000mi no oil leaks, and none comming out of the throttle body. I don't remember using this much oil before. The bike has 45,000mi on it. is it normal to use this much oil? I changed the oil about 4 weeks ago I don't remember it being low then.

 

I was told by a Harley service manager that it is within normal specs if a Harley burns a quart every 1,000 miles. There are times i will check the oil levels and it is fine. Other times i am a quart low. No rhyme or reason for it.

 

I would say that 4000 miles to a quart would be considered normal but I would not want mine using that much LOL. My 04 with 80,000 miles did not burn any between changes and my 2011 does not burn any either. My 2009 KLR on the other hand burns a quart every 1000 miles or so depending on the speed. If you drive slow no useage if you drive it fast (for a klr anyways) it sucks it pretty fast.

 

30,000 miles on my '02. I change my oil every 3,000 miles. Usually 1/2 quart down when I'm ready to change it. I don't know what normal is, but I wouldn't be concerned at a burning a quart after 4,000 miles.

 

Gotta remember these are air cooled motors and the different parts warm up at different rates. They will burn a little oil at times. A quart for 4k is not anything i would be to worried about.

 

possibility the oil is going somewhere else...My 2009 FLHTC started missing eng. oil.....After adding eng. oil a couple of times the stator plug on the primary started leaking and bike seemed sluggish...I checked the primary oil level and confirmed where I was suspecting my oil was going...The crankshaft seal on the left crankcase was leaking eng. oil into the primary.

 

I would consider a quart every 4K miles excessive but withing HD specs.
My 07 burns a miniscule amount if any.
Not a bad idea as noted above to measure the amount of primary oil when drained.

 

what year is the bike?...if it's an EARLY 05 it could be valve-guide-seals....if not, then it's just a "drinker"..some do-some don't..ALL burn SOME all...I've seen some people claim, "my bike doesn't burn a DROP of oil"...it's IMPOSSIBLE..they just have bikes that burn it verrrry-sloooooowly....

 

It's an 08 flhx I think it's bit much to burn but 3000mi of it was over just a few days on a trip i guess I'll watch it. In a few week I'm doing a run to the key's from central illinois

 

The two Sportsters that I have had used one quart the first 1K and 1/2 quart the next 1K. After that they never used a drop between the 5K changes.

The three TC96's have never used a drop between any changes.