I bought a 2008 Street Glide new in April 2008. I have never done any motor work to it. In the last six months I had a new compensator, stator, alternator, and starter installed. No big deal. I have also installed new cam chain tensioners about 25k ago.
I just returned from a trip up to Deals Gap and the surrounding area, total miles was just about 2000. I used two full quarts of oil. I can remember not too long ago I was using maybe a quart between oil changes that I was doing every 3500 miles. I checked my plugs and it looks like its running rich but they dont look oil fouled. Where is all that oil going? Its not leaking any?
Not sure if this has anything to do with oil consumption but I took off the air cleaner cover about six months ago, and run it with just the air cleaner showing. It definetly needs to be cleaned. Coming back from my trip at every start up after gassing up it would be tapping really super loud like a lifter er something but then go away. I put it through the motions in the twisties up north and it seemed to be just humming along. On the way back the tapping started, so loud I was debating to call a tow.
Long story short:
Why has the oil consumption increased so significantly?
Why are my plugs showing rich recently?
is it okay to run the bike without the air filtercover over my K&N air cleaner here on the beach in S Florida?
I have had a mechanic go over it in years. I have just been doing the oil changes and other work explained above myself. What should I be looking to do with these kind of miles on my Street Glide?
I am a long distance rider, its a stock engine with Stage 1 done to it not long after I bought it. I am just wanting to get it running right even if it involves top end work, as a friend suggested I look into. I have never beaten it or ran it hard, and dont plan on it. While I maintain it myself I am no motor head.
Please help?!

Thank you!!

 

It's time to have the motor checked out but my money says rings, cylinders and probably valves. You need to do a compression test. You are at about the point mileage wise it's time to do the top end.

 

What FX4 said.

 

that means its time for a 107 build.

 

150,000 miles is quite a run since 2008. Good for you.

 

150K miles! Holy crap dude that's an achievement ! Good for you!

 

I think you should celebrate with an HD reman and be done

 

Most of the miles were before moving to S Florida just about two years ago, not much enjoyable riding here, (no disrespect to anyone living here), so the miles here have been few, bar hoppin kind of miles.
I may have to get a new motor down the line but I wont part with this bike. we have ridden this entire continent together.
I think what I have been hearing most from folks is getting the top end done. Would that start with doing a compression test? As I really dislike the federal roads, am usually doing 60 - 70mph on the back roads. Whats a top end rebuild cost in both time and money given that I am not looking for any kind of a power / monster engine?

Thanks again all so much everyone for your help once again! This forum rocks.

 

whats a reman?

 

It's not a new motor man, just a top end rebuild. The bottom end should still be good.