Hitchcocks Forum

I have recently acquired an Indian made, home market Bullet 500 - first registered 2000. It had been sitting unused for 20 years. It has very low mileage (3500km). - SO THE ENGINE IS NEARLY NEW. I have got it going. It starts well when cold - no smoke - and seems to run well. And there are no leaks when standing. HOWEVER, on a recent 100 mile run it used a lot of oil - from the max level to the min level. I believe that it is venting through the crankcase breather - the rear wheel is oily - there isn't much oil on the engine block. I have been advised that filling to the max is not a good idea but why would the level then drop to the min rather than settling at the mid-level?

I have been told that it could be wet sumping but is that something that happens when the bike is running?

Is there anything else it could be?

It may have been put away for a reason.

If it's burning oil and breathing heavily, I'd wonder if all is well with the piston/rings. 3,500km is enough time for the crown to collapse on an Indian made piston and pinch the oil control ring.

How's the compression? Can you turn it over TDC without the valve lifter or the clutch slipping?

Oil on the rear wheel suggests that the breather system is blocked. Check the air filter for signs of oil, and check all the breather tubes and catch can for a perfidious whitish goo. I have had this issue with my own 500, and I now blow out the breather hose regularly, if this is not done, the engine can dump oil all over the back wheel

Hi, remove the sump plug under the front of the engine and check if the filter is blocked. Vince