I should know....but I don't

[Guest DaninSpain]

My engine warning light came on yesterday. I stopped, switched off and back on again and all seems fine. However, I thought I'd check my oil level, which leads me to my question:

Do you check the oil level dip stick with the bike on its side stand, or main stand?  Logic tells me that as the bike is not supplied with a main stand as standard it must be the side stand, but from the side stand my oil level is not even reaching the dip stick, whereas on the main stand all is well.

 

Could the Honda mechanic have messed up when changing my oil on it's 1st service and filled it whilst on it's main stand? Surely not.

 

ps , I have mislaid my owners handbook. Any idea if there is a .pdf version floating around and what Oil type?

 

Thanks 

 

Dan

Edited November 19, 2015 by DaninSpain

[Juggler 107]

My engine warning light came on yesterday. I stopped, switched off and back on again and all seems fine. However, I thought I'd check my oil level, which leads me to my question:

Do you check the oil level dip stick with the bike on its side stand, or main stand?  Logic tells me that as the bike is not supplied with a main stand as standard it must be the side stand, but from the side stand my oil level is not even reaching the dip stick, whereas on the main stand all is well.

 

Could the Honda mechanic have messed up when changing my oil on it's 1st service and filled it whilst on it's main stand? Surely not.

 

ps , I have mislaid my owners handbook. Any idea if there is a .pdf version floating around and what Oil type?

 

 

There is russian and italian user's manual in pdf format.

How to check oil level as per manual:

Run engine until it gets warmed up (5 minutes in summer). Let it cool for 3 minutes. Hold the bike upright straight (I use centerstand), unscrew oil cap with dipstick, clean it, and push it, but not screw it, hold for one second and pull out. Check the level between hi and low marks and screw it back.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Juggler

[bazza 3,629]

If you said to a car user do this, they would laugh at you!

What happened to the little window? Far more sensible.

My VW has an idiot light showing orange for "check" and red for "stop" showing (on an oil can symbol)

why not on a bike? we have a pressure light anyway!.

[ScaredyCat 1,659]

Checked mine the other day on its centre stand... with the 5 minute warm up -> 3 minute cool down

[embee 7,288]

The bike must be upright and the dipstick just resting on the threads, as said by others. Those are the key factors.

 

If you set the level with the bike on the sidestand it will be way too much oil in it. Don't overfill.

 

The difference between the bike on wheels and on centrestand is not great, the Integra handbook recommends setting oil level with the bike on the centrestand. You can satisfy yourself whether the warm/drain process makes any or much difference simply by doing a comparison check, see what it is when cold (overnight etc) and then do the warm/drain process and recheck. Once you're satisfied with the procedure, be consistent so you are not getting different readings depending on how you check it, do it the same way each time.

 

Check oil regularly. In my experience the NC uses no oil worth mentioning, but the consequences of running it low are dire.

 

The "check engine" or "maintenance indicator lamp" (MIL) does not monitor oil level or pressure in any way at all. One factor which seems to crop up a few times causing the MIL to light up has been loose battery connections, so check them first.

 

If the oil pressure light comes on while the engine is running at any time, stop it immediately, do not pass go, do not collect £200. It isn't always due to no oil, I have had a faulty oil pressure switch on a bike, but you must find the cause before running the engine further.

Edited November 19, 2015 by embee

[Guest DaninSpain]

Thanks guys, really appreciate your help and advice.

All I can say is PHEW, I've not been running with no oil.

I'll go do the 5 min/3 min check now.

 

Dan

[Rev Ken 6,341]

If you said to a car user do this, they would laugh at you!

What happened to the little window? Far more sensible.

My VW has an idiot light showing orange for "check" and red for "stop" showing (on an oil can symbol)

why not on a bike? we have a pressure light anyway!.

My CBF1000 has one of those little windows and it is less than user friendly. Yes the bike should be vertical and if it hasn't a centre stand (it says in my user manual it should be on its wheels) I for one, even with a mirror, find it impossible to check. A dip stick is far easier! Even when on the centre stand I object to having to lie on the ground to look at a dirty window (I have varifocals, hence the need to get on the ground). Fortunately the Hondas I have owned don't use oil so never need to check it between services!)

[michael 324]

Dipstick, window, pressure gauge.

They're all useful, yet in slightly different ways, as mentioned by embee one might have "no oil pressure," (which is the only thing the dash light tells you) while the crankcase is full of oil.  I concur mightily with the advice though. Oil light? clutch in, kill the engine and coast to the side of the road.

 

Dipstick and window debate? I'm of the "if one works well enough, both should be better."

I'm not the type to drop down and do 50 pushups beside the motorcycle to crane my aging neck then ponder the difference between the oil light in the middle of the glass, the lower third of the glass or panic because i can't see the oil level and fear the level is too high. <yes, i've done this>

One can do the same with the dipstick. Although the *ability* to do both sounds cool.

 

Thankfully the owner's manual has the ability to impel me to normal breathing by telling me the oil level should be "between the marks."

 

As in my mind, the oil lubricates and cools internals so it's inherently important to use the proper grade for ambient temperature, the correct level and trust the engine is providing the right pressure and filter is combing through the hot stuff to capture the bad bits.

 

Is anyone else like me, relieves when at the oil change it comes out nice and black with no globules of stuff or chips of shiny bits?

(yes, rhetorical question)

 

Oh! DaninSpain….bike should be level, fully warmed and keyed off for a few minutes to allow oil to drain back in the c'case. As noted, dip the stick into the hole, then pull out to measure the level.

 

Has anyone yet determined (my car manual tells me this) what the volume difference is between the lower and upper marks on the stick? 1/2 litre? full litre?

Edited November 21, 2015 by michael

[aquaboy 105]

 I have a brand new 5hp outboard for my sailing boat, really annoyingly the manual says the dip stick should be screwed in to check the level!!  --- thought I would throw that in,    Iv'e always just rested a dip stick in the hole to check the oil