Dipstick

[Guest Rama5]

Handed the bike back to the dealer, after a short ride pull over undo dipstick start bike,looks like steam when reving comes out of dip hole, dealer said they all do that..... Really left it with him.. Anyone else's bike do that

[Guest bonekicker]

Murphy mine never did that--so what is he going to do?--have you bought the bike? how many miles are on it? What the F**** Happening?

 

Please keep us informed---    

[Guest Southerner]

Can I ask why you took the trouble to stop the bike, remove the dipstick and start the bike again, to see what came out when revving the engine?

 

Or am I missing something here? 

[Tex 36,817]

If you remove the dipstick (or oil filler cover) from a running engine then engine vapours will escape. Sometimes with minute droplets of oil thrown in for good measure. Perfectly natural. Don't do it, it proves nothing and just makes a mess.

[bazza 3,629]

Funny isnt it how we dont trust the oil pressure and level warning lights on modern engines. Honda don't make it easy

• start bike and run 3 minutes
• stop engine remove dipstick
• wipe and then put back in but dont screw in
• check level

What happened to the glass window idea - so much easier.

 

Do tell us what the result was - as I can imagine oil vapour blowing out with the engine going -would be very hot!

[Guest Rama5]

The bike has been chucking oil in to crank case breather tube running hot and exhaust is black like it's running rich took dip out to see what pressure was in there did not expect white smoke to come out

[Guest Southerner]

Funny isnt it how we dont trust the oil pressure and level warning lights on modern engines. Honda don't make it easy

• start bike and run 3 minutes
• stop engine remove dipstick
• wipe and then put back in but dont screw in
• check level

What happened to the glass window idea - so much easier.

 

Do tell us what the result was - as I can imagine oil vapour blowing out with the engine going -would be very hot!

I agree, I really miss having an oil sight window.

 

I check my NC's oil level by letting the bike stand for 5 mins or so (after a ride, not just by running for 3 mins) then removing dipstick, wiping it clean, re-inserting (resting at lower thread point, not screwing in), then sitting on the bike for 10 secs so it's upright for an accurate reading.

 

Must be OK because I've not had any warnings for nearly 4000 miles.... 

[bazza 3,629]

I agree, I really miss having an oil sight window.

 

I check my NC's oil level by letting the bike stand for 5 mins or so (after a ride, not just by running for 3 mins) then removing dipstick, wiping it clean, re-inserting (resting at lower thread point, not screwing in), then sitting on the bike for 10 secs so it's upright for an accurate reading.

 

Must be OK because I've not had any warnings for nearly 4000 miles.... 

its a real pain isn't it! can you see car drivers doing it?

[bazza 3,629]

The bike has been chucking oil in to crank case breather tube running hot and exhaust is black like it's running rich took dip out to see what pressure was in there did not expect white smoke to come out

That definitely sounds bad news. its wasn't overfilled with oil was it?

[scara 354]

its a real pain isn't it! can you see car drivers doing it?

Bazza

Maybe its a Honda thing my Civic Type r when I had it was the same. The recommendation was that you check the oil level when re fuelling when the engine was hot. Stop fuel up then check the oil. However it did make a surprising difference to the level on the dipstick.

[bazza 3,629]

I can understand the level bit - and that you want to read the oil level when its all in the sump -except it isn't after you have run the engine for a few minutes.Wonder how much of a difference that makes. Surely the best time to take a reading is when it's cold so that there isn't any variety -thicker oils would take longer to drain back down, etc

[scara 354]

I don't know mate tbh. When you checked the civic cold the dipstick would always need and it did show below half full. Yet after a run and a short wait it would show up towards the max mark. I could never get my head round it to be honest. I eventually worked it that if it showed half when cold it was about right.

Edited June 3, 2015 by scara