The CB1100 Community Forum

My DLX doesn't seem to use any oil between oil changes. If it does, it's inconsequential.

27,000 miles and if I'm burning oil at all, it's not measurable through the little window. I don't know much about such things, but a quart every 3K seems like a lot and it's surprising to me that you would not smell (burning) or see (leaking) oil if that much is going away that fast. Hope you figure it out and let us know that the problem was/is. Good luck.

same here on my 26,000 + mile DLX, I'm nearing due for an oil change (every 4K), and again checked it this morning before todays ride and no consumption thru the site glass I can tell.

Thank you all for your replies. Maybe my bike isn't really burning as much oil as I think, and the real issue is with oil draining into the crankcase and providing a correct indication on the sight glass. Like I said, I have never seen or smelled any exhaust smoke. 3 weeks ago I checked my oil and it was just barely on the lower line of the sight glass. This was after sitting for approximately 2 hours. I went through the recommended check procedure (starting the engine etc), and double-checked it, and it was at the same level. I rode to the Honda shop to purchase a quart of the recommended 10w30, full-synthetic, Honda motor oil and when I checked it again at the shop when I arrived there (about 6 miles from my house), the level was back up to the top line. This isn't the first time I have experienced a situation like this. On another occasion I added the proper amount of oil to bring the level up to the top line before a ride and when I returned home after a 100+ mile ride and checked the oil it was now over-filled! Is anybody else experiencing similar situations? Thanks again for the replies.

I have been using synthetic oil exclusively in my 2013, Shell Rotella 5W-40, not that it's important and have noticed no measurable drop at the inspection window. I change oil about every 4 months or 3000 miles, whichever comes first.

Dave, I'm not sure about the CB1100, but on my K1200RS it will show oil halfway up the sight glass when cold (as recommended), and then empty after the bike has been ridden. It seems to take hours for the oil level to come back up, leaving more than one owner to panic and add oil, resulting in an overfilled crankcase. In 19 years of ownership, I've learned to ignore it and just keep current with my oil changes. If I ever see the oil pressure light come on, I'll worry.

No oil consumption, running 10W40 until this week. Changed to 10W30 for the first time. Weather is a little cooler now.

You have be very careful about checking the oil. Warm the bike up as it states and let it settle for a few minutes. Checking it cold in the garage after a night of settling is inaccurate. I had to remove some oil once too after being caught out the same way.

This oil change, I think I finally got it just right. Exactly four quarts, with the filter, it's just below the upper line.

Very important that you check the oil in the same spot every time. I would always check it in the spot where I change it. It will show different reads in other locations its that sensitive.

When you change the oil put in the recommended 4 qts which will bring it above the sight glass window ( no concern if its high 2 oz ) then check in the same spot.

If your using 1 qt per 3000 miles its really no concern, just means your rings in 1 or more cyl. did not seat completely. You should go to conventional oil next change, Synthetic will bleed through the rings more.

Honda would consider it a problem if you where burning a qt every 500 miles not 3000.

Break in or riding habits have no effect until high mileage.

(11-01-2016, 12:24 AM)Haystack_imp Wrote: [ -> ]All engines consume oil. With 53,000 mi. on my '13 and oil changes every 5,000 mi. using HP4 10w-30 I see very little oil consumption between changes. A small smile always forms on my cynical face when I hear someone claim that their engine doesn't use "a drop of oil".

My experience is that all internal combustion engines consume oil, particularly air-cooled ones (all engines are air-cooled, regardless whether they have water in them or not). Even so-called liquid cooled engines are primarily air-cooled.

The oil filter will hold a significant amount of oil without it draining out. To determine the actual amount of oil contained in the filter would take a weight measurement before and after installation (minus the impurities contained in the filter at the time of removal). Who does that? In addition, oil will adhere to the engine internals, the container that it's drained into, etc. Since all liquids evaporate, including oil, even an engine that is never operated will "use oil" over time.

Enough rambling today, I must be bored.

False.

(11-01-2016, 12:24 AM)Haystack_imp Wrote: [ -> ]All engines consume oil. With 53,000 mi. on my '13 and oil changes every 5,000 mi. using HP4 10w-30 I see very little oil consumption between changes. A small smile always forms on my cynical face when I hear someone claim that their engine doesn't use "a drop of oil".

My experience is that all internal combustion engines consume oil, particularly air-cooled ones (all engines are air-cooled, regardless whether they have water in them or not). Even so-called liquid cooled engines are primarily air-cooled.

The oil filter will hold a significant amount of oil without it draining out. To determine the actual amount of oil contained in the filter would take a weight measurement before and after installation (minus the impurities contained in the filter at the time of removal). Who does that? In addition, oil will adhere to the engine internals, the container that it's drained into, etc. Since all liquids evaporate, including oil, even an engine that is never operated will "use oil" over time.

Enough rambling today, I must be bored.

I agree. That's why they have a fan adjacent to the radiator. It's why my water-cooled bikes will quickly overheat in traffic if the fan doesn't come on. The coolant is simply the mechanism to transfer the engine heat into the air. The air is indirectly cooling the engine. It's probably just semantics.