Low oil level

[mrded_imp]

I bought my CB1100RS '18 with 2000 miles on the clock.
When I got it, it believed to be fully serviced.

Since I bought it, within half a year I noticed the oil level was below the limit. To be honest I wasn't checking it very often, as the bike was relatively new, and I didn't expect to have any problems with oil.

I've checked the bike and parking, no visible marks of oil, so I don't think it was leaking.

I poured half a litter of new oil to get the level back to the mid-limit.

After running the bike for 10 mins, I also noticed the oil colour changed to black.

So I have a few questions:
- How come I lost so much oil after just half a year, and 2k miles?
- Is it normal on CB1100?
- Is the fact I got under the limit, may make any problems?

And in general, I want to know your thoughts regarding this. Thanks.

On the pictures you see:
- Low oil level as I noticed it.
- Ember oil, on cold bike after I poured half a litter.
- Black oil, on warmed bike after 10 mins. (the level somehow got up)

[GoldOxide_imp]

I noticed the same thing on my new 2014 CB1100. I've never known an inline-4 that didn't do this to oil fairly quickly. Black oil seemed to be the norm. Any top-up oil will just mix with existing black oil

Sure, new engine break-in will consume a bit more oil for a little while. However, after some 3 or 4000 kms the spark plugs should be healthy (not shiny and blackened) if the engine is not burning oil.

[Lord Popgun]

Every one of those pics is showing normal oil level.

Me personally—I’d change the oil and filter and have a baseline to start from with new oil.

[Cormanus]

Is the first picture showing normal oil, milord?

[Jfro5687_imp]

The difference between top and bottom markers is like 10mm or something so you must check it on a level floor for starters.. Rightly or wrongly I always park my bike running, stick it on the centre stand (running) for a few seconds then switch off. I reckon it gives the engine time to pump hot oil everywhere and then it can settle into the sump and give an accurate reading. The other thing I would add to reassure you is that I’ve had a couple of conversations with techs from Opie oils and with our modern, high quality air cooled Honda engines it’s very unlikely to be burning any oil, at all. I was told oils can evaporate (depending upon quality and make up) and climate conditions (unlikely to be that in the UK barring our two days of summer ha ha). So that might be what you are noticing. The engine is still very fresh. It looks well past changing to me anyway regardless of mileage. So, in summary, do what Lord Popgun says, get some decent correct spec oil (and I would do filter again regardless) then change it, pour in the correct amount yourself, see where the level is and take note, then check it in the same place thereafter, and ........relax.

[max]

Like the above comments mention; all sounds right for a newish cb1100, some reported that the bike never used any oil, mine did when i
first got it at 7.500 km, it was also 7 years old and i think the first owner looked after it very well and poodled around in Tokyo city traffic, so i made some notes when i got it so i could look up the info when needed, here is a snippet of them;



The oil level was checked, fresh and correct on the center stand when i first got it and after 1300 km i replaced 0.5 liter of dyno oil.
Then i changed the oil at 12.700 km to 10w40 synthetic after the engine had settled in and
the bike uses a small normal amount between 8.000 km oil changes, say 0.3 liters.

The cb is now at 50.000 km and i have just switched to 10w30 semi synthetic.
Interesting thing is like some others have mentioned that the little rattle in the lower right part of the engine has indeed been noticeably reduced but the oil is still very fresh so it may come back, undecided as of yet but the synthetic does not get as dark as the dyno oil in this bike.

All this is quite subjective, not very scientific though and meant to be for your information, congrats with the new cb and your pictures are very good.

[mrded_imp]

Thank you for your answers.

Follow up question:
after running the bike I noticed bubbles in oil, is that ok? I’m worrying it may be due to overfilling. I made a video https://youtu.be/KmREclRHl3w


And, I asked it before: I went approximately 250 ml down bellow the min limit. Should I expect any problems with that?

Thanks.

[Lord Popgun]

Cormanus, The top pic left upper limit line is in line with the oil level. Or looks that way to me.

Mrded, 250ml is ~8.45 oz. The engine has a little over a gallon of oil. 8 oz low is not going to be a problem. Just fill it to proper level and relax.

I didn’t see anything abnormal in the video. Except I’d change out that old oil and filter and do it on a level surface as mentioned above.

[Jfro5687_imp]

Hi mrded. I ‘be had a look at that vid, I can’t see anything whatsoever to worry about there. Nothing. The bubbles are tiny and mines probably exactly the same. The oil level there looks spot on too. I doubt very much you will have done anything to harm your engine even if the level ran a bit low, the CB engine is so low revving and under stressed. Just get online, order the oil and get it changed. The end. Stop worrying.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Some interesting points. I will add that my observations also noted that full synthetic oil took a bit longer to darken compared to traditional dino base stock. In the end, after a few thousand kilometers the oil appeared dark in the level view port. I am assuming the oil filter is changed as well as the oil.

Some good news is there appears to be no foaming, as seen in your images - which would be expected of proper motorcycle oil.