Oil so thin!

[Tortuga_imp]

Just dropped the oil out of my SeaBee.

Filter came off with a mild jerk using the Honda oil filter socket and a ratchet spanner. Sump plug came out easy too, despite burning myself.

But W - the - funk was that oil in there?? :dodgy:

It ran out more like coffee than motor oil!

Seriously thin and watery. Now I'm told by the dealer they did the first service at 100 miles before I collected the bike as it was nigh on a year old. I assume they used the correct Honda 10w-30 oil. But holy hell it was thin as pee!

Good news is. Not dirty at all, no visible dwarf in the waterfall like stream of it. Bad news is, the sump plug was too hot too unscrew by hand and so fell in the oil pan. I'll leave it to drain overnight and fish it out tomorrow after work.

Was anyone else's oil this thin?

I had been for a 60 mile blast so engine was piping hot.

 

[the Ferret]

If I had a nickel for every time I burned myself or dropped the drain plug in oil when changing oil on a motorcycle I could buy a really good helmet like a Shoei or Arai lol

Motorcycles use thin oil these days. Hot oil is really thin.

It's good you didn't see anything drop into the pan besides the drain plug, and hot thin oil.

Search extra hard for the crush washer if it's not on the drain plug when you fish it out.

 

[DAC]

Oh no! Another oil thread.

My oil change experience was just like yours. I even reused the crush washer because it was not at all "crushed". Very watery. But I used 10-30 again anyway.

I wonder sometimes if the "thick oil" preference is just a visceral thing. The oil is supposed to lubricate and mitigate friction. Thick oil might "feel" like it's holding more of a space between surfaces. Thinner oil might get into tighter spots that a "thick" oil can.

So who knows. At some point I may return to the 5W-40 Rotella T6. Dunno.

Probably the best oil you can use is "fresh."

 

[Tortuga_imp]

I will fish out the old crush washer and keep it as a spare, but I have two new filters waiting to be used, each with a new crush washer since it was only about a quid more (£1) to have it added.

I'm glad I'm not the only one, and that I didn't drop anything else in the oil pan.

I did have that moment where I thought "I hope this isn't the gearbox oil I'm draining" ...like I do every time I change a cars oil for the first time!

 

[redbirds_imp]

Oh no! Another oil thread.

My oil change experience was just like yours. I even reused the crush washer because it was not at all "crushed". Very watery. But I used 10-30 again anyway.

I wonder sometimes if the "thick oil" preference is just a visceral thing. The oil is supposed to lubricate and mitigate friction. Thick oil might "feel" like it's holding more of a space between surfaces. Thinner oil might get into tighter spots that a "thick" oil can.

So who knows. At some point I may return to the 5W-40 Rotella T6. Dunno.

Probably the best oil you can use is "fresh."

Going to change the oil in my CB with Rotella T6 this week. The factory service manual okays the use of a "10W-40" when the bike is used in an area with high average temps. I used Rotella in all my other bikes for years and never had a problem. The Honda branded oil is made by Conoco-Phillips as is Ford's Motorcraft oils. And Rotella T6 is a bargain at Wal-Mart. Curiously, I cannot find any reference to a motorcycle specific oil on the Conoco-phillips website.

 

[Randy B]

Look for MA on the bottle. If it's not there, DON'T USE THAT OIL.

 

[DAC]

Rotella T6 is JASO MA rated if memory serves.

 

[redbirds_imp]

Rotella T6 meets or exceeds the standards that Honda has spec'd for oil in the CB.

My concern originally was that the owners manual calls for 10W-30 only. After obtaining the factory service manual I read that 10W-40 was also allowed.

 

[dBuster_imp]

Oh boy is this turning into one of those oil threads? The 10w30 vs or 10w40 has been back and forth, some have good results with one while others not. You do what you want it is your bike. Just beware some of the CB's made are finicky towards what oil you use. Your bike will let you know.

Sent from my XT1055 using Tapatalk

 

[HikerToo_imp]

Oh boy is this turning into one of those oil threads? The 10w30 vs or 10w40 has been back and forth, some have good results with one while others not. You do what you want it is your bike. Just beware some of the CB's made are finicky towards what oil you use. Your bike will let you know.

Sent from my XT1055 using Tapatalk

I think this is Tortuga playing.....one time its was "open or full helmet", now thin oil, we could do air pressure or exhaust sound or....

 

[Tortuga_imp]

Oh boy is this turning into one of those oil threads? The 10w30 vs or 10w40 has been back and forth, some have good results with one while others not. You do what you want it is your bike. Just beware some of the CB's made are finicky towards what oil you use. Your bike will let you know.

Sent from my XT1055 using Tapatalk

I think this is Tortuga playing.....one time its was "open or full helmet", now thin oil, we could do air pressure or exhaust sound or....

I think this is Tortuga playing.....one time its was "open or full helmet", now thin oil, we could do air pressure or exhaust sound or....

Well if you want to come and see the oily pan on my garage floor I'll offer you a straw.

 

[enzo_imp]

I'll bring me mug...some Rum, to thicken it up maybe.
OK?

 

[dBuster_imp]

Keep it on topic or it might get shut down...

Sent from my XT1055 using Tapatalk

 

[Ack-CB11_imp]

My 1st change seemed thinner then 10w30 also, but mine was really dirty and black. Only had about 30 miles I think, but was nasty looking.

 

[Pauley]

The dealer changed my oil at 600 miles and I did it myself at 2,000. I warmed the engine up by riding around the block a couple of times. Looked very clean and it was not what I would describe as thin - looked like fresh clean 10w-30 right out of the jug. I'm at about 1,000 miles on my current oil and the oil looks dirty through the little window even after I turn the tiny wiper. I have a new crush washer, filter and some 10w-30 synthetic blend all ready to go for my next oil change!

 

[DAC]

I did my first change at 375 mi. By the time the holiday week is over I'll be over 2,000 miles. I'm likely to go the Rotella/PureOne route this change for the summer months and go back to a 10w-30 synthetic for autumn/winter.

 

[redbirds_imp]

Changed to Rotella T6 today. The old oil (Honda Synth 10W-30) looked thin and dark at 2500 miles.

 

[Tortuga_imp]

Topped up with fresh Castrol 4T 10w30 as sold in Honda dealers today.

Oil was red in colour, enough for me to stop pouring and read the label a few times as it looked like 2T oil!

Anyway it's in now, and just a smidge above the Full line..(bugger)

I'm looking forward to the next change which will be at 1600 miles.

 

[thessler3_imp]

The 203 CB1100 owner's manual does state 10W40 is acceptable in hot climates.

My 2003 Gold Wing is still running fine after more than 10 years of using Pennzoil (10W30 and 10W40) off-the-shelf from Walmart and other places. Prior to that, I used Shell Rotella as my father owned a trucking company and bought it in 40 gallon drums.

Both oils worked fine and engines were pretty clean on teardown. Never one engine problem in two million miles on 8 cars and 8 bikes.

I have used some high-performance synthetics and also oils blended for bikes only (clutches and gearboxes). Only obvious difference is they cost a lot more.

The only oil I ever had problems with was Castrol, which severely gummed up a 79 Ford Fiesta my wife drove after about 85K miles of driving. After removing the pan and valve cover and cleaning them and flushing the engine, I switched to Rotella and the engine stayed clean inside for another 50 thousand miles.