Service manual favors 10W-30 oil

[HikerToo_imp]

Finally received my service manual, one of the things I looked up was recommended oil viscosity, since there has been much debate and I know my User Manual ONLY mentions 10W-30, others have said the service manual also recommends 10W-40....
But the way I am reading the service manual, I see recommended oil in 3 places ONLY mentioning 10W-30, only 1 place has a chart where in normal font says you "may" use other viscosities in the chart, in BOLD it still recommends the 10W-30.
Not starting an oil debate, just what I see in the user and service manual.

 

[Aussie_imp]

Yep, sounds about right....It cracked 113 degrees F (45 degrees Celsius) last summer in Adelaide so I use 10W40. And in winter it never really gets below 32 F, or 0 degrees C. The bike works fine, no issues.

 

[SUPERCRUZ_imp]

The oil debate continues and I know there are plenty of folks that will disagree. I am running Repsol 10W30 Racing 4T full synthetic in my bike and it runs flawlessly. I have two Honda autos in my driveway, an 07 Pilot and a 10 Acura TL. Both cars call for 5w20 which is light oil for an auto. I have used Mobil 1 from purchase on both cars and always run the 5W20. Hondas in general seem to want lighter weight oil. Just an observation.

 

[davidsargee_imp]

This will by my last comment on the subject of engine oil, .

The service manager at my dealership, (a highly experienced Honda technician), recommended 10w40, because of the heat. Another forum member from Texas said that the service manager at his dealer had the same recommendation. It is a common practice in the South to run a little bit heavier oil as protection from the summer heat.

I am using 10w40 now, 2300+ miles with no issues, however, after hearing of the problems some are having, I am considering changing to 10w30 at the next change. The manual that comes with the bike recommends 10w30 as well.

Cheers

 

[Randy B]

15,000 miles using castrol 10W40 synthetic motor cycle oil.....0 issues.
That is all.

 

[CBXBob_imp]

The SHOP manual CHART specifies other viscosities may be used in temp range -10 C and above. 10W-30 10W-40.
All auto and now motorcycle mfg are starting to recommend lower viscosities for the extra cold start protection and the better fuel economy.

 

[redbirds_imp]

I have used Mobil 1 synth 5W-20 in my Honda cars for years in the extreme heat of south Georgia summers and they have run flawlessly for years with no oil use. This is the oil that Honda recommends for these cars and with Honda's engine expertise I'll go along. Same goes for the CB1100. I'll use a good quality 10W-30 synth oil for motorcycles and leave it at that.

 

[dBuster_imp]

I think the shop manual charts are a generic reference of oils to the different temperatures.

But as HikerToo made reference to and my dealership checking on what our bikes specifically call for in the 1100 service manual it is referring to 30 weight oil. Now like my dealer said, they used the generic service info in their computer when they did the first service and did not reference the 1100 service manual to see if anything may be different. The generic service info gave them the qty of oil and since they only have 40 weight in bulk that is what they went with.

Now like I said in my other thread, not all bikes are the same. each one will have it's own personality and or quirks about them. Some will perform just fine with 40 weight while others will be noisy buggers. If you have noise from your bike with 40 weight switch to the recommended 30 weight from the service manual.

Wheels down and enjoy the bike!

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[flynrider]

The big difference between oil viscosity requirements between cars and our bikes is cooling. In a liquid cooled engine the coolant does most of the work controlling combustion and cylinder head temperatures. In an air cooled engine the oil is responsible for carrying all that heat away from the cylinders. As a result, the oil in an air cooled engine sees a wider range of operating temperatures.

Back in the day when most bikes were air cooled, manuals typical recommended a heavier weight oil for hot temperatures, while liquid cooled engines can pretty much use the same viscosity year round. I suspect that's the purpose of the vague chart in the service manual showing 10w-40 at the higher temperature range. The manual for my CB750 goes as far as to recommend 20w-50 for temps over 100F.

 

[ride4now_imp]

As long as we're taking oil... as you may know I picked up a new Deluxe yesterday. This afternoon, after giving the bike it's first good coat of wax, I warmed it up, on the center stand for 5 minutes (per the manual), then let it cool for 3 minutes, then checked the sight glass...this is what I found...

Looks a little FULL doesn't it!

After draining out about 1/4 of a quart...maybe more...this is what I've now got...and it still may be too much.

I don't understand why the oil looks like it's on an incline...the bike was definitely level.
But this whole exercise was pretty annoying. At this point the bike had 28 miles on it.

Question, how does Honda ship these bikes? I have to believe they have oil in them so they can be started up off the line. But maybe not? Does the dealer do that? If so, they messed this one up. I'm glad I caught it. Too much oil is almost as bad as too little.


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[dBuster_imp]

I think it is safe to say we all know the oil charts and what is better for different temperature ranges but it has been shown to be a fact that the mother ship Honda has deemed in their service manuals for our bikes that they recommend 10w30.

Now in Japan the temperatures do get up into the 90's and it is a tropical humid 90's, spent four years overseas and can confirm this. With the high humidity and 90 plus degree weather you would think they would recommend more than just the 30 weight oil but hey that is what they recommend.

Like I have said, each bike may look alike but each bike is different. Some may run just fine with 40 weight oil while others will gripe about it until you go back to 30 weight oil. If you can run 40 weight and your bike isn't making noises or that you don't notice as they may be so minor unnoticeable noises then go for it. I do believe this thread was just stating what the service manual calls for, or recommends when changing the oil in our bikes.

Now depending on what chart on what website you go to our what book you go to it is hard to say the differences on some. Here are just a few.

Note two of those charts you would be hard to tell the benefits of the 40 weight over the 30 weight but rather the 30 weight has a lower operating temp but on the upper end of the temperature scale it just points off the scale for both weights.

The point being, run the viscosity of oil you want to run, just bear in mind Honda recommended 10w30 and they must have had a reason to do so. If you run 40 weight and have no problems or noises I applaud your bike for being able to handle it and or your cam tensioner is adjusted or set properly....

Keep the wheels down and enjoy the ride!

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[Red Mist_imp]

This is page 3-14 of the Honda Service Manual for the 2013 Honda CB1100. This picture was taken from my copy, but it was pointed out to me by the Service Manager, (in his copy), at my local dealer. Read the sidebar, it clearly states that you may use "other viscosities" as listed on the chart, (40wt.), if the average temperature in your riding area is within the specified range. There are three places in the service manual that I have seen, that list specification for engine oil, this was the only place that mentions 40wt. oil. It is there, however, and that's enough.

The chart could be better, I interpret it as 60 degrees F or higher. The Service Manager added that they used 40wt. at set up for all of the CB1100s they sold, (salesman once told me they sold 12 of them). They have had no reported issues with it. I thought I was switching to 40wt when I did my first oil change, turns out, it had 40wt. from the start.

It's in the service manual, if you live in a warm climate, and you are using 40wt., you are ok.




Believe what you wish, but it's right there in the service manual.

Absolutely, positively, my last comment ever on the subject of engine oil.

That chart seems to indicate that either weight can be used for the specified temperature range. The chart is not particularly clear on that, but charts which show temperature ranges per oil grade have a separate band for each grade. This one seems to show that either 10-30 or 10-40 is acceptable across the range shown.

My owner's manual is different. It only shows 10W30, nowhere in the manual does it recommend 10W40. Pages 46 & 122.

The manual for my Yamaha is quite different. It recommends a variety of oils for various temperature conditions; 10W30 is from -10 F to 70 F, while 10W40 is from -10 F to 110 F. It also allows 15W40, 15W50, and 20W50 depending on the temperature range to be expected.

Since the expected temperatures in my area will be in the 10W40 range, that's what I use.

 

[Cormanus]

In support of David, and for the purpose of information, here are the pages from the 2010-11 CB1100 Australian Owner's Manual. Maybe there's ambiguity: the first page mentions only 10W-30, but in the section on viscosity it makes clear those in warmer climates should use 10W-40.

For reference, the manual is available here—http://www.hondampe.com.au/docs/owning_a_honda/owners_manuals/motorcycles/CB1100A2010.pdf
For further reference there's a European manual here—http://www.hme-tc.be/TRG_LIB/NM2013/CB1100/DOCS/CB1100A_OM_ENG.pdf. I can't find a US one on the web.

 

[Red Mist_imp]

Castor (bean) oil. Straight grade.

Bet that's what you give that danged hoss!

Bet that's what you give that danged hoss! He follers up five gallons of beer with a couple gallons of pure caster oil as a chaser. That's his secret, after polishing off about six buckets of oats.

So tell me, this castor oil, is that orally taken, used topically, out in the engine or mixed with gas in the gas tank?

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Just pour it in every orifice. It'll find its way out.:rofl:

 

[HikerToo_imp]

The Walking Thread.

ha ha, we met Shane from Walking Dead while on vacation in New Hampshire

 

[furious_blue_imp]

I really, really didn't want to get in on this, however when I was down picking up oil and filters the other day for my bikes I asked the Parts Manager (27 years as parts manager) about this and he said and I quote " Up until 2006 Honda recommended 10w40 weight oil for their bikes. Starting in 2007 Honda started recommending you use 10 W 30 in their bikes" then he pointed to the following Honda chart which I took a picture of and am posting below



So I said... so my ST is a 2006 and Honda wants me to use 10w40 but if it had been a 2007 ST it would call for 10W30? He said "Crazy huh?" I said yep!

So I bought a gal 10w40 for my 2006 ST (which is what I always used anyways) and a gal 10W30 for my 2014 CB 1100 as Honda recommends( which I used in my 13 anyways) plus 6 oil filters, an air cleaner for the ST, brakes all around for the ST etc

Americans are a stubborn bunch, as in "I've been using 20w50 synthetic dino oil in all my vehickles for 30 years and never had a problem" so keep on using any weight any type oil you have faith in, but Honda DOES "recommend" 10w30 for the CB 1100.(and all Honda motorcycles manufactured starting Jan 1, 2007)

Well. The obvious reason one weight is ok for one year and not the other is an engineering change, that being larger galleries or a higher oil pressure or both.

So, I suspect if the designer of my bike says 10w30 then by God they mean 10w30 and no generic shop manual overrides those specifications for a specific engine. At least one of you tends to waive some shop manual around like it somehow is the secret Gospel that only those in the know use to change owner specifications for a specific bike and my concern is some owner is going to belief you and damage their engine in the long run. I won't because I can clearly see Honda wants 10w30 with some additional motorcycle only specifications in the bike. This makes is simple for me to determine what weight and what grade oil must go into the CB1100 no matter if it rains or snows or is damn hot that day, 10w30 is it because Honda says it is. So it is. Nothing else. Wear your bike out with too heavy an oil on startup, where most wear occurs, but don't talk someone else into doing it.

Well. The obvious reason one weight is ok for one year and not the other is an engineering change, that being larger galleries or a higher oil pressure or both.

So, I suspect if the designer of my bike says 10w30 then by God they mean 10w30 and no generic shop manual overrides those specifications for a specific engine. At least one of you tends to waive some shop manual around like it somehow is the secret Gospel that only those in the know use to change owner specifications for a specific bike and my concern is some owner is going to belief you and damage their engine in the long run. I won't because I can clearly see Honda wants 10w30 with some additional motorcycle only specifications in the bike. This makes is simple for me to determine what weight and what grade oil must go into the CB1100 no matter if it rains or snows or is damn hot that day, 10w30 is it because Honda says it is. So it is. Nothing else. Wear your bike out with too heavy an oil on startup, where most wear occurs, but don't talk someone else into doing it.
I'm late to the oil party, but I completely agree with this. A motor from 10 years ago is probably NOT the same as a motor today, even if it does externally look like the one we knew 10 years ago..

'it's got 4 cylinders and is air-cooled, of COURSE I know what it is. I used X 10 years ago and it was fine, so I'll use X today, because that's what I did then and nothing bad happened !'

The situation kind of reminds me of when radial tires first started appearing.
The mechanics at the dealer were constantly under inflating my tires because they were probably just doing what they always did.

Multiple times I had to mention to the dealer that their mechanics did NOT read the specs and were underinflating the tires..