Oil levels got me confused

[RyanD]

So in my last post about burning 2 quarts i have checked the oil today at fill up and it is now a half quart low. the last time i filled up it was a quart low. I have not added any oil to it. Why did my level go up? both checks i made about 1-2 min after i had just shut off the engine.

[wildBill83]

Air in the oil? Did it have bubbles? Temp difference? Parked on an incline? I check my oil when the engine is the same temp as ambient air, not hot.

Quit running it low, you are slowly killing your rings, plugs, oil pump, internals, and bearings!

On a side note, your rings are going bad or you have a leak to fix...

[RyanD]

Air in the oil? Did it have bubbles? Temp difference?

On a side note, your rings are going bad or you have a leak to fix...

it had a couple bubbles the first time i checked when it was a quart low.

also...what is you side note in relation to?

[wildBill83]

The side note is there to point out you have a problem. It's in relation to your motor! The fix is not to add oil every fill up but to perform a leak down test to ensure your rings are good and check all oil gaskets for leaks.

Fix the problem and then you don't need to add oil, it shouldn't disapear magically.

Too many internals depend on enough oil and good oil to ignore such a huge issue no matter how small it may seem or easy to temporarily fix by adding more.

[RyanD]

The side note is there to point out you have a problem. It's in relation to your motor! The fix is not to add oil every fill up but to perform a leak down test to ensure your rings are good and check all oil gaskets for leaks.

Fix the problem and then you don't need to add oil, it shouldn't disapear magically.

Too many internals depend on enough oil and good oil to ignore such a huge issue no matter how small it may seem or easy to temporarily fix by adding more.

but i havent added more thats just the thing. it has magicaly appeared! Im starting to think that i was wrong in the first place and the oil was just matching the color of the dipstick and it has been a half quart low the entire time

EDIT: if you read my last post about oil i dont add oil every fill up. most of the time its full or damn near it. i just think it burns a quart every 7500 miles

[oyajicool]

You want to check oil level before starting the engine. Just like "Pre-flight check" on aircrafts. You'll get more consistent oil level readings.

And you don't have to wipe the dip stick if you do it on every first start up of the day.

[RyanD]

You want to check oil level before starting the engine. Just like "Pre-flight check" on aircrafts. You'll get more consistent oil level readings.

And you don't have to wipe the dip stick if you do it on every first start up of the day.

thats great! i have always wondered about that. I always thought the "total" oil quantity did not account for the oil up in the engine before it has drained down into the pan. but i can see im wrong lol. Im just being the good Honda owner and checking at every fill up like it says in the manual. but i will start checking in the morn.

[wildBill83]

but i havent added more thats just the thing. it has magicaly appeared! Im starting to think that i was wrong in the first place and the oil was just matching the color of the dipstick and it has been a half quart low the entire time

EDIT: if you read my last post about oil i dont add oil every fill up. most of the time its full or damn near it. i just think it burns a quart every 7500 miles

7500 miles? What interval do you change it at? I do mine every 3,000 miles and if it is low I want to cuss. I have been chasing leaks all over this 20 year old beast. I got them all corrected but I had to take the motor out to do it, just happy it wasn't burning but leaking the oil.

OT: One day I'll have a clean f22a6 block pulled from my car and stored then a clean 0 miles h22a4 block installed. But until then I have to keep up my f22a6.

[RyanD]

7500 miles? What interval do you change it at? I do mine every 3,000 miles and if it is low I want to cuss. I have been chasing leaks all over this 20 year old beast. I got them all corrected but I had to take the motor out to do it, just happy it wasn't burning but leaking the oil.

One day I'll have a clean f22a6 block pulled from my car and stored then a clean 0 miles h22a4 block installed. But until then I have to keep up my f22a6.

7500 miles is what Honda recommends but im going to start changing every 3k starting this weekend

[wildBill83]

7500 miles is what Honda recommends but im going to start changing every 3k starting this weekend

As you get higher mileage engines it is recommended to do it every 3000 miles. I would say beyond 75,000 miles start changing every 3,000 miles or 3 months what ever comes first. I put 3,000 miles on my Honda every month. Reminds me that I need to do my monthly change, I'm 3 days over due.

EDIT:
Bubbles in your oil could be a failing oil pump as well, you don't really want to change that part because it is on the short block behind the timing belts. Rule it out as a point of failure by doing an oil pressure test as well. Just hope that the air is induced on oil running back to the sump.

[RyanD]

As you get higher mileage engines it is recommended to do it every 3000 miles. I would say beyond 75,000 miles start changing every 3,000 miles or 3 months what ever comes first. I put 3,000 miles on my Honda every month. Reminds me that I need to do my monthly change, I'm 3 days over due.

EDIT:
Bubbles in your oil could be a failing oil pump as well, you don't really want to change that part because it is on the short block behind the timing belts. Rule it out as a point of failure by doing an oil pressure test as well. Just hope that the air is induced on oil running back to the sump.

iit only gets bubbly when it gets low or if im checking it after driving on some shit bumpy road and when i say bubbles im talken 2 or 3 on the stick.

[Zenzanon]

Where exactly on the dipstick should the oil be after an oil change? The manual isn't totally clear. There are two little holes within ~2" of eachother and then another hole quite high up on the dipstick. In the manual it says the oil should fall between the two holes, but does it mean the two holes at the bottom of the dipstick or the two holes close to either end?

Sorry for the dumb question...

[wildBill83]

The bottom two holes are a high/low marker, ignore anything over that. Basically you want the oil just below the bottom of the 2nd hole, if it is in that hole you have too much oil. Too much oil can be just as bad as too little.

[Zenzanon]

Cheers boss!

[dejan225]

About changing the oil... My CB3 have 280 000 miles and I change oil every 6500 miles. I have the car for 4 years and have crossed 90 000 miles and have no problem at all.

And remember, ALWAYS check oil level while engine is cold!