Oil Question?

[kenny187]

I just changed my oil and filter on my 01 400EX and rode it once sicne i changed it, havent rode it n about 2 to 3 weeks now and checked tha oil stick and it reading low. Has n e one had this problem? My quad stays n tha garage and theres no leakage n e where an i check tha drain plug an around tha filter cover an its not leaking from there. N e idea of where my oil went?

[250x_kyle]

if you drained both plugs and put the recomended oil in then your probably in need of about a cup of oil.

[MO-EX-RIDER]

mine is the same....fresh oil change and race it for 2 hours and i am almost 1/2 qt low......but doesnt smoke all the time, only small puffs on decel, so im leaning towards the valve seats/seals

[hornetgod13]

Make sure it fully warmed up prior to checking the oil. Let it idle for a FULL five minutes.

[Old Head]

Originally posted by hornetgod13
Make sure it fully warmed up prior to checking the oil. Let it idle for a FULL five minutes.

then let it set 2 to 3 min before checking

[kenny187]

thanx i'll give it a try and c. If not i guess its bac to cycle gear for sum more oil!

[oleboy87]

i see that 250x kyle said something about draining both plugs and im jsut wondering where is the other plug im about to change the oil for the first time and i thought there was only one oil plug to drain but i guess i was wrong! please let me knoe something soon

[gcart2]

the other plug is on the botem of the motor. if u ride ur fourwheeler hard u may need to chnge your rpiston rings. if it smakes u deffinately need to change them

[zje400ex]

their are two oil drain plugs... the first one is under the oil tank and the second is near the gear shifter. go to the articles on this website and they guide you threw the steps if you need help.

[GPracer2500]

As already mentioned, if you just pull the dipstick and check the level without following the oil check procedure--it will read low. It's a dry sump engine so it needs to be idled for several minutes to normalize the oil levels in the crankcase and oil tank. Then you can check the level and get an accurate reading.

[1965 honda]

do NOT screw in the dip stick when you measure the oil:eek2:

[casey_lamm]

is this procedure only in the service manual? Or is it in the operators manual?

thanks!
Originally posted by GPracer2500
As already mentioned, if you just pull the dipstick and check the level without following the oil check procedure--it will read low. It's a dry sump engine so it needs to be idled for several minutes to normalize the oil levels in the crankcase and oil tank. Then you can check the level and get an accurate reading.

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by casey_lamm
is this procedure only in the service manual? Or is it in the operators manual?

thanks!

I know it's in the service manual. I'm sure it's in the owners manual too.

[GPracer2500]

This is the oil check procedure specified by Honda:


1. Make sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine in a well-ventilated area and let it idle for 5 minutes. If the air temperature is below 10C (50F), let the engine idle for an additional 5 minutes (a total of 10 minutes).
An engine that is not warmed sufficiently may give an inaccurate (low) oil level reading.
3. Stop the engine.
4. After a few minutes, remove the oil filler cap/dipstick (1) from the oil tank (2) and wipe it clean.
5. Insert the dipstick without screwing it in, then remove the dipstick and check the oil level. The oil level should be between the upper level mark (3) and the lower level mark (4) on the dipstick.
6. If required, add the specified oil into the oil filler cap hole, up to the upper level mark on the dipstick. Do not overfill.
7. Reinstall the oil filler cap/dipstick.

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/maint/proc/TRX400EX_99_OIL1.GIF

NOTE:
The engine contains a crankcase oil level check bolt (5). Remove the bolt and check that the level is flush with the lower edge of the hole. If it is, install and tighten the bolt, start the engine and check the engine oil level. If the crankcase oil level is low, add the recommended engine oil before starting the engine to check the engine oil level.

The crankcase oil level check bolt is useful when checking the lubrication; the oil pump adjusts the oil level so that the crankcase is always kept at the proper level. If this check shows otherwise, some portion of the lubrication system is not working properly.

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/maint/proc/TRX400EX_99_OIL2.GIF

NOTE:
Do not check the oil level immediately after the engine has been operated at high speeds. Make sure that the vehicle is on firm level ground while idling. Allow the engine to idle for a few minuties to stabalize the oil levels.


FWIW, I believe the only reason they say to pull the dipstick "After a few minutes" (step #4) is to reduce the chance of an overfilled engine spraying pressurized oil back at you. I believe you can pretty much check the oil level immediately after shutting the engine off without it screwing with the readings. If you wait too long the engine oil will slowly drain out of the tank and back into the crankcase. A few minutes should be fine--after five (I'm guessing) or more minutes the level will probably start reading lower than it otherwise would. Wait long enough and it will definitely read low.

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by gcart2
the other plug is on the botem of the motor. if u ride ur fourwheeler hard u may need to chnge your rpiston rings. if it smakes u deffinately need to change them

depends on the color of smoke ;) if you have blueish white smoke then u need to change your rings

[sevans]

Great post.