I was wondering if anybody might be able to advise on this... I have an 08 blade with 26k miles on the clock and yesterday started it up fine as usual. I normally warm it up to at least 40 degrees Celsius before I move off but I was running late and in a hurry. The engine was running for about 10 seconds and as I came up to the gate of the underground carpark I applied the brakes and the oil light flickered. I immediately tried to recreate it by applying the brakes harder but could not get it to come back on. I literally had a 2 min trip down the road before I had to stop so I completed the trip and then dipped the bike for oil. Nothing showed up on the dipstick at all. I let the bike sit for about 30 mins and re-checked the oil and again nothing showed up on the dipstick. I even titled the bike as far to the right as I could and the dipstick still registered nothing. I wheeled the bike home and am getting oil and a filter today but i am very conscious of any damage that may have occurred from running the bike with such low oil. I'm aware the 08 engines burn oil and I know I'm an idiot for not checking my oil more regularly but do you reckon I may have caused any excessive damage? The engine sounds fine. Thanks in advance.
Nup no damage. Because it only flickered there would have been just enough for proper lubrication in a city environment. Timely warning to conduct more frequent checks though!
Thanks for the reply. That's the answer I was hoping for but I've been driving around in a hurry any chance I have gotten over the last 2 weeks. That was the only time I have witnessed the oil light flicker though. I'm going to top the bike up and run to operating temperature before I drain the old oil out. At least that way I can gauge how short on oil it was. I'm going to catch the old oil and filter it through a sieve and a muslin cloth and look for any metal fillings. Supposing there are some where would they most likely be from. The valve train end or the the bottom end? Would it be from the likes of the valve shims and the crankshaft journal bearings?
There won't be any metal fillings in the oil. If your filter's doing its job there'd be in there. Seriously, manufacturers have a tolerance zone for such near-catastrophes. I wouldn't even waste money on topping up before draining. Maybe half a pint for safety, and then warm it up. You have no cause for worry.
Don’t bother topping up or warming up you have not got enough oil in to worry about warming up. Like nigel said you should have some oil in there The oil light comes on when you have got no oil pressure and it only takes a tiny piece of oil to make the pressure. Just drain fit filter and fill
Nigel, Just to update on this. I had some semi-synthetic 10W/40 so decided to top it up to see how much I was short by. It took 1.5 litres to bring it back to the MFL on the dipstick. Going by the manual it looks as if the engine holds 3.7 litres in total. So when the oil light flickered there would of been 2.2 litres in the engine. I started the bike and let the engine run to operating temperature. The engine sounds absolutely fine. In your opinion would you still be satisfied that I got away without causing any damage. I know I seem ultra paranoid about it but I was about to buy a SC Project CR-T exhaust and an ECU flash and I don't want to drop close to €1K on a bike that I might of ruined. I intended to keep it for a long time and it took me a while to save for it. Its in for the 24K service next month and is getting the valve clearances checked. Might get the lads to do a quick compression check and an oil pressure check for peace of mind. Thanks.
If it was 0.2 litres remaining, there would have been worry, but honestly, you'll be absolutely fine. No worries at all.
I have no doubt whatsoever that the engine would not have suffered. Look at it this way: if your body held 3.7 litres of blood and you lost 1.5 litres - you'd still be alive with no more than a little faint-headedness. Same with the bike.
Just incase.....that MFL on the dipstick isn't what you would expect it to be. That is just part of the part number of the dipstick. It doesn't mean "max fill line" The flat portion of the dipstick between the 2 lines represents the min/max.
Huh? You must have a weird dipstick. The 'MFL' is quite clearly the 'Max Fill Line' as no part number is stamped on the 08 dipsticks (that I have seen). Also there is no part number, but a warning to not screw down when checking level.
Just take the bike to a dealer, any dealer, doesn't have to be Honda. Ask if they can get you a longer dipstick or fit a shallower sump. Failing that put more oil in. Simples
Unless I have been given poor information but I was told that MFL is stamped on all honda parts and it's just a confusing place to have it. I read it on here once aswell....probably take me a week to find that post. You would think the manual would make note of MFL if it was that?
Fair point Charlie, and everyone knows that I am not argumentative!! True, most, if not all, of the bike parts are an MFL prefix to a number. However, on the dipstick, the MFL is not followed by a number, or series of numbers. There has been much discussion on many forums about this 'MFL' between the two lines on the dipstick. The general consensus (although from no definitive authority) is that it stands for 'Maximum Fill Level' OR 'Maximum Fill Line'. Nup. I am going to 'unfriend' Honda UK. No response to 2 emails weeks ago about my Erion History, and still await a response to my letter of 10 days ago The upshot of all this is that @Franbot is probably STILL so distressed about the oil pressure light that he has either sold the bike or topped himself. Obviously, I hope the latter to not be the case.
https://www.1000rr.co.uk/threads/oil-change.30393/ This was the thread I was thinking of Nigel. Doesn't make me right ofcourse...
