Dip stick engine oil probem.

[photons]

I'm having difficulty getting a visual cue on the dipstick for engine oil with the usual engine warm up on it's centre stand. My PCX has done 1260 miles and the last service was 800 miles 6 months ago which included an engine oil top up. I'm tempted to just buy some castrol 4 stroke 10w40 but I'm afraid of exceeding the dipstick level (which is extremely small).

The tiny dipstick end is a bit of a silly design in my opinion, plastic doesn't bind well with watery engine oil and it is difficult to notice any oil. There is a trace of some engine oil around the edges of the interior of the casing, but that is all and I am unable to get enough light in there to check the level.

I've owned other geared 125's and a kymco agility 125 and have had no problem checking my engine oil levels, but the honda seems tiny and more precise.

Any help and what are the chances of my PCX needing oil? I don't want to seize the engine as it is a relatively new purchase.

[gn2]

There's a very simple way to deal with this problem.
Leave the dipstick alone, don't check the oil.
I've never checked mine once in 15,000 miles.

[photons]

There's a very simple way to deal with this problem.
Leave the dipstick alone, don't check the oil.
I've never checked mine once in 15,000 miles.

And does Honda recommend that?

I had an engine seizure before in 2006 while I was starting out on a suzuki and the engine literally wore itself out. The engine was a total write off and reminded why checking your engine oil is important.

[gn2]

[quote="photons"And does Honda recommend that?[/quote]

No but if Honda seriously expect anyone to warm the thing up then unscrew a dipstick, wipe it clean, put it back in the hole, take it out, check it, wipe it clean again because they were unsure of the reading, put it back in, take it out, check it, wipe it clean again because they were unsure of the reading, put it back in, take it out, check it, wipe it clean again because they were unsure of the reading, put it back in, take it out, check it, wipe it clean again because they were unsure of the reading, put it back in and keep doing that till they're either satisfied the level is correct or just give up in disgust then I'm afraid they're taking the piss.

Me I'll stick with checking the level once every five thousand miles.

But for convenience a sight glass wins every time.
Put it on the centrestand, look in the glass, see the level, ride away.
What could be easier than that?

[maddiedog]

Meh, GN2 is giving bad advice.

To check the oil, put it on the centerstand, remove the dipstick, wipe clean, then reinsert (but don't screw the dipstick in), pull out, and check.

If your oil is too clean to read, ride for a bit and check. The oil should get color to it after a couple of hundred miles.

I check my oil every other fill-up, or before any major trip, and everyone should. It's rare for the PCX to run out of oil or burn oil, but it's much better to check than blow up your engine.

[gn2]

Engine needs to be run first?

[maddiedog]

That too-- ride it before you check it. Oil should be hot when you check it.

[ericpcx]

I agree with gn2, a sight glass is far better and easier to check the oil level, the dip stick on the PCX is very difficult to check the level

[you you]

I agree with gn2, a sight glass is far better and easier to check the oil level, the dip stick on the PCX is very difficult to check the level

Until the sight glass leaks

As they say "only a dipstick can't use a dipstick"