[ChadH67]

Guy's I hate to sound like such a Idiot, but I was wondering what is the proper way to check the oil on the 700, Should I check it when cold, hot or just warm it up for a few minutes? I checked it the other day when I got home while it was cold and it was low so I added oil and after riding for about 15 minutes I checked it again and it seemed to be way over full. Sorry for the dumb question but like I you all know the 4 wheeler thing is new to me

 

[crwh45]

Per the manual, you are suppose to let it warm up, turn it off, and then pull the dip stick and clean it off. Then place it back in WITHOUT SCREWING it in, just set it in there straight down (You will notice how the fins on the stick itself are angle) and then just pull it back out and check it.

 

[Crash21]

I was told by my dealer to start it up for a min and check it while it is running

 

[Sid]

ChadH67,
This is a real problem. The dealer here convinced me to just put in two quarts. This is or course with the understanding that you drained the oil reservoir tank, the crank-case and changed the oil filter. With this in mind, two quarts will put the level slightly below the full mark. After putting the new oil in run the machine around a little (4 or 5 minutes) and check right after a minute or two of waiting. I have been through this enough to know this will work. Good luck :nuts:
Sid

 

[crwh45]

2 quarts....not hardly. It will take about 2.5 quarts, and the book says 2.3. This is experience, I am not the only one. If you look in the HOW TO threads, you will see everyone is putting about 2.5. If you initially put in the 2 quarts after you drain all the old oil and put in the new filter, start it up for a minute or two (after you put the dipstick back in) to all the oil to cycle in thru the engine and the lines, which will obviously cause the oil level to drop in the tank, then you can add the rest. Start with 2.3, and just work up a little bit, to see exactly how much it takes.

Crash, I don't know if you have tried that or not yet, but I think it is a good possibility that you can get some oil to come out of it that way, as it is circulating thru with them pump and everything, as I know I wasn't being careful one day and filled the tank too full prior to allowing the rest of the oil to get into the engine, so I started it up to cycle it in and it started splashing up on the exhaust and everything, but then again that may be b/c I had the tank too full (which after it cycle in, I added the other .2 qts, to bring it out to just under 2.5, and it was a lil over halfway up the marks on the dipstick.

 

[Crash21]

Yes I have done that and it only splashes out if it is too full.

 

[Sid]

crwh45,
With all due respect!
Honda Service Manual for 2008 TRX700XX reads as follows:
"Engine oil capacity- After draining- (1.7 liters- 1.8 US qts.)
After draining/filter change- (1.8 liters- 1.9 US qts.)
After disassembly- (2.4 liters- 2.5 US qts.)"
I only copy this information from the manual to support my position on the ongoing confusion of "How much oil"?
I agree with everything you say with the exception that with this machine, after adding more oil than taking some of it out, then adding a little more, I just had to settle on what the Honda Dealer told me to do. Two quarts ends up, after running for a while, slightly below the full mark.
Sid

 

[Nash04]

I know that once I drain all the above, I always end up putting about 2.2-3 quarts once it's warm up for about 5 minutes. The problem is that the manual tells you to check the oil with the dipstick not screwed in but just resting in the pan which is kind of weird! Never heard of just settling the dipstick in and check the oil level there. But anyway, been running the beast with the above amount and haven't had any issues with it and when I do check the level, it's perfect!!

Just my 2 pennies.

Oh! Yeah! Never heard about checking the oil with the engine running!!!

 

[Sid]

Nash04
When you say "I always end up putting about 2.2-3 quarts once it's warm" is that 2.2-.3 quarts or 3 quarts? If it is .3 then that runs true with what I've been doing all along which is 2 quarts and the level is slightly below the full mark. Let me know. If that is the case I will begin with 2.2 to 2.3.
Thanks
Sid

 

[Nash04]

Before following my level qty, I would basically add the 1.9 that Honda recommends then warm up the bike for 5 minutes then shut down the engine and let it stand for about a minute then unscrew the dipstick and put the stick back in without screwing it in and pull it back out and check where it's at. If you need to add more than do so but add only a little amount at a time and check it after each time. Basically I try to have it around the middle of the cross bars. This to me is the best way to check/adjust it.

 

[Baxter]

My 2 cents worth.
I tried checking my oil the Honda manual way and the forum suggestions.
I am sticking to changing it every 3 hours and putting in 1.9 litres.
It just seems easy that way as there is no set plan and everybody gets differant results.

 

[smo0oth1]

Using 2.3 or 2.5 quarts is fine but I personally wouldn't run only 2. Dry sump systems aren't as sensitive as wet sumps but I'd prefer to run it high (2.5) than low.

 

[crwh45]

crwh45,
With all due respect!
Honda Service Manual for 2008 TRX700XX reads as follows:
"Engine oil capacity- After draining- (1.7 liters- 1.8 US qts.)
After draining/filter change- (1.8 liters- 1.9 US qts.)
After disassembly- (2.4 liters- 2.5 US qts.)"
I only copy this information from the manual to support my position on the ongoing confusion of "How much oil"?
I agree with everything you say with the exception that with this machine, after adding more oil than taking some of it out, then adding a little more, I just had to settle on what the Honda Dealer told me to do. Two quarts ends up, after running for a while, slightly below the full mark.
Sid

I don't believe I ever said take out any oil. I tried exactly what the manual says, the 1.9, and it doesn't appear on the stick. So I added a little more, and a little more, until I got to the full mark. Each time I added a little more, I would start the bike up to cycle the oil a little bit, and then let it settle out, and check it. I get mine to the full mark, which has always been just about 2.5 qts (a rough guestimate looking on the side of the qt bottle). I run it to the high mark, that way I know exactly where it is b4 every ride when I go to check it, to see if it uses any.

I also probably do something others don't do though when changing the oil. After I remove the engine drain bolt, I jack up the right side of the quad so it is angled to try to get the most oil out as possible.

 

[ChadH67]

I was told the same thing by my dealer, " just put 2 qts and it will be fine, and it was fine. I just left and went out of town and didnt ride for 60 some day's and before I fired it up I checked the level and it was barely touching the stick. Seeing that I added a little oil and got the level about half way up the stick, apparently I should not have done this. After adding the oil I rode for maybe 15-20 minutes and then checked it again shortly after and the oil level was way over full, and that is with out screwing the cap in " as per the manual" :disgust:

I just went in the kitchen and used my wife's turkey baster and sucked some of it back out:birds:

 

[crwh45]

I changed the oil again last night, put in 2.3qts, and rode it for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, the level was right in the middle of the stick. Pretty much dead center. So what I did was added .05qts more, and rode another 10 minutes with that. It is just under the full mark. I used an actual measuring cup for the .35qts. Also, when I change it, I wipe everything off, the pump and everything, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes, b/c I find something else I can do while getting all the old oil out. This was the first time I actually measured it w/ a cup, every other time it was a guestimation w/ the side of a qt bottle.

 

[Tory trx]

I changed the oil again last night, put in 2.3qts, and rode it for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, the level was right in the middle of the stick. Pretty much dead center. So what I did was added .05qts more, and rode another 10 minutes with that. It is just under the full mark. I used an actual measuring cup for the .35qts. Also, when I change it, I wipe everything off, the pump and everything, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes, b/c I find something else I can do while getting all the old oil out. This was the first time I actually measured it w/ a cup, every other time it was a guestimation w/ the side of a qt bottle.

The only bad thing about that is that they tell you NOT to snap the throttle before checking the oil. I am not sure if riding it normally will do this but I would just let it run for a couple of minutes shut it off and than wait 2 or 3 minutes before checking the oil level again. I have done this and everything looks good.

 

[scrawny]

dont forget too that the oil will "grow" or expand when hot.

always run the engine for the same amount of time when checking or you will get different readings as the oil is at different temperatures.

 

[Captamer71]

Wow excellent information. I had been wondering about all this glad I read everyones input.

Thanks

 

[Urtoslow]

2 quarts....not hardly. It will take about 2.5 quarts, and the book says 2.3. This is experience, I am not the only one. If you look in the HOW TO threads, you will see everyone is putting about 2.5. If you initially put in the 2 quarts after you drain all the old oil and put in the new filter, start it up for a minute or two (after you put the dipstick back in) to all the oil to cycle in thru the engine and the lines, which will obviously cause the oil level to drop in the tank, then you can add the rest. Start with 2.3, and just work up a little bit, to see exactly how much it takes.

Crash, I don't know if you have tried that or not yet, but I think it is a good possibility that you can get some oil to come out of it that way, as it is circulating thru with them pump and everything, as I know I wasn't being careful one day and filled the tank too full prior to allowing the rest of the oil to get into the engine, so I started it up to cycle it in and it started splashing up on the exhaust and everything, but then again that may be b/c I had the tank too full (which after it cycle in, I added the other .2 qts, to bring it out to just under 2.5, and it was a lil over halfway up the marks on the dipstick.

So is half way up the dip stick mean it's full?