Oil change

[bernardbc]

Good day i recently decided to change to change oil filter and oil on my bike. When i bought the parts for my that bike, i enquired what kind of oil i can use. I was informed that i can use 10W40 as they sold it for the bikes. I changed the oil, but when i let the bike idle for a while everything was fine and no warning lights came on. I took the bike for a test drive but then the oil light and engine light came on and the bike started to smoke. I googled for this problems and found that the oil was the problem.I changed the oil to 10W30.I took the bike for a test drive and there was no problem. My question is do i have to take the bike in to reset the computer for the different oil, or can i disconnect the battery so that it can reset with the new oil. Please help as i see that the 10W30 oil is not sold a lot.

 

[NE-Okie]

Good day i recently decided to change to change oil filter and oil on my bike. When i bought the parts for my that bike, i enquired what kind of oil i can use. I was informed that i can use 10W40 as they sold it for the bikes. I changed the oil, but when i let the bike idle for a while everything was fine and no warning lights came on. I took the bike for a test drive but then the oil light and engine light came on and the bike started to smoke. I googled for this problems and found that the oil was the problem.I changed the oil to 10W30.I took the bike for a test drive and there was no problem. My question is do i have to take the bike in to reset the computer for the different oil, or can i disconnect the battery so that it can reset with the new oil. Please help as i see that the 10W30 oil is not sold a lot.

I'm not the expert on this but I do not believe the bike's engine management computer can not be reset for a different oil. I believe it is a mechanical requirement built into the motor.

If I understand the story correctly, the engine on our NC bikes was built after a car engine used in the Honda Jazz.

As you point out, most other bikes use 10W40, ours uses 10W30 like some cars require but our 10W30 oil is modified for motorcycles.

That is just as I understand the situation so don't take this as gospel unless someone finds out from the service manual.

 

[jeremyr62]

This all sounds very unlikely. Oil viscosity doesn’t cause an engine to smoke. 10W40 is higher viscosity than 10W30 so is even less likely to cause smoke. Anyway to answer your question, you don’t have to reset anything.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I am certain that 10/40 oil was not the cause of Your issue. I have been using it for years, firstly on my former NC700 and currently on my 750 variant. No issues whatsoever. Imho some other aspect of the oil change caused the motor to smoke. Perhaps You over filled and some oil got in the air box ? Not sure about the warning lights.

 

[ST13Fred]

Agree. The computer is not linked to detect a different brand or oil viscosity.

I also have a DCT 700 and use only the Honda oil because of the transmission complexity.
On all my small engines, even my C125 Cub and big boy Motus, I use 10W-30 Full Synthetic, Castrol or Mobil 1.

 

[the Ferret]

Just for clarification, ALL Honda motorcycles since 2008 or maybe it was 2006, have specified 10W30 oil in their motors (I use to have a pic of the poster from Honda but no longer do) but the oil chart in most of the owner's manuals allows for 10w40 if ridden in warmer climatic conditions. If you have your oil changed at a shop, chances are they will use 10w40 drum oil.

Each individual decides what oil they are going to use in their bikes, generally NOT by the manufacturer's recommendations, but by what their grandfather/dad/buddies told them, personal history, old wive's tales, internet lore etc.

For the average owner that rides 2500 miles a year on sunny blue bird days between 50 and 90 degrees, and changes their oil and filter once a year, oil viscosity is not very important

I have personally never seen a Honda motorcycle have a motor related issue dependent on what weight of oil was used in it, as long as it was changed ocassionally.

 

[PaPaJo]

The Owner's Manual for my recently obtained 2022 NC750X DCT calls for 10w-30 JASO T 903 with an API classification of SJ or higher. Why would anyone try to out think the Honda Engineers? Honda is a leader in the manufacture of gasoline engines from Lawnmowers, to F1 Race cars and everything in between. Why would you do anything other then what these Honda Engineers recommend? Everything in my garage is a Honda or has a Honda Engine powering it. I follow what the Owner's Manual says to use without question and I have NEVER had an engine issue. For what it is worth.

 

[670cc]

The Owner's Manual for my recently obtained 2022 NC750X DCT calls for 10w-30 JASO T 903 with an API classification of SJ or higher. Why would anyone try to out think the Honda Engineers? Honda is a leader in the manufacture of gasoline engines from Lawnmowers, to F1 Race cars and everything in between. Why would you do anything other then what these Honda Engineers recommend? Everything in my garage is a Honda or has a Honda Engine powering it. I follow what the Owner's Manual says to use without question and I have NEVER had an engine issue. For what it is worth.

We don’t know the model or year of the OP’s bike, but the thread was posted in the NC700 discussion. My 2012 NC700X official Honda service manual clearly states that 10W-40 is an acceptable viscosity for the temperature range I ride in. (My NC has seen more 10W-40 in it’s lifetime than 10W-30). So while your owner’s manual calls for 10W-30, the OP may also have been correct in initially using 10W-40 In their machine.

 

[PaPaJo]

We don’t know the model or year of the OP’s bike, but the thread was posted in the NC700 discussion. My 2012 NC700X Honda service manual clearly states that 10W-40 is an acceptable viscosity for the temperature range I ride in. So while your owner’s manual calls for 10W-30, the OP may also have been correct in initially using 10W-40 In their machine.

I agree 100% and my point was to follow the recommendations as called out in your Owner's Manual for your bike. In my case I use what is called out in the O/M for my NC750X, my Honda 420 Rancher ATV, my Honda Pilot SUV, as well as the Honda Engine on my mower. If the Honda O/M calls out for 10w-30 for the mower that is what I use or 0w-20 for my 2018 Honda Pilot. I follow what the Honda O/M calls out for each and every Honda I own. Here is looking forward to spring riding weather...

 

[670cc]

I agree 100% and my point was to follow the recommendations as called out in your Owner's Manual for your bike. In my case I use what is called out in the O/M for my NC750X, my Honda 420 Rancher ATV, my Honda Pilot SUV, as well as the Honda Engine on my mower. If the Honda O/M calls out for 10w-30 for the mower that is what I use or 0w-20 for my 2018 Honda Pilot. I follow what the Honda O/M calls out for each and every Honda I own. Here is looking forward to spring riding weather...

I couldn’t agree more that following the owner’s manual is good advice. But there is also the Honda service manual. At least in the case of the early NC700s, the service manual offered additional oil viscosity range information not shown in the less detailed owner’s manual.

 

[itsmenc700]

PaPaJo - IF everyone did follow the manual there would NOT be millions of posts about what oil to use!!!!!
And to give you even more to think on - If you brought it to a dealer/mechanic to change the oil, they just might use 10W-40!

 

[ST13Fred]

When full synthetics came on line they were perhaps 50% higher priced to conventional oils, but now they are very close in price so a no brainer to use.
The first few revolutions of a cold starting engine is where most bearing wear occurs. What makes full synthetics so good is its' thinness, while still having excellent adhesion. On cold start ups, oil is already at the bearings.

Your problem bernard has nothing to do with what oil you are running but I learned with any electrical/electronic issue coming up, a fully charged battery still holding good cranking amps is vital in keeping the computers happy.
An ST1300 cranks a revolution or 2 before ignition, giving the oil a pre-start to the bearings. I would think my battery was getting weak until I realized it did this even with a fully charged new battery.
I put in a new battery, even though the engine would start OK, because the clock was reverting to 1AM so correctly thought the computer always needed a fully charged battery for the clock to function correctly.
I knew I needed a new battery when 1AM would appear on the clock. Probably not a good reason for a new battery but no telling what other readings were not correct.

 

[MZ5]

OP, you have a problem, and it has nothing to do with using 10W40 vs 10W30.