Trouble Starting Bike - Low Oil Level?

[MDS_ST1300]

I really should check my oil level more often but for the most part I thought it was fine until I tried to go for a ride today...

I tried starting my bike this afternoon and the bike would not turn over. I never checked the oil initially and it has been a week since I rode it last. So after trying 3 or 4 attempts at starting, I stop and let everything sit for 5 minutes or more. I checked fluid levels everywhere and noticed that my oil level was coming up slowly but was barely at the low level line. I decided to add some oil to the bike to see if that would fix the problem. I added maybe 300cc and got the oil level in the middle of the lines. I started once and got a sputter. Tried again and then it fired up!

This got me thinking since I noticed one other time I had trouble starting the bike in the last 3 weeks. I am pretty sure the oil level was good then but not positive. I haven't had a chance to ride that much and I haven't checked the oil level that frequently. I have had no oil leaks so I am assuming I am consuming some oil. I only have 14,700km on my bike. I do oil changes every 5000km (3000miles) so I thought I should be okay. I never noticed the oil level dropping prior to this last oil change. I did a 4500km trip in a week about 3 weeks ago and since then my problems started. I was sure that my oil level was okay after the trip but not at or below the low oil level.

Question: Is there a low level switch that prevents the bike from starting if there is a low oil level indicated? :confused:

After this experience, I plan to check the oil level EVERY time I head out.

Thanks for any comments,
Michael

[Kennedy]

I some how doupt if the two are related. I also change my oil every 5000 KM and have never had to top her up between changes though. As you all ready know the difference between low and high on that sight glass is very little oil.
Although Mother Hondas method of checking the oil may be the correct way I have my own way of doing it. When I park the bike I have a 3/4 inch piece of plywood under the side stand, note that level after doing an oil change because you know its correct because you just added 4 ltr of oil. Now every day I can just glance at the oil level before starting the bike to make sure its at the same level.

[naturally wired]

About three months ago I started having a problem my self ,sometimes my 04 st would take more than a couple of times on the starter to get her going at that point I also checked my oil that also showed that it needed topped off.A week went by and it started giving me the same problem .with the exception of almost killing the battery.TIME TO GO TO THE DEALER for me the problem was a bad battery and at that point too much oil. dealer told me that the bike should never need too be topped off ,at least not until you get some big miles on it .he told me it was very hard to get a good reading on the oil level plus over filling can cause big problems . good luck dont know if this will help you or not..............

[kingprawnokay]

While I have never experienced this problem with the ST, my Z1000 will not start if the oil level at some specific sensor in the crankcase is too low. I learned this when I was parked on uneven pavement overnight. In the morning I had to level the bike and wait a few minutes before the oil pressure light turned off and it would start. I assumed that an electronic level indicator in the crankcase was responsible for disarming the ignition. In this day of sensors and CPU's I wouldn't doubt that you cannot start the ST if the oil level is perceived (by the machine) to be too low.

[MDS_ST1300]

As a quick update, I just tried starting the bike 5 minutes ago and all is well. The oil level is sitting at 3/4 between the level marks. As Paul mentioned, I am going to assume that my problem was due to a low oil level sensor that was preventing the bike from starting.

Thanks for the comments.
Michael

[MDS_ST1300]

I'll have to continue to monitor my situation but my bike did start better when I topped up the oil. I don't want to give the impression that there IS a low oil sensor since I don't know but it seems possible I guess. If anyone else has info about this it would be great to know. I'll watch to see if I have any battery issues but everything seems fine on that end. Even yesterday when I had the trouble starting it I had no concerns about the battery since it would have kept trying to start but something else seemed wrong. The oil level theory seemed a likely culprit. As another note, my oil pressure light came on at startup and then went out so everything seemed normal yesterday...except the oil level. This was my experience only.

[dannyk]

Nothing in the shop manual pertaining to a oil alert shutdown that I can find. If there is it would be a first for a 4 stroke from honda, I have owned 12 honda motorcycles over the years, never heard of an oil alert shutdown on them, from ct 70s to 4 wings and a st11 and now a st13., I am sure you have got another problem there somewhere.

[Drew]

The ST1300 likes a fully charged battery for the EFI, fuel pump ignition etc. Left my bike for three weeks or so and it was very hard to start. Since I now leave a battery tender on whenever the bike sits more than a week, I have never had another starting problem.

Drew

[MDS_ST1300]

I definitely need to check the plugs since I am just past that interval (12800km vs my 14700km). Not to hi-jack my own thread but do you need to pull the tupperware to inspect all the plugs? I don't own a service manual yet.

[SToler]

I bet it is the battery. I had a Magna before and just before a trip it gave me trouble starting twice. When it had trouble the first push of the start button would not crank very good and didn't sound right, then the next push of the button would fire it up. I thought everything was just fine and that the engine must have been cold or something.

Two days into the ride we pulled up to a gas station and filled up, got drinks, and got back on the bikes. Mine would not start; all the lights were on and everything seemed okay, it just would not start. After an hour of working on the bike we tried to push start it. That worked, but we had to do it all the way home. We might not be so lucky with the ST I don't know if you can push start one of these; even if you can I don't want to be the pusher. :cool:

Anyway, when I got home I took the battery to Autozone and they tested it under a load and they said it was bad. Got a new one and everything was fixed.

Scott

[JoeC]

I've notice the same thing on a few occassion, but usually when it is hot outside and I've ridden the bike for several hours at a time. The first time I topped it off...approx 200ml, but now just leave it (rather have it a tad low than overfilled). It's usually pretty stable up to 3K kms on the oil, and by then the oil is starting to breakdown (BTW dealer uses Suzuski motor oil in the bikes...cheaper than honda oil). I beleive it also depends on the quality and weight of the oil.

[wjbertrand]

I seriously doubt there is an oil level sensor/ignition cut that would prevent the bike from starting. After all, if you think about it a minute, the oil level drops well below the sight window when the engine is running, and it keeps runing!

[dond]

There's no low oil shut off. That would be insane on a motorcycle to have the engine shut off while haulin' *** through a corner.
Or on a busy freway or... You pick your fav.
Look somewhere else guys.

[clickr]

I really should check my oil level more often but for the most part I thought it was fine until I tried to go for a ride today...

I tried starting my bike this afternoon and the bike would not turn over. I never checked the oil initially and it has been a week since I rode it last. So after trying 3 or 4 attempts at starting, I stop and let everything sit for 5 minutes or more. I checked fluid levels everywhere and noticed that my oil level was coming up slowly but was barely at the low level line. I decided to add some oil to the bike to see if that would fix the problem. I added maybe 300cc and got the oil level in the middle of the lines. I started once and got a sputter. Tried again and then it fired up!

This got me thinking since I noticed one other time I had trouble starting the bike in the last 3 weeks. I am pretty sure the oil level was good then but not positive. I haven't had a chance to ride that much and I haven't checked the oil level that frequently. I have had no oil leaks so I am assuming I am consuming some oil. I only have 14,700km on my bike. I do oil changes every 5000km (3000miles) so I thought I should be okay. I never noticed the oil level dropping prior to this last oil change. I did a 4500km trip in a week about 3 weeks ago and since then my problems started. I was sure that my oil level was okay after the trip but not at or below the low oil level.

Question: Is there a low level switch that prevents the bike from starting if there is a low oil level indicated? :confused:

After this experience, I plan to check the oil level EVERY time I head out.

Thanks for any comments,
Michael


now that you can start the bike for sure:
put it on the center stand and start the bike one more time.
if it starts, shut it off and drain the oil then try to turn over the engine if it turns over there is no sensor. if it doesn't turn over, put the oil back in the bike and try it again.

Finding out the real issue could save you from being stranded somewhere long away from home late at night.

Cheers.

[kingprawnokay]

After all the uncertainty, I asked my dealer and was told that there is no sensor.

[pdfruth]

Topic has already been beat to death... but incase there's any remaining doubt.

I was changing oil tonight. Did a short test while the oil was drained.
As I expected.... The ST starts, and runs, without any oil.

[rob.uk]

I definitely need to check the plugs since I am just past that interval (12800km vs my 14700km). Not to hi-jack my own thread but do you need to pull the tupperware to inspect all the plugs? I don't own a service manual yet.

The manual says you can get the plug leads off by removing the little inspection tabs from the fairings and then popping off the false cyclinder covers. Whereas I didn't have tooo much trouble with the right hand side plug leads, the rear lead from the coil on the lhs is too short to allow me to pull the plug lead out of the cylinder.

So I remove all the fixing screws and bolts apart from in front the radiator, and I loosen the lhs tupperware just enough to give me clearance to pull the rear cyclinder lead out of the block.

Hope this helps,

Regards,
Rob