Hello All,

I have a 2006 Honda Rubicon and I have been using it for ice fishing and some trail riding, but overall pretty light use. I took it to the dealer with 20hrs. on it to do the intial service about a year ago (change fluids, valve adjustment, ect.) which I heard was the most important thing to have done.

I decided to check the oil the other day and I noticed bubbles in the oil and it was really runny, like running off the dip stick. It appeared to be normal clean oil color, but the fluidity had me worried. I had just run it for about 5 minutes prior to checking it. Does the oil really get that runny or do I have a problem? When I was out ice fishing the other day it was really cold out (10 degrees) and I thought I heard some valve noise when I wound it up, but I couldn't tell if it was coming from the plastic guard around the engine...

Any help would be appreciated...

 

That depends on a lot of things.

Did they put synethtic oil in it when they did the last service?
If so, light synethtic oil is very runny as you put it; even when cold. (that's the idea)

Does it smell like there is any fuel in it? If so, you might have a problem.
If not, I don't see how you can have a problem. About the only thing that can thin out the oil is gasoline. If it does not smell like gasoline, there is not problem.

 

If you told the dealership you were mainly using the machine for ice fishing, they may have put appropriate (much lighter) viscosity oil in it...

Being a dry sump motor, it is important that you let the machine idle w/no throttle blipping for about 5 minutes, and let it sit for about 2.

I would also check to see if it smells like gas, or if the oil level has gone up. Generally, though, if you've got a carb float bowl overflowing bad enough to get gas in the intake (and seeping past the rings), you would probably noticed it would run poorly and also dump gas out of the overflow/vent tube...

 

Thanks for your help guys! The oil does not smell like gas at all, must just be thin oil.

Thanks for your input...