Honda 90 Oil Pressure

[curioustraveler]

A few questions about the oil on a 2006 Honda 90:

1) Will normal use cause the oil level to decrease (we've put on about 100 hours this summer.)

2) should the oil level read lower when the motor is running vs not running? (I always thought it was higher due to a hotter temperature.)

We had an issue with oil pressure this weekend. Approximately 15 minutes after leaving the marina, at probably 4500 rpm, my oil pressure alarm sounded. I immediately turned off the motor. I checked the oil and it was low. It registered on the dipstick at the bottom end of "normal" but was very low. Like an idiot, I didn't have any oil on board. We were sitting in the middle of a shipping channel so I started the motor back up after a few minutes and she ran fine. We motored into port at about 7 knots for 5 miles to get some oil without any more alarms.

I added almost a full quart which cause the oil level to read just over half on the dipstick. We spent the night in port and today I ran the motor at just over idle for approximately 35 minutes. The oil level reads at approximately 1/4 while running and back to 1/2 while shut off.

I made the 15 mile trip home today with no issues. Ran for the first hour at 7 knots then the last 15 minutes at 4500 rpm/18 knots. Oil still reads just over 1/2 full on the dipstick.

This motor basically sat for the last 5 year prior to me purchasing her this spring. Only 140 hours on her when I bought her.

I confess I haven't been religious about checking the oil but have checked periodically this summer didn't notice it getting low.

Is it possible we simply burned through some oil this summer which caused the low pressure alarm today?

[digger]

Check oil hot or cold with engine off. Oil level may be a bit higher when warm if engine has been stopped long enough to drain back from the working parts.

[starcrafttom]

always check oil with engine off. as stated above give it a few mins to drain back down. Yes all engines burn oil at some rate. Sitting unused is the worst thing for a motor. go use the boat. If you have not done an oil change since you got the boat I would. Start off fresh with the history you know. change filters also if that is not obvious. with a boat I would change ever so many hours ( what ever the manual says ) or once a year even if you don't hit those hours. I was boating all year so it was a hours thing for me but the last two years has been different.

funny story- one of my great aunts had a big 1970 caddy. owned since new ( this was in the 80). Her husband had died shortly after she got it. My grand father asked her when she last had a oil change? She said it was not due yet. Now gridley ca is only a mile by a mile and she never went anywhere else and was retired. knowing this grandpa ask. " No when was it done last" she said never it did not have enough miles...." I helped do the oil change . it was like tar. 10 years old at least. we heated the the pan just to get it to flow out . I dont think she ever really drove more then 10 mins at a time.

[curioustraveler]

Thanks guys. So I was a bit confused - the oil might read higher when warm but not with the engine running.

We did a full service on the motor when I bought it this spring so I started with new oil and a filter. I've put about 100 hours on her so far.

Is it likely that I simply burned off enough oil this summer to cause a low pressure alarm? After adding almost a quart things seem fine. Motor runs great, and I'm not seeing any obvious leaks, odors, or smoke.

[journey on]

That's a Honda car engine turned on end, so think that way. If you have run it all summer and haven't noticed any oil sheen on the water, it's not leaking oil. So its burning oil. Honda engines don't usually burn oil, but a quart in 100 hrs doesn't seem bad. Keep running it and see how it does. However check the oil after every use.

My Honda 150 with approx 1100 hrs doesn't burn oil, but I change it every 100 hrs. Cheapinsurance.

Boris

[thataway]

100 hours time to change oil. I change the filter each time. Some of the service manuals say ever 200 hours. But filters are cheap insurance.

The engine holds about 4.2 quarts when the filter is not changed, 4.8 quarts when the filter is changed. The 150's have about 6.8 quarts and 7.1 quarts respectively.

Although these are Honda car engines, it is different because of the "pan". Also I believe that there are components which are "heavier duty". The marine engine is working like pulling a grade all of the time--the car engine does a fraction of the work load most of the time.

Tom is absolutely correct--the more your use the engine, the longer it will last. The stories of 8,000 hour engines, are those which are run daily; guide service, marine patrol, Coast Guard etc.

[T.R. Bauer]

It doesn't surprise me it was low after 100 hours. If we just looked at time running, 100 hours is 6000 miles in a car running at 60 mph. Of course, your boat isn't a car, and it is working much harder and turning far higher rpms during that 100 hours then your car is. If the oil was really full from the last change, and the engine is not leaking, they only way the oil left is by being burned. Others have stated it's important to check the oil, and they are right. I check mine frequently.

[starcrafttom]

I have noticed over the years that motors from water water areas ( east coast and the south) seem to burn more oil. Here in the PNW and north the water is so cold that my main problem is getting the motor to warm up enough to burn clean. That was the biggest problems with the early e tecs is that did not get warm enough to Idle right. what do you think.

[curioustraveler]