Honda bf150 / bf200 / bf225 oil level on dipstick--when to take a reading ?

Sharphooks

Well-Known Member
Quick question for those that own the bigger Honda outboards: On an oil change for my BF150 I followed the book real close (emptying old oil, spinning off old filter and replacing with new, and replacing the new oil based on the manufacturer' specifications for oil capacity)

So i check the dip-stick after buttoning everything back up and it shows at least 20mm above the top-most hatch mark on the dip-stick.

So I figure I've screwed-up (didn't get all the old oil out before adding the new etc). So I pull some oil out via dip stick tube. I fire her up, let her run in the driveway, then check the oil after she's sat for a couple of minutes. Dip stick shows about 10 mm below the top hatch mark. So at that point I call her good, figuring a being a bit under the top hatch mark is better then being way over it.

So a few weeks later (today) it's blowing so I can't fish but I want to fire her up just to get the fur balls our of her throat. For grins I check the dip-stick---WTF, it's showing at least 10 mm above the hatch mark. So I start her up, let her run for 5 minutes, shut her down, let her sit for a couple of minutes and check the dip-stick-- now it's showing approx. 10mm below the hatch mark, where she was when I checker her a few weeks ago right after running her for a bit.

For some reason, I don't remember this scenario with any other engine I've ever owned--a dip-stick check warm or cold always got the same results (unless you were making oil)

A Honda mechanic told me that when doing an oil change, pull the old oil out, under-fill by half a liter, run the engine, let it sit for five minutes, take a reading on the dip stick, then start adding oil until you're about 5 mm below the top hatch mark. So I tried that and thought I had her right. But wait a bit, check her when she's cold, and the reading shows over the upper hatch mark.

So am I missing something with the Honda? How (when) should one check the dip-stick to get an accurate reading? I figure that maybe it's the filter draining back into the pan?? What's the conventional wisdom out there with Honda for when to take a dip-stick reading--right after she's been run, or ....?
thanks
 
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