Oil light coming on!!

[Littledumptruck]

Been reading through some oil light threads to find an answer to my problem, but none seem the same as mine.

So mine may be water related,I did wash the bike a few days before yesterday when I noticed the light come on. But it wasn't on to start with, it came on after about 3-4 miles, temp just up to normal and it started to glow, and a few more miles and it would flicker between bright and dim. Parked up in town for an hour, and again no light until a few miles, and again lamp flickered dim/bright although almost permanently bright as I got home.

Checked oil level last night after it had cooled down, and it was just below half way in the sight glass. Topped up for ride out today. But this morning the same thing happened, so I dropped out of our club ride and headed straight home.

So now I'm worried. Two rides since last wash, so I'd have thought pressure switch would have dried out by now, plus I'd have thought it would light up from the off.
Symptons seem to suggest as the oil warms and thins the pressure drops.
Only had this bike a few months, last oil change was some time back, my mate that I bought it from hardly used it, only adding 3k in the last 5 years
Last service by local mot man, rather than dealer. I know him well, but I'm wondering if he used fully synthetic oil rather than normal std oil !!
12 year old 1150 with 32k miles. No undue engine noises, that I can sense anyway.
So I'm thinking I should give it an oil and filter change even though it's not very old mileage wise. But should I try a new switch as well?

 

[Steptoe]

Your oil pressure switch is goosed.

You wouldn't be able to ride your bike if you had no oil pressure

 

[Littledumptruck]

Your oil pressure switch is goosed.

You wouldn't be able to ride your bike if you had no oil pressure

I better get one ordered up then

 

[Den]

This happened to mine. There is a thread about it on Adventure riders.
The solution is to turn the bike upside down for at least a day.
This resets the oil pressure switch and the motronic oil monitor capacitors to the factory settings.
I can vouch for this, as it worked with mine.

 

[littleredrooster]

Checked oil level last night after it had cooled down, and it was just below half way in the sight glass. Topped up for ride out today. But this morning the same thing happened, so I dropped out of our club ride and headed straight home.

...and as a reminder to all, it's a pressure switch, not a level switch. If the light comes on it means either:
a) The switch is goosed (most likely).
b) There is no oil pressure in the main oil gallery and the engine will grenade very soon after the light appears (less likely, but not unknown).

In either case, an immediate check is advisable.

Point b) can be caused by an almost complete lack of oil if you're very negligent.

 

[davegs]

Light

Before you lash out turn on the ignition and pull the connector off the pressure
switch if it stays on it's a wiring fault shorted to earth. Probably under the left hand pot as it goes behind a metal shield, this happend to me whilst in the middle of no where in Mexico bit of panic but carried out the above and relaxed. Black tale around the chaffed cable and all has been right for the last 5 years!.
Only takes a minute and can save cash.

 

[Littledumptruck]

This happened to mine. There is a thread about it on Adventure riders.
The solution is to turn the bike upside down for at least a day.
This resets the oil pressure switch and the motronic oil monitor capacitors to the factory settings.
I can vouch for this, as it worked with mine.

Yeh, thanks den, I'll try that........

...and as a reminder to all, it's a pressure switch, not a level switch. If the light comes on it means either:
a) The switch is goosed (most likely).
b) There is no oil pressure in the main oil gallery and the engine will grenade very soon after the light appears (less likely, but not unknown).

In either case, an immediate check is advisable.

Point b) can be caused by an almost complete lack of oil if you're very negligent.

This is kind of why I'm worried....

Before you lash out turn on the ignition and pull the connector off the pressure
switch if it stays on it's a wiring fault shorted to earth. Probably under the left hand pot as it goes behind a metal shield, this happend to me whilst in the middle of no where in Mexico bit of panic but carried out the above and relaxed. Black tale around the chaffed cable and all has been right for the last 5 years!.
Only takes a minute and can save cash.

I'll try this.

Cheers guys.

 

[B4ndit]

Check out the earthing. I had this problem earlier this year. One of the earth wires under the seat had just fallen apart. In the process of repairing it I found numerous other wires all ready to fall to bits between the instruments and headstock. Seems water/damp gets into the earthing wires which are all soldered together and it just starts to break up. Rebuilt mine and its all hunky dorey now.

 

[Steptoe]

This is kind of why I'm worried....
.

You've been riding for a few days with the the oil light on - you rode home from a club ride because the oiul light was on....

Don't you get it.... If your light was on due to no oil pressure your engine would now be in tiny pieces, or making a noise like a pneumatic drill as it ticks over.

 

[Littledumptruck]

You've been riding for a few days with the the oil light on - you rode home from a club ride because the oiul light was on....

Don't you get it.... If your light was on due to no oil pressure your engine would now be in tiny pieces, or making a noise like a pneumatic drill as it ticks over.

You make it sound like I was thrashing around for days on end ignoring the light. It came on yesterday on the way into MK, and again on the way home even though I was taking it very easy, just in case. Topped the oil up, from about 1/3 way down the sight glass, but it repeated the same thing today, so obviously not starvation.

If the light was on constantly I'd totally accept what you're saying. But it don't come on at all until 5 bars are up on the display, and even then, if I stop at traffic lights it goes back out until a few hundred yards down the road. If there is a supply/pressure issue it's obviously intermitent, which would suggest things would last a bit longer before exploding.

However, I do appreciate your advice, and I will follow it and replace the pressure switch. For the sake of a tenner, plus a new filter and fresh oil, it's got to be a good starting point. At the same time I'll check some of the other suggestions as well, although I'll maybe wait till I've tried everything else before tipping the bike on its head

 

[B4ndit]

If I remember right mine would come on when I was stopped at lights once I had slipped the bike into neutral. All down to the earths breaking up. Electric can do funny things in crumbling wiring and a sprinkling of water.

 

[magicstu]

Definately earth/faulty switch related, a couple of miles with no oil pressure would have seen the engine lock up solid, no matter how gentle it was being used

I'd follow the advice of others and try earth fault first, and if no joy, put a new switch in.

 

[duckspeed]

You've been riding for a few days with the the oil light on - you rode home from a club ride because the oiul light was on....

Don't you get it.... If your light was on due to no oil pressure your engine would now be in tiny pieces, or making a noise like a pneumatic drill as it ticks over.

My thoughts exactly, no point having a warning system if you are going to ignore it.

 

[The Grey One]

You make it sound like I was thrashing around for days on end ignoring the light. It came on yesterday on the way into MK, and again on the way home even though I was taking it very easy, just in case. Topped the oil up, from about 1/3 way down the sight glass, but it repeated the same thing today, so obviously not starvation.

If the light was on constantly I'd totally accept what you're saying. But it don't come on at all until 5 bars are up on the display, and even then, if I stop at traffic lights it goes back out until a few hundred yards down the road. If there is a supply/pressure issue it's obviously intermitent, which would suggest things would last a bit longer before exploding.

However, I do appreciate your advice, and I will follow it and replace the pressure switch. For the sake of a tenner, plus a new filter and fresh oil, it's got to be a good starting point. At the same time I'll check some of the other suggestions as well, although I'll maybe wait till I've tried everything else before tipping the bike on its head

I don't think Steptoe was trying to say you made a poor choice in still riding it. He was making a point I often made to customers at my garage. If the engine has been running for any time at all-just a short run to the shops etc then the oil pressure is almost certainly OK despite what the light says. A warning system that sends false messages needs investigating and correcting ASAP. On the cars we worked on an oil pressure light problem was often accompanied by an oil leak from the switch itself and a new switch solved the problem. As has been said a wiring fault can give the same symptoms. either way it need correcting straight away as the warning light has ceased to fulfill its function.

John

 

[Littledumptruck]

New switch on its way from sherlocks, and i've decided I better get on and service it as well, so filters, plugs and oils etc also ordered.
Battery next, the one thats on it is not good, only just cranks it over from fully charged on optimate, yet the clock still needs resetting each time Now which one

 

[bobsnew]

New switch on its way from sherlocks, and i've decided I better get on and service it as well, so filters, plugs and oils etc also ordered.
Battery next, the one thats on it is not good, only just cranks it over from fully charged on optimate, yet the clock still needs resetting each time Now which one

I learnt the expensive way & bought a new battery, this seemed to cure the problem, but 2 weeks down the line, same problem, then i read the post on Starter strip down, in my case, took the starter off, tin of grease solvent cleaner, £3.80 from Maplins, I found the starter shaft was crapped up with carbon etc, cleaned & light oil and its fixed.

 

[Littledumptruck]

I learnt the expensive way & bought a new battery, this seemed to cure the problem, but 2 weeks down the line, same problem, then i read the post on Starter strip down, in my case, took the starter off, tin of grease solvent cleaner, £3.80 from Maplins, I found the starter shaft was crapped up with carbon etc, cleaned & light oil and its fixed.

I'll bear this in mind Bob

 

[Black Rooster]

New switch on its way from sherlocks, and i've decided I better get on and service it as well, so filters, plugs and oils etc also ordered.
Battery next, the one thats on it is not good, only just cranks it over from fully charged on optimate, yet the clock still needs resetting each time Now which one

i use an odesey

 

[Littledumptruck]

Can't believe how long it is since this cropped up. With Christmas and the recent weather I've only just got out into the workshop to do the oil change and fit the new pressure switch last weekend, and got to test it today

And alls well now. Had a great ride around north beds with my mate (riding my 850 as his VFR is playing up again ), was a fun few hours, two GS's in synch . Not sure why I got the 1150, that 850 is no slouch.

 

[slimbo]

just a thought as i have had similar.

check the terminal on the oil pressure switch as its open to the elements with the crap on the roads it can go high resistance, by simply pulling off the lead and refitting a couple of times has cured my oil light woes...