Oil light has come on!

[Awfers]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone can shed some light:

On Monday I noticed that my R1100R's oil light had come on. YIKES!

I checked the oil level: fine. I started the bike, the oil "empties" out of the sight glass when I turn the throttle, but the oil light is "out" or very faint at idle, but comes on when I rev the engine.

I will note that this may or may not have happened after I gave it a bath (took to the car wash), I can say I only noticed it after washing it.

Any clues as to what this is? Water in the sensor? Dead sensor? Or something more serious?

Thanks!
Awfers

 

[flatdog]

Sounds like water ingress, however to check the oil level correctly.
Go for a short ride, leave it on the side stand for 10 mins. Put on main stand leave for a few mins, then check the glass.


Just re-read your post, I may be talking rubbish if this is not the procedure for a R1100R (same engine though)

 

[jonnie comet]

Not sure if the 1100 is like the 1150 but on my old 1150, I managed to get water/shite into the oil pressure sensor connector.....this is positioned just above the oil level window....look for a single wire feeding a sensor thingy. Simply pull off the connector, clean everything up, job done....Quick, simple and cheap....Worth a try eh?

Someone WILL be along soon to tell us if the ‘bikes are the same....

HTH....

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Of course the bloody engines are exactly the same ;-)

Oil checks are same

As JC says, clean off the switch sender

 

[littleredrooster]

Could be one of two common problems with the switch.

First (as mentioned) is that they are sensitive to water and can come on faintly or start flickering after a good wash.
Second is failure of the diaphragm inside the switch which produces the same faint glow or flicker before failing altogether. This is often accompanied by a weep of oil around the switch.

For those who don't already know, please note it is NOT an oil-level switch, it is a pressure switch. Lack of oil pressure means the engine will grenade very quickly if it is at speed and under load; thankfully this is rare.

And yes - when the engine is running, the oil disappears from the sight-glass as it is employed elsewhere around the whirly-round bits .

 

[davegs]

Switch

Check where the lead runs under the l/h barrel, had this on my 1150 had shorted to earth and that what cause the prob. Disconnect the tag term from the switch and see if it still does it if so you'll know it's not the switch
but a cable short. I just pulled the cable out, taped it up and put it ack problem solved.
Dave GS (87,00 now no probs! apart from falling off!).

 

[Awfers]

Thanks guys.

On getting home from work I sprayed some WD40 on the connector at the oil pressure sensor, and then wiggled the wire around. Light went out after a while, and didn't come back on. So I'm hoping that's fixed.... ?

Going to be extra careful washing from now on...


Thanks,
Awfers