Oil pressure warning on dash

[Ibex]

Being a little short of options recently, I bought 5 litres of Halfords 5w40 Fully synth motorcycle oil. It was either that or spend £86 on 4 litres of Motul 10w40 at the nearby Yamaha dealers.

I Did the oil change yesterday and all was well. Today I had an errand to run involving 7 miles on the M6/M61. Leaving the motorway I was held by a traffic light for a few moments before riding gently along to my house, a further couple of miles distant. On the way I suddenly got the red flashing light and the oil can displayed on the dash. I pulled over at once, expecting to see the oil filter come loose or the drain plug missing, but all was well. No oil was lost. Not being far from home I fired it up again and all was well on the dash - except that it now showed "Service" On the display. I sat the bike on its stand for a half hour to cool off and checked the oil level, which was fine, so none lost. So:

Is the API SL rated Halfords 5w40 Full synthetic too thin for this bike? (2012 GSA)
Is the red flashing light / oil can another way of announcing that a service is due?
Is a sensor fault indicated - I did pressure wash the bike following its service?

 

[clutchspring]

Hi lbex, no idea about your oil query but don't you ever buy your engine oil on line !.
I usually buy on line from sportsbikeshop.co.uk worth a look for the future, at the moment they are doing 4 litres Motul 7100 £49.95 free delivery or Motul semi synthetic 10/40 £27.96.
Ian.

 

[Slipperyeel]

Is the API SL rated Halfords 5w40 Full synthetic too thin for this bike? (2012 GSA)
Is the red flashing light / oil can another way of announcing that a service is due?
Is a sensor fault indicated - I did pressure wash the bike following its service?

I run mine with 20/50 (maybe a hangover from my 1150 days, but several years later and quite a lot of miles, the motor is quiet, fuel efficiency is good and does everything ask of it

Don't use a pressure washer on your bike...! I know some do and swear they avoid seals, but from my side, they are banned outright.

Oil level sensor glitch sounds like just that. If there's oil in there and it's not pouring out, it's fine. If it comes back (oil warning light) then I'd imagine something electrical is going on...

Lots of great help in here. Sure they'll be along with more specific advice


Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

 

[TLSgazza]

15/50 semi synthetic oil in mine for a number of years. I have now switched to 15/50 fully synthetic from here. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25493866...U_ksWGZQju&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Have tried others. Found that fully synthetic 10/40 whilst supposibly a better oil was too thin when in very hot conditions, bike rattled like a box of nails.
10/40 semi was a bit better.
134.000 mile's now.
Bike uses no oil still. I buy this from eBay

 

[botus]

I ran 10/40 for years - but its does rattle - BMW moved the game on and now only recco 2 bike oils runny stuff for modern stuff and thick for old air cooled ones


Since 2012, BMW Motorrad has re-aligned its recommendations globally to only two engine oils for all engine types:
 BMW Motorrad High Performance SAE 15W-50 - API SJ/JASO MA2
 BMW Motorrad 4T Racing SAE 5W-40 - API SL/JASO MA2

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2013/MC-10150157-9999.pdf


ENI oil Specifications: API SL • JASO MA-2

MA2 means it suits bike engines with combined gearbox and wet clutch, plus hates CATs less - some of which doesn't apply to an air-cooled dry clutch bike with sperate box, but its still decent oil

https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/service/manuals/owners-handbook.html

as above from gazza12adv - dealer once said don't use fully synthetic till its run in properly - which is about 60k miles - or the rough edges don't settle down...

 

[botus]

do these bike even have an oil pressure light ? get an oil level text display - with the bike level, at idle at the lights in neutral (must toggle round menus to find it)

 

[Ibex]

Oil warning light

Thank you for the comments, much appreciated. I have bought oil on line but a was a bit caught out this year - never again! Having slept on the problem I am more inclined toward it being an electrical glitch (wishful thinking?). I can't imagine my getting the first 7 motorway miles without incident, followed by a three hour park before riding home again, then the light coming on as I was a mile from home on the back lanes? Gazza, regarding the viscosity issue, you mention the bike rattling when hot on 10w40? Mine has never done so but made a lot of noise when firing up immediately after this service with the 5w40 - more than I ever remember before. For that reason alone I think I would go with a thicker oil!

So - I shall take a short ride out today to see whether the light comes on again. Risky perhaps but practically unavoidable? Hopefully it will not return and therefore suggest it was just an electrical glitch due to the pressure washer. I note from Botus below:


Since 2012, BMW Motorrad has re-aligned its recommendations globally to only two engine oils for all engine types:
 BMW Motorrad High Performance SAE 15W-50 - API SJ/JASO MA2
 BMW Motorrad 4T Racing SAE 5W-40 - API SL/JASO MA2

So the Halfords oil is dead on in terms of viscosity and spec, but I remain tempted to try your recomendation of the 15w50 stuff from Smith & Allen in future.

Thanks again for comments.

 

[botus]

Thank you .... I note from Botus below:


Since 2012, BMW Motorrad has re-aligned its recommendations globally to only two engine oils for all engine types:
 BMW Motorrad High Performance SAE 15W-50 - API SJ/JASO MA2
 BMW Motorrad 4T Racing SAE 5W-40 - API SL/JASO MA2

So the Halfords oil is dead on in terms of viscosity and spec, but I remain tempted to try your recomendation of the 15w50 stuff from Smith & Allen in future.

Thanks again for comments.

thin 10-40 stuff is what they used to put in mine at service - then they moved to thick stuff - semi-syn 15-50 would be better (but if not ragging to death all summer) what you have is still oil - but if you got 5w I wouldn't leave it in for long - on these tanks the crank will be rattling up and down - after 20k miles of 10-40 there is a distinct knock / rattle as you crank the bike into life from the bottom end on piss, that just isn't there on 15-50

- the specs I gave are for ALL BMW bikes ever made (in last 30 year to now- horizon) - I hadn't meant to say 5-40 is OK on an air cooled boxer (it BMs wording and is meant to mean old bikes use the the first line - latest bikes you the later)

I'd say any oil is better than no / low oil
10 40 at a pinch
so long as you ensure must have slower warm up, you'll have a longer, quieter life on 15-50
20-50 I'd expect some damage at start up especially when cold - if it never drops below 25C 20-50 would be fine, otherwise its a mistake).
I'd only want 5-40 if its below 5C and you're not going to use flat out

 

[Slipperyeel]

You're not the first person posting this issue. But I can't remember the outcome, have a feint memory, but I'm sure it's electrical... And i think botus is right, it's an oil level switch rather than pressure...

Have you searched the forum yet? You might find something. It's a mine of useful info!!

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

 

[Santa-2512]

20/50 mineral oil -


Its a tractor and will clatter like buggery when the oil gets thin & hot


Fit a genuine filter -NOT Hiflow!

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-919-motul-3000-4t-20w-50-4-stroke-ep-mineral-motorcycle-engine-oil.aspx is what i used

 

[Santa-2512]

thin 10-40 stuff is what they used to put in mine at service - then they moved to thick stuff - semi-syn 15-50 would be better made[/B] (in last 30 year to now- horizon) - I hadn't meant to say 5-40 is OK on an air cooled boxer (it BMs wording and is meant to mean old bikes use the the first line - latest bikes you the later)


20-50 I'd expect some damage at start up especially when cold - if it never drops below 25C 20-50 would be fine, otherwise its a mistake).
I'd only want 5-40 if its below 5C and you're not going to use flat out

BMW do not advocate the use of Semi synthetic oil for the first 10K in the hexheads, and 20W/50 it the recommended viscosity

The reason you get 10/40 is because its one grade works across the bigger spectrum .

Which is all well and good in good old cold Blighty, but 40 weight wont cut it when it gets hot, 40 turns to water, and your tractor wont thank you.

15W/50 Vs 20W/50 its the upper weight thats the more important - engines only get hot when they run, not cold

But be aware if you go too thick, the oil wont flow when you first start and that as you say is where the damage can occur

 

[TLSgazza]

Thank you for the comments, much appreciated. I have bought oil on line but a was a bit caught out this year - never again! Having slept on the problem I am more inclined toward it being an electrical glitch (wishful thinking?). I can't imagine my getting the first 7 motorway miles without incident, followed by a three hour park before riding home again, then the light coming on as I was a mile from home on the back lanes? Gazza, regarding the viscosity issue, you mention the bike rattling when hot on 10w40? Mine has never done so but made a lot of noise when firing up immediately after this service with the 5w40 - more than I ever remember before. For that reason alone I think I would go with a thicker oil!


Thanks again for comments.

When I say hot I mean riding when the ambient temperature is in the high 30's to low 40's.in traffic the engine gets very hot. That's when I had a lot of rattling with the lower viscosity oils. I've not had the rattles as bad with the 15/50.
Thinking back it may have been when BMW recommend the fully synthetic castol power 1 oil. (Before this they recommended 20/50 mineral oil)Not long after that they changed to 15/50, so I'm guessing they realised the power 1 was not suitable

 

[Ibex]

I am overjoyed to report that, 100 miles on and the old girl is running like the gem she is - so I am blaming the pressure washer for the glitch. Thank you for the update on the oil viscosity though and rest assured, it wont be staying with the 5w40 very long.

Thanks again for all comments.

 

[Ibex]

After 300 miles I have dropped the 5w40 and replaced with 15w50 semi synth and am delighted by the quiet start up and ride it gives. I shall never stray again. My GS thanks you all.

 

[botus]

nice extra flush - probably liked it

hey if u never read, this age fuel is supposed to 98 or above....