Oil sensor switch

[philglos]

Can anybody help before I take the bike to the garage?
The oil can symbol comes up on the display intermittently and has since I got the bike back in May.
The garage says(over the phone) that its probably the oil level switch which I have found, removed and put back, but also
the check level indicator is blank, just several broken lines showing, I can obviously change this part myself but will this cure the problem and where can I get one?

Thanks
Phil

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Oil level sensor is on the right side of the engine, oil pressure switch is on the left side near the oil sight glass.

Display will not show if oil level is OK unless the bike is fully warmed up and in neutral with engine running.
Otherwise you will just see dashes on screen.
Take it for a 5 mile blast, pull over and put it in neutral and scroll through your display untill you get to oil level.
It should say OK. If you drive of it will automatically change back to the clock.
If you come to a halt again and select neutral it will change back to oil level.

 

[philglos]

Great thanks Kenny will try that before putting into BMW

 

[philglos]

Well just tried that still showing dashes so i am guessing it is the switch, so back to my other question, will I have to buy the switch from my local BMW dealer or can I get elsewhere?
cheers

 

[Pukmeister]

Can anybody help before I take the bike to the garage?
The oil can symbol comes up on the display intermittently and has since I got the bike back in May.
The garage says(over the phone) that its probably the oil level switch which I have found, removed and put back, but also
the check level indicator is blank, just several broken lines showing, I can obviously change this part myself but will this cure the problem and where can I get one?

Thanks
Phil

My bike also does this intermittently, its a minor annoyance which occurred after I disturbed the loom during a clutch change.

The dashed line in the display means the oil level is correct but scrolling through the INFO menu will only show the oil level check option in the display when stopped with the engine running in neutral at normal operating temperature. If there is even a slight break in continuity the stupid oil can symbol will illuminate to warn you of a (false) low oil level.

Before you go buying a new switch, you could prove/disprove it by linking out the switch at the loom connector with a piece of wire taped into place.

I have linked out my oil level switch at the small loom connector on the right hand side of the engine but the oil can icon still appears so in my case it isn't the level switch itself, its an intermittent break in the loom which I have been unable to find. I have tried measuring continuity at the pinouts to the ecu connector whilst flexing the loom without success. My next attempt will be to link out the ecu connector end and measure at the small loom connector end with the loom tape removed.

Once I find the broken wire I can perform a loom repair to fix it, its yet another job I need to find time to get around to.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

The dashes on the display do not mean the oil level is correct.
It means the system is unable to provide a reading, for whatever reason, ie temp or gear.
The level switch has small magnetic float which gives the reading.

 

[Pukmeister]

The dashes on the display do not mean the oil level is correct.
It means the system is unable to provide a reading, for whatever reason, ie temp or gear.

Apologies, I didn't mean to mislead, you are of course correct.

 

[philglos]

Thanks for the info people

 

[Magwych]

I had this. It turned out to be that I had not fully inserted the connector into the socket on the harness. It looked like it was connected, but needed a firm push to move it about 1mm further.
I had tried a second hand sensor but that had not fixed this issue. I had previously had the engine apart, so the junction had been apart. I had obviously been feeling wimpy when I reassembled the wiring, and when I fitted the s/h sensor.
It is well worth double-cgecking that the 2 connectors are definitely fully seated, it does not take much displacement to give a poor contact. That can have you chasing hopelessly round the wiring...
The connector is hard to get a ckear sight of, so it is easy to think it is fully home.

Sent from my SM-G388F using Tapatalk

 

[Pukmeister]

Thanks Magwych, that makes a lot of sense as mine started playing up after I did my clutch change and undid the connector. Linking out the connector still gave an intermittent fault but I probably didnt push the shorting wire home properly, I guess I need to clean the wiring connector and make sure the pins make proper contact.

 

[Bendy toy]

My oil switch gave me a few frights. A quick pull apart, spray with contact cleaner and reconnect. It's never played up since.

 

[Pukmeister]

Stripped and cleaned the connector yesterday, got the damn oil can icon at the traffic lights during this mornings commute.

 

[Bendy toy]

Stripped and cleaned the connector yesterday, got the damn oil can icon at the traffic lights during this mornings commute.

Simply changing the sensor might work but it could be a cracked wire anywhere or corroded crimp in a connector.

 

[Pukmeister]

Simply changing the sensor might work but it could be a cracked wire anywhere or corroded crimp in a connector.

I previously had the sensor linked out to prove/disprove it. The fault remained.

Looks like its a continuity fault somewhere in the loom.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Is just an on/off switch inside the pipe? Maybe a reed switch is operated by the magnetic float on the pipe? Is it normally open or closed?
Do you know if you need to bridge the connector or just disconnect to get a normal, oil OK message?

 

[Pukmeister]

It's exactly as you suppose, a simple magnetic switch which is normally closed. You can short the connector terminals to prove the circuit.