oil warning lamp on dash

[Northern Monkey]

again i seek knowledge!!

2002 R1150GSA 46k

my oil level is right and the engine runs fine but the oil warning lamp sometimes cvomes on and goes out, other times it stays on and other times it stays off.

witht he engine running and i take the oil filler off i can feel pressure within the engine. my limited understanding is the oil is pressurised and moved around the engine into the radiator, so if there is pressure there why am i gettign a warning?

is the warning lamp a warning of low oil?, over temp?, no pressure? or just a pretty ornament to cause me frustration?

other than taking the bulb out... is there a way of testing the pressure switch or any suggestions on what to check/replace?

thanks

 

[dancata]

Put the wire from the switch directly to the frame. If the problem stops, get a new switch.

 

[Northern Monkey]

cheers, im assuming its the oil pressure switch on the l/h side near the oil window?

 

[Northern Monkey]

i put the wire direct to earth and the oil lamp lights up - is that the desired result?

 

[Aidan1150]

Steptoe gave me some great advice last week which cured a similar problem on my 2001 1150 Northern Monkey.

Under the tank, atop the headstock there are a series of plugs. The top plug on the off-side is attached to a loom which runs forward to the instrument panel.

Carefully cut the shroud from this section of loom and inspect the wires. Chances are you will find a break which you need to make good again.

Test that all instrument lights are working properly before re-wrapping the loom again.

It worked for me and costs nothing but a few minutes of your time.

 

[Steptoe]

witht he engine running and i take the oil filler off i can feel pressure within the engine. my limited understanding is the oil is pressurised and moved around the engine into the radiator, so if there is pressure there why am i gettign a warning?

That is the crankcase pressure caused by two large pistons moving in and out inside the engine.

Most times the oil warning light is just the oil pressure switch that's failed or failing. Replace the switch.

Put the wire from the switch directly to the frame. If the problem stops, get a new switch.

i put the wire direct to earth and the oil lamp lights up - is that the desired result?

Earthing the switch wiring to the frame just shows that the oil warning bulb and wiring is all ok ( which you know is all ok anyway as the light is coming on ), it doesn't tell you anything about the oil pressure switch.

 

[davegs]

have a look at the wire where it goes under the pot it runs behind a long bit of metal to hold the wire in place. mine didi the same turned out to be chaffed installation shoting on the clip.]
dave gs (going now before certain party tells me to!)

 

[Northern Monkey]

Davegs thanks, i will have a closer look at the wiring, that may be causing the intermittent nature of the fault

Neil thanks for the clarification, i thought the wire to earth was inconclusive! - for a tenner i might as well try a new pressure switch and go from there. ( just going back to the pressure out of the filler hole, if the crank/pistons are causing the pressure, what does the oil pressure switch test? )

 

[Steptoe]

( just going back to the pressure out of the filler hole, if the crank/pistons are causing the pressure, what does the oil pressure switch test? )

Pressure in the crank case is called crankcase pressure. It's what the engine breather looks after.

Oil pressure switch is for the oil pressure warning light.
If you have no oil pressure you'll also get loud engine noises and the little man who lives in the engine will be shouting at you as well as the warning light to let you know your in deep trouble.

 

[monkeyboy]

I had the oil light on for a while after it had been in a crate for a few weeks - damp or something mould/water related I'm guessing? Stayed on for few days then went out - came on in heavy rain a couple of times again but most the time was off - strange.

Stranger... my 1100S fuel warning light stopped working months ago - just flicks when the ignition turns on. I've rewired the fuel pump as a gremlin has chewed in the loom somewhere. Today I fill it with fuel to the brim - ride off - and the fuel warning light comes on WTF? It seems its trying to catch up what it missed and its on all the time now...

 

[davegs]

Pressure in the crank case is called crankcase pressure. It's what the engine breather looks after.

Oil pressure switch is for the oil pressure warning light.
If you have no oil pressure you'll also get loud engine noises and the little man who lives in the engine will be shouting at you as well as the warning light to let you know your in deep trouble.

I've never heard the little man in my engine and I do talk to him a lot perhaps he only speaks german so thanks folks that must be the answer.
Dave GS

 

[Vern]

You'll hear him when he throws his spanners in the washing machine