I have an '06 Electra Glide Classic with 21,000 miles on it. Yesterday we jumped on it to go for a ride. We rode about 20 miles and came on a red light and when I stopped I noticed that my oil light was on, and the guage was showing nothing. I revved it a bit and the light went off and the pressure came up a touch. I found a parts store and pulled over and checked the oil. It was @ 1/2 quart low, so I added 1/2 quart, but it didnt help. No leaks, and no engine noise.....I drove it home making sure to run it easy, and keeping it revved at red lights a touch, figuring some pressure was better than none. We did drop it off at the dealer, but it will be at least a week before they can look at it. Any ideas??? this is my 1st Harley, I bought it used. Up till now NO trouble at all with it.

 

It's normal for the guage reading to drop at idle. Mine goes down to about 5#, but, the light has never come on. Could be a bad guage or bad oil pump. If your dealer can't see you for a week, start looking for another dealer. It should be a warranty fix.

 

Can't look at it for a week? I'd look around for an indy shop that know's Harley's to look at it. Just the thought of leaving my bike at the dealer for a week gives me chills.

 

Mine drops normally, but never to zero, nor does the lite come on. I hope it is just a gauge....They are so backed up was the excuse, but it is irritating to not know what is the matter with it. Is this common for Harley gauges??? and or oil pumps???

 

i doubt if its a bad oil gauge or oil pump...most likely is a bad oil sending unit...
best way to tell is connect a oil pressure gauge directly to the engine...
remove the sending unit...
put the gaude with a flex hose in the same hole. One of the old manual type gauges...the ones that actually have oil in the line.
If the gauge read OK,,,ten bad sending unit.

 

As soon as I hear something, I will post a reply. I am new to this forum, and had a chance to look back through about page 27 or 28. I only saw one other post on this subject, but the guy never said what the outcome was. Hopefully its nothing internal, like I said, I didnt hear any unsual noises coming from the engine. As hot as it was, and as far as I had to ride, it, something would have came apart if it was truly without pressure.....

 

Mine is at the dealer right now getting a new sender installed under the warranty. Service manager said he has seen a few others in with the same problem. When the bike was cold it worked fine but after 8-10 miles I could be cruising at 3000 RPM at 80mph and the needle would rest on the peg below the zero. This has been going on for 7000 miles now.

 

Wow 7000 miles??? How did you know that it was ok to ride it???? I was a nervous wreck getting mine home, even though it was under warranty...... Dang I wish they would get on it, with the 4th coming up. Sucks to be on 4 wheels!

 

With no unexpected engine noises associated with the situation, I would first check the gauge and sender.

Then I would look at the oil filter and the oil pump last.
HD's are notorious for running a low oil pressure especially when warm.

Lastly I would suspect a faulty oil pump or pump mount o'ring, or the pressure valve inside.

let us know what it is.

 

They tested the pressure at 1,000 miles and again at 5,000 and it was fine. In addition it is easy to hear when the engine is oil starved. The gauge works when the bike is cold so I know its the sending unit. The dealer didn't see what I was seeing since they only did 1-2 mile test rides when the engine was cold. This time I got ahold of the service manager and explained how they needed to test ride the bike to recreate the problem. It worked because they had to order a new sending unit.

Also, my oil light has never come on.

...and trust me, the first time I looked down and saw that needle sitting below zero, I about wet my pants