97 FLHTC Oil Pressure Gauge
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,428
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From: NC USA
Green wire unhooked, switch on - check voltage on green wire. Should be very low (millivolts). If it's showing a full 12v on the green wire, gauge is shorted and that can "pop" the variable resistor and destroy the sender. (don't ask me how I know)
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 1,123
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From: Texas
Don't know the gauge connection setup on your 97. My 98 FLHTCUI uses spade connectors. I found (fairing off, bike running), that jiggling spade connectors at the gauges give me a connect/disconnect. Out of 4 gauges 3.do this. It's inside the gauge where the Male spade connector reaches the gauge internals. Would like to pull out oil gauge,and look at it but appears nearly impossible to get out with my big hands...hard to even see or touch. Zip ties in the "right" direction to pull on wires so it works most of the time. Guess gauges just wear out from vibration. No solution for that one I can see, and want to keep bike all stock.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Thanks for all the help guys. I know I have oil pressure, but I just don't like seeing that gauge at 0 psi.
I'm going to pull the fairing off and see what's going on at the gauge.
I'll let you know what I find out.
I'm going to pull the fairing off and see what's going on at the gauge.
I'll let you know what I find out.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2,623
From: NC USA
Did the "short-to-ground" and "unhook the wire from "G" post" do anything at the gauge?
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,428
Likes: 2,623
From: NC USA
That sux if you got a bad brand new OEM (and expensive) sender. They won't take returns for any reason. If it was a VDO version sold by many retailers which has a dull finish, could be a bad one or mis-labeled and incorrect. VDO makes several that look the same, but are for different apps that won't match up. OEM sender is 74406-87
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I'm pretty sure it is the switch, Pulled the outer fairing off today, just to have a look and verify continuity from the switch to the gauge. Everything was ok.
You are right...... it sucks that I paid $73.00 for a OEM switch that didn't solve the issue. I guess I need to decide if I want to purcahse another switch or ride it like it is and depend on the idiot light.
Thanks for everyone help. I do appreciate it.
Hairy Dog
You are right...... it sucks that I paid $73.00 for a OEM switch that didn't solve the issue. I guess I need to decide if I want to purcahse another switch or ride it like it is and depend on the idiot light.
Thanks for everyone help. I do appreciate it.
Hairy Dog
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 3,089
From: NW AR
I would disconnect the pressure sender wires, measure the resistance, start the bike and measure.
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Joe Kucinski
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: NW AR
Assuming your 97 is wired up like my 86, there should be 2 terminals on the sender. One should have a yellow wire and one should have a green wire with a black stripe. The yellow wire terminal is for the idiot light. It should be grounded when the motor is not running and open when the motor is running. The other terminal (the one with a green/black) is the pressure sender. It should vary with oil pressure. According to t150vej, it should go high with higher pressure. So, low at not running, higher at running. Both senders (there's really 2 in one, the pressure and the idiot switch) ground through the engine block.
Is it possible that you put the wires on the wrong terminals on the new sender? Again, I would suggest removing the wires, measuring the resistance from each terminal to ground, starting the bike and measuring again. The one that is grounded/really low (might be an ohm or two) when not running and open when running is the idiot light sender and should have the yellow wire. The other one should read low when not running and higher when running, but not open. That should have the green/black.
Is it possible that you put the wires on the wrong terminals on the new sender? Again, I would suggest removing the wires, measuring the resistance from each terminal to ground, starting the bike and measuring again. The one that is grounded/really low (might be an ohm or two) when not running and open when running is the idiot light sender and should have the yellow wire. The other one should read low when not running and higher when running, but not open. That should have the green/black.