Oil light coming on!
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Dauphin Island, Alabama
Oil light coming on!
Good morning all,
Heading home from work yesterday evening and not too far from the house the oil warning light started to flicker then began to glow steadily, though not entirely bright, so I eased on to the house and shut the bike down. After cooling about an hour I started her back up and the light wasn't on so I eased her down the street and as she heated back up the flickering started again. Oil pressure looks OK per the gauge, engine sounds good but seems to be more heat coming from the rear cylinder than normal, though this may be my imagination as I was wearing shorts the last time which I never do when riding. Guess I'll take her in and have her checked out but was wondering if anyone else has had anything like this happen to their bike.
Heading home from work yesterday evening and not too far from the house the oil warning light started to flicker then began to glow steadily, though not entirely bright, so I eased on to the house and shut the bike down. After cooling about an hour I started her back up and the light wasn't on so I eased her down the street and as she heated back up the flickering started again. Oil pressure looks OK per the gauge, engine sounds good but seems to be more heat coming from the rear cylinder than normal, though this may be my imagination as I was wearing shorts the last time which I never do when riding. Guess I'll take her in and have her checked out but was wondering if anyone else has had anything like this happen to their bike.
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Indian Land, SC
Good morning all,
Heading home from work yesterday evening and not too far from the house the oil warning light started to flicker then began to glow steadily, though not entirely bright, so I eased on to the house and shut the bike down. After cooling about an hour I started her back up and the light wasn't on so I eased her down the street and as she heated back up the flickering started again. Oil pressure looks OK per the gauge, engine sounds good but seems to be more heat coming from the rear cylinder than normal, though this may be my imagination as I was wearing shorts the last time which I never do when riding. Guess I'll take her in and have her checked out but was wondering if anyone else has had anything like this happen to their bike.
Heading home from work yesterday evening and not too far from the house the oil warning light started to flicker then began to glow steadily, though not entirely bright, so I eased on to the house and shut the bike down. After cooling about an hour I started her back up and the light wasn't on so I eased her down the street and as she heated back up the flickering started again. Oil pressure looks OK per the gauge, engine sounds good but seems to be more heat coming from the rear cylinder than normal, though this may be my imagination as I was wearing shorts the last time which I never do when riding. Guess I'll take her in and have her checked out but was wondering if anyone else has had anything like this happen to their bike.
Stupid question maybe BUT did you check your oil levels???
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Dauphin Island, Alabama
Yes, oil level is OK, first thing I checked, only about 1000 miles since change, using Amsoil 20w50.
Come on guys, I know this thread isn't about whats the best color or do you take the saddle bags off when you wash your bike but I was hoping for some feedback on possible causes for the light coming on before I take it to the shop, I'm thinking oil pump, but though I do my own maintainance (oil changes etc) I'm no mechanic. By the way, this is my sixth HD and it's the only one to ever see the inside of a shop for mechinical problems.
Come on guys, I know this thread isn't about whats the best color or do you take the saddle bags off when you wash your bike but I was hoping for some feedback on possible causes for the light coming on before I take it to the shop, I'm thinking oil pump, but though I do my own maintainance (oil changes etc) I'm no mechanic. By the way, this is my sixth HD and it's the only one to ever see the inside of a shop for mechinical problems.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2007
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From:
I'm thinking that if your oil pump is gone its gone hot or cold. You might try a new oil filter, there is a pressure value internally which may not be working properly. Loosen the oil filter a bit, heat up the bike, open it up about 1/8", slide something under it to catch the oil and start the bike. Run it a minute or so. If the pump is dead there will be almost nothing coming out of the space between the filter body and the motor. If if flows steady your pump is probably good. Shut the bike down, replace the lost oil and put on the new filter if it still is redding out on you then you could be looking at a bad sender or even a bad guage.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 352
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From: Washington
Somewhere on the forum a while back I recall seeing something similar to this and the guy was running a 4 micron filter and it was not able to get enough oil through the filter. You don;t say what kind of filter you are running but I would go back to the stock filter or try an aftermarket 10 micron filter and see if that helps.
I'm thinking that if your oil pump is gone its gone hot or cold. You might try a new oil filter, there is a pressure value internally which may not be working properly. Loosen the oil filter a bit, heat up the bike, open it up about 1/8", slide something under it to catch the oil and start the bike. Run it a minute or so. If the pump is dead there will be almost nothing coming out of the space between the filter body and the motor. If if flows steady your pump is probably good. Shut the bike down, replace the lost oil and put on the new filter if it still is redding out on you then you could be looking at a bad sender or even a bad guage.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2007
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From:
Rockdoc is correct about mixing the filters, but that generally is a problem when trying to use a TC designed filter on an EVO motor. The EVO system doesn't push enough pressure to open the relief value or penetrate a close knitted filter mesh.
Make sure that you are using the correct filter. Sometimes if you order aftermarket they send you the wrong filter or you order the wrong part. Happened to me before.
Make sure that you are using the correct filter. Sometimes if you order aftermarket they send you the wrong filter or you order the wrong part. Happened to me before.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Indianapolis
Personally, I would be more inclined to believe the gauge rather than the idiot light. If the light has its own sender unit, I would check there first.
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2008
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I must agree
I would not think the worst on this one, I have to agree that the most logical explanation for this would be the oil pressure sending unit. If the guage is reading normal I would throw on a sender, it only takes a minute.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Dauphin Island, Alabama
Thanks for the input guys. After thinking this through a little more and reading your input I agree that it's probably the sending unit. I work away from home and have my bike up here with me so I'll get a sending unit from the local dealership this Fri. and try that before I trailer her home to take her to my preferred dealer. Again, thanks for the help.
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