Oil pressure has gone crazy
Oil pressure has gone crazy
Today as I'm riding to work I notice that my oil pressure gage is all over the map. This now has me concerned as I found some oil in a spot that has never had oil on it and when I trace it I find that it comes from the rear jug up by the head on the right side. Why would my oil pressure go like this. I recently changed oil and filter when I had noticed the same thing so now I don't know what to think.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 634
Likes: 8
From: Plum & Nearly
1st check the electrical connection on your Oil Pressure Sending Switch. It is located just behind the rear pushrod tubes and should have a rubber cover over the top of it. If the connection is good, and the wire is not chaffed up the line, then I would replace the sending switch itself. The oil pressure controls a contact inside of it which increases or decreases resistance based on the oil pressure itself. Kind of like a dimmer switch on a car. The resistance is then measured by the oil pressure guage and displayed as psi. If you are seeing oil on the right side of the rear cylinder then I would think that the crimped seal on the switch has gone bad and that 30 psi of oil pressure is spraying on your cylinder.
Roadkings PN 26561-84 MSRP $11.40
All other Touring with gauges PN 74406-87 MSRP $66.50
The reason for the difference in price is that the RK's just trigger a light when the pressure is low and the other one actually sends varying resistance signals to a gauge.
Good Luck.
Roadkings PN 26561-84 MSRP $11.40
All other Touring with gauges PN 74406-87 MSRP $66.50
The reason for the difference in price is that the RK's just trigger a light when the pressure is low and the other one actually sends varying resistance signals to a gauge.
Good Luck.
Last edited by twincam47; May 2, 2011 at 03:17 PM.
1st check the electrical connection on your Oil Pressure Sending Switch. It is located just behind the rear pushrod tubes and should have a rubber cover over the top of it. If the connection is good, and the wire is not chaffed up the line, then I would replace the sending switch itself. The oil pressure controls a contact inside of it which increases or decreases resistance based on the oil pressure itself. Kind of like a dimmer switch on a car. The resistance is then measured by the oil pressure guage and displayed as psi. If you are seeing oil on the right side of the rear cylinder then I would think that the crimped seal on the switch has gone bad and that 30 psi of oil pressure is spraying on your cylinder.
Roadkings PN 26561-84 MSRP $11.40
All other Touring with gauges PN 74406-87 MSRP $66.50
The reason for the difference in price is that the RK's just trigger a light when the pressure is low and the other one actually sends varying resistance signals to a gauge.
Good Luck.
Roadkings PN 26561-84 MSRP $11.40
All other Touring with gauges PN 74406-87 MSRP $66.50
The reason for the difference in price is that the RK's just trigger a light when the pressure is low and the other one actually sends varying resistance signals to a gauge.
Good Luck.
At 106k that is what I am worried about!
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Danville, KY
Trouble shooting
Per the electrical service manual on my Ultra. Without starting bike turn the ignition to ON, gauge should come up to Zero. Next turn off, unplug connector off of sending unit. ground the Grn/Yel wire using a jumper to ground. Turn on ignition, gauge should read 80 psi. If it doesn't then connection at gauge or the harness connector is probably bad or loose, since you say it is jumping around. Also you could use an Ohmmeter and due a continuity test on that Grn/Yel wire from connector at the back of gauge to the sending unit connector.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Ihave an 08 and last year on the way to Yellowstone oil pressure started fluctuating all over. Scared the hell out of me. Hd replaced the sending unit and later in the trip the guage. I finally found the engine groung strap behind the starter loose. Tighten and been fine every since.
Trending Topics
Banned
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,492
Likes: 10
You don't mention the miles on your bike, but anything near 20,000 mi. bears a cam chain tension-er check, and hope like hell that isn't your issue.
Mark
Mark
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 127
Likes: 2
From: VA
Just curious - a lot of folks are suggesting cam tensioners as being a possibility for fluctuating oil pressures. I know that this is a problem with the 88's, but mine is a 96. Is this a problem with the 96's also? I've got pressures normally at 32, but at certain rpms, it drops to about 18. Then back up to 32 again.