Anyway to test an oil pump?

[spyug]

Pull the pressure relief valve and check the spring is not broken.

I did that and I could push the spring in and it returns so its not broken or seized. Thanks for mentioning it.

The problem with checking the OP at another location is that I need to have proper pressure at the sender unit in order for it to trigger and the lights to go off on startup. So even if I had adequate pressure elsewhere it still leaves me with a problem. Oil pressure at the sender hole should be the optimum anyway as its closest to the pump.

I was able to get a socket today and spent the better part of the afternoon fabing up a "clutch sleeve hub holder". So far I've had no luck in loosening off the clutch hub nut so I'm not yet at the pump. I'm hoping now that I find it clogged or perhaps the shaft pin has sheared and its not turning. I'd just like to find something.

Thanks for following along and providing all this input. Its greatly appreciated.

Spyug

the bolt just under the pickup cover is the oil pressure test port. that is where you will read maximum pressure.

Thanks, with everything apart now I will have to forgo checking there until I get it reassembled. At this point, I'm going all the way to pulling the oil pump for a look see and I'm thinking if i don't find anything I'll reassemble with new o-rings and see if I get anywhere. I'm going to be miffed if it turns out to be an o-ring.

I'll let you know if anything show up at the pump. Many thanks.

[chuck hahn]

Long ago, I think someone had posted about jamming a rag in the gears to stop the hub from turning and then using the impact driver on it. Maybe a plastic handle from a paint brush would do the same??

[spyug]

Long ago, I think someone had posted about jamming a rag in the gears to stop the hub from turning and then using the impact driver on it

Why didn't I think of that? I was looking at the procedures in the manual and they were using a breaker bar on the nut so I was naturally thinking to do the same. I have a perfectly good portable compressor and rattle gun so why not put some power to it.

Its funny, but I was brought up using hand tools and I never think to use my air ratchet or the impact driver on bike projects. Time to start using my head before its too late.

Thanks for the great suggestion.

Cheers,
Spyug

[chuck hahn]

Air impact and you wont need to jam anything..few quick bursts and she will be off before you can say dixie.

[Mekanix]

lol




.

[tkent02]

Air impact and you wont need to jam anything..few quick bursts and she will be off before you can say dixie.

This, Bdup dup gone.

[spyug]

This, Bdup dup gone.

Sorry, I don't understand the comment. Is it not a good idea to use an impact wrench? I haven't tried it yet but I certainly don't want to bugger something else up.

I do want to get to that oil pump so it will have to come off.

Thanks,
Spyug

[chuck hahn]

Hes saying its ok..Bdup dup or whatever is the sound of the impact..If the mechanics at the dealerships use them then theres no reason for us no to.

[chuck hahn]

take the gun and get the nut off and move on...simple as that.

[spyug]

So after taking the advice I applied the rattle gun to the clutch retaining nut and one shot and off she came.

I pulled the oil pump and to my chagrin, there was nothing at all wrong with it. No sheared pin or plugged mechanism. All shipshape and Bristol fashion. So I'm no further ahead in my exploration of discovery.

At this point, I can only think that the o-rings may indeed be my problem so I will pick up a couple and bolt her all back together.

I can't think of anything else to check or do at this point. Dang, I wished I had found something.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Cheers,
spyug

[Nessism]

I pulled the oil pump and to my chagrin, there was nothing at all wrong with it. No sheared pin or plugged mechanism. All shipshape and Bristol fashion. So I'm no further ahead in my exploration of discovery.

Cheers,
spyug

The oil pump design is almost foolproof so my guess is the problem relates to the wiring or maybe the sensor itself. What about performing some continuity checks on the switch, both with the engine running and without? It's possible the oil pressure regulator spring is stuck allowing oil to bypass but this seems remote unless there is a lot of crud in the crankcase. Dropping the oil pan would tell the story on this.

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[tkent02]

to test the regulator you need to take it out and put 78psi through it or just take it apart to see what the spring pressure is like. its strong usually.

I did that and I could push the spring in and it returns so its not broken or seized. Thanks for mentioning it.

There should be a spec for spring tension of the regulator spring? It isn't supposed to open at all until an overpressure occurs, what is that 80psi? 100? Let's just guess that it's 80 or 100....
I don't know the area of your regulator in square inches, but let's say it was one inch. The spring shouldn't move at all until 80 or 100 pounds are applied to it? If the area was half a square inch, it shouldn't move until 40 or 50 pounds? How much did it take to move that spring? Seems like it should be a very stout spring.

[spyug]

How much did it take to move that spring? Seems like it should be a very stout spring.

Oh yes it is pretty sturdy. I had to bear down on it with it resting on my work bench. I'd say 40 pounds or so if I had to guess.

The oil pump design is almost foolproof so my guess is the problem relates to the wiring or maybe the sensor itself

well I'm doubtful still about the wiring and the sensor. We were able to check the function of the sensor with compressed air and it indeed did cause the lights to go out. We also switched the stock sensor for a new one and repeated the test with air and got the same result. The kicker for me is still the fact that the oil pressure test gauge I fitted showed no movement and with the sensor removed and the engine running, the oil "puked" out but didn't come out in a geyser that 50+ psi should generate. I grant you the oil pump did seem very solid and not likely to fail. The parts did seem over engineered to me.

As I said, I can't think of anything else to look at and the only thing I can think of to do is replace o-rings and button it back up. I'll do that in a day or so when I get the rings and gaskets.

Thanks for all the comments guys. I appreciate the interest and concern.
Spyug

[spyug]

If I read the fine print

I might have seen the warning that "if the oil pressure is too low it means that the pump is internally worn or otherwise defective and the complete oil pump needs to be replaced".

Now I did pull the pump and it looked fine but I'll admit I didn't measure anything but after reading this (had I seen it before) I would have swapped pumps with my parts bike pump right away.

My o-rings are in and I'm going to pick them up this afternoon. I will button it back up in the hopes that, despite the manual, the pump is good and oil pressure will be restored. Being a sceptic however, I'm doubtful.

As a kid, I used to build model airplanes and I'd often get myself into troubles assembling because I didn't read all the instructions. My dad, an engineer, would always admonish me, " when in doubt, read the instructions, thoroughly". Its obvious I didn't listen to him then as I'm still pretty much the same way today.

I'll let you know how it goes in the next couple of days.

Cheers,
spyug

[sedelen]

The oil pump design is almost foolproof so my guess is the problem relates to the wiring or maybe the sensor itself. What about performing some continuity checks on the switch, both with the engine running and without? It's possible the oil pressure regulator spring is stuck allowing oil to bypass but this seems remote unless there is a lot of crud in the crankcase. Dropping the oil pan would tell the story on this.

I have to agree with Ed on this, definitely could be the sensor or wiring. I would think this would be your most PCOF (probably cause of failure).
That sensor supplies the ground to turn on the oil pressure light when the engine is off and key on, when the engine is running and oil starts pumping it opens the circuit turning off the oil pressure light and maybe some of the other idiot lights.
I had to replace a faulty oil pressure switch on my GS1100E, it was intermittant, sometimes the light would come on when I turned on the key, sometimes it wouldn't, cleaning it didn't help. Anyway, with the key on your oil pressure light should be on, disconnect it and it should go off.
If it doesn't you have a short to ground somewhere. If your light did go off when you removed the wire from the sensor, take the wire and ground it somewhere else with the key on and the light should come on. That just checks your wiring. If it checks out good, it still could be a bad sensor, it could be stuck, or touching the sides of the area around it supplying that ground.