Gs1100e oil pressure switch

[CincinnatiKid]

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need clarification...
metering the switch between the outside lead terminal to the oil-facing disk, there is no continuity at rest. When compressed, it will intermittently show continuity, and when fully compressed, it will show full continuity (1.6 ohm or so)

Is this faulty behavior? When the switch is installed, engine running or not, there is no continuity between the switch and ground.

Never had an o/p light since I have had the bike, and I want to install a little LED dash light for o/p.
when I look at the mechanism, it seems like it should work like this:
-engine at rest, oil facing disk rests on engine case, grounds switch, o/p light on.
-engine starts, pressure forces disk up away from the engine case, breaking the ground connection, o/p light goes off.

if this is the right functionality, then it seems the switch itself should have constant continuity from the outside terminal to the inside disk, regardless of engine state. Which would warrant a replacement. Doesn’t seem rebuildable.

Can someone confirm/deny?

thanks Ck

[hampshirehog]

Your understanding is correct and it would seem that your switch is u/s. They're still available new, though with a black plastic nut rather than white, and not expensive.

[CincinnatiKid]

How’s this for a motherfunker....

bought a replacement (black) one, and it acts/tests the same.
only passes continuity when the plunger is fully depressed.

CE017C10-1A07-47E8-8BA8-173C070BFFE7.jpg

[CincinnatiKid]

A925B8FF-DBC7-49DB-9025-3EB98BEB9A93.jpg

Very strange.
bummer about the photo orientation, eh?

[hampshirehog]

You're testing it wrongly. Pop it in the engine and you should have continuity with the engine cover when it's not running and that should disappear when you start up.

[CincinnatiKid]

Totally.

I tried that, and when it didn’t work (no continuity between switch and engine at all, engine running or not), I bench tested it as well, and then decided to share with the forum by snapping a pic.

by luck, a friend had a 81 gs550 that he gave to me last week and while it’s in full blown “unfinished project” mode, I saw when I put a battery and the key in, that the o/p light worked on his (my) bike. So I’ll probably just harvest that one for my 1100.