For those with an oil pressure gauge

[renobruce]

I put the gauge on my 1150 and it works fine. It shows around 4 psi @ 60mph after riding for about half an hour. So it's definitely not the gauge, it's the bike. But I am glad I now know I have a small problem. I'll get the o-rings replaced and check the strainer. The oil pressure gauge looks to be a beneficial item.

[focus frenzy]

I will be selling a kit starting next week on e-bay. It will include an adapter fitting, chrome 90 degree elbow, and your choice of the brushed aluminum gauge like mine, or one with a white face. A very nice looking set-up. I'll have pics in a couple of days. $48.00 plus freight. GSR members $40.00 plus freight. I'll make a post when it happens.

WOO HOO! sign me up!
I have been wondering just how much pressure I have on the old boy, and how much I loose to the cooler.

[renobruce]

WOO HOO! sign me up!
I have been wondering just how much pressure I have on the old boy, and how much I loose to the cooler.

They should be ready to ship late next week. I'll let you know! :-D

I'm not sure, but I don't think you would lose pressure because of an oil cooler. As stated, I put an oil pressure gauge on the 1150, which has a stock cooler on it, and it shows good pressure.

[renobruce]

The kits are now available. I posted in the parts for sale section in the forum.

[renobruce]

I put the gauge on my 1150 and it works fine. It shows around 4 psi @ 60mph after riding for about half an hour. So it's definitely not the gauge, it's the bike. But I am glad I now know I have a small problem. I'll get the o-rings replaced and check the strainer. The oil pressure gauge looks to be a beneficial item.

I replaced the o-rings on the oil pump (the old ones looked OK), and pulled the oil pan to check the strainer. Here's what I found:






The strainer was pretty gunked up. Now I can see where my oil pressure drop came from! The pan also had a piece of metal that looks like a broken piece of fin. I don't know where it came from.:shock: I have to order a new gasket (I ruined the old one), but should now be all fixed up!

[tfb]

Seems to me that you might just be the first person to drop off that sump plate since the old girl left the factory.

Pulling off the sump plate is always a good thing to do whenever you get one of these bikes. My GS1000S had about 1/2 a handful of what was basically milled aluminium shavings (never did discover where that came from). My 1100 Katana had the strainer all blocked up like yours, but with the added joys of small lumps and ribbons of silicone, as well as the occasional fragment of metal.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Mike.

[fatkid89704]

hey renobruce let me know if that fixes the problem with the oil pressure drop.i might want one of those oil pressure gauges for my old beater and i will probably have to drop my pan and clean my oil strainer off.could sure use some help when i get ready to do mine.would appreciate a hand with it.ill buy the beer if youll help with mine.have a good one.

[renobruce]

Mmmmmmmm Beer!

[tfb]

How dare you lads mention BEER when it's cooking hot here and my fridge is empty of the life-giving fluid. =P~

[hungryman]

You'll be surprised what you find when you check that strainer. When I rebuilt my motor I had metal shaving in mine also. I checked everything out thoroughly and never did find where they came from. I just concluded that the factory wasn't as sterile of an environment as my garage when I build motors.

Did you check the clearances on the oil pump? While in there it may be a good idea.

[renobruce]

You'll be surprised what you find when you check that strainer. When I rebuilt my motor I had metal shaving in mine also. I checked everything out thoroughly and never did find where they came from. I just concluded that the factory wasn't as sterile of an environment as my garage when I build motors.

Did you check the clearances on the oil pump? While in there it may be a good idea.

Yes, I checked the clearances. All was good on the oil pump. There was a fair amount of shavings, goo, rtv, etc. in the screen and in the pan. I think the goo was maybe clutch dust? All sparkling clean now!

[tfb]

When I rebuilt my motor I had metal shaving in mine also. I checked everything out thoroughly and never did find where they came from. I just concluded that the factory wasn't as sterile of an environment as my garage when I build motors.

Perhaps... but I think we can be fairly certain that, even in the 'good old days' when our GS machines were being assembled, the Hamahatsu factory would have been clean to the point where you could have eaten off their workbench surfaces. I mean, like any vehicle manufacturer, they would have done anything and everything to ensure that there were as few warranty claims as possible.

Metal shavings, etc. can have all sorts of sources. Starter clutch rollers can shed metal chips, as can gear box cogs, etc. etc. The real damage gets done as these small metal fragments make their journey down to the sump. Once there, they're safe, but on the way they can easily get spun around through all those moving parts and sloshing oil... ... leading to the interesting metallic creations we discover parked in the sump.

Mike.

[renobruce]

I put the gauge on my 1150 and it works fine. It shows around 4 psi @ 60mph after riding for about half an hour. So it's definitely not the gauge, it's the bike. But I am glad I now know I have a small problem. I'll get the o-rings replaced and check the strainer. The oil pressure gauge looks to be a beneficial item.

Problem fixed on the 1000. I cleaned the strainer and all the other goo and sludge from the pan and bottom. Took her for a ride today and now she registers about 4.5 psi @ 3000 rpm after full warm-up. \\/

[tfb]

Excellent news.

It would be a sad way to kill an engine, wouldn't it -- to have the cam journals or crankshaft bearings give up the ghost because not enough oil could get through courtesy of a clogged strainer. :shock:

I'll bet there'll be a few of us taking the sump plates off and checking our screens now...

Mike.

[renobruce]

Excellent news.

It would be a sad way to kill an engine, wouldn't it -- to have the cam journals or crankshaft bearings give up the ghost because not enough oil could get through courtesy of a clogged strainer. :shock:

I'll bet there'll be a few of us taking the sump plates off and checking our screens now...

Mike.

For sure. I went ahead and took a look at the sump on the 1150. She was clean as a whistle!! I would highly recommend all to take a look at their screens, especially if you don't know the history of the bike or if it has been sitting a long time. Make sure you are pumping alot of oil! The pressure gauge certainly helped alot.