do oil pumps fail????????

[nastyjones]

We are getting a 1982 gs 1100 ready for the spring & have a perplexing problem. The oil light won't go out so I removed the valve cover & the cams & top end are completely dry!!! I suspect the oil pump has failed. What do you think? We are going to tear the pump out & have a look but I have never heard of this problem.


Paul

[Commodus]

Oh, I don't see why not. The surfaces of the little gears are very precise, so if the oil has not been changed regularly, those machined surfaces could become scored, just as cam lobe surfaces can. I replaced mine in my 750Kat because of some light, but visible, scoring.

[chiphead]

EZ or GZ?
And if the top end is truly absolutely dry, you may have bigger issues than just the pump depending upon how long it was run that way.
Something doesn't smell right here.
I know I didn't answer your question but we need more info and history.

[sharpy]

pump

Have a look at the sump and screen on the pump also. Also pull the 17mm plug out (above the points cover)to see if there is pressure there Havent heard of a pump failure but its mechanical so anything can happen. Maybe the pin behind the gear is broken. This is for a 2 valve 1000 but its almost the same

[Dave8338]

Pumps can and do fail but usually as a direct result of another, more serious problem. I've sheared pins (high RPM issue), blown seals, spun gears on the shaft, and had sump screens so plugged (usually bearing material or a nylon gear that nuked) that they won't even suck oil. On these accounts, there has always been an oil pressure gauge with warning light sitting about 16" from my face...SHUT HER DOWN!!!!! In your case, if you find that the pump is indeed NOT working, your PO may not have pulled the plug until he/she heard the dreaded whine of dry bushings and clatter of bearings. I'd go at this project with a very watchfull eye.

Dave

[Dink]

Scotty's 1100 (Oops "750") was damaged by oil pump failure, Luke's 1150 was destroyed by oil pump failure. So yes it is possible. A new oil pump aint all the expensive, so get in there and check it out, before major damage occurs, when in doubt replace it.

Dink

[nastyjones]

Thanks, everyone

I think this is a recent problem since the bike ran fine the last couple of times I started it. But before that it sat for about 4 years.

Paul

[nastyjones]

Thanks, everyone

I think this is a recent problem since the bike ran fine the last couple of times I started it. But before that it sat for about 4 years. I removed the valve cover & there appears to be no damage to the cam lobes or the rockers. I think i'll just r/r the oil pump & see where we stand.

Paul

[Road_Clam]

I have seen a few failures on gear drive oil pumps. Generally what happens is foreign debris gets sucked into the gears, and is forced outwards and the debris severly scores the softer aluminum outer walls of the inside of the pump housing. This causes a substantial drop in oil pressure and oil flow. Next is the inevitable....... typically a trashed cam drivetrain

[Suzuki mad]

Oil pump failure....

My 16 valve 1100 had exhaust camshaft and follower failure due to lack of oil. That was caused by the sump strainer and all the upper oil ways being blocked up by old instant gasket from a tube! Has the engine had any major work done to it e.g. big bore kit/new base or crankcase split etc?...

Oil comes from the sump up via the strainer pulled by the pump into the pump. Its the pushed up into the gallery which containes the oil pressure switch and temperature gauge (if fitted) then through to the base of cylinder heads and up into the cylinder head. When rebuilding any of the GS range Suzuki recomend that each valve socket in the cylinder head has oil applied. There should be some oil in there!

On the points side on the engine, just behind the base of the barrels, should be a 17mm bolt which when removed an oil presure gauge can be screwed in to check oil pressure.

To get at the strainer the bottom plate attached to the crankcase will have to come off! Not to hard a job.

Oil pumps are a little harder to get at, you got to get the clutch basket out. You can get high performace oil pump.

Suzuki Mad
1981 GS1000E
1983 GS(X)1100ESD.

[prxbadger]

i had a similar problem also caused by instant gasket from changing rings/head gasket on a honda. it wrecked my cam within 3 miles

[Tom MLC]

Install a pressure gauge (0-15 psi) somewhere on the top of the oil gallery. Like this.

Then you can tell if you have any pressure comming from the pump, or just some obstruction in one of the oil passages. Renobruce sells these babies. It might be worth it to help troubleshoot.

Looks cool, too!

[renobruce]

I would think that if it ran ok before, it's probably not the oil pump. They do fail, but usually they fail slowly. If you have a Suzuki manual, it gives specs and checks for the oil pump. They are not hard to get to, but can be a biatch to get off.... have your impact driver ready for the phillips screws. My 1000 had very low pressure, and it ended up being the strainer in the oil pan. I would check the strainer first, then the oil pump.

[Tom MLC]

I would think that if it ran ok before, it's probably not the oil pump. They do fail, but usually they fail slowly. If you have a Suzuki manual, it gives specs and checks for the oil pump. They are not hard to get to, but can be a biatch to get off.... have your impact driver ready for the phillips screws. My 1000 had very low pressure, and it ended up being the strainer in the oil pan. I would check the strainer first, then the oil pump.

Yuk! I'm gonna be checking all of my strainers this winter!