Oil Trouble Light Question

[ryonker]

I recently put an oil cooler on my 79 750. Initially I had trouble with my oil light flickering, etc. TCK ( I think) said don't worry about it because I have an oil pressure gauge. I actually fixed the problem by putting a new o ring in.

But now the light never comes on. Not even at start up. Do the units go bad? I am sure it's not a big deal if I keep an eye on the pressure. How do I check it out though?

Thanks!

Rick

[Scotts]

If the light does not come on when you switch on the electrics before starting the bulb may have gone out. The flickering you described may have led to a filament failure. Check the bulb and power feeding the bulb.

I do not have your year model bike. I have found it helpful to go to an online supplier like bikebandit.com and look at their parts fisch. It will have an exploded view of the area in question.

Scott

[rustybronco]

I actually fixed the problem by putting a new o ring in.

But now the light never comes on. Not even at start up. Do the units go bad? I am sure it's not a big deal if I keep an eye on the pressure. How do I check it out though?

Thanks!

Rick

The o-ring replaced was the one under the switch correct?
if the one you put in was too thick and holding the brass disc off the bottom, the switch will never be able to contact ground.

***edit***touch the switch wire to ground that should prove out the bulb.

[ryonker]

Yes, the O ring was the one under the switch.

I will test it checking the ground.

Thanks guys!

Rick

[Nessism]

I recently put an oil cooler on my 79 750. Initially I had trouble with my oil light flickering, etc. TCK ( I think) said don't worry about it because I have an oil pressure gauge. I actually fixed the problem by putting a new o ring in.

But now the light never comes on. Not even at start up. Do the units go bad? I am sure it's not a big deal if I keep an eye on the pressure. How do I check it out though?

Thanks!

Rick

I remember the other thread.

As Rusty said, the metal disc needs to contact a ground point when there is no oil pressure present. When the oil starts flowing, the metal disc will be pushed off the ground and the light will go out.

Should be an easy matter of pulling off the connector at the oil pressure switch and grounding out the connector - light should illuminate.

As I recall from the other thread, the oil pressure port extension piece was not flush with the top of the cavity in the engine. The gap leads to internal leakage which while not damaging to the engine, it does reduce the effectiveness of your oil cooler and can cause the oil light to come on.

Good luck.

[ryonker]

Thanks Nessism!

You are correct in what you say.

Have a great day!

Rick

[ryonker]

Ok, I figured this one out...may just leave it till next season.

The trouble light works, and so does the sensor because I grounded the wire alone and with the sensor attached and the light comes on. I hooked up a jumper from the trouble light wire and probed all around the inside of the sensor adaptor....no light.

The issue (as nessism alluded to) is that my oil port adaptor for my oil cooler is just slightly too small. So when I put on the oil cooler adpator I left a little extra gasket on the bottom of the adaptor to close the gap. Now there is no contact with the frame... thus no oil light.

I may have to have Terry fab me up another insert for next season.

Rick

[rustybronco]

The issue (as nessism alluded to) is that my oil port adaptor for my oil cooler is just slightly too small. So when I put on the oil cooler adpator I left a little extra gasket on the bottom of the adaptor to close the gap. Now there is no contact with the frame... thus no oil light.
Rick

Not the problem, it will still ground through the bolts.

***edit*** add a star washer under the bolts and try it

[ryonker]

Good point!

So why, when I connect a jumper to the trouble light wire, or to the sensor when connected to the wire, and ground to the frame, the oil light comes on....but then when I touch the jumper to the adaptor (anywhere almost), the light doesn't come on? Somehow, my adaptor is not grounded. I did use a small circle of gasket just under the mounting bolt heads, because the diameter of the bolts is slightly smaller than the adapter, and it leaks if I don't do this.

Any thoughts?


Thanks!

[rustybronco]

If it leaks past the bolts the gasket between the case and the adaptor is not sealing the bolts off properly.

can you add a terminal eyelet- wire- terminal eyelet "jumper" from the adaptor to another ground. that should work for a while.

or you could add copper sealing washers (like the brake banjo bolt washers only smaller) under the bolts....that would provide a ground path.

[Nessism]

The factory washer-seals are called dowty seals; they are a metal washer on the outside with a rubber seal on the inside. Because the outside is metal, it allows the ground signal to be made through the screws. Sounds like this may be the problem...hopefully.

If the light goes out at high revs, but comes on at idle, the internal leakage is most likely the issue.

If the light never comes on, yet the adapter body is grounded, it could be that the metal plunger on the oil pressure sensor is not contacting the body of the adapter where it screws into - it needs to ground through this body.

Hope this helps.

[ryonker]

I think I fixed the problem.

I took off the front adaptor bolt with the designer washer made of gasket material. I put a little ultra gasket at the top the bolt...the place where the bolt goes through the adaptor plate. I did not use any washer.

I snugged the bolt down, so it makes good contact (obviously it does with no washers...is this ok?).

Now the light comes on.

I put the liquid gasket on to keep any oil from leaking out. Is there any chance of this getting down into the crankcase and causing an issue? Doesn't seem like it would. I am not even sure it can because isn't the orifice for the bolt seperate from the oil port opening?

Anyway, it's entirely possible that the bolts for the adaptor never leaked.

I saw what I thought was oil leaking from the adaptor (bolts, fittings etc) so I took it off and on, re-tefloning the hole thing, changing the gasket, all multiple times and it kept leaking ,,,or so I thought.

The real problem was that my cam-chain tensioner was leaking . So I followed bwingers tutorial and no more oil leaks.

I will start it up later tonight and check for leaks around the front bolt, but my guess is that it will be fine.

Thanks!

Rick