oil pressure light

[jamiedan2009]

oil light started flickering at idle then progressed to being on all the time, nursed it back home - 3 miles, crankcase too hot to touch, cant see any oil splashing against lefthand sight glass, oil+filter recently changed and hasnt used any oil :-(
Any thoughts as to likely causes, cheers

[Nickj]

If you can't see oil in the sight glass with the bike upright then sounds like there isn't too much in the motor.
Check there's no leaks anywhere like round the filter although I spect you've done that aready but never hurts.

Get some more oil in before doing anything else and top up to between the sight lines.
Nothing should be leaking out (yet)
Start and the level will dip a bit, run for a few minutes and check again casing seals and filter. Pressure light should be out, if not I'd try swapping it out first. You should be able to get hold one from a motor factor. I think the vauxhall nova ones are good and have the same connections and switch at the same pressures.

[Pomp1]

I won't be surprised if is only the sensor which has failed. You should have oil in the right hand side

[jamiedan2009]

thanks for replys, the oil is at the max level on the righthand sightglass just under the clutch, cant see any splashing against the lefthand sightglass

[gary tompkins]

Left hand casings sight glass is an ignition timing window - nothing to do with oil level

As Max said... could be a faulty oil pressure switch. Try replacing it and see if oil light goes out on start up.

[chris.p]

Sounds as though it is the oil pressure switch, they start to flicker at idle, generally this is the first sign of failure approaching, new ones are around £20.


Chris.

[jamiedan2009]

Just a thought - if you're riding along and your oil pump stops working, how long till it seizes, is it a matter of seconds or would you be able limp home?

[bialbero]

If your oil pump stops working your big end bearings would be gone in your less then 3 mile limp home!

[He11cat]

Oil pressure switch fails your get oil squirting up your casing in my case up my leg!!!
Mine went when I was. 40 miles from home ...
Oh mine was squirting back as far as my back wheel.

Chap who looks after my bikes says there has been lots go lately , he suddenly had a glut of people who's ones went and they are known to fail!

Prehaps it's on the way out.
Most importantly check there is oil in the engine..
If you can't see any don't risk it.

[Scott1]

I've had exactly the same thing happen as described on a couple of older monsters and it has been the oil pressure switch, never had anything shooting up my leg fortuntaly it just flickered then stayed on. They do go but it does tend to make you paranoid and make you think the engines going to cease and everything is much hotter, do check everything out first though just in case.

[mrbryanmarshall]

if it rains on my bike (eg, when parked outside at work) the oil light comes on and flickers for a few hours...think it's just the swtich, not the oil... got a big fright when i first saw it..

[jamiedan2009]

Thanks for all the help, i put a new oil pressure switch in this morning and everything seems to be in order, i had nasty moment there with visions of full engine rebuilds, etc!

[Capo]

A flickering oil light at tickover can indicate a pressure problem.

[gary tompkins]

Just a thought - if you're riding along and your oil pump stops working, how long till it seizes, is it a matter of seconds or would you be able limp home?

Depends how hard you are revving motor. Although a 4 stroke would last longer before the death rattle than 2 stroke. I think MCN ran a long term test CBR600 without any oil on a dyno to see how long it lasted. It took a surprisingly long time to self destruct. If a 2 stroke siezes you get just enough time to say Oh FU....!

Oil pressure switch fails your get oil squirting up your casing in my case up my leg!!!
Mine went when I was. 40 miles from home ...
Oh mine was squirting back as far as my back wheel.


Oh yes.. I also had a squirty switch on the trike. Went on the way back from Arrow Mill 3 years ago. Ended up with a very oily right boot.

A flickering oil light at tickover can indicate a pressure problem.

It's just that 99% of the time it's just a faulty switch

I've yet to see someone post up here with a wrecked bottom end due to oil pump failure.