mystery oil light fix ideas need opinions

[rev79xs11]

I dunno about the rest of you guys with the oil/ brake/ tail light, but im tired of the oil light coming on for no good reason! I'm almost sure it is the "light checker unit" causing the problem. I've decided that I really dont care if I have a light checker. I've been looking over 79 standard and special wiring diagrams to compare. I've come up with 2 possibilities to eliminate the no good bugger. I'd like input from anyone who has an idea or sees a flaw in my thinking. here goes,

option A....simply cut the red/black wire at the checker unit. This leaves the oil sender the only thing that can turn on the light. Have also thought about connecting it to a light i could add somewhere.


option B... here's where it gets tricky. To completely eliminate the checker unit i think if i jump blue/yellow to blue to keep power to the tail when key is on. Id also have to jump black to ground. this should keep everything functioning......right?

[81xsproject]

My oil light has never come on and I still have my RLD. There is a tech tip about removing it to take away your guess work. I would be paying more time trying to figure out why that light is coming on. Have you used any oil additives? There are several accounts of people using Lucas oil stabilizer and having their oil lights come on afterward due to oil frothing.

[rev79xs11]

I know its not oil pressure causing the light. I've monitored both send unit resistance (continuity) as well as oil pressure with a temporary gauge. What led me to the light checker is that when my oil light comes on I can make it go out by turning on the brake lights. Sometimes it takes a few tries and it get progressively dimmer each time. I've been through all of the wiring and connectors and i've seen solid state devices fail similar to this in numerous other vehicles.

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by rev79xs11
What led me to the light checker is that when my oil light comes on I can make it go out by turning on the brake lights. Sometimes it takes a few tries and it get progressively dimmer each time.

Aha, didn't somebody post something a while back about the oil light somehow acting as an indicator light for a burned-out brake light? I can't find a reference in any of my manuals, and I haven't spent much time with the search button, but something tells me we've been across this before. Anybody else remember this?

When do this, how bright is the brake light the first time you hit it, and does it get any brighter as the oil light gets dimmer?

[planedick]

I think it's simple

You probably have a bad connection, most likely the spring behind the bulb and the soft pads that the bulb makes contact with. Sometimes it's because they're not properly aligned when the bulb is inserted. The lead contacts in the bottom of the bulb socket is that I'm talking about. I would take it apart and stretch the spring some and make sure the little tab on the phenolic part that holds the wire and contacts is properly aligned with the slot. Most likely you will find the problem in this area.

[egsols]

Sometimes it's the tail light bulb itself. If the contacts for the light look good try putting in a new a bulb. It has worked for other members.

[corey]

Whatever happened here? I, too, would like the light to ONLY indicate low oil pressure, I can tell easily enough if the brake light doesn't work by turning around.

Does clipping the red/black wire work?

[egsols]

I can tell easily enough if the brake light doesn't work by turning around.

Or when a car is parked in your fender.


The oil light serves a dual purpose as do a few other items on this bike. (i.e. tach not working, alt not charging)

If the tail light or brake light blows it will illuminate the oil light.

It sounds like your tail light circuit is shorted. When the light checker doesn't recieve a signal back from the tail it lights the oil light. When you hit the brakes the brake light comes on and tells the checker that its okay. So either the filimant in the bulb, for the tail is burnt or the wiring for the tail light is not up to spec.

Simple things first, check your bulb, 1157 I believe, and replace. see if that works

[psycoreefer]

Have you tried just replacing the tail/brake light bulb. My "oil" light was doing the same thing yours was and then after about a month of daily riding the tail light bulb burnt out. After replacing the bulb alls good. I think I must have had a bad filament in the bulb or something.