xj 11 oil light

[crny xj11 NH]

- Hi everyone!

Simple as this I have trouble with oil warning light on my xj 11. Sometime in midle of riding season after 1500 mil. it start coming on usually after 10 to 15 miles riding and in 4rth or 5th gear. Soon as I pull ower and put in neutral light go out. It doasn't happen ewery time but most of the time it will.
- This is what I have done sofar. New oil+filter, oil level good little bit ower. On centar-stand and at about 2500rpm it is evident that oil level drops down because pump suck it up.
Also cable from oil sensor at bottom of crankcase seems to be ok'.
Is it posible that oil isn't returning fast enought from top of the engine and later on is trigering low oil level.
Any advise will be appreciated.

Ed NH

[chevy45412001]

do a search

try doing a search on this. WE had a topic not real long ago on the subject. Mine does same thing. Of coarse you know to hit the reset button two times to put out the light right

[crny xj11 NH]

Where to go!

Hi Chevy and thanks for replay. It didn't help much but least somebody is with me. I know about how to trick a warning light. When I assembled my XJ last spring there was lots of thing to be debug so light was coming on very often and I went even one step furter by taking bulb for warnig light out. This ofcourse isn't recomended for guys with les experience. My next step would be to try diferent oil preshure sender. Question is do I have to take oil out to change oil preshure sender?
Enibody!

Ed NH

[chevy45412001]

oil out

although i have not changed the sending unit on mine,i would guess you need to remove the oil. The sender is on the bottom of engine,and it either reads low level or lack of pressure,but i do not know which?Sorry i could not be more of a help with this.

[Jerry]

The XJ's oil sensor measures level, not pressure. Sensor is bolted into the oil pan with 2 studs, and the oil needs to be drained to change the sensor. Unit is about the size of a tomato paste can. My theory on the light coming on is due to 2 factors: Cold oil does not drain back into the case fast enough, causing the oil light to come on more in cool weather than hot, and the baffles/float get crudded up over time and don/t respond quickly to changes in oil level. Changing the sensor is on this winter's maintenance list.

Idea is that it is better to know when your oil is low rather than when you have no pressure. System works OK, but the sensor is now 22 years old and is showing its age.

[crny xj11 NH]

Oil level not pressure!

- Jes Jerry you right. I found it my self today that oil needs to be drained to take oil level sensor out. Thats whad I did. I also tested unit by the book and it is ok'?? but I went step furter, conected unit to OM-meter then dip unit in and out of oil watching OM-meter. This test also verified unit is in warking order. But????
- For guys thet arn't familiar with this unit we call oil sensor isn't realy sensor it is more like on-off swicth. It is float placed in brass cylinder with two holes on side and four on top. Ones oil enter in float go up and warning light is off. When oil drains out float sink an light is on. What I have noticed reaction on my unit is very slow.
Also Jerry I agree with you on " oil doesn't drain fast enough". maybe becouse I am currently using 20-40W. I'll try 10-30 before changing sensor!
Thanks

Ed NH

[dmac82]

Hey everyone, just joined the site for this very reason, just bought an 82 XJ1100J and the oil light stays on or blinks for 1-2 minutes after warmup, the oil has just been changed and the level is fine, I was concerned about the pressure but now I'm reading that this light is for level only? Do I need to be concerned as long as the light goes out in a couple of minutes? Looking forward to great info like this

[crny xj11 NH]

Hi Dan and rest of the forum!

Little update on this oil issue. To be honest with you I don't know should you be concern about running engine until your light goes out. Truth is we know that oil is there assuming that your oil level is good. What I have done and situation impruved littl bit I replacet 20- 50 w with 10-40w. Now light will come on during driving but also when engine warm up will go off at any speed.
Have on your mind that these bikes are truly COLDBLOODEDnaked beasts and takes some time to warm up. As slow they warm up as fast they will cooldown.
Anyhow if we have enought oil, and pump is pumping oil up, and oil goas up but stay up and doesn't return where is it?
Only place I can think of big enought to store some significant amount of oil that will triger warnig light is valve cover.
Whole this doasn't make lot of sense.
What I can tell you for sure I drive my xj like this for a month and everiting appears to be Ok for now.