OIl light

[johnfrenchsr]

My oil light is coming on. I have checked the oil level it is fine.Is this a low level sensor. Could it be my oil pump going out.I ran it for about 70 miles it ran fine .Where is the sensor wire located.Thanks

[John]

The oil light is for pressure, and it is located right below the carbs, behind the cylinders. You will see a wire leading to it. The switch makes a ground to light the lamp. maybe there is a bare spot on the wire that is rubbing somewhere. The light will also come on if the tail light is out, at least it will on a Special.

[GNEPIG]

.. when does your oil light come on? at what speed\rpms, and for how long?

[Winterhawk]

Depends on whether you own a XJ (level) or XS (pressure).

[johnfrenchsr]

Oil Pump

Where can I get a new oil pump or can I rebuild mine.I have changed the sensor the same thing happened and ther is no short.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey John,

The bad news is that it's a discontinued item, so you can't get any NEW ones. The good news is that the design of these pumps is rather robust, and it's rare for them to be bad. Are you sure your wire isn't rubbed raw somewhere on the frame where it could be grounding out, causing the light to turn on? Have you tried just pulling the wire from the sensor and starting the bike and seeing if the light still comes on? If it does, then there's definitely a short contacting somewhere, cause the sensor IS the ground device for that wire, if it's grounded, the light will come on!

Also, you can get a real pressure gauge and attach it either to where the sensor fits, or mount an extension pipe and place the gauge where you can see it while riding if you want!? That way you can actually check and test the pressure directly!!
T.C.

[johnfrenchsr]

OIl Pump

I pulled the wire from the sensor it went out. I have 2 more engines but I hate to put a oil pump from them without rebuilding it.
Can you still get parts to rebuild it. Thanks

[Winterhawk]

Try a different sensor and see if it changes. If you don't have a oil Gage to test actual pressure install a fitting and put a clear hose on it. Hold the hose up and measure the actual inches the oil raises. Yamaha had me do this back in 1982 on Virago problems one time for warranty at JOCO Motors. I'll have to check on the actual inches verses pressures but you get the idea.

It could be something as simple as the O-ring.

[johnfrenchsr]

Oil Pump

I changed sensor but I had a guage on one of my engines .When I installed it the bolt that went in the housing broke. Where could I get one at. It reads psi like a tire guage. What should it read at idle. Thanks

[Winterhawk]

Operating temperature is 216 F at 55mph
Relief valve opens at 70psi
Cruising speed at operating temperature is 42psi
Warning light activation pressure is 4.2psi

Just a guess, at idle maybe 8psi~10psi

[Winterhawk]

I had a maxim one time that sat for many years with fuel in the crankcase. I thought I cleaned it out good but it blew it up on the highway. After disassembly I found out that the intake screen of the oil pump was full of Varnish (old fuel) starving it for oil. I just replaced the engine from one at the junk yard and that was 7 years ago. Still runs great.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey JohnFrench,

Harbor Freight has oil pressure test gauges complete with hose for $8.99, see Harbor Freight Oil Pressure gauge link!

The innards of the pumps are pretty much ALL METAL, it's called a trochoidal (?) style pump mechanism, no rubber piston parts. IT's got this large round part, with 5 spoke pattern cut out of the middle, and the sprocket has 4 lobes, allows space for one lobe as the compressing pumping action as it spins. The O-ring Pathfinder speaks of is between where it mounts to the engine case. The pump mounts pretty flush with the case, but the O-ring could have gotten shrunken? More likely, it's the pickup screen, or the sensor is bad or sticking....corroded.

Mentioned before to someone about spraying some carb cleaner inside the sensor and taking a small pin/rod and pushing into the opening to see if you can move the spring actuated plunger? Oil, dirt, and sludge could have gummed it up?

Did you mean bolt or threaded pipe section that screws into the sensor hole that broke? I remember someone posting about how the threads were close to a NPT size, but I would think that they were metric instead!?
T.C.