Oil Warning Light

Hi.
I have the oil warning light still on and the oil level is visually correct.


I read in the forum that if you disconnect the sensor wire and not ground it, the warning should go out. Looking at the wiring schematic in the Hanes manual, that seems to be the case. So I took a look at the wire to the oil sensor. The wire seems pinned between the frame and the motor and there is no way of getting it out easily. It also seems wrapped with the stator wire, running around the back of the oil pan. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a faulty oil sensor sooooooo... I sniped the sensor wire where I could see it and the light is still on. I'm guessing, the area where it is pinned is grounding it out but I'm still not certain.


I guess I have some options...

1) The hack way....I could split the wrapped wiring that runs at the back of the oil pan, snip the sensor wire there. If the light goes out, rewire a new wire that goes back to the oil sensor, leave the the old wiring there, since it is still wrapped up. If the light stays on, the problem is further up...(put away those cutters you maniac!).


2) Possibly the right way but also the hard way... Remove the mount bolts and other things, raise the motor up an inch or two, free the wires. Seems like a big job as it looks like the exhaust may have to come off also (I maybe wrong about that, you let me know). Also, are there any alignment issues I have to worry about ie:drive shaft? What if the light is still on after this...


3) The easy way... I could take the blue pill and forget I even have a bike.


4) Your suggestions...


Much appreciated.

 

Kurtman, this may be a bitter pill but your best course of action given you have a visual on a pinched wire is to get the wire un-pinched and, if it is crushed, replace it. Big question is, how did it get into there in the first place? Loose motor mounts? Do any work involving that area not too long ago? You need to figure out how this happened to avoid it happening again. Make sure to route the wire correctly and use additional straps as needed to insure a safe path for the harness.

 

To be honest, it may not be pinched in there, it is just so tight, I can't see. I don't have a stand I can work on. I'm just looking while it is on the center stand. The pipes block my view.

 

Pull the pipes, no harm in that and it will let you look at stuff you ain't never seen before (good chance to clean up in all the nooks and crannies, not to mention draining the middle gear sump...but don't tell Rick, he'll skin me alive). I just had to clean up a mess involving the same wire on this 82 I'm currently beating on. Not too hard to clean up if you lay the bike down on it's side after you pull the pipes. You could also pull the sensor and test it. Have you traced the wire back to the instrument cluster yet? You have a short somewhere.

 

There's no good reason for draining the Middle Gear Sump. The Oil in there is as Clean as the Oil in the Bike.

Moments after starting the Bike with new Oil and Filter ... it's new; too.

There is a good reason for keeping your hands off that Plug ... forever.
It's been in there for 25 Years and it is as soft as soft as butter and has been heated and reheated and reheated and reheated without EVER being quenched.

You get Even Money that it breaks-off and leaks. Maybe not even that good ... seeing as just about EVERY SINGLE SOUL in here that messed with the Middle Gear Plug came-up short and needing a crying towel.

Now ... if you go after the clipped wire repair you get:

8 -to- 1 You'll break-off and Exhaust Collar Stud
4 -to- 1 You break or strip-out a Front Exhaust Collector Clamp or captive.
Something rusted ... but not yet failed ... will have to be replaced.

If you are going to do all of this work to get in there and only do a wiring Mod ... you're asking for trouble.

If you are going to be a Bear ... be a Grizzly!

Get a New or Known-to-be-good Oil Level Sensor and replace the one you got in there.

Don't do all that work ... only to finish the job ... turn on the key ... start the bike and have the Oil Level Sensor Light still be ON!

Raise your right hand and say: "I will not further complicate a bad situation!"

You got your work "Cut-out" for you. If that Middle Gear Plug isn't leaking ... don't get it started!"

 

In light of Rick's warning................that Blue Pill aint looking so bad now is it?

I guess riding is riding, as long as things turn out good, right?

 

That blue pill IS looking great right now. In light of just getting a manual yesterday, I think I will pass on the Middle Gear Sump for now

 

Well. I did the hack and clipped the black with red stripe just behind the LCD. The warning is still on. Must be faulty LCD box. Guess I will put it all together and keep an eye out for a used one.

 

See, told you I was inviting trouble.... I'm little stinker ain't I? I must be the only person on the planet who has not broken this bolt. Of course a properly fitting 6 sided socket on a 3/8" driver without the exhaust in the way went a long way to helping the situation. And getting the bike with just 21K on the clock didn't hurt either. I just have to wonder why the engineers spec'd this maintenance point knowing it was nigh impossible for anyone to perform using regular tools and the center stand. I'm obviously stirring up problems here so I'm gonna let this "dog" be...
Kurt, have you pulled the sensor and tested it off system yet?

 

Haven't tested it yet. Taking off the sensor requires the pipes to come off, and an oil change. No rush, good old electricians tape covers the warning light for now till I find a replacement lcd box. My time is best spent reading the manual.

It is interesting to see members with over 3000 posts go at it over something I know nothing about.

 

I managed to get that wire (and the others in that bit of loom) out without removing (or loosening) any engine mounts. It is tight and held in by a clip that goes to a engine case bolt. Can't remember if I had the pipes off.

Got the middle drain plug out OK on 2 engines. Replaced with hardened (8.8) bolt and used torque wrench to reinstall. Maybe got 30 - 50 ml oil out of there, not much at all. It's up to each owner if they want to remove the middle gear drain, there are many warnings of what happens if it goes wrong!

 

Fair enough Kiwi, not a whole lot comming out of that sump so is it really worth the risk? I'm not going to say yes but I do drain mine now since I know where it is. Rick has a point, there is a risk of things going screwy if you are trying to remove a welded-in bolt.

 

If you are fortunate enough to get the Exhaust Collar Nuts off without a disaster ... you might be able to undo the Left and Right Muffler Mounting hardware and slide the whole system forward enough to access the sensor.

You can test the Float function by sticking it to the bottom of a Bread making tin with a good bit of Double-sided tape securing the sensor to the pan and hooking it up to your Test Light and a 9Volt Battery.

Cover the Sensor with Oil and remove Oil from the Pan with a Turkey Baster.
Repeat the test several times to assure the Sensor doesn't stick.

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So everybody knows how much 30~50 ml of Oil is ...

That's about 2/3rds of a Testube worth of Oil that has been circulated through the Oil Filter before it collects in the Middle Gear Area.

You could sop-up that much Oil with a handful of Paper Towels.

Not worth mounting an expedition to go and get it.

 

Well I bought a used LCD. Should be $100 with shipping. Can't wait!