Oil Level Sensor On

Hi all,

I just bought a 82 XJ650 Maxim. 28 k miles...Runs very good...slight oil leak coming from oil level sensor, very tiny single drip after a days ride...sometimes nothing...I guess it drips depending on how I ride it...

Well, the light stays on, I thought maybe the drip was coming from the two screws holding it in, as I tightened it, it moved a little, so I was content...

after a couple days, and a longer ride, I notice it is starting to drip again...and not from the screws, but from the wiring...not sure if from the sensor wire, from the red sensor, or from the other part where the connector connects...

anyone have pics on how the connector for the oil level sensor is put on? I don't want to take the exhaust out if I don't have to...but I can't seem to trace the wire after it goes behind the exhaust pipe...

Any ideas?

My level is good, just the annoying red light is on, which I don't mind as long as I don't drip oil...

$105 new part, or 15-50 used on ebay...I can replaced it...seems easy enough...but I want to make sure the connector part of it is not hidden deep somewhere where it is complicated to just swap it out...

I have thought about splicing it...but when I see the part on ebay, seems like a male/female connector which seems fairly easy...just can't see where it connects too...

PLEASE HELP! I love this bike...I bought it only for $800....Clean! rides better then my old 2000 Kaw VN750...faster too...

 

The wire coming out of the bottom of the sensor is part of the sensor.
The sensor is sealed to the housing with an O-ring, not by a gasket.
If it's leaking you need to replace the O-ring.
If it's leaking out of the electrical wire connection you need to replace the unit? Don't know if you could jimmy a repair or not, haven't looked at it in that manner.

 

Haven't replaced one n a 650 but did on my 750. The wire comes out of the sensor and runs under two metal clips held in by oil pan bolts. Not that hard but not that easy. I tis hard to get the wire to clear past the frame.
One other note is that you have to make sure the replacement oil sensor comes off a non-computer dash XJ. So the 81 or 82 Maxim is not compatible. 83 would be. The computer sensor sends a constant signal to the computer so it can monitor the level. The analog version only sends a signal when the level is low. So if yours has been on since you bought it then I suspect the PO replaced it with the wrong one.

 

"The Old School Method"
Oil level sensor light remains ON

Fill bike with 20/50 Racing Oil ... (Ignore requirements for different viscosity)
Watch Oil Level "Window" as you top-off bike with 20/50 Oil.

***Slowly let new oil trickle into oil fill neck -- until the bottom of the air bubble reaches the Very Top of the sight glass. NOT the line ... forget about the line ... the very top of the sight glass.
Then, add an additional four (4) ounces of oil.

Operate the motorcycle ... getting the engine to warm-up to riding temperature.

Light goes out? Yes. Maintain this oil level forever.

Monitor oil level in sight glass with bike level on work stand before starting the engine ... each and every time the engine has been shut off ... checking sight glass level (should have NO bubble) for at least a week.

Level changes / shows bubble / Light ON? Yes?
Oil level sensor hyper-sensitive to level change.

Constant full level / no bubble / No light. Keep oil at this level.
CONSTANT FULL LEVEL / no bubble / Light ON? Yes.

Pull the bulb.
Much easier than messing around with the exhaust system, wiring, crawling around under the bike, getting your fingernails all nasty ... and, the little bastard shouldn't be ON; anyway!

 

Hi Guys, thanks for all the help!

The leak appears to be coming out of the male connector side of the sensor wire...I can't see past it cause of the exhaust pipe.

It does not look like its coming from the red part of the actual sensor...it might not be coming from it at all, but I do know the light is on...and that part of the bike has sticky nasty stuff as rickcomatic states...

not a lot, but enough to cause 1 drip after a days ride...I am just afraid of it getting worse, or overall fail while riding and dump oil all over the place...etc etc...I don't think that would be too safe...

so looking at Nick's picture, (thanks NICK!) its appears to be dripping on the right side, not the left side where the actual sensor is...

As I stated, the kick stand, and that side of the engine oil pan has deposits of oil seaping out...

The rest of the bike is clean as mr clean's bald head...

I tried tightening the bolts, none of them appear to have been lose as I tightened.

I am using Valvoline 20/50 Motorcycle oil...

I tried 20/50 Castrol GTX for car oil, but the shifting was to hard, and it was harder to find neutral as well..changed it after a day...

Blue Maxim...why wouldn't the used ebay ones work if it came off the same bike??? I am a little confused of your statement.... Call me slllooow...I was planning to get one off ebay, and swapping mine...the sensor does not look difficult to take off the pan, but again, can't find the other end....

Again, thanks for everyone's time on this...

Let me know if I can answer any of your questions...

 

Blue Max is just saying that two models of sensors were made. One for the bikes with the computer monitor consol, part # 5G2-85720-00-00. The XJCD shows only 7 bike models use this sensor.

The part number for your bike is # 4H7-85720-00-00, ( assuming XJ650J ).
The XJCD for this non-computer model sensor is used on 51 models from 1980 thru to 1993. Here's just a partial listing of the 51 models:

1980 XJ650G 650 XJ650 Maxim
1981 XJ650H 650 XJ650 Maxim
1981 XJ650LH 650 XJ650L Midnight
1982 XJ650J 650 XJ650 Maxim
1982 XJ650RJ 650 XJ650 SECA
1983 XJ650K 650 XJ650 Maxim
1983 XJ750K 750 XJ750 Maxim
1983 XJ750MK 750 XJ750M Midnight Maxim
1983 XJ900RK 900 XJ900R
1984 XJ650L 650 XJ650 Maxim
1984 FJ1100L 1100 FJ1100
1984 FJ1100LC 1100 FJ1100 (Cal)
1985 FJ1100N 1100 FJ1100
1985 FJ1100NC 1100 FJ1100 (Cal)
1985 FZ750N 750 FZ750
1985 XJ700N 700 XJ700 MAXIM
1985 XJ700NC 700 XJ700 MAXIM (Cal)
1985 XJ700XN 700 XJ700 MAXIM X
1985 XJ700XNC 700 XJ700 MAXIM X (Cal)

 

Sorry but what's wrong here........ icky fingers!?
I thought that went with the "Classic Bike thing"

You want clean hands and no maint. you'll have to get a new one or get someone else to fix'er.... sorry just the facts!

Just fix'er, she's worth it.
and better than any old scowasaki!!!

 

Welcome jjeromeg1, where are you located? I would love to help out if your local. I'd wager I could fix the sensor, but I don't have a broken one to tinker with. Any chance you could donate the offending unit to the mad Wizard? I'd gladly cover postage.