UH OH! - Oil Lamp On!

[kboehringer]

FZR Friends,
Two work days last week I drove the FZR to work. It's a great ride of 52 miles each way. Although I have more then 10 bikes, the FZR has truly become my favorite and it gets a minimum of one of my work days each week.

On Thursday, I was THRASHING her hard on the way home. There are several areas where the threat of a ticket is not an issue and the road is new and perfect. Got her up and BEYOND 140mph two or three times! As I said, she was getting a good thrashing.....

Suddenly, I noticed the OIL LAMP ILLUMINATED...... scared the POO out of me.... I rode her like a baby to the nearest gas station. The oil level seemed fine but maybe an ounce or two low. I purchased a quart of 20-50 and put it ALL in.... I wasn't sure if the indicator was telling me OIL LEVEL or OIL PRESSURE. I figured the add of "Extra" oil wasn't gonna hurt it and could save the crank if this was a pressure issue.

After the oil add, the light went out briefly then illuminated again. With no options, I drove home like a 12 year old little girl. I kept waiting for the engine to "GRENADE" as we call it over here.

The bike rode fine although every squeak or rattle makes one double think. The ride was 25 miles or so and I kept thinking about the spare engine I had a chance to get but didn't buy, the spare head I have but it needs a little work.... etc. etc.

The bike made it home safe and sound (although the extra oil is dripping from the case vent).

Turns out, according to my manuals, the indicator only tells of LOW QUANTITY of oil not of low oil PRESSURE. I'm assuming the oil was "lifted" during those high speed runs and now the sensor is unwilling to reset. I have a spare sensor from an extra oil pan I purchased. Today, I'll pull the bike apart, replace the sensor and of course a full oil change.

Apparently, no real harm done..... But those were 25 of the most nerve racking miles I've ever driven....

Kurt

[nuggitt]

What I tend to do is to put the bike on its side stand and add oil till it goes just above the sight glass then had a little bit more for the road.

You are right in what you've read. It's not a pressure switch so don't worry.

[oldskoolexup]

Suddenly, I noticed the OIL LAMP ILLUMINATED...... scared the POO out of me.... I rode her like a baby to the nearest gas station.

Yup.....seems we've all done it

[Teego]

Used to have that problem on my 1986 Genesis. The engine never blew but it was a pain when I was going batshit in France and Germany.
Never a problem on the 1996 Foxeye. It was a drinker though. 500 miles a litre on a hard scratching day in France or Spain with the sun melting the asphalt.
Happy days.

[Nicoxj]

ahhh, Yamaha ... The fact that it is a oil LEVEL saves engines a certain number of times... as, like you, when you see this red light on the clock, it really seems to cool you down even beter than freezing water!

I had this a few times with the FZR, and a few years back on a good old XJ900 ('84 model), that I by mistake sold just when the engine started to free itself after prowling; it had only 220 000km ( 20 000 + 2) on the clock.

Of course the XJ was not as oil thirsty as our FZRs, but running constantly over 8k did not help

Not like Ducati, where the lamp means a crankshaft usually (I never tested fortunately).

[pilninggas]

My favourite incident with the oil light was c2003. I was riding down the A38 at about 8pm on a Saturday evening when the oil light came on. Like all of you my blood ran cold and i backed off. Moments later the bike ran rough then cut out and ground to a halt. I genuinely thought i'd killed it.

Being young and stupid i didnt have recovery so phoned my dad who came with a trailer to pick me up (he was pissed off, cant says as i blame him).

The next day i checked the manual (and probably looked on the brotherhood forum) to see the light was oil level, so duly topped up.

More diagnosis revealed the cutting out was due the bike going on to reserve (simulated though it is) but the bulb in the dash had blown so it didnt indicate to me low fuel and the need to flick the switch! That it happened moments after the oil light coming on was mere coincidence, it couldnt have been at a worse time overall for my nerves.

[nuggitt]

I had a ride out today and would you believe it my oil lamp came on. There is a way of making it go off. All you have to do is brake hard with the front brake and it does go off. It will come back on again later so do the same again. Home now and topped it up over the sight glass.

[Teego]

Actually I really hated that lamp and drinking issue. My Gixxer never drank oil and never lit any dashboard lights.
Really liked my 20 years on FZRs but the Gixxer was a total 'kin blast. All bikes gone now.

[YAMAEXUP]

What I tend to do is to put the bike on its side stand and add oil till it goes just above the sight glass then had a little bit more for the road.

You are right in what you've read. It's not a pressure switch so don't worry.

Doesn't it chug excess oil up into the airbox??

I found that as long as it's on the upper line it runs ok. I've had the oil light come on in the past so I removed the switch, cleaned it out with engine cleaner & bolted it back in place. Not had a problem since, despite it being 35,000 miles ago.

[nuggitt]

Doesn't it chug excess oil up into the airbox??

Completely bone dry in the airbox. Never had a problem doing it the way I mentioned.

[nuggitt]

What I tend to do is to put the bike on its side stand and add oil till it goes just above the sight glass then had a little bit more for the road.

You are right in what you've read. It's not a pressure switch so don't worry.

Doesn't it chug excess oil up into the airbox??

I've been looking at my side stand switch today so I've had the tank off. while it was off I thought I'd have a look in the air filter box and as you can see it's bone dry. In case there's any non believers here's a couple of photos.

[oldskoolexup]

while it was off I thought I'd have a look in the air filter box and as you can see it's bone dry

....isn't that the brand new old stock one you have in the garage?

[nuggitt]

while it was off I thought I'd have a look in the air filter box and as you can see it's bone dry

....isn't that the brand new old stock one you have in the garage?

Yes but keep it to yourself Paul.

[oldskoolexup]

while it was off I thought I'd have a look in the air filter box and as you can see it's bone dry

....isn't that the brand new old stock one you have in the garage?

Yes but keep it to yourself Paul.

U good?

[nuggitt]

Yup!! I'm doing ok Paul and looking forward to Saturday so I can get my leg over again on the bike of course. Going to have a bezz round somewhere but I'll check all my bolts before I set off this time.