Oil Pressure???

Roaddawg

Roaddawg

Well-Known Member
Yesterday bike was running fine, stopped at my destination and suddenly the oil light comes on and the bike starts making this loud "ticking" sound from the front cylinder.

Shut the bike off, check the oil level and all is normal. Start the bike up, the ticking sound is there for a few seconds, then all is good. Ride home without a problem (70-75 mph for 50 miles), no oil light, no unusual sounds.

Get home and as soon as it goes to idle, oil light on, ticking sound returns.

Just changed all the fluids, oil included less than 2,000 miles ago.

Any ideas?
 
scubaman15

scubaman15

Well-Known Member
If it was me I would change oil and filter ..the older dogs have lower oil pressure then the newest ones ."change in oil pump design " What oil are you running ? Also check idle could be low ? .... How many miles on this 05 ?
 
Mickeetwo

Mickeetwo

Guru
Sounds like its low of oil. Do you have a oil dip stick or is your 05 like the 06 K9's that you just look down into the oil tank? Sounds like your low of oil and the lifters are loosing there prime. On the 06 K9s you just look down into the oil tank and the manual states that if oil is at the bottom of the tube your good. The only problem is that the tube has a bend in it were it goes into the oil tank and you'll have residual oil setting in the bend. Makes it look like you've got plenty of oil. If you don't have a dip stick add some oil.
 
Big B

Big B

Active Member
Mine used to do this at an idle. I turned the idle up a hair and has not happened since. I am not sure iif mine has an oil light, but all of the tach lights would start blinking. The dealer told me what caused it and what to do.
 
Raywood

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
TheDeadOne said:
Dawg,
Check check your "Tappet Oil Filter Screen". Needs to be cleaned every oil change. :2thumbs:
Click to expand...
You beat me to it. I would clean this screen and it will probably end your problems.

As for the oil pump all 05's and above have the Hi-output pump from S&S.

:cheers: :2thumbs: :cheers:
 
07bigdog

07bigdog

07BIGDOG
I had the same problem with my 07 K9. The oil light would come on at idle only after i had about 2700 miles on the engine. Your idle should be set at about 1100 rpm. I also switched to using Lucas 50 WT motorcycle oil. No more problems. If you want to run the 20w50 oil, you can run an oil cooler. This should help prevent the oil light from coming on. The light trips on when the oil pressure gets below 4 psi.
 
Roaddawg

Roaddawg

Well-Known Member
Well, this was the first time in about 25K miles that the oil light has ever come on. The idle has been consistent at or just above 1K. I do have the oil tank where you just look down, which is what I did. There is no dipstick. The oil was recently changed when I brought the bike in for service. When they replaced my starter, they also did a 5K lube, oil and filter.

I will reference the tappet screen in the how-to section and respond back. Thanks for the responses and good advice
 
Mickeetwo

Mickeetwo

Guru
The tappet screen is easy. Just remove it and remember which way the spring goes and use some break clean to clean it and install. If this does not do it, I would add some oil. They may have not put enough back in on the oil change or your bike is using some. Its easy to tell how much you have in the oil tank. The oil should be about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the bottom of the bend in the tube going to the tank. Bigdog now makes a dipstick for the K9's. May be the same for the choppers. Here's a pic

 
Roaddawg

Roaddawg

Well-Known Member
Okay got home today after work and made the following discoveries;

1. obvious oil leak under bike. A small, but substantial leak leaving oil on the floor about 5 inches long and three inches wide. Not the nickel size when the starter O-ring went.

2. really dirty, cruddy undercarriage.

3. Checked oil level and it still looked good.

4. Pulled tappet screen (looked good) cleaned off and replaced

5. Brought bike outside and washed under frame, engine area to try to find leak. At first I figured the new starter must have really let go. Once it was cleaned off (Okay fairly clean), I could see a good drop of oil every thirty seconds or so.

6. Jacked bike up and found the following;

a. Oil was leaking from the stainless oil line itself. Even though I could not see a puncture, it was dripping from the same place.



Here is a close up pic



If I wiped the oil line, oil would quickly appear in the same spot. Consistent drip for this spot.

The oil line went from the bottom of the oil tank



to the top of the area on the right side behind where the cam cover is (right side, lower)



Here is a closeup of where it goes;



So, tomorrow I will contact the dealer and see if they have a replacement line.

Would this be sufficient to cause a loss of pressure at idle, but have enough pressure at higher rpm?

Thanks in advance for any responses.
 
E

Eric

Banned
that should be the oil feed line from the oil tank, I guess if it were to get air in the line it would affect the oil pressure
 
N8KAM

N8KAM

Well-Known Member
Wow that was a great post..... Nice pic's and descriptions... Nice job... :2thumbs:
Will this cause the light to come on????? Not sure.... How hot was the bike.. and are you running any oil coolers...? K&P oil filter/cooler looks and preforms great.... If you don't have one contact MadDog (forum member)
I had mine come on when at an idle last year but i was in traffic at the Woodward Cruise... (HOT)... Never again on a bike..... now with the filter/cooler and synthetic oil... No problems...
And i got caught in traffic last Tuesday going to Tony Packo's for lunch Rollover accident on I-75, HOT day and bike never got too hot.... :2thumbs:
 
Roaddawg

Roaddawg

Well-Known Member
No oil cooler, didn't think one would be necessary in MN. But if it increases the oil pressure, maybe it is a good idea. When the light came on it was after a 50 mile cruise at about a constant 80-85 mph. While cruising at those speeds, no light, no unusual noise. The oil indicator came on when I got off the highway and stopped at a light, then upon arrival home.
 
Raywood

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
Roaddawg said:
No oil cooler, didn't think one would be necessary in MN. But if it increases the oil pressure, maybe it is a good idea. When the light came on it was after a 50 mile cruise at about a constant 80-85 mph. While cruising at those speeds, no light, no unusual noise. The oil indicator came on when I got off the highway and stopped at a light, then upon arrival home.
Click to expand...
My oil lines were replaced after I bought my 05. Seems they had a run of bad lines with loose crimps on the fittings.

Problem is if you have sufficient oil level an oil leak is not going to cause your oil pressure lite to come on. Your oil level would have to get very low! I would install a gauge just to be on the safe side and then monitor it. I had the phantom oil light flashing way back in 05 and it turned out to be a grounded wire under the tank.

:cheers:
 
T

TheDeadOne

Banned
Good Find Dawg! :2thumbs:

That's a tricky one to find for sure!

You previously made a comment regarding "increasing" oil pressure. Nothing you do short of replacing the oil pump, with a "higher" pressure pump will "increase" oil pressure.
The pressure and/or the oil light might be your issue now, but please correct that issue first before going into other areas and making changes.
Added pressure is not really whats needed for any engine. In the "old" days people changed to "higher" pressure pumps because it was the only thing that was know to get "more" oil to the engine. Later on, it was learned that "high" pressure was "NOT" what was needed here. However, the high "Volume" pumps were the correct answer to the problems, and would move "much" more oil!

Now in saying all that. :Yawn: :zwhistle: :Yawn:

Dawg if you'll install a K&P oil filter that was previously suggested and I agree. That unit will not only lower the oil operating temperatures due to the aluminum housing, but it will also increase oil "flow" potential which is somewhat the same thing as increasing the "volume" of oil being moved!

I would suggest the installation of a "oil pressure" gauge and changing over to the K&P filter. I think that will provide you with a much better insight into the matter, before you go out and buy a "oil cooler". Which you "may" find out that you might need anyway later on.
But no matter what I would recommend the installation of a "oil pressure gauge" and the "K&P Oil Filter"!

Go Luck! :2thumbs: :cheers:
 
N8KAM

N8KAM

Well-Known Member
Well after reading your description of when it came on I bet you were a bit low on oil due to the leak and when you came to a stop at the light you might have sucked some air or caveatted the oil.... fix the line refill and see what happens. and when it is time for your next oil change switch to the K&P...

Oh yea... and install an oil psi guage..
 
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