Red oil light came on. How many miles do I have or don't ride at all until top off?

[No H2O]

At the end of November I changed the oil to Royal purple 10W-40.
Every week or so I would check the level and there was no oil burnoff.
For the last month or two I haven't checked.
Today pulling into the garage at work the red oil light came on.
I checked the oil level and it was indeed low.
I have an extra quart at my apartment. If I leave work early it would be 15 miles no stopping/all highway.
Can I make the drive or do I need to leave the bike alone until I can top it off?

 

[Rottweiler]

Better off riding the 15 miles home and putting the same kind of oil in it. Check bike for a leak before taking off.

 

[woodbutcher]

just keep in mind, there's only 3 quarts + a little bit in the motor. not much of a cushion.

 

[Jwooky]

Keep in mind it an oil pressure light, not a low oil light.

You would have to be supper low, to loose oil pressure, especially idle.

If you idle is really low, I have seen the light come on.

Is this occurring at idle? What happens if you give it a little RPM?

 

[No H2O]

it was as I came to idle ,i didn't want to twist the throttle until I got feedback

 

[woodbutcher]

could very well just be low idle. twist it a little, it won't take much if is just due to low idle, just a few 100 RPM.

 

[Mr. Wright]

How come nobody mention the fact that he is running 10 w 40 and not 20 w 50, might have something to do with it.

 

[Jwooky]

Should not cause an oil pressure issue.

 

[byrddog]

To answer your question, do not ride till you find out what is going on with the light.

 

[pknowles]

How come nobody mention the fact that he is running 10 w 40 and not 20 w 50, might have something to do with it.

cold weather oil??

 

[No H2O]

cold weather oil??

yes, to make it easier to start

 

[knothead]

How come nobody mention the fact that he is running 10 w 40 and not 20 w 50, might have something to do with it.

My thoughts exactly

 

[knothead]

I understand 10w 40 oil making it easier to start in cold weather but once the motor is up to running temperature i see a problem...oil is way to thin and causes pressure to be low especially at a low idle...honestly pressure be low all the way around and now be even lower now since the oil has 3 months of running time on it... oil will thin down quick because its only a 3 quart system so cool off time before its cycles back threw isnt much time and being little low on oil plays a part and being 10w 40

 

[awg]

I'd like to know where the oil went? Hey.....didn't you have a bad head gasket a while back?

 

[No H2O]

I'd like to know where the oil went? Hey.....didn't you have a bad head gasket a while back?

Head gasket was replaced a while back.

Looked around the bike, no leaks,
turned it on, no oil light.
Rode it home and checked the oil level, turned out was barely exposing the bar at the bottom of the fill tube
filled it up and took no more than an eighth of a quart (if that) until the bar at the bend was completely covered so that red light is likely just due to low idle coming to the stop,

thank you for all the feedback

 

[john sachs]

For the last 40 years, I've been using 15/40 viscosity oil in freshly bored or built engines. I tell the customers to leave it in for 100 miles or so. Never a failure or noise because of it, or loss of oil pressure, and a lot of them are Florida bikes. These engines are roller bearing engines.
John

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

For the last 40 years, I've been using 15/40 viscosity oil in freshly bored or built engines. I tell the customers to leave it in for 100 miles or so. Never a failure or noise because of it, or loss of oil pressure, and a lot of them are Florida bikes. These engines are roller bearing engines.
John

who makes 15/40W oil -- I've never seen that for a bike.

 

[pknowles]

who makes 15/40W oil -- I've never seen that for a bike.

Diesel oil.

 

[Jwooky]

Rotella

 

[SEAL-rider]

Did you clean your tappet screen. It will trigger the oil pressure light.

Also you could be sumping into the oil pan. If so you could end up with too much oil. Let it sit for a day and drain the oil pan, not the oil tank. Be very careful with those threads on the oil pan. Don't cross thread and don't over tighten when re-installing. Measure how much comes out. Should not be much. If more than a pint, there is a check ball under the tappet screen. You might need to pull the ball and polish the check ball seat and replace the check ball. You can find the technique around here somewhere or email Marky or Curtis.