Oil Pressure Problem?

3920 Views 20 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Green Bean, May 23, 2005

Green Bean

Discussion Starter · Apr 7, 2005

I cranked my bike while on the kickstand 2 days ago and noticed that the oil pressure gauge was "bouncing" wildly showing pressure at middle to max pressure but "bouncing" and not measuring anything. I straddled the bike and pulled it up off the kickstand and the oil pressure needle immediately settled down and measured the correct oil pressure. I then set the bike back down on the kickstand and it began "bouncing" wildly again. I asked my mechanic about this and he said that it sounds like the oil pump was not getting enough oil while on the kickstand to keep up the oil pressure. I check the oil level and it was at the full mark.

Have any of you had this problem? Do you run the bike while on the kickstand?

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Geezer

· #2 · Apr 7, 2005

Ricky:

I would change my oil and filter and refill with the proper amount of oil,
then check my dip-stick level.

Many times the custom dip-stick is not trimmed correctly and will reflect
an incorrect oil level.

To test this theory, without changing the oil, throw in another quart and
see if the pressure becomes stable on the side stand.

Geez

Green Bean

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 7, 2005

Geezer said:
Ricky:

I would change my oil and filter and refill with the proper amount of oil,
then check my dip-stick level.

Many times the custom dip-stick is not trimmed correctly and will reflect
an incorrect oil level.

To test this theory, without changing the oil, throw in another quart and
see if the pressure becomes stable on the side stand.

Geez

Geez,

I just did that. The oil level is now at the 5 quart mark I set at the last oil change...about 100 miles ago. The oil level is full.

Geezer

· #4 · Apr 7, 2005

Ummmm:

My next guess would be the pressure sending unit, bad gauge or electrical
connection at the sender or gauge.

Gezz

Green Bean

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 7, 2005

But that doesn't seem to explain why it only does it when the bike is tilted to the kickstand. Oil level is the only thing that makes since to me, but I KNOW it's full.

Geezer

· #6 · Apr 7, 2005

Rick:

If it were me, first I would try the extra quart test, as it can always be drained out. Then check the electrical connections, just for the process
of elimination.

Geez

Zenbiker

· #7 · Apr 7, 2005

Rick...I run my bike on the sidestand all the time and no problem. I'm sure most of us warm up the beast for a few minutes at least on the stand and I know of no one who has had this problem.
As Geez said, if the crankcase is full, I would check the electrics but wonder why it stops when upright....Joe

V-MAN

· #8 · Apr 8, 2005

Ricky

I also start my bike on sidestand with no fluctuation in guage. I would have leaned toward oil level being low but you said you just changed oil/filter. I'm not sure why it only bounces on stand but not when upright ... very wierd, maybe somebody here will have more info for you.

Don

hozztil

· #9 · Apr 8, 2005

Just thinking of another possibility. Could there be debris floating around in filter or pump that moves and causes blockage when bike is tipped to its side? I know you said you just changed oil & filter but there might have be something in the new filter that somehow dislodged. Might be worth another oil change to find out.

RayO

· #10 · Apr 8, 2005

For whatever it's worth, I think your problem is purely electrical. It definately is weird as said a few times before!! I would check connections at the sending unit and the guage very closely-- if the bike is flexing when on the sidestand just a tad it could possible make a bad connection on the circuit somewhere to cause this. Since the sending unit varies the amount of ground to the guage you could check it with an ohm meter to the engine to see if it is fluctuating as it would if you did in fact have a pressure problem like it indicates. Then check for a constant level of voltage to the guage when rocking on the sidestand and off. Just an idea, hope it may help...

RayO

· #11 · Apr 8, 2005

One more quick note while thinking of it:
the oil pressure is normally not quickly fluctuating like the errattic guage reading you are describing. If it is jumping all around up and down it is unlikely the oil pressure could rise and fall that way; that is why I go with the electrical decision!! Good luck.

Geezer

· #12 · Apr 12, 2005

Ricky:

Any luck finding out the oil pressure problem??

Geez

Bryan Ward

· #13 · Apr 13, 2005

Ya Ricky, good time to check out your oil pressure while your bike is apart and your parts are at the painter for the next 90 days :wink:

Green Bean

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 13, 2005

Thanks guys....no not yet, I actually completed disassembling the bike Monday evening and yesterday evening bubble wrapping and packing boxes with the body parts. I'm going to UPS today with the boxes. I haven't had time to look at the oil pressure problem. I'm not a talented wrench and really, the only thing I know to do at this point is change the oil and filter. That seems to be the first step. If that doesn't solve the problem, then I'll check for electrical problems.

Question: Does the oil pump have a screen on it and could it have a small amount of debris that could be causing problems when the bike is not sitting perfectly level?

V8GRUMPY

· #15 · Apr 13, 2005

Ricky,

The tranny filter is a metal screen but it would take a ton of debris to plug it. I would bet you're going to find a loose ground, or a bad connection at the gauge or a loose connector at the sender.

The fact that the pressure "settles in" once you move the bike upright would indicate either a connection issue or low oil level.

Good luck.

Tim

Adrian

· #16 · Apr 13, 2005

GRUMPY said:
Ricky,

The tranny filter is a metal screen but it would take a ton of debris to plug it. I would bet you're going to find a loose ground, or a bad connection at the gauge or a loose connector at the sender.

The fact that the pressure "settles in" once you move the bike upright would indicate either a connection issue or low oil level.

Good luck.

Tim

Grumpy

TRANNY FILTER???

You got tranny on your mind.

Adrian

V8GRUMPY

· #17 · Apr 13, 2005

Adrian,

I think it's "oldheimers".......

Either that or it's because I'm already thinking about this being "friday" for me and want to go home :lol:

Ricky.......never mind about the filter comment

Tim

Dean

· #18 · May 17, 2005

Oil pressure problem

Ricky

Just reading your post re. oil pressure problem. I just got my bike back together last week end (new paint job) and fired it up. all the gauges worked except the oil pressure. I inquired to some of my wrench turning friends, and they said that a pressure gauge will either fluctuate or not work at all if the sending unit is bad. I unscrewed the sending unit and screwed a mechanical gauge in its place (like is on my Harley) and found I had steady oil pressure. You might try the same procedure to see if your oil pressure still fluctuates.

Does anyone know a part number for a replacement sending unit?

Thanks
Dean

crazymf

· #19 · May 17, 2005

Here's a tidbit for you coming from an electrical maintenance dude. It's human nature to ASSUME there's a problem with the system that is telling you there's a problem with your oil pressure. You need to eliminate that assumption first. So, I would get a manual guage and screw it into the sender hole to make sure you actually have pressure. It's easy to do.

After that at least you aren't going to lose an engine while you troubleshoot your other thing. Mind you, if there actually wasn't pressure, you'd hear it soon enough in the top end.

I had that exact problem with my 78 Silverado. It was a sender unit.

I should try reading the previous post first before I start repeating things, sorry, I missed that.

barbarianthemadserb

· #20 · May 17, 2005

Ya, I agree that it is the electrics problem. If it were me, I would check all connections first. Then start the bike on the side stand and giggle each wire at the wires and also twist at the actual connections while watching the guage. If that don't help, install that mechanical oil psi guage just to make sure. Then I would change the sending unit. My gut feel it is not the actual oil pressure but the electrics or ground stuff. You can even take a piece of wire and make a connection between oil psi guage housing
and direct to battery ground and that would at least tell you if it were a bad ground somewhere.
Milos

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.