| Author | Message | ||
     Opto |
I rarely ask for help but this time something has gone strange. Dropped the engine oil after a ride, but was tired and it was late so didn't refill the oil tank for a week and a half. Was working long hours and changed the oil filter a week later after the oil was refilled. Then fired it up keeping an eye on the oil pressure light which would normally go out after 3 seconds following a service but this time it didn't within 10 seconds. I shut the engine down, disconnected the injectors, cranked a fair bit more but the oil pressure light will not go out. I fear the oil lines might neet bleeding. Anyone got any suggestions or ever experienced this? I have done similar on the Lightning (not immediately refilling the oil tank) and have never had problems. Any advice appreciated. | ||
| Hans |
Did you fill the filter half with oil? Hans | ||
| Dr_greg |
I had the same thing happen after a routine oil change (no 1.5 week delay on mine). Turns out the electrical connector on the front of the case wasn't making contact. I removed/cleaned and it was OK. It was apparently a coincidence that the connection acted up just after the oil change. Hasn't happened since. | ||
| Davo |
Opto, I had it happen when I decided to discard my new oil filter because of some irregularities. After I took the time to go and get another filter I think I developed an air lock in the sender. The engine started and the oil light stayed on for 10-15 seconds I turned it off and tried again and the light went out after an alarming amount of time. The engine had oil pressure because it would have sounded like a bag of rocks without oil pressure. The lifters alone would have chased me out of the garage if there was no oil pressure. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
One thing you might check is the connector on the oil pressure sender. I had an intermitant oil light. Freaked me out. I just knew I dropped a pump. I rode for a whole two days with my eye on a little red circle. Turns out that I had a slightly loose battery connection that manifested at an oil light. Check both. | ||
| Opto |
Thanks for all the replies. After running the starter motor a few times to take out any air locks, I reconnected the injectors, engine started and immediately I hear hydraulic lifters without oil pressure so I immediately shutdown the engine.I've been working 6 days a week and only got to look at it again today. Dropped the muffler to loosen the oil feed line to the pump and there was oil feeding by gravity from the oil tank to the pump. I removed the oil filter and injected 120 cc of oil into the engine straight up the fitting that the oil filter screws onto, to try to get some oil back in the engine. Started the engine and saw oil pouring out where the oil filter would be, shut down the engine straight away. So I had a working oil pump with oil feed but no oil pressure. I am thinking the new oil filter I fitted is blocked at this stage, so I pulled out another brand new Buell oil filter P/N 63806-00Y dated 03/16/04 (I bought 6 of them last time - have 2 Buells) and have a look. I see a diagphram in the top, and try to blow and suck through the centre hole but nothing gives, no flow. Started poking at the edges and suddenly the seal lets go. Went right around all the holes and "broke" the seal, seems like the seal had stuck harder than it should. So I did that with the filter I had recently fitted (still full of oil), injected another 60 cc of oil up into to the engine, refitted the oil filter and fired up the engine and the oil light went out straight away. Big sigh of relief from me. The Uly oil light cannot come on if the wire is disconnected on my bike - I tried it, so if it doesn't go out it means no oil pressure or shorted oil pressure sensor. This was a new one on me, glad I got it sorted, feel a lot better now. Thanks again for the replies, it's nice to know you aren't alone and people do care! (Message edited by opto on November 19, 2006) | ||
| Jackbequick |
What Hans said. The service manual for the M2 says to put 4 ounces of oil in the filter when replacing it. I did that each time and the oil pressure always came up quickly. The "diaphram" (high pressure bypass) on the filter opens when the inlet pressure gets too high. In other words, when filter is getting clogged up and the pump is having trouble getting enough oil through the filter element. I think if you prime you filter you might not have the problem again. You can get about 5 ounces in still get the filter on without any spillage if the bike is on the side stand and leaning over a little. With a helper, you could put even more in and lean the bike over as you mounted it. Jack | ||
| Whodom |
Jack, I haven't looked at an XB oil filter, but I think what he's describing is an anti-drainback valve, which is different from the high pressure bypass valve. If the anti-drainback valve was stuck (assuming this filter has one), you couldn't get oil into the filter. It is hard to understand why the oil pump wouldn't develop enough pressure to force it open though. A stuck high pressure relief valve wouldn't cause a problem unless the filter plugged up. Whichever it was, since his filters had been sitting on the shelf for 2.5 years, I'd guess the rubber material of the valve adhered to the metal of the filter until he broke it loose. Sounds like a good thing to check before installing any oil filter. Hugh | ||
| Opto |
Jack, I always put as much oil into the filter as I can. The problem was there is some sort of annular rubber one-way flapper valve in the top of the oil filter and this was preventing oil getting into the filter as Hugh said, because it was stuck closed. Obviously the oil pressure at idle was not enough to pop it open. I had to free the seal with a blunt tool. Very unusual thing to happen I would think, but something I will be checking from now on. Have been doing services on my Sportster then Buells for 10 years and never had this happen before. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Okay, thanks for the details on that. I was using the Fram PH-65 filters on my M2 and they did not have anything like that. At least not that I can recall. Jack | ||
| Thunderbox |
What make of filter were you using that the rubber valve stuck. If you are using a Fram then good luck. They are the worst filter you can get. Stay away from them. Poor quality and poor workmanship too. | ||
| Jackbequick |
That was the original poster, Opto. He said it was a "brand new Buell oil filter P/N 63806-00Y dated 03/16/04". I didn't know the Fram filters were that bad. Is that a seat of the pants impression or based on some kind of comparison testing or something? I thought the real bad filters were the house brand/generic ones that all the quick oil change places use. Jack | ||
| Whodom |
Jack, A guy started a webpage 5 or 6 years ago when he had a Fram filter (on his car) let go internally and trash the bearings in his engine. IIRC, Fram said it wasn't their fault and he got curious about what caused it, so he started cutting brand new oil filters apart and comparing their construction. He found that filter can construction, filter end construction, and filter element construction vary from filter to filter. As far as the elements, his findings were that the elements in Fram filters had a pleated paper element (like all oil filters) but that the end caps that are glued to it are made of cardboard. Most filter manufacturers use metal ends. This is what has given Fram a bad name on the internet. IIRC, Fram raises the legitimate point that "Hey, the element is paper, what sense does it make to have ends that are 100X as strong?". I can see what they're saying, but my gut feel is that metal ends have to be better. Read more at the site: http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.ht ml |
