hello everyone. when riding my panhead a few months ago my oil light is always on. i change out the switch and it seem to work fine meaning...sitting a traffic light the oil lamp would pulsate a bit but when i took off the lamp would go out. now the lamp is always on and i looked im my oil tank and the return is working. i guess my question is, is the switch bad and do i have to replace it often. any help is appreciated. thanks.
-billy
oil pump wsitch and light.
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Re: oil pump wsitch and light.
Original oil pump? Don't worry about it. It's the worn pump shaft holes (races) in the pump body. Non-repairable. Snap the throttle off occasionally when you're riding it, which will force oil up to the rocker arms.
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Re: oil pump wsitch and light.
What type of oil pump do you have? ... stock or aftermarket?
Do you have your idle set low?
Does the continual oil light go off after you take off from a stop or is it continually on at riding speeds?
Oil lamps will often come on with OEM oil pumps at idle but should go out after you start to take off as the oil pressure will rise enough to trip the switch. If your oil lamp stays on contiually when riding, you have a problem. It could be the switch. I have a oil pressure gauge which I think is always better than having a light. If the light is on at idle and your oil pressure is below 10 psi, then that's pretty normal. However, when you are riding and your pressure gauge indicates 20 psi or greater and your oil lamp is still on....then you have a problem.
Do you have your idle set low?
Does the continual oil light go off after you take off from a stop or is it continually on at riding speeds?
Oil lamps will often come on with OEM oil pumps at idle but should go out after you start to take off as the oil pressure will rise enough to trip the switch. If your oil lamp stays on contiually when riding, you have a problem. It could be the switch. I have a oil pressure gauge which I think is always better than having a light. If the light is on at idle and your oil pressure is below 10 psi, then that's pretty normal. However, when you are riding and your pressure gauge indicates 20 psi or greater and your oil lamp is still on....then you have a problem.
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Re: oil pump wsitch and light.
my oil pump is original. the light stays on at riding speeds. i was told it was a bad switch or my bike you have burned up by now if i had no oil going to the motor. it's probably a bad switch.
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Re: oil pump wsitch and light.
..and the problem, in this case, would be the switch.(or the gauge)you are riding and your pressure gauge indicates 20 psi or greater and your oil lamp is still on....then you have a problem.
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Re: oil pump wsitch and light.
panhead55 wrote:my oil pump is original. the light stays on at riding speeds. i was told it was a bad switch or my bike you have burned up by now if i had no oil going to the motor. it's probably a bad switch.
Yup!