How long does it take for your oil light to turn off?

Working on a customer's bike today, and another of the great inconsistencies noted is the oil light shut off at initial startup. Some are immediate, and some are a few seconds after the motor is turning.

Without having a discussion about the inline filter, oil pump etc, cleanliness and because I'm not smart enough to make a poll. Let me know what your bike does when started up from cold.

Could it be filter brand ? Harley Sportster and dresser filters look the same and are the same size, but one has a disc to prevent draining back.
Just my 2 cents

Hi Lance , The last time I saw my oil pressure light on was when I changed my oil and oil filter . The oil filter was empty at start up . When I start up now , I never see the oil pressure light . I guess I should test it

Hey CG.

My oil pressure warning light illuminates immediately I turn the ignition on. It remains illuminated for approx 1 sec when the engine starts irunning, before going out.

mean gene said:

Could it be filter brand ? Harley Sportster and dresser filters look the same and are the same size, but one has a disc to prevent draining back.
Just my 2 cents

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The question isn’t about a fix or repair. The question is pertaining to start up just like Harley Davidson’s the oil pressure light is on until start up. The question was about timing when it shuts off after starting.

There are some of the 961 motorcycles we work on that have not had the check valve fix so they tend to wet sump and the light is on longer and others that I’ve had the check valve that the oil light goes off immediately when the start button is pressed

And the filter is a cartridge filter so there would be no way to do a check valve but there is a check valve mod that Ollie has offered

TonyA said:

Hi Lance , The last time I saw my oil pressure light on was when I changed my oil and oil filter . The oil filter was empty at start up . When I start up now , I never see the oil pressure light . I guess I should test it

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But I seem to recall you had a new oil pump installed which has the check ball in it correct?

City Garage said:

But I seem to recall you had a new oil pump installed which has the check ball in it correct?

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Yes , a new oil pump with the check valve .

Had later bikes take a while to clear the light as well. The last one I found the pressure relief valve wasn't quite seating correctly. Gave it a polish up on the wheels, and it worked perfectly there after with the lamp extinguishing much faster. The pressure switch is made by SMP, the same company that brought you the iffy cam sensors and coils .....Ive never replaced one of those yet, but its something else to keep in mind.

Stephen_Spencer said:

Hey CG.

My oil pressure warning light illuminates immediately I turn the ignition on. It remains illuminated for approx 1 sec when the engine starts irunning, before going out.

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Hi Steve , Yours seems exactly as it should be . I should check and make sure that my oil light is on when I turn the key on. I am away from my bike at the moment .

Stu Bodycote said:

Had later bikes take a while to clear the light as well. The last one I found the pressure relief valve wasn't quite seating correctly. Gave it a polish up on the wheels, and it worked perfectly there after with the lamp extinguishing much faster. The pressure switch is made by SMP, the same company that brought you the iffy cam sensors and coils .....Ive never replaced one of those yet, but its something else to keep in mind.

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Thats our experience as well. The bikes without the check ball tend to take longer to have the light go out from sumping

My bike - not started for about 3 weeks. Light took about 2.5 seconds to go out. On subsequent starts the light doesn't come on at all once the starter button is pressed.

(Norton anti wet sump valve removed and Ollie's installed instead).

TonyA said:

Hi Steve , Yours seems exactly as it should be . I should check and make sure that my oil light is on when I turn the key on. I am away from my bike at the moment .

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Went to my garage today and checked out my oil pressure light . It's just like Stephen says , oil light on with key on , and after starting about 1 maybe 1.5 seconds and its off .

Stu Bodycote said:

Had later bikes take a while to clear the light as well. The last one I found the pressure relief valve wasn't quite seating correctly. Gave it a polish up on the wheels, and it worked perfectly there after with the lamp extinguishing much faster. The pressure switch is made by SMP, the same company that brought you the iffy cam sensors and coils .....Ive never replaced one of those yet, but its something else to keep in mind.

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Hi Stu , I have my old oil pump in a box . I wondered if I might be able to salvage it ? The problem was wet sumping , not oil pressure or oil pressure light coming on. It was like this : After my anti-wet sump check valve was installed , I still got wet sumping but at a much slower rate. (My original pump with no check valve had my oil tank empty by morning). It would take a week or two to drop 10mm on the oil stick , but now with my new oil pump zero seepage through the pump to the sump . It was explained to me that there was too much tolerance in my old pump and oil was bypassing the check valve going straight to the sump . Any thoughts on being able to salvage my original oil pump ? Could I have been losing oil through the pressure release valve and do you think this can be repaired ? I think a new oil pump would be very expensive now.

TonyA said:

Hi Stu , I have my old oil pump in a box . I wondered if I might be able to salvage it ? The problem was wet sumping , not oil pressure or oil pressure light coming on. It was like this : After my anti-wet sump check valve was installed , I still got wet sumping but at a much slower rate. (My original pump with no check valve had my oil tank empty by morning). It would take a week or two to drop 10mm on the oil stick , but now with my new oil pump zero seepage through the pump to the sump . It was explained to me that there was too much tolerance in my old pump and oil was bypassing the check valve going straight to the sump . Any thoughts on being able to salvage my original oil pump ? Could I have been losing oil through the pressure release valve and do you think this can be repaired ? I think a new oil pump would be very expensive now.

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Hi Tony,

362,74€ last week at Ollie´s
much cheaper than Norton

TonyA said:

Hi Stu , I have my old oil pump in a box . I wondered if I might be able to salvage it ? The problem was wet sumping , not oil pressure or oil pressure light coming on. It was like this : After my anti-wet sump check valve was installed , I still got wet sumping but at a much slower rate. (My original pump with no check valve had my oil tank empty by morning). It would take a week or two to drop 10mm on the oil stick , but now with my new oil pump zero seepage through the pump to the sump . It was explained to me that there was too much tolerance in my old pump and oil was bypassing the check valve going straight to the sump . Any thoughts on being able to salvage my original oil pump ? Could I have been losing oil through the pressure release valve and do you think this can be repaired ? I think a new oil pump would be very expensive now.

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We have seen a few 961's without the valve, and they all wet sump between sitting a night and sitting a few days. Takes about three seconds to have the oil light go off.

The pump itself would be good to install on any bike, wet sump or not. The release valve would need to be held open to the sump so if the action isn't smooth then it could bind, but again checking that issue, the pump is still good. Of course, installing the Ollie check valve in the filter area or a check valve in the return line helps but does not solve all wet dumping issues. The oil pump design creates a problem not unlike the pre75 commando issue, so at least they are consistent!

As you stated, the new oil pump with a check valve and good tolerance makes for a good wet-sump minimized pump.

But I have never liked the small check valve after having the oil pressure issue on that one motorcycle we had in the shop that was being oil starved. The other issue is the inline filter. You create a choke point for oil flow by reducing the hose's diameter and fitting and then opening it back up.

I sent a parts request for a new pump a little while ago with no answer, so Im curious to get my hands on a new one to see if they changed the design or tolerances.

P.S. If you think about selling it send me an email!

@City Garage & @Stu Bodycote once the oil has been changed a few times and the inline filter found clear of factory cloth fibres etc., do you think it adds any real value?

cliffa said:

@City Garage & @Stu Bodycote once the oil has been changed a few times and the inline filter found clear of factory cloth fibres etc., do you think it adds any real value?

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I think if you have a few oil changes and have ridden some miles, it's fine to get rid of it if the filter shows nothing. So yes I'm fully in favor of getting rid of it. The micron of the mesh isn't going to stop anything from getting to the check valve

Now with that said, because the main oil filter is fiber, you might get some little specks caught up in the inline that look like tank scuz, but other than that I wouldn't worry about it.

The bad about the oil system and I think Voodooo has mentioned this prior is that the start-up oil pressure is really low, and the light only needs a few pounds to turn off. So if you have low oil pressure, you would know it unless you gauge it. This is also why having the idle at 1200 rpm is important to keep that pressure up

We also tried 20w-50, and there was no difference in oil pressure on start-up for those that use it. Personally, in hot climate 20w-50 is a great choice.

City Garage said:

I think if you have a few oil changes and have ridden some miles, it's fine to get rid of it if the filter shows nothing. So yes I'm fully in favor of getting rid of it. The micron of the mesh isn't going to stop anything from getting to the check valve

Now with that said, because the main oil filter is fiber, you might get some little specks caught up in the inline that look like tank scuz, but other than that I wouldn't worry about it.

The bad about the oil system and I think Voodooo has mentioned this prior is that the start-up oil pressure is really low, and the light only needs a few pounds to turn off. So if you have low oil pressure, you would know it unless you gauge it. This is also why having the idle at 1200 rpm is important to keep that pressure up

We also tried 20w-50, and there was no difference in oil pressure on start-up for those that use it. Personally, in hot climate 20w-50 is a great choice.

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Thanks CG.

Have you come across any better oil pressure switches?

cliffa said:

Thanks CG.

Have you come across any better oil pressure switches?

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The problem with most metric switches is that they are mostly made by SMP so we order a couple of different switches from BMW to see if we can get a better option. The reality is if the stock one works, then that's all you really need. Personally, one that has a higher low-end set point would be better. Most are 3-7psi.

Oil pressure is so important for the operation of the lifters etc, which helps keep the head oiled and keeps down on the wear as well

cliffa said:

@City Garage & @Stu Bodycote once the oil has been changed a few times and the inline filter found clear of factory cloth fibres etc., do you think it adds any real value?

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My returning customers inline filters are always completely clear tbh.
One other thing to pay attention to, on bikes before around spring 2016, is the oil line from the tank can kink under the fuel rail. Later frames have the oil line coming out from the tank at a 90° angle to sort this....known on Production as the dogs dick frame.