oil light
- Thread starter Larry
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Larry said:
The 'red' light is not an oil pressure warning light. There is no oil warning light on a Commando as standard.
It is a charge control warning light.
So should go out when the engine is running above idle speed, so either the assimilator is faulty (quite common) disconnected, or not connected correctly? Or there may be a problem with the charging system? You may need to do some electrical checks to confirm this. Does the headlight brighten slightly when the engine is revved off idle? If so , there may not be any problem with the charging system.
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mike916sp said:
That certainly would give an indication of oil flow, at least in the scavenge side of the system, and also an indication of feed flow if a long enough watch of the oil return is maintained. However, evidence of 'oil flow' is no actual guarantee there is adequate 'oil pressure' which of course is important, low pressure from worn big-ends, the relief valve stuck open, rocker spindles orientated the wrong way or a leaking crankshaft seal would all reduce oil pressure but without having any affect on the oil flow rate.
So a check of oil pressure with a test gauge would give a better indication that the lubrication system was working correctly, in my opinion, although as this is a case of 'mistaken identity' -the red warning light not being anything to do with the oil system there is probably nothing wrong with the lubrication system anyway..
Ron L
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Keep in mind that in an engine with roller (or ball) bearings, oil flow is more important than oil pressure. An oil pressure gauge at the rocker arms will give the uninitiated some heart palpitations. When the oil is hot, the pressure can read as low as 2-3 psi at idle and only 15-20 psi at speed.
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Ron L said:
As I see it oil pressure is just as important if not more so, as the big-end plain bearings (and valve gear) are what is actually supplied with both flow, and hopefully, pressure, from the oil pump.
The main bearings rely on splash feed only. The big end bearings being far more likely to suffer first from any lack of lubrication pressure/flow than the main bearings, in my opinion.
Ron L
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I don't disagree, it is just that on a ball/roller bearing engine, maintaining that pressure (because of that splash/squirt lubrication) is like trying to keep it in a tea strainer. If you could tap an oil pressure gauge between the pump and crank, you would see more normal pressure. However, by the time the flow gets to the rocker feed, much of the pressure is lost.
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OK Ron L, only your initial reply appeared to suggest that oil pressure in a Norton Commando engine was of little importance as it was a ball/roller bearing engine? That's how I read it anyway, and I suppose could have been taken by others to mean that literally?
Larry ~
My alternator failed in peak hour traffic in Brunswick in Melbourne in 1996!
Well the battery expired.. but the Gods were looking after me as the bike conked out 500 feet from Union Jack Motorcycles.. ( Now tell me that was not divine intervention!)
AND there was no red light warning.. after the stator was replaced ~ I continued the journey and 600 miles down the highway the red came on ~
And as L.A.B. suggested the lights increased with revs ~ so in short I pulled out the assimilator and bounced it off the nearest wall !! (The aluminium can in the spring coil .. make sure you don't remove the trafficator can by mistake ! :lol: :lol: )
The bike still runs just fine ~ in fact never misses a beat !!
My alternator failed in peak hour traffic in Brunswick in Melbourne in 1996!
Well the battery expired.. but the Gods were looking after me as the bike conked out 500 feet from Union Jack Motorcycles.. ( Now tell me that was not divine intervention!)
AND there was no red light warning.. after the stator was replaced ~ I continued the journey and 600 miles down the highway the red came on ~
And as L.A.B. suggested the lights increased with revs ~ so in short I pulled out the assimilator and bounced it off the nearest wall !! (The aluminium can in the spring coil .. make sure you don't remove the trafficator can by mistake ! :lol: :lol: )
The bike still runs just fine ~ in fact never misses a beat !!
maylar
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Stuart SS said:
Bummer. In my experience the warning light assimilator is pretty reliable, though of questionable value. It's just a relay connected across the alternator winding ahead of the rectifier. Theory is that if the alternator fails (below about 6vac) the battery will illuminate the warning lamp.
I've had it in mind to design a solid state replacement that actually senses charge current. Maybe some day...
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Stuart SS said:
Works OK for me?
Try the home page: http://www.aoservices.co.uk/ and look for Battery Status Monitors.
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