Oil light keeps coming on!

1620 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by paralleltwin, Mar 14, 2011

paralleltwin

Discussion Starter · Mar 14, 2011

I just found this forum! I've been riding an '81 GL500 for alittle over a year now, and love it!

Going to work yesterday morning(early) the bike bogged down on me. I pulled in the clutch and she stalled, then the oil light came on. The light stayed on and she wouldn't restart. I got the bike home(finally) and drained the old oil and replaced the filter(about a 1000 miles overdue). Once everything was done I started her up, however after several minutes the oil light came back on and she stalled again! The Clymer manual indicates either low oil level or an overheating issue. Any ideas from you folks?

This is my daily ride and I need to get her back up and running soon! Thanks.

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

Blindstitch

· #2 · Mar 14, 2011

Usually the oil has to get really low for the light to come on for low oil. We're talking maybe 1/2 quart in the bike low.

The oil pump is a very simple part. It is driven by a chain in the engine. To do a manual and possible dirty check to see if the oil light is flaking out on you remove the valve cover from the engine with the light one. It will be pretty clear if the oil is pumping.

We have had some odd cases with oil lights acting up in odd ways that never had an answer. A few people did troubleshooting for a few days and somehow ended up dropping the bike and the light went out/works correctly. Lit with the key on and then goes off when the bike is running.

See less See more

Save

Dash

· #3 · Mar 14, 2011

Welcome to the CX/GL500 forum.

You might have an ignition switch or kill switch issue and not an oil issue. On a properly working CX/GL500, when you use the kill switch and leave the key in run position, the oil light should be on. It goes off when the motor begins running assuming everything is in good working order and oil level is proper. Oil light comes on again if the bike stalls, regardless of oil level.

Try dousing the ignition switch and kill switch liberally with contact cleaner while working them back and forth. Could also be other electrical connections that are either corroded or connections that are lazy and loose.

Save

Shep

· #4 · Mar 14, 2011

When you drained the oil did you check it for any metal flakes?

Save

Reg in Bristol

· #5 · Mar 14, 2011

"she stalled, then the oil light came on.

The light stayed on and she wouldn't restart."

That sounds like normal oil light behaviour

"Once everything was done I started her up, however after several minutes

the oil light came back on and she stalled again!!"

That sounds ominous.

How much oil was in there before you changed it?

If you ran on low oil and damaged a bearing then no amount of oil changes

will help I'm afraid.

As Shep says, if there are flecks in the old oil and filter you may be looking

at major repair.

have you checked your coolant level?

(In the radiator, not the bottle)

See less See more

Save

paralleltwin

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 14, 2011

Sorry about the slow response, I just got home. Shep, there was no flakes as far as I could see, and I was looking pretty hard fearing some major damage. I haven't tried to start it yet today. After dinner I will try and see what happens! Thanks

Save

Shep

· #7 · Mar 14, 2011

paralleltwin said:
Sorry about the slow response, I just got home. Shep, there was no flakes as far as I could see, and I was looking pretty hard fearing some major damage. I haven't tried to start it yet today. After dinner I will try and see what happens! Thanks

Hopefully that's good news but I'm concerned about the bike starting and dying.It could of course just be a fuel restriction but the oil light coming after a few minutes is not a good sign.How many miles are on the bike/engine?

Save

bear351c

· #8 · Mar 14, 2011

Could be a spun bearing, hope not. Also check the black/white wire (kill switch) it runs along the frame and under the seat. It may have rubbed thru the insulation.

Save

paralleltwin

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 14, 2011

It's probably got around 30-35,000 miles. The speedo and tach and odometer are all broken. I haven't had the extra money to replace those yet.

The two boys that owned the bike before me were pretty rough. The last guy rode it for close to year with gunked up carbs!(he didn't know anything about bikes).

Save

Shep

· #10 · Mar 14, 2011

paralleltwin said:
It's probably got around 30-35,000 miles. The speedo and tach and odometer are all broken. I haven't had the extra money to replace those yet.

The two boys that owned the bike before me were pretty rough. The last guy rode it for close to year with gunked up carbs!(he didn't know anything about bikes).

That doesn't bode well IMHO.It could be worn big end shells.I know it sounds bad but it may be better to look for a running engine.You may well have caught the engine in time to just renew the big-end shells/bearings but it's a big job and the shells are becoming scarce.

Save

paralleltwin

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 14, 2011

Shep said:
That doesn't bode well IMHO.It could be worn big end shells.I know it sounds bad but it may be better to look for a running engine.You may well have caught the engine in time to just renew the big-end shells/bearings but it's a big job and the shells are becoming scarce.

Thanks Shep, and on top of that I just tried starting her up and it sounds like the starter is wanting to go too!

As far as it being a big job, that's not that big of a deal for me. I'm right in the middle of rebiulding my dad's old '59 Triumph T110 Tiger. That was a basket case(thanks Dad!) and has been a real pain in the butt.

Where's a good place to try to find those bearings?

Save

1 - 11 of 11 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.

Top Contributors this Month