| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
After changing oil yesterday (Mobil-1 15W50, Buell filter) the oil light stays on. I've changed the oil many times before with no problems. Now I can't get to work this morning. I'll do a search, but I seem to recall the oil pump is a weak point...true? Well, she's been absolutely bulletproof (15K miles) until now. Oh, well. | ||
| Whodom |
Dr_greg, It's the gear that drives the oil pump that's the weak point. It seems unlikely that it failed coincidentally with an oil change, but I suppose it's possible. I've heard it's possible for the oil filter to get "air bound" after an oil change but I have no experience with that. You can try loosening the filter slightly with the engine running to let the air out. If you see oil flow pretty quickly that'll confirm the drive gear is OK. Retighten and then clean up the mess. The oil pump drive gear is fairly easy to check: disconnect the flexible oil line from the outlet of the oil pump (45 degree flare fitting) on the forward side. Remove two socket head cap screws and drop the pump down out of the engine case. Point your digital camera at the hole and take photos, rotating the engine a few degrees between each photo (use starter or put bike in high gear and turn wheel by hand). The gear is on the crank and tends to wear the teeth on one side to a knife edge. Eventually they break off. This happens on some bikes while others never have the problem. Was more common on tubers but is not unknown on XBs. You may want to pick up a new oil pump gasket to use for the reassembly. Check the KV for more info. Buell has an upgraded bronze gear that is supposedly much more durable than the original part, but I'm pretty sure your Uly came from the factory with this gear installed. If the bronze gear failed, yours may be the first. Hopefully it'll turn out to be an air locked filter. | ||
| Thunderbox |
The oil pump gear has been updated to the Heavey Duty one on all the Buells for 2006. I doubt the gear went when you changed oil. Check and see if the wire came off the sensor. I wouldn't run the bike till you know for sure just to be safe. | ||
| Debueller |
Did you manually fill the new oil filter with oil before installation? The manual specifically mentions that. It's very easy to do....the filter screws on with the open end up. Simply pour oil into the filter untill it's full, then screw it on. | ||
| Wademan |
Dont get discouraged Dr Greg. Its got to be something simple man. Have faith. I hate reading about people having problems with their buell and getting discouraged. Brings a tear to my eye. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Well, wipe the tear from your eye, because it was a bad contact at the sensor connection. It was a coincidence that it happened right after I changed the oil (darned coincidences!) I wiggled it, started the engine, and the light went off. So then I tried to clean it as best I could. I've never had that connection apart before. Many years ago I mounted an oil pressure gauge on my '92 Ducati 900SS; might be nice to do that on the Uly as well (10-17 psi, so need a low-pressure gauge). If I do fit a gauge I'll tell all about it. BTW, I follow the whole drill when changing oil (4 oz. in the filter, etc.) Only thing I don't do is torque the drain plug like the manual says (I use the German spec of "gutentite"). | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Have you ever heard of the German word: HugenGrossenBigenFatenUgly. Lot of those type coming out of all the burger joints around here. | ||
| Xbimmer |
Dr_greg, don't you just love the simple fixes? Fixed my daughter's Audi A4 yesterday after I was quoted several hundred dollars for diagnoses and repair from a few shops. Fixed for less than $60 with seat-of-the-pants-shadetree intuition. Love it!  Good for you, ride on! |
