Yesterday, after about a 100 mile ride my oil light came on just a half a mile away from returning home. I pulled into the garage and ran the rpms to about 1500, and the oil light flickers and then goes out. I continue to hold the engine at that rpm and the light still remains out, until I let go of the throttle. Then the oil light comes back on again. I did this a couple of more times and it repeats exactly the same way. After shutting it down and checking the oil level, it showed to be down maybe a 1/4" from the full mark. I topped off the level and started the engine again, running up the rpms once again and holding the throttle at that level for about a minute. Same scenario. The engine sounds normal with no clicking or abnormal mechanical noise. Is my oil switch getting stopped up, or the screen in front of the intake of the oil pump, also? I`m afraid to ride it anymore. If it wasn`t pouring down rain today I would put the bike on the trailer and take it to the dealer. I have an extended warranty, but I wanted to know if there was something simple I could check before doing so.

I bought this bike used last December. The engine had just been rebuilt to the point of the cases being split and a new crankshaft and bearings installed. EVERYTHING was replaced in the engine. The previous owner had abused it to the point that the MoCo had to do a complete overhaul. It had 17K on the old engine. It now has over 31K on the rebuilt engine. The engine has always run strong, and still does.

 

I suspect that there is nothing wrong. Your motor should idle between 900 and 1100 rpms; most like them to idle to the high side for benefit of the battery. Hook up an oil pressure gauge and check the pressure. Many early models would only show 3psi at idle and it is not uncommon for the oil light to flicker depending on the sensitivity of the pressure sender. I would bet that if you replace the sender the oil light issue will go away but I would put a gauge on it and check the pressure first. JMHO.

 

Well, I hope you`re right, but it hasn`t done this before. However, when it was really hot this summer and sitting in traffic, the idle got just below 1K and the oil light began to flicker. It went away quickly as soon as the rpm got to 1K. Once the engine cooled a little and I`d pull up to a light the rpms would be normal @ 1K-1100, and the oil light would remain out. But now that difference happens at more than 2K before the light goes out, and it flickers and comes on again at about 1500 rpm. So how do I go about the replacement of the sender, and where would I find a place to put an oil gage?

I just checked my service manual and located the sensor near the oil filter. `Gonna remove it and see if there`s any gunk or tensioner bits on it.

 

You would hook up a standard pressure gauge at the sensor location; not a permanent install, just temporary to check pressure. The sensor is PN 26561-99 and about $10, cheap to replace and see if the problem goes away.

If you want to permanently install an oil pressure gauge, check the link.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/store...sure-gauge-kit

That is the H-D kit but there are others available.

 

That sensor is in a bitch of a place right behind the front header pipe. No room for an end wrench (the service manual calls for a 15/16"). A standard socket isn`t deep enough due to the electrical connector pin sticking out from the sensor, and a deep socket won`t fit into that spot. Plus, the outside of that sensor is shaped weird in such a way where a 6 point socket won`t work either. Is there a special wrench to get this sensor out? There aren`t but a couple of threads showing, so I know this is in there pretty tight and it`s a 1/4" pipe connection (tapered). Help!

 

Don't know what exhaust you are running but you may have to remove the pipe to give yourself some working room.

 

It's 15/16 12 point I think. Know the across flats is that since my wrench goes on. Mine has room for a 12 point box wrench but my pipes are stock. However I did not unplug it and try the 12 point. Last time I took one off my car I gave up and used a small vice grip since the socket did not appear to fit correctly. Not sure but it may take a special tool to fit.

 

Well, since I have a warranty I put it on the trailer this morning and took it to the dealer. I should know something late today or sometime tomorrow.

 

Update on the bike/shop findings: It was discovered that the bearings in the oil pump failed, and while the bearings had yet to come apart and thrash ***** throughout the engine, it was loose enough to affect idle rpm pumping. I was lucky enough that it happened just before I got the bike home from where I could trailer it to the dealer. They let me look at the parts that were disassembled, and I could see and feel how loose those bearings were in the oil pump. Everything else looked okay. The lifters looked barely used, as well as the cam lobes. I couldn`t see the cam chain tensioner, as it was covered up by other parts and a rag. I didn`t want to disturb those parts, since the mechanic probably had them placed a certain way in the box where they were contained. They`re gonna replace most of the parts in the cam chest, including the new high volume oil pump under warranty. The one thing I don`t get is why the bearings in an oil pump failed after only 14K miles of operation, and this was after a complete rebuild of the engine including splitting the cases and replacing the crankshaft and main bearings. Is this from junk Chinese parts or what? In my opinion an oil pump should be the most "bulletproof" item in any engine. This really sucks! It`s a good thing I bought the extended warranty, since after this repair I will be money ahead as far as what it would have cost me. I`m gonna keep this bike until the warranty runs out.

 

Oil pump does not have *****, so not really sure what you are saying. Just a guess but if you look how the thing goes together, the oil pump is not doweled to the the cam plate. The plate is however doweled. They have two tapered pins that they temporary screw in to align. Makes no sense to me. Only thing I can figure is it's to compensate for the crank run out. The crank coming thru there is a loose fit that drives the inner lobe. However if pump is offset and runout is enough, it binds. Can bind to a point that it will break on startup. Seen it on here. I also assume the wear you saw was the lobes in the aluminum housing. There is some play and it's measurable to determine if pump is worn. Could be someone had it in a bind and it wore the pump. Was it Harley stuff or aftermarket? Oil pumps are pretty tough but they do get unfiltered oil just like in a car. On the old EVO's, it was filtered one way but TC's is unfiltered since what is dumped in bag is unfiltered and that goes back to pump. I do not think it was the oil. Was the wear you saw the OD of rotor in the housing. It's actually very hard to see this wear. It can be as much as .004. Usually it's end wear in the faces that allows the oil pressure to drop which the inner rotor to outer maximum difference is .001 . However the whole assembly should stand proud .090 or so with the wave washer and two seal plates in place. Manual on the callout for low pressure says to replace pump if a new plate and washer does not fix it. Soft02 has a picture of this with his extreme wear at 100K plus miles I think. It was either sorry parts or workmanship. JUST MY OPINION.