Oil light on for a fraction of a sec as engine starts

[tmcafe]

I did my homework here on the oil light issues, but couldn't find this question answered (my apologies if I missed it). So,

 

sometimes when I start my bike (with the help of a bit of throttle), the oil light comes on for just a fraction of a second as the engine is starting. It's never more than that, and never comes on at any other time when the engine is running. I've noticed this happens if I grab a bit more throttle than usual. Starting faster may ease the load on the starter, but the oil light on even for a tiny fraction of a sec worries me. I'm thinking that maybe the engine revs faster than the oil pressure buildup for just that super brief moment. Love this bike and want to take good care of it Should I be easier on the extra gas when I'm starting the engine?

 

PS I do keep the engine slightly "overfilled" per our experts' recommendation to avoid oil starvation.

[gstallons]

The ONLY thing you can do is to install a manual gauge to the engine. Do this over the weekend and start it every 6 hrs. to see if you get the same results. Watch to see if the oil pressure goes up,down and then back up. Chances are you will not see anything to scare you.

[luhbo]

I'd suggest to bleed the switch. Loosen the switch and rev the engine with the starter (fuel pump fuse pulled) until oil comes out. Then quickly retighten it. Maybe this helps.

 

Hubert

[gavo]

normal, look at your car or any other engine with an oil light if the engine starts straight away the light will be on for a fraction of a sec. If you have to crank it abit it won't happen, 5 sec's I'd worry, try not to rev to much when first starting

[BRENTTODD]

normal, look at your car or any other engine with an oil light if the engine starts straight away the light will be on for a fraction of a sec. If you have to crank it abit it won't happen, 5 sec's I'd worry, try not to rev to much when first starting

 

 

I agree dont wind it up till the pump has a chance to move the oil upstairs. Give it a chance to make pressure

[dabore84]

I agree dont wind it up till the pump has a chance to move the oil upstairs. Give it a chance to make pressure

 

It's also a check that your warning light is working

[pete roper]

Chances are there is nothing wrong at all. The Guzzi motor has very short oil galleries and primes up in a very short period of time. While it is hard to see this with a V11 the older motors it is easy as pressing the starter doesn't take the idiot lights out. Within a couple of cranks the light will go out which means that oil, albeit probably not a lot and only at low pressure, has reached teh switch which is at the last point above the important bearings in the engine.

 

With anything to do with oil pressure though caution is the best approach as loss of oil delivery is always expensive! Just to be safe I'd try replacing the switch and checking that the oil filter is still tight as they are cheap and easy. Also spinning the motor over with a rocker cover off will soon allow you to see if there is any problem with oil delivery. Within a few seconds at most you should see oil seeping out around the rockers. If you just start the bike with the rocker cover off the oil's appearance should be pretty much instantaneous.

 

Pete

[Guest ratchethack]

Once every decade or so, someone promotes a "new breakthrough in automotive engineering" (nothing new about the idea wotsoever) of an auxiliary oil pump wired to the ignition that delays current to the starter motor while operating the oil pump long enough to build oil pressure before cranking. These things are fairly complex, fairly fiddly, fairly costly, and fairly well not worth the complexity, cost, and bother, but lots of people seem to get excited about it every time.

 

I reckon if the cost/benefit were of sufficient practical value, OEMs would embrace the concept by building it in, but to my knowledge none ever have.

 

I'm sure there've been more ridiculous aftermarket items than this that have sold very successfully, but I can't think of any right now.

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

[Tom M]

Once every decade or so, someone promotes a "new breakthrough in automotive engineering" (nothing new about the idea wotsoever) of an auxiliary oil pump wired to the ignition that delays current to the starter motor while operating the oil pump long enough to build oil pressure before cranking. These things are fairly complex, fairly fiddly, fairly costly, and fairly well not worth the complexity, cost, and bother, but lots of people seem to get excited about it every time.

 

I reckon if the cost/benefit were significant enough, OEMs would embrace it, but to my knowledge none ever have, and none have any such plans.

 

There have been more ridiculous aftermarket items than this that have sold very successfully, but I can't think of many right now.

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

 

Here's a product that's a little like you describe, except it isn't very complex, and probably could be adapted to a Guzzi if someone was real concerned with lack of startup oil pressure and/or loss of oil pressure while riding those looong wheelies . AFAIK it's pretty popular with the sports car racers.

 

http://www.accusump.com/accusump_tech.html