Pressure Switch

[bullionz]

 

Oil Pressure Switch

Hi, the switch on my V11 Sport gave up, it no longer closes the circuit when stopped. I read somewhere here that an automotive one will fit. Anyone have any idea which vehicle and a part No?

[gstallons]

Mmmm. There is a segment w/a list of part #s and interchangeable parts . Let me try to find it . Surely someone better than me will come across quickly too . 

[docc]

1 hour ago, gstallons said:

Mmmm. There is a segment w/a list of part #s and interchangeable parts . Let me try to find it . Surely someone better than me will come across quickly too . 

There is brief discussion of the oil pressure switch in the Encyclopedia of Compatible Parts (pinned topic in "How To . . ."), but no alternative was posted.

The OEM part number is 17768750 (or GU17768750) in some search systems.

Otherwise, it may come up as a Fiat or Lancia part  . . .

[PhillipLarsen]

I replaced the oil pressure switch recently during 20 year maintenance project, got one from MG Cycle for about USD 12.00

[Weegie]

The oil pressure switch doesn't have a particularly good reputation when it comes to reliability. That said failure rate is probably low overall, if you consider all the models that run that switch. It was in use for a very long time

The question is what do you do if out on a ride and the switch decides to fail? 

I'd immediately kill the engine and coast to halt, hoping there was somewhere in the vicinity I could get the bike safely off the road. At best that would leave me stranded or a very long wait for a recovery service to rescue me.

I've no empirical evidence, but have been told you probably have a minute or two before the engine will incur serious damage. Call me over cautious but I'd also be freaking out at the possibility of engine seizure.

Many advocate against installing a pressure gauge, I did and this was one of the scenarios I envisaged.

I also installed an aftermarket switch which I teed off from the gauge line.

The probability of this event occurring is very low, it's just one of these things that I'm OCD about

I'll get ma coat

[audiomick]

16 hours ago, Weegie said:

...(I)... have been told you probably have a minute or two before the engine will incur serious damage.

Surely not from a failed oil pressure switch, at least not an electrical failure thereof. If it fails, it just stops switching the oil light. As far as I know, a failure wouldn't have any direct effect on the oil pressure or system.

An oil pump failure, or a failure of the device that regulates the oil pressure, may incur rapid and serious damage, and if such a failure occurs when the oil pressure switch is broken, you probably wont know it is happening until the motor seizes.

So riding without a working oil pressure warning system is risky, but can't see how that alone could cause damage.

Edited 8 hours ago by audiomick

[gstallons]

6 hours ago, bullionz said:

 

Oil Pressure Switch

Hi, the switch on my V11 Sport gave up, it no longer closes the circuit when stopped. I read somewhere here that an automotive one will fit. Anyone have any idea which vehicle and a part No?

How 'bout you explain the reason for your question ? We will be able to help answer you .  First , check the oil level !  

 If the light is staying on after you start and you are concerned . unplug the wire , turn the key on and touch the wire to ground , the light should go out. These are a n.o. switch and when pressure builds it closes and the light goes out.  If this works go to the next step

 To verify flow , remove the switch and put a bunch of shop towels over the hole and crank the engine . If oil sprays out . Get ready for the volume , it may be a squirt and it might spray onto the wall. You're on your own w/this test.   

If no oil comes out , maybe the oil filter has spun off .  

Warning , these filters come loose . So get ready . This light and your attention means everything !

[Weegie]

12 hours ago, audiomick said:

Surely not from a failed oil pressure switch, at least not an electrical failure thereof. If it fails, it just stops switching the fuel light. As far as I know, a failure wouldn't have any direct effect on the oil pressure or system.

I understand your point but forgive me, I think you missed mine.

You are of course correct that the switch and its associated dash warning has zero impact on engine function or health

It doesn't stop switching the fuel light AFAIK but illuminates the dedicated low oil pressure warning light

BUT

If it illuminates when out on a ride, how can you tell if the fault is with the switch or the system?

Without any verification it would take a braver rider than me to ignore the warning and just ride on and if you do then what's the point of the warning light in the first place?

The 2 v/v engine's oil system is very reliable (the most common problems have already been pointed out by @gstallons ). 

One thing that shocked me about the BMW R9T I own, it has no low oil pressure warning whatsoever

[audiomick]

3 hours ago, Weegie said:

...It doesn't stop switching the fuel light AFAIK but illuminates the dedicated low oil pressure warning light

Oops, missed one. As I wrote that post, I caught myself writing "fuel light" every time I thought "oil light". Don't know why. Of course the oil pressure switch illuminates the oil pressure warning light, not the fuel light.

As to the rest of your post, of course, if the oil light comes on during a ride, stop immediately, no question.

As I was writing, I had @bullionz 's words in my mind:

20 hours ago, bullionz said:

 

Oil Pressure Switch

...the switch on my V11 Sport...no longer closes the circuit when stopped.

Which I take to mean that the oil lamp is not lighting with the ignition on but the motor not running. With the failure that way around, the light would fail to warn of a loss in pressure rather than give "fake" warnings.

@gstallons :

Quote

These are a n.o. switch and when pressure builds it closes and the light goes out.

are you sure about that? Looking at the wiring diagram I have here, I would assume it is a normally closed switch that opens when pressure builds up. 

The oil pressure warning light gets 12V from the lighting relay, along with high/low beam, horn, brake light switches, generator and fuel lights and the tacho. After the oil pressure warning light, the connection goes through the oil pressure switch to earth.

So when the switch is closed, the light will be on. Or am I missing something?

I'm looking at the diagram on page 459 of this document:

https://guzzitek.org/gb/ma_us_uk/1100/V11_1999-2003_Atelier(Compil-GB-D-NL).pdf

Edited 8 hours ago by audiomick

[Weegie]

@audiomick nope missing nothing at all on operation, that's my understanding too.

I'm also reading your interpretation of the OP's symtoms as correct, not unusual to become confused on how the switch functions

I once experienced a short after washing my (now sold) Daytona and the low pressure light stayed on after starting, rather quickened my pulse at the time.

[gstallons]

Call me wrong. The oil press. switch is n.c. as in normally closed.  I turned the key on and the oil light was on. Removed the wire and the light went out.  

[audiomick]

14 minutes ago, gstallons said:

... Removed the wire and the light went out.  

And if you touch the wire to the engine casing, the light will come on, right?

I reckon I read that somewhere as being the way to check if the switch is buggered, or the light bulb. If the light still works that way, it is the switch.

Edited 58 minutes ago by audiomick

[gstallons]

Should have added that to it. Touch the wire to the head and the light came on. w/KOEO.

 Attach the test light to + battery post and to the tip of the switch and light came on to prove the switch is n.c.=normally closed. 

[gstallons]

Now , if bullionz will come back on and join the conversation......... we will finish this up .