Oil and these cold temperatures

[silky666]

Probably my first ever post in the 'workshop' area.
So be gentle with me

R6 sat in garage for the past 2 months - not ridden.
Trickle charge on for battery (learnt that lesson last year).

Anyway, been starting it every now and then to make sure the engine warms up.
Went to do it this morning and the oil light stayed on ?
Turned the engine off ... and the oil light stayed on still.

Could it be the cold weather making the oil too thick ?
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There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

[crackpotterpi...]

no as cold engine oil will produce a higher pressure than warm oil,maybe faulty switch, check you level if your happy with that,check the wiring going to the oil switch if thats all ok,get a oil pressure gauge into the pressure switch port and check the pressure if thats ok the switch is knackered
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1990 jc20 nsr125-sold,2003 cg 125-sold currently no bike.........might get another 2 stroke me thinks much more fun

[Kickstart]

Hi

Most Yamahas use an oil level sensor rather than an oil pressure sensor. Check the oil level manually.

However if the oil is really thick (from being cold) then it will take longer to return to the sump from the head. That could create an artificially low oil level in the sump.

But first thing to do is a crackpotterpig says and check the level.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[yen_powell]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Tend to agree with you there. Regularly starting it is just putting on a load of extra cold starts and associated wear, and keeping the exhaust topped up with condensation to make it rot more quickly.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Blue_SV650S]

[Kickstart]

Hi

It is a silly amount of wear at startup, but I suspect some of the claims for it are the work lubricant company marketing departments.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Blue_SV650S]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Certainly.

Might be worth cranking the engine over slowly and gently to make sure everything is well covered in oil, but doing that with the starter button would add in the petrol.

Probably the best thing to do though is an oil change before putting the bike away. Gets rid of the oil (contaminated with acids from combustion) rather than leaving it to etch the internal engine surfaces.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[stinkwheel]

If the bike has a sight glass rather than a dipstick. A quick and dirty check of the oil feed system is to look at the oil in the glass as you press the starter.

The oil level should drop as soon as you hit the button. This means the oil is being picked out of the sump and pumped to the top end. Doesn't tell you how much pressure but certainly means the oil pump itself is working.

You shouldn't see temperatures in this country where the thickness of the oil reaches a point where it puts the engine at risk. I've seen diesel wax up on one occasion in my life. This is roughly the same temperature where normal engine oil takes on the properties of treacle.

That said, you probably have modern synthetic oil in that bike which you really don't need to worry about unless you are operating on the polar ice caps.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Blue_SV650S]

[stevo as b4]

I left my ZX6R in a Garage for 2years.

Only after i had sold it, i was told that the next owner had noticed that the bike seemed to puff out a light amount of blue smoke, which it never did in all the time i owned it. It only had 8k on the clock, and im convinced that leaving the engine sat still and not run for 2years, caused at least one or more of the rings to stick, and thus the high oil consumption. I always changed the oil every 2000m, and used fully synth, so i think i looked after it like a baby. But the storing it without running it for that time possibly ruined the engine?