Slew of random questions and thoughts.

[ryanschoebel]

So, its been a while since I've posted. I've just been kinda stalking in the background.  Heres what has happened in the meantime with my FJ.

1.  I have an oil leak. Randy is going to facepalm, but i accidentally drilled into the block (not all the way, only partially) when trying to fix a sheared out bolt on my slave. Does anyone know any way to fix that, here at home? the best I've come up with through thought and research, is to pack it with JB Weld, and try and redrill new threads out of it. I had no running issues with it, but i want to fix it.

2. We recently had an unexpected rain, and i wasn't home to pull my bike in. In that rain, for some reason, my kickstand cutoff switch, which has never worked, suddenly started working. Should I be concerned about a short in the wiring? Or just thank whatever made it work, and leave it at that?

3. Due to said oil leak above, i had an issue where the low oil shutoff on the bike would not let me start it. I started it after not riding it for a week (after a previous week of heavy riding), and it was warming up, then suddenly cut out. I didn't know how much oil to add, so i added a full quart, and it been fine since. What should i look at, or be concerned about? I cant seem to get an accurate reading of my oil level, even following all the tips I've been able to find on here.

4. I'm sorry for the spam post haha. i just wanted to get some feedback, because my searches arent turning up much in the way of answers. Thanks in advance.

Ryan

[aviationfred]

So, its been a while since I've posted. I've just been kinda stalking in the background.  Heres what has happened in the meantime with my FJ.

2. We recently had an unexpected rain, and i wasn't home to pull my bike in. In that rain, for some reason, my kickstand cutoff switch, which has never worked, suddenly started working. Should I be concerned about a short in the wiring? Or just thank whatever made it work, and leave it at that?

4. I'm sorry for the spam post haha. i just wanted to get some feedback, because my searches arent turning up much in the way of answers. Thanks in advance.

Ryan

With the side stand switch I have some first hand knowledge of an intermittent problem. I found a short in the wiring right where the wires come out of the switch. I ordered a new one. Problem solved.


http://rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=M%2FC%3AKSS86-90

Fred

[aviationfred]

So, its been a while since I've posted. I've just been kinda stalking in the background.  Heres what has happened in the meantime with my FJ.


3. Due to said oil leak above, i had an issue where the low oil shutoff on the bike would not let me start it. I started it after not riding it for a week (after a previous week of heavy riding), and it was warming up, then suddenly cut out. I didn't know how much oil to add, so i added a full quart, and it been fine since. What should i look at, or be concerned about? I cant seem to get an accurate reading of my oil level, even following all the tips I've been able to find on here.

4. I'm sorry for the spam post haha. i just wanted to get some feedback, because my searches arent turning up much in the way of answers. Thanks in advance.

Ryan

Looking at my wiring diagram for an '89 model.there is no low oil shut off/cut off switch. The crankcase could be bone dry and the bike will still start. The low oil sensor is a single wire switch that goes to the main relay and then to the low oil light. My guess is that the starting problem was/is related to the faulty side stand switch.

You mention an inconsistency with your oil level reading/low level light. I would consider replacing the oil level switch. I looked on the RPM website and don't see one listed. I am sure Randy can get one. I checked another website and it shows that the switch is available from Yamaha.

Fred

[ryanschoebel]

Looking at my wiring diagram for an '89 model.there is no low oil shut off/cut off switch. The crankcase could be bone dry and the bike will still start. The low oil sensor is a single wire switch that goes to the main relay and then to the low oil light. My guess is that the starting problem was/is related to the faulty side stand switch.

You mention an inconsistency with your oil level reading/low level light. I would consider replacing the oil level switch. I looked on the RPM website and don't see one listed. I am sure Randy can get one. I checked another website and it shows that the switch is available from Yamaha.

Fred

Hey Fred, I have an 85, not an 89. But good to know. And i dont think its related to the sidestand switch, because its been working perfectly for about 3 weeks now. And the oil level light came on, then as soon as I added oil, the light went out, and the bike fired right up. I mean, you know more than i do, so maybe im drawing conclusions that arent there?

[CutterBill]

Had to think about this...
No, the oil level light is not tied into the ignition system in any way. There is no way low oil would cause your engine to not crank. However...

It is entirely possible that some previous owner was in there, hacking on wires and somehow got the oil level switch spliced into the side stand circuit. If this is the case, then low oil might indeed cause  a no-crank problem. It should NOT be that way, but...

You also mentioned that you don't know how to check the oil level? The Owner's Manual explains how to do this. (Put bike on center stand, look thru the little window.) You do have an Owner's Manual, right?

[ryanschoebel]

Had to think about this...
No, the oil level light is not tied into the ignition system in any way. There is no way low oil would cause your engine to not crank. However...

It is entirely possible that some previous owner was in there, hacking on wires and somehow got the oil level switch spliced into the side stand circuit. If this is the case, then low oil might indeed cause  a no-crank problem. It should NOT be that way, but...

You also mentioned that you don't know how to check the oil level? The Owner's Manual explains how to do this. (Put bike on center stand, look thru the little window.) You do have an Owner's Manual, right?

Hey Bill, yes i do have a manual. And to be honest, that makes sense. everything on this bike seems to be screwed up by the PO in one shape or another. And yeah, that seems like it should read oil level. IN a perfect world. I've never seen my oil at anything above over the sight glass, and completely under it, no matter how often i check. And that is putting it on centerstand, on a level surface, after warming the bike to run oil through all the chambers. Am i missing anything?

Thanks,
Ryan

[Sparky84]

And that is putting it on centerstand, on a level surface, after warming the bike to run oil through all the chambers. Am i missing anything?

I always Check oil when bike is cold,
warm oil for changing it.

[racerrad8]

So, its been a while since I've posted. I've just been kinda stalking in the background.  Heres what has happened in the meantime with my FJ.


3. Due to said oil leak above, i had an issue where the low oil shutoff on the bike would not let me start it. I started it after not riding it for a week (after a previous week of heavy riding), and it was warming up, then suddenly cut out. I didn't know how much oil to add, so i added a full quart, and it been fine since. What should i look at, or be concerned about? I cant seem to get an accurate reading of my oil level, even following all the tips I've been able to find on here.

4. I'm sorry for the spam post haha. i just wanted to get some feedback, because my searches arent turning up much in the way of answers. Thanks in advance.

Ryan

Looking at my wiring diagram for an '89 model.there is no low oil shut off/cut off switch. The crankcase could be bone dry and the bike will still start. The low oil sensor is a single wire switch that goes to the main relay and then to the low oil light. My guess is that the starting problem was/is related to the faulty side stand switch.

You mention an inconsistency with your oil level reading/low level light. I would consider replacing the oil level switch. I looked on the RPM website and don't see one listed. I am sure Randy can get one. I checked another website and it shows that the switch is available from Yamaha.

Fred

Here ya go.

Oil Level Sensor

Robert

[airheadPete]

Wait a minute, did I miss something?
You don't check oil after running the bike. You check it cold, on the centerstand, BEFORE you run the bike.
As soon as the engine's running, it sucks most of it out of the sump, emptying the sight glass.
Ergo: no reliable indication.

[ryanschoebel]

Wait a minute, did I miss something?
You don't check oil after running the bike. You check it cold, on the centerstand, BEFORE you run the bike.
As soon as the engine's running, it sucks most of it out of the sump, emptying the sight glass.
Ergo: no reliable indication.

Heres what  i was going off of.



According to the owners manual.....

A.Place motorcycle on centrestand (on a level surface) and warm up the engine for several minutes.
B.With the engine stopped check the oil level through the sight glass window (after allowing oil to settle for a few minutes)
C.The engine oil should be between the maximum & minimum marks.


On the sight glass there are two small marks adjacent to the window about 3/4 of the way up towards the top of the glass.This would be the indication for maximum oil level.The lower level is a line just below the bottom of the glass.

Posted by a member here, called flips, at this post (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=8865.0).

Is that not correct?

[FJmonkey]

That is what I do, I just fill to the top of the site glass and I am good for a few tanks.

[ribbert]

According to the owners manual.....

A.Place motorcycle on centrestand (on a level surface) and warm up the engine for several minutes.
B.With the engine stopped check the oil level through the sight glass window (after allowing oil to settle for a few minutes)
C.The engine oil should be between the maximum & minimum marks.

If that is in fact in the manual, it's wrong. Warming up the engine for a few minutes would barely take the chill off the oil and by running it you have just distributed thick oil all through the motor, it will be hanging off everything.
Hot oil is very thin and returns to the sump almost immediately when the motor is switched off. By the time you turn off your bike (hot) and put it on the centre stand, all the oil that is ever going to return to the sump will have already done so. Letting it then sit overnight and checking it cold will show a near identical level (to the eye, probably the same).

Oil takes a lot longer to reach operating temp than many realise, as those with gauges can attest to.
The low level mark on any window or dipstick is the amount of oil the engineers deem sufficient to provide 100% of the engines lubricating requirements, the oil between the lower and upper marks is reserve.
Oil level is not that critical as long as it's between the marks. Checking your oil level by any means other than the one described "in the manual" will be good enough.

Even more important than oil level is using the right oil.......

Noel

[Pat Conlon]

Yep, many folks think that their bike is warmed up when you take the choke off....not true.

[CutterBill]

Noel has it exactly right.