Z1OwnersClub GB

Hi all.

In Z1B resto mode at moment. Completed the engine recently, filled it with oil and ran it on the starter for a minute in the hope of seeing the oil pressure light go out. It did and I was very happy. Since then it has not happened again. The light came back on again shortly afterward and has remained so; I cannot detect any oil in the oil ways now. I have removed both plugs in the oil ways and turned it over again expecting oil to spu out but nothing. The oil level in the glass drops when engine turns over suggesting it is pumping alright and there is oil in the oil filter.

Am I right in expecting the oil to be circulating at effectively 'starter motor revs' or have I missed something? Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks.

Stewart.

Think that they are only a few lbs oil pressure. Have you checked the wire to the pressure switch is good and tight connection?

warren3200gt wrote:Think that they are only a few lbs oil pressure. Have you checked the wire to the pressure switch is good and tight connection?

+1

remove the wire from the switch & the light should be off ? if it stays on the wire is going to earth. if you have stripped the motor is highly unlikely to be the pump or the pump strainer its likely to be the switch

I had the same problem with my A4. Eventually put in a new oil pressure switch and that cured it

It was the light that alerted me to a potential problem, but what concerns me more than the light itself is the fact that there appears to be no oil at either inspection plug and when the motor is turned over there’s nothing visible there either. Would you all have expected oil to pump out of those with just starter motor pressure/revs?

Certainly will check the switch again - be thrilled if it really was only that.....

Stewart.

They have low pressure pumps and need to be spinning faster than what the starter can manage, really needs to be started up, make sure you have oil on the cams and bucket areas before you fire it up.

the light should go out when spinning the motor over on the starter for about 5 seconds even without the engine started

kev edwards wrote:They have low pressure pumps and need to be spinning faster than what the starter can manage, really needs to be started up, make sure you have oil on the cams and bucket areas before you fire it up.

That sounds hopeful.. thanks.

z1bman wrote:the light should go out when spinning the motor over on the starter for about 5 seconds even without the engine started

Mmm that’s what I was afraid of... ok. Step one, change switch.

I went through this when i span up a rebuilt z1000 engine on the bench to check for oil feed to the head. I had the same, no oil in the gallery that runs across the barrels.

When i removed the oil pressure switch and spun it over there was nothing for a second or two then it burped oil all over my nice clean motor, then all was fine, oil supply to the cams etc.

I think that the pumps struggle to prime up at cranking speed on models with oil pressure switches if the engine has just been built. Probably it primes just fine when it starts up. If you'd rather your oilways are all full up before 1st start try removing the pressure switch and cranking her over.

Olly

The very same thing happened to mine this year when i had the top end off, also the same on previous bikes, like i said in my previous post oil up the top end before firing up and it will be fine

The pump and gauze seems to hold the oil in it quite well, I remember removing the gauze from a drained engine whilst lying in my back and getting a face full, wanted to clean out sump pan and gauze on a Z1.
On start up I was mindful of this and kicked it over to prime the pump, this soon became apparent that it was not going to work well after trying for ages, pressed starter, still no joy. Thinking that there must be some oil flapping about by now fired her up for a few seconds, oil light went out almost instantly and all was well. It seems that the pump needs a bit of omph to prime and once primed stays that way.

I had similar on an elr engine after rebuild, removed and refitted oil filter and all was good, air lock?

Are you sure the o ring (I think it's 91mm) is correctly in place between the sump pan and the lower crankcase.? You will fail to get oil pressure if it's missing or damaged. Easy to check by removing sump pan.