oil light

I just attempted to crank my bike after completing several jobs. When I press the start button. The oil light comes on and that's it. I just put 3 quarts in and changed the filter. What's going on? Does it need more than 3 quarts?

 

I don't know what 3 quarts is in metric but you should be able to check your oil level in the window if it's right. AFAIK the oil light comes on when you press the starter to show you that the bulb works.

This is still true (on my bike at least) if any part of the safety circuit is active, is the neutral light working? side stand up? clutch pulled? Kill switch to run? And all switches working?

If you believe that's all ok and safety circuit isn't stopping it cranking (you should hear the relay click under the seat when you switch the ignition on, probably easiest way to rule that lot out), then you could check the starter solenoid is getting a live feed when you press the button, with either a multimeter or test lamp wired between the small solenoid wire & ground

 

What were the "several jobs" you mentioned? You've disturbed one of the safety circuit switches.

 

When the condition you described occurs "Out of the blue" it's usually something SAFETY CIRCUIT related.

Of the SAFETY CIRCUIT malfunctions, ... one of the most common is the ACTIVATING ROD which controls the Side Stand Switch.

Place the Bike on the Center Stand.
Move the Side Stand Up and Down.
Observe the ROD which is supposed to move when the Side Stand is Up or Down.

That ROD often sticks or gets hung-up.
Put the Side Stand UP.
Grab the ROD and move it Forward.
See if the Bike runs.

IF it does.
Remove the SWITCH (Phillips Screws)
Extract the Activating Rod.
Clean the Rod.
CLEAN THE BORE the Rod goes through at the Pivot Point.
Clean it with Carb Cleaner and Q-Tips
After its Clean -- Refinish it.
ROLL-UP some 600 Grit Finishing Paper. (600 Wet-O-Dry)
Spray some WD-40 on the Paper.
TWIST it inside the Bore.
Once it shines ... reassemble the components.
LUBE the Bore and Section of ROD which travels within the Bore with Waterproof Synthetic Grease.
(You can get a squeeze-tube of H2O-proof Grease at a Bicycle Shop.

 

Don't put too much oil in it. Find out how much oil your bike should take with and without filter change. Add 2/3 that...warm bike to let new oil circulate. Shut down and allow new oil to settle. Read sight glass in clutch cover and fill to full level line. Hope this helps.

Gary

 

Ummm...

On most XJs, if the red "oil" light comes on when you press the starter button, it means the "safety circuit" is deployed. The bike thinks it's in gear with the sidestand down.

Is it in gear with the sidestand down?

If not, you may just have a safety circuit problem; the most common cause of which is the sidestand switch.

 

The sidestand switch was disconnected by the previous owner. It was a loose wire wrapped around the frame. I disconnected the wire from the clip in the electrical panel. Now I know why the previous owner left it.

I will probably just reconnect it and replace the sidestand unit, but could I cut off the clip and connect the two ends of the wire?

 

If you cut it and twist the wires together, you will never get your bike in gear. On mine the switch has to be open for you to put it in gear, so simply unplugging the side stand switch should be fine (Although can't say for sure, this bike had someone messing with the electrical at some point and I had to go through the whole harness to get everything working as it should, and better). On mine since I hate side stands (center stands foreva'!) I wired in a covered/protected toggle switch (it has a flip up hood over it to keep it from getting bumped) as an anti theft device, and located it over the air-box and under the electrical panel. Thought process was that if someone started the bike with an intent to steal it, it would stall when they went to put it in gear, and would hopefully get frustrated and leave. I was also thinking of removing my side stand completely, I never use it, the switch I had for it was the wrong switch and didn't reach the stand so it was pointless.

The side stand switch is there for a reason so if you use the side stand, its not a bad idea to have it wired in, otherwise you could find yourself with your bike on the ground.

 

Huh? Is this really a thing?

Never heard of that before, are you sure your clutch was adjusted right? :? 8O

 

Bypassing the Side-stand Safety Switch is subverting one of the most important safety features on the Bike.

It's cheaper to buy:
• A New Clutch Lever Switch
• A New Side-stand Switch
• Safety Circuit Relay ...

... than having to replace:
• Handlebars
• Mirrors
• Controls
• Turn Signal
• Fix huge dent in tank.
• 6-months of magazines to read while your broken leg heals.

 

I guess I could have worded that better, you won't get that bike in gear and running at the same time. On mine, if the switch is open this signal to my bike the side stand is down and attempting to put it in gear causes it to stall the engine. If the switch is closed, signalling that the stand is up, you can put the bike in gear and drive it normally.

The FZR750R I had for my first bike was the same way, switch was open (side stand up) you can ride, if the switch was closed (stand down) it wouldn't let you gear the bike.

I am going to keep watch on this thread though, sounds like something could be off with my bike as well I may have to look into.

 

If you take the side stand off and use the center stand I see no problem with removing the side stand switch as well. Although that isn't an option for everyone though. I did leave the circuit intact and it does function correctly (bike won't start if its in gear unless the clutch is in, etc.) and all I did was move the side stand switch and remove the side stand entirely. So everything is intact, and the side stand switch just gets input differently (from the rider enabling or disabling the switch as an anti-theft measure instead of a safety measure for the side stand) so it could easily be put back together, but without a side stand, why bother keeping the switch down there?

 

I get you now, sorry I'm tired & didn't register that's what you meant!

Rick, sent PM about another electrical thread

 

Umm, guys-- the way it's all supposed to work is this:

You can start the bike in gear, as long as the sidestand is up AND the clutch is pulled in.

You CANNOT start the bike with the sidestand down unless it's in neutral; drop it in gear with the stand down and the engine should shut off.

Trying to start it when it's in gear and the stand is down will illuminate the "oil" light when you mash the button.

That's when everything is working as it should. "False" signals from the sidestand switch, sidestand relay or neutral switch will cause mis-operation.