oil pressure warning light - help...
Discussion
01 Griff 500
Came back from a 600 mile round trip last night. Started it up this evening and the oil pressure warning light (little red oil can)stayed on. Switched off and checked the oil which was low... as in very low. Just filled it up with 3 litres of Shell Ultra (don't know how it got so low but I obviously don't check it often enough), started it up and the oil light is still on and according to the gauge there is no oil pressure - the needle is almost all the way to the left.
Does it sound like the oil pumps bust? Or might I have broken something big time do you think?
L.F
Came back from a 600 mile round trip last night. Started it up this evening and the oil pressure warning light (little red oil can)stayed on. Switched off and checked the oil which was low... as in very low. Just filled it up with 3 litres of Shell Ultra (don't know how it got so low but I obviously don't check it often enough), started it up and the oil light is still on and according to the gauge there is no oil pressure - the needle is almost all the way to the left.
Does it sound like the oil pumps bust? Or might I have broken something big time do you think?
L.F
Drop the sump & check the oil pick up, could be blocked. Sure you didnt have the light on when returning..
If I was you I would keep battery charged up, remove the fuel pump relay & king lead before cranking the motor again. A fully charged battery will happily crank the engine to show oil pressure before firing up and risking damage to your expensive engine.
Dave
If I was you I would keep battery charged up, remove the fuel pump relay & king lead before cranking the motor again. A fully charged battery will happily crank the engine to show oil pressure before firing up and risking damage to your expensive engine.
Dave
Thanks for the pointer. Just found the section in the Bible that refers to the oil pump and oil pressure
where Steve describes how letting the oil level get as low as mine did might lead to the oil pump needing to be primed.
I am certain that the red light was not on as I came up the drive and so sounds as if there was so little oil in the sump that the oil in the pump when I stopped ran out over night if that's possible.
Also he says that the 500 can consume a litre evry 500 miles which I certainly didn't reckon on.
L.F.
where Steve describes how letting the oil level get as low as mine did might lead to the oil pump needing to be primed.
I am certain that the red light was not on as I came up the drive and so sounds as if there was so little oil in the sump that the oil in the pump when I stopped ran out over night if that's possible.
Also he says that the 500 can consume a litre evry 500 miles which I certainly didn't reckon on.
L.F.
You must check your oil once a week 
Thanks for the advice.
Sent it to the garage on an AA low loader. Oil pump reprimed and I now have oil pressure.
Hopefully no lasting damage done but lesson learnt and I will now check that the oil level is up near the top mark every week.
Still don't really understood how the level got so low though.
L.F.
Sent it to the garage on an AA low loader. Oil pump reprimed and I now have oil pressure.
Hopefully no lasting damage done but lesson learnt and I will now check that the oil level is up near the top mark every week.
Still don't really understood how the level got so low though.
L.F.
LOCKHART FLAWSE said:
Thanks for the advice.
Sent it to the garage on an AA low loader. Oil pump reprimed and I now have oil pressure.
Hopefully no lasting damage done but lesson learnt and I will now check that the oil level is up near the top mark every week.
Still don't really understood how the level got so low though.
L.F.
Sent it to the garage on an AA low loader. Oil pump reprimed and I now have oil pressure.
Hopefully no lasting damage done but lesson learnt and I will now check that the oil level is up near the top mark every week.
Still don't really understood how the level got so low though.
L.F.
Cus you checked it every Three Months
petros said:
They certainly can use some oil, that's for sure. Just had mine stripped down and blue printed by Dom at power and have to check the oil regularly, doing approx a 1000 miles a month and using about half a litre of oil.
Hi Pete can you tell me what Blue Printing and stripped down means ? does that mean you have improved what you had in the first place and if so how.
Thanks
Paul
I believe commonly blueprinting is selecting from bins of similar components the ones that best mate/match to meet exact tolerances ~ rather than design sizes. (eg: what do you do if your bores are not equal?)
More work is probably done in balancing where weight is trimmed to ensure less vibration & reciprocating mass of fly/crank/rods/pistons (valvetrain?) as well as matching combustion chamber sizes.
I think most engine builders have their own versions of what extents they go to in each area - they are artists / craftsmen / magicians what you will. There is no definitive specification just a set of recipe guidelines I guess...
Dave
More work is probably done in balancing where weight is trimmed to ensure less vibration & reciprocating mass of fly/crank/rods/pistons (valvetrain?) as well as matching combustion chamber sizes.
I think most engine builders have their own versions of what extents they go to in each area - they are artists / craftsmen / magicians what you will. There is no definitive specification just a set of recipe guidelines I guess...
Dave
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