• Welcome to the Yamaha FZ6 Forums. Member registration disables ads and allows you to post and share. Register Here.

Oil light On

DeucePutts

DeucePutts

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
38
Reaction score
10
Points
8
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Visit site
Hello, I'm a potential FZ6 rider. I'm currently looking to purchase a 2007 FZ6. The seller(a close acquaintance) graciously let me take it out for some miles. I got on the freeway and everything was great. When I got up to the posted 70 MPH limit, the red oil light came on after about 2 minutes. I pulled off and when I was at slower speeds the light turned off. Got back on freeway and up to 70 same thing. Light came on. I slowed down to off ramp, light went off. I then check oil level and for leaks etc. The only thing that seemed "off" was the oil level was maybe a bit high. But, not outrageous. I was about 50 miles from home at this point, so I took back roads and never went above 65 MPH. The light never came on.

Back story on the seller. He has not been riding due to injury. but, he has started it up faithfully every month but that's really it. He admitted that the oil and filter are two years old. So, I will be starting with that.

Two questions:

1. Has anyone encountered this issue?

2. With the oil slightly high, could fuel be getting into the oil? If so, how is it getting in? I'm used to carbs, is this possible with F.I.

Thank you for the help. I'm really interested in this bike and hope that this is minor.

deuce
 
The oil light isn’t a level indicator, it’s a low pressure warning. It could be one of several minor issues, or a major issue. Also, oil pressure isn’t speed related, it’s rpm related. See if you can recreate the issue while holding steady rpm above 5,000 rpm.

The potential minor issues could be a poor connection at the sensor, a failing sensor, a clogged oil filter or contaminated oil. The potential major issue is a failing oil pump.

Starting a bike and not riding it like your friend has done is not good for the engine as it introduces moisture into the oil because the transmission never heats up. I would do a simple oil and filter change and see if the problem goes away.
 
The FZ does NOT have an oil PRESSURE SWITCH.

It does have an oil LEVEL switch

(part #10):

Yamaha Motorcycle 2007 OEM Parts Diagram for Electrical - 1 | Partzilla.com

Buy OEM Parts for Yamaha Motorcycle 2007 Electrical - 1 Diagram
www.partzilla.com www.partzilla.com

If your oil level was low, it should come on.

The switch simply bolts into the oil pan (header, as I re-call has to be removed for access).

Oil pressure can be checked MANUALLY, with the proper tools.

Might want to either help change out that switch and/ or test the oil pressure.

For the ride you did, (speed/miles) I suspect if you had no/super low oil pressure,
you'd been pushing the bike home...


From the Yamaha owners manual and Partzilla:






Capture 1.JPG









Capture.JPG
 
Thanks everyone for the reply. I did an oil and filter change for the seller. I also added a couple oz of seafoam(right or wrong) to the crankcase prior to the oil change and rode for 25 miles. Post oil change, I rode the bike back to the owner and tried to replicate the issue. I got rpms up above 6k and the light did not come on. So, I'm hoping that was it. But, I will be checking into the sensor as well.
 
Gary in NJ said:
The oil light isn’t a level indicator, it’s a low pressure warning. It could be one of several minor issues, or a major issue. Also, oil pressure isn’t speed related, it’s rpm related. See if you can recreate the issue while holding steady rpm above 5,000 rpm.

The potential minor issues could be a poor connection at the sensor, a failing sensor, a clogged oil filter or contaminated oil. The potential major issue is a failing oil pump.

Starting a bike and not riding it like your friend has done is not good for the engine as it introduces moisture into the oil because the transmission never heats up. I would do a simple oil and filter change and see if the problem goes away.
Click to expand...

I don't blame you for thinking its a pressure light, 99% of the time that is true. But everyone thinks its a level light on cars when its actually pressure. When the pressure light comes on its much much more serious than the level light. The level is just a warning its getting low but at least its still maintaining oil pressure. Once the pressure goes you're done for. :):):):)
 
Deuce,

Sorry for chiming in late.

In all the technical discussion about the sensor, and possible causes, I didn't notice any mention of the unusual method for checking the oil level on the FZ6. For every other bike I've ever checked, you put the bike straight up, wipe the dipstick and then re-insert it. But for this bike, you just sit the dipstick on top of the threads. I had the intermittent light issue, upon revving the engine for more than a few seconds, a few months after the first time I changed the oil. When I filled it to the proper level the light went away. I suspect that the fresh oil did better at getting back to the reservoir. Or maybe the level dropped from "barely sufficient" to "lights on".

If you've already thought about this - please accept my apologies for being captain obvious. :)

Chris Shoop
 
Thanks Chris for the input. I've made a verbal commitment to buy a 07 fz6. So, all the info and little things like checking the oil are very helpful. I changed the oil and filter as it was 2 years over due according to the seller. So far so good. Can't wait until spring already. This is a great forum!!
 
Beating this dead horse! Went through May and June with fall oil and oil light comes on at high mph(above 65). Light goes off at low speeds(30-40). I finally do late June fresh oil and filter and go almost 3 weeks of no light. My reflecting thinks that my previous oil change, I may have added too much oil. (Liters instead of quarts maybe).

I've searched through the threads and seems that too much oil is a theme for oil changes. Does the oil level sensor detect too much oil? Also, do you check the oil on center stand or side stand? Do you change the oil on center stand or side stand? The threads seem to indicate that not enough oil is drained during oil change.

Thanks for any feedback. Trying to eliminate any last variables before purchasing a new sensor. waaaaah!
 
DeucePutts said:
Beating this dead horse! Went through May and June with fall oil and oil light comes on at high mph(above 65). Light goes off at low speeds(30-40). I finally do late June fresh oil and filter and go almost 3 weeks of no light. My reflecting thinks that my previous oil change, I may have added too much oil. (Liters instead of quarts maybe).

I've searched through the threads and seems that too much oil is a theme for oil changes. Does the oil level sensor detect too much oil? The sensor only detects LOW oil level.

Also, do you check the oil on center stand or side stand? Center stand.

Do you change the oil on center stand or side stand? The center stand is fine. ** I personally, after the CC, do set the bike on the side stand and get MAYBE 1/2 cup more out.

The threads seem to indicate that not enough oil is drained during oil change. Just that 1/2 cup, not a biggon...

Thanks for any feedback. Trying to eliminate any last variables before purchasing a new sensor. waaaaah!
Click to expand...

See bolded above ^^^
 
Also check voltage at higher rpm. If voltages are above 14 vdc you may have another problem. There is the possibility it was overfilled with oil but why only at high speed/higher rpm did the light come on?
Is it cruel to beat a dead horse if it's already dead?
 
I have a technical question: If our bikes could travel at the speed of light, Would the headlights work?

(stolen from Steven Wright)
 
Last edited:
Gary in NJ said:
The oil light isn’t a level indicator, it’s a low pressure warning. It could be one of several minor issues, or a major issue. Also, oil pressure isn’t speed related, it’s rpm related. See if you can recreate the issue while holding steady rpm above 5,000 rpm.

The potential minor issues could be a poor connection at the sensor, a failing sensor, a clogged oil filter or contaminated oil. The potential major issue is a failing oil pump.

Starting a bike and not riding it like your friend has done is not good for the engine as it introduces moisture into the oil because the transmission never heats up. I would do a simple oil and filter change and see if the problem goes away.
Click to expand...
This is completely WRONG.

FZ6 DOESN'T HAVE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR//SWITCH

The FZ6 have a oil floating oil LEVEL switch.

If you remove all the oil and open the switch, you will see the oil level warning light ON even if the bike is not running.

Other bikes like MT07, MT09, R3, etc. Have a combination of Oil Level and Oil presure warning, but NOT! the FZ6. The FZ6 oil measure the oil heigh or level.

Now the FZ6 has a oil pressure measurement port, that you can use to install a oil level pressure switch, but it's not something that the bikes comes with, in fact on my bike i replace the oil level switch by a oil pressure level switch.

I attach a video of my bike running a OIL PRESSURE SWITCH (Not standard)

You can see there.. if the bike is NOT RUNNING the oil light somes on, and goes off when i turn on the motor, so pressure builds up.

The stock FZ6 doesn't do that.
 
Motogiro said:
Also check voltage at higher rpm. If voltages are above 14 vdc you may have another problem. There is the possibility it was overfilled with oil but why only at high speed/higher rpm did the light come on?
Is it cruel to beat a dead horse if it's already dead?
Click to expand...
14.5 is the max operating charging voltaje, more than that, the regulator has an issue.

But 14V and 14.1 14.2 ... 14.5... are okay voltajes.
 
CanadaFZ6 said:
I don't blame you for thinking its a pressure light, 99% of the time that is true. But everyone thinks its a level light on cars when its actually pressure. When the pressure light comes on its much much more serious than the level light. The level is just a warning its getting low but at least its still maintaining oil pressure. Once the pressure goes you're done for. :):):):)
Click to expand...
This is exactly the reason why I changed my bike’s oil-sensing behavior — you are totally right. Oil level is not the important thing at all. What really matters is that the oil pump has enough oil to pick up and build pressure so it can deliver it properly to all engine components.


So oil pressure is much, much more important than oil level.


You can have a correct oil level and still have wrong oil pressure for many reasons. One reason could be using the wrong oil weight; another could be a broken oil-pump chain; another could be oil contamination due to a filter failure or a gasket failure. It could even be low oil-pump pressure for no obvious reason — maybe the pump is starting to fail, or it could even suffer a catastrophic failure.


And all of these awful things can happen without the oil-level light blinking even once.
 
ShoopCE said:
Deuce,

Sorry for chiming in late.

In all the technical discussion about the sensor, and possible causes, I didn't notice any mention of the unusual method for checking the oil level on the FZ6. For every other bike I've ever checked, you put the bike straight up, wipe the dipstick and then re-insert it. But for this bike, you just sit the dipstick on top of the threads. I had the intermittent light issue, upon revving the engine for more than a few seconds, a few months after the first time I changed the oil. When I filled it to the proper level the light went away. I suspect that the fresh oil did better at getting back to the reservoir. Or maybe the level dropped from "barely sufficient" to "lights on".

If you've already thought about this - please accept my apologies for being captain obvious. :)

Chris Shoop
Click to expand...

By the way... oil blinking IT'S NOT! oil level issue.

Let me explain how it works.

Oil level switch is a variable resistor switch with two positions.

The full oil level will measure between 114Ω~126Ω at 20°C (68F). At this point the oil level led will be off, and according to it, it's good to ride.

The low oil level ill measure between 484Ω~536Ω at 20°C (68F) in the minimum level position. At this point the oil level led will be solid static on, and according to it, it's not safe to ride, the oil level is not enought to the pump to be able to pick up.

But the important thing here is that the oil level switch will always measure between those levels when is connected.

If you disconnect the oil level switch, or the oil level switch measure in short (close to 0Ω, or lower than 114Ω). Then in this case the oil level led will blink indicating not a oil level problem, but a oil level switch issue.

The issues can be multiple issues, but normally is NOT the switch/sensor the problem, is one connection and NORMALLY the one that fails is the main cable loom at the steering head.

I had this problem before and various friends of mine had this problem, even changing the swithc didn't solve intermitent oil led blinking issues and after a detail examination, we always find that, at the steering column level, the cables will break. Sometimes is a blinker, something the horn, something the ignition, etc... in this case the oil level indicator to the tachometer.

If that cable breaks, it's the same as if the oil level switch is disconnected, so it will blink.

I hope this help you or someone else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Engine Light on Deceleration
Replies
3
Views
749
trepetti
trepetti
AnointedDread
Need Help Oil Filter Question
Replies
8
Views
726
grahammarsden
grahammarsden
iuztinrom
Light scoring on the fork tubes - Bad Seals? No Oil?
Replies
3
Views
633
Gary in NJ
Gary in NJ
BlackSeicento
LCD not displaying on 07 S1
Replies
3
Views
742
BlackSeicento
BlackSeicento
grcamna7
My 08' FZ6 has never had the fork seals replaced:questions
Replies
6
Views
1K
grcamna7
grcamna7
Back
Top