Bike has been sitting for months while I worked on it. Didn't do any internal engine work but had all the covers off and also changed oil and filters.
On the center stand the oil level is correct but when I start the bike the oil level doesn't change in the sight glass. I'm assuming its not circulating oil. It does have a slight squeal but I don't want to run it long.
Am I correct that when running the oil level in the sight glass should change? Any starting point to resolve?

how long did you run it for ?
it would take a little while to fill up the filter
a lot of us put some oil in the filter before refitting it back to the bike ...
just a thought

Does the oil pressure light stay on or go out?

The oil pressure light isn't coming on at all. I also think its run long enough to prime the filter.

If it is not pumping oil, do NOT run it! If there is no oil pressure the camshafts can seize in the head destroying it, as well as damage to the big end and main bearings. Does the oil light go out when it starts? How full is the sight glass before you start it? If it is over full, then it may not drop below the glass.

I'm not starting it again. The oil light isn't coming on at all. Hadn't noticed that before. The oil level in the sight glass is just over half way and doesn't move.

oil level in sight gauge dissappears on mine when I start her up....

Any possible quick fixes or checks welcome.

I think you should remove the oil filter & check to see if the rubber gasket became dislodged during the maint.
Another possability might be if the rubber o-ring gasket from the old filter stayed stuck to the bottom of the engine when you removed the old filter, you could now have two orings installed, when starting up, one of those two might blow out causing a leakage problem.
I assume you are sure that you used the correct filter?
As long as your in there, be sure to pre-fill the filter when you reinstall it to assist in getting a prime in the pressure system quickly.
I would be very interested to hear what you've found. I'm not knowlegable on weather the flter is on the suction side or the pressure side of the pump system. I'm sure others can tell us.

When I installed the new filter the old gasket stayed in place and I had to remove it. I used a K&N replacement so i'll double check it and I'll prime the filter. I'll update once I check it.

Other ideas welcome.

Pretty sure the filter is the pressure side.
Pickup goes straight into the pump.
Did you disturb this little fella? The sealing o ring would cause a loss in pickup, but if you didn't touch it then it should be fine.


Don't want you to kill your bike, but are you being over cautious?

All I did to the pickup tube was wipe it down. The bike has run off and on about 30 minutes so not to cautious:)

I'm wondering if he left the bike standing for the long period as mentioned......with the oil drained and the filter removed?????
If so, the pump may just be too dry to pick up a prime??????
Keep us posted on what is found.
Do the most simple easy checks/fixes first.
We don't want to create more issues while trying to correct the original one. (Happens often)

You might try reinstalling the old filter temporarily as a way to eliminate any unseen possabilities with the K&N unit.
Possible defect or incorrect fit there?????

Sadly the old filter is gone but I'll get a bmw just in case. Is there a way to prime the pump?

Someone else may have a plan, but all I can think to do is remove one of the covers and see if they are oily again? Sign of the pump working?

The pump should self prime. I had my engine apart and was cautious about starting it 'dry'. I was reliably informed the pump would work and the oil would flow in enough time to prevent any damage to the bike. It did.

Read down from HERE

First make sure your oil pressure light is working or hook a pressure gauge to the system. A gauge can be plumbed in to the hole the switch on the pump is screwed onto.
Remove the switch on the pump (be careful as there can be a water temp sensor in the same area) oil should run out of that hole.
The oil pressure switch is the higher of the two and if there is only one then it is safe to assume that it is the pressure switch.
If oil does not run out of there pump a heap of oil into it (3oz or till it runs back out) then replace the plug and briefly start to see if the pressure comes up, should take a max of 10 seconds. If it doesnt turn the engine off don't try for any longer.
I will await the answer.

yep good plan rick ....seems the best idea

i have seen those pumps go dry and not suck for ages

if an pump style oil can thingy could be found he could be lucky to pump enough in with a rag around the presure sensor hole to keep some presure in ...to get some flow into the pickup pipe as well

We used to crank a rebuilt engine without spark plugs in so as to distribute the oil before firing up. Just in case.

As for the filter, it is always on the pressure side, oil pump will pump the oil through the filter. A problem with the o ring may cause lack of oil. There is usually a bypass to prevent oil starvation if a filter becomes restricted but nothing to cover for loss of pressure due to o ring failure. If the filter were external this would of course show up on the ground!.

The genuine filter seems to have some non return flaps inside it, alterntives may not. That is a common difference between original and alternative filters.

Definitely check the oil warning light and the sensor. Either of those will fail with much more frequency than an oil pump. I would check the filter and O ring first [after checking the oil light is working].

Just out of curiosity, which O-ring are you talking about? (Picture of ths system would be nice.) I changed oil and filter for the first time to my bike last autumn.

It's the O ring on the oil pickup which you dont touch unless the pickup comes, nothing to do with anything you touch during servicing.

Rick G wrote:First make sure your oil pressure light is working or hook a pressure gauge to the system. A gauge can be plumbed in to the hole the switch on the pump is screwed onto.
Remove the switch on the pump (be careful as there can be a water temp sensor in the same area) oil should run out of that hole.
The oil pressure switch is the higher of the two and if there is only one then it is safe to assume that it is the pressure switch.
If oil does not run out of there pump a heap of oil into it (3oz or till it runs back out) then replace the plug and briefly start to see if the pressure comes up, should take a max of 10 seconds. If it doesnt turn the engine off don't try for any longer.
I will await the answer.

I'll try tonight and let you know. Thanks!

Rick G wrote:It's the O ring on the oil pickup which you dont touch unless the pickup comes, nothing to do with anything you touch during servicing.

Ok, thanks. Phew..

dmanley wrote:

Rick G wrote:First make sure your oil pressure light is working or hook a pressure gauge to the system. A gauge can be plumbed in to the hole the switch on the pump is screwed onto.
Remove the switch on the pump (be careful as there can be a water temp sensor in the same area) oil should run out of that hole.
The oil pressure switch is the higher of the two and if there is only one then it is safe to assume that it is the pressure switch.
If oil does not run out of there pump a heap of oil into it (3oz or till it runs back out) then replace the plug and briefly start to see if the pressure comes up, should take a max of 10 seconds. If it doesnt turn the engine off don't try for any longer.
I will await the answer.

I'll try tonight and let you know. Thanks!

Rick - Oil pressure light is working and goes out as soon as the bike is started. I still removed the switch to check the pumps prime and oil flowed out of the opening. Seems the pump is pulling oil.

During the rebuild the only thing I touched was the oil filter. I installed a K&N filter. I could just remove that and install a BMW filter to see. Thoughts?

Drained the oil and removed the oil filter. The oil filter was full of oil and the gasket was stuck to the mounting surface. Not sure if that was an issue. Reseated the oil filter gasket, installed and filled with oil again. Started it and all seems good.

As soon as I started the bike you could see the sight glass empty as the oil was pulled through. Let it run about 15 minutes with no issue and shut it off. Once off the sight glass started to fill again.

Thanks for all the help!

So you definitely made a corrective change.
Was ANYTHING else done that may have affected the correction.
Can we assume it had ONLY to do with removing the oil & the filter?
The squealing sound that was mentioned in the original post is interesting. Could that have been a sound caused by oil squirting out around the gasket base?
Something still doesn't jive. If the leaking filter had been a cause, the oil would have moved down in the window.
I'm going to assume that for some reason, the pump had lost prime and was not moving oil. Still.....the original post seemed to indicate that the red pressure light was operable and had turned off as with at least some pressure.
It's a mystery

It's a guess but I think removing the sensor from the pump helped. Just a guess.

Good result Daryl despite the unknown reason.

Obviously my brain was not a lot of help, but fortunately others use theirs in more creative ways than me.

rossco

I'll take it Rossco.

Good outcome Daryl glad all is working.

Appreciate all the help.