Oil light issue

[paulbaker1954]

Hi 

The oil level light keeps coming on on my 2016 bike even though oil is full to correct level

 

it tends to come on for first few miles and then goes off

 

i am sure I saw a post about this somewhere but wondered if others have seen the same problem

[chitown]

Some have mentioned it, you can find a number of threads via search. Haven't had the light on the FJ-09. But, the first Yamaha I owned with an oil level sensor did once. Even tho the manual calls the oil level lines at the sight glass min and max IME they want the level to be only showing a bit below max when checked following the procedure in the manual. Since I started following that rule haven't seen it again.

Edited April 5, 2019 by chitown
typo

[rustyshackles]

Does it happen only in cool or cold weather ?  This has happened three times to my 2015 fj-09, never during warm weather.  I asked a Yamaha tech and was told it’s related to oil viscosity,  temporarily sort of clogging some part in the system.

[betoney]

I agree with @chitown - Even though it shows "correct" in the middle of the sight glass, add a bit more until it is closer to the top of the sight glass.

[bigorangecntry07]

4 hours ago, rustyshackles said:

Does it happen only in cool or cold weather ?  This has happened three times to my 2015 fj-09, never during warm weather.  I asked a Yamaha tech and was told it’s related to oil viscosity,  temporarily sort of clogging some part in the system.

This is exactly the problem! The oil hasn't warmed up quite enough to flow through the passages when first accelerating in cooler weather. I've had it happen just a couple times right after oil changes but once the oil warms up, I never see it again.

Edited April 5, 2019 by bigorangecntry07

[Luma46]

Here is another possible reason, happened to me. I got for few kms into a pretty strong crosswind and was leaning heavily to the right and the oil light came on. As soon as I was out of this crosswind, the light went off...

[roadwarrior]

On my Vmax, the oil sensor was located in the front of the pan.  Whenever you would really get on it, the oil light would come.  It was referred to as the performance indicator light.

[nicksta43]

Happened to me for the first time that I'm aware of this morning. It was about 52° and came on as I was off the throttle coming up to a red light about five minutes into my commute. Stayed on until I gave it a little gas so I could get over to the side of the road. Turned the bike off, checked the oil level, restarted and listened for bad sounds. Light went out and sounded normal. Didn't come back on during the rest of the ride. But did make me ultra paranoid. 

I did use a lot of moly assembly lube when I put the cams back in. Maybe I should do an oil change.

[koth442]

3 hours ago, nicksta43 said:

Happened to me for the first time that I'm aware of this morning. It was about 52° and came on as I was off the throttle coming up to a red light about five minutes into my commute. Stayed on until I gave it a little gas so I could get over to the side of the road. Turned the bike off, checked the oil level, restarted and listened for bad sounds. Light went out and sounded normal. Didn't come back on during the rest of the ride. But did make me ultra paranoid. 

I did use a lot of moly assembly lube when I put the cams back in. Maybe I should do an oil change.

Shiiiiiiiit. That must've been nerve wracking considering what you just went through.

And yeah, I'd recommend an oil change.

[new1709rider]

I've found that when I change oil I have to fill it almost to the top of the oil window or I get the oil light coming on. It is a bit worrisome when you see that light pop on!

[Vange]

I've had the same issue in cold weather, until the oil warms up. It's only happened a few times, but yesterday's really scared me. I was in the mountains and it was just 2C (35F), when the light came on 5 minutes after heading off after a lunch break. It stayed on for 5 mins, went off and on a few times after that, before finally staying off. Not a pleasant experience in the middle of nowhere, in near freezing conditions.

I'll be topping it up to the max line, now...hope that fixes the issue.

[bamarider]

Happened to me for the 1st time the other day. Had changed oil 2 days earlier, left out @ 6am to meet friends for a 3 day ride. Got 1/2 mi from house & light comes on, went back home added oil to almost full sight glass. No issues since.

[Salish900]

Well if this isn't another example of the high value of a good forum to a new owner. I've had my bike for all of 24 hours and needed to find this thread. I bought the bike a bit away and rode about 65 miles home. Because I am the way I am, I went ahead and did a first oil change because the majority of those little shavings we all know about happen proportionally early, and well, I am the way I am. Anyway, I changed the oil and filled it half way between the two lines, which I've done on many other bikes. Close enough. 

It's pouring rain here in the PNW today, but I was dying to ride my new bike so I went out. I get about a mile from home and the damn oil light starts showing up. Oh Crap! Did my oil filter leak? Blow a gasket somewhere? I turn the bike around and start to nurse it home and am just about to turn it off when the light goes out. This all took about 20 seconds. Hmmm, I thought. If I can only get it home and out of this pouring rain, I can check it out. 

I get home, with no more light, and put the bike up on the center stand and get off all my gear. I anxiously go back and check the level and it is smack dab between low and full. No leaks, no oil, no sign of trouble. So I added oil until it is just filling the glass. Went back out and rode 20 miles and no oil light. Lesson learned here I guess. Not a problem with my bike and no damage done, just a finnicky oil light. Thank you all. 

[kilo3]

Huh, just ran into this today.

Guess that's a thing.

Here's my oil level after I pulled into the garage, I'll add a few drops more I guess.

[knyte]

geeze, sensitive tolerance there.  Doesn't seem all that low to me.