oil pressure change

[scoot]

I have about 5000 miles on my 64FLH and its been running great. Accurate Engineering completely rebuilt the engine and Im running the original oil pump. A couple weeks ago, the pan was working hard as I was riding in the mountains with my wife on the back. My oil light has alway come on at idle, but it started coming on while cruising at low to mid RPM. I still had plenty of flow so I figured it was just my oil being hotter than normal. After that trip, the light continues to come on at lower cruising speeds with the bike barely warmed up.

Think something possibly happened in the motor or its just part of the break in process? What is the best way to find out? Any idea where someone can find a "quality" oil pressure sensor? I hate seeing my oil light on.
Thanks

[bmh]

Check it with a guage. That light doesn't give a lot of info on the health of your oiling system.

[MJW]

Could just be a bad pressure switch. If it still runs well, and isn't smoking or scraping or ticking, I would drain the oil and have a look for brass, pointing possibly to bearings wearing and letting oil pressure drop. Look inside the filter if you have one. Let us know what you find...Mike

[kg993]

Ask the builder what pump gaskets they used. OEM is the only way to go, unless they have a line on origional thickness gaskets.

[Rod]

The oil light on my '63 FLH came on at all speeds or rpms. It was the oil pressure switch.

[scoot]

The builder milled the difference in gasket thickness out of the back of the oil pump so my final spacing from the case is the same as stock. What oil gauge would be recommended to test my oil pressure? I just want something that can accurately measure low pressure at idle.

[T. Cotten]

Scoot!

I suggest no gauge at all.

You can have great flow with very little pressure, or you can have very high pressure from a blockage.
In other words, they tell you next to nothing about what is going on in your motor.

It only takes your eyes off of the road.

....Cotten

[cdndewey]

Scoot!

I suggest no gauge at all.

You can have great flow with very little pressure, or you can have very high pressure from a blockage.
In other words, they tell you next to nothing about what is going on in your motor.

It only takes your eyes off of the road.

....Cotten

Couldn't agree with Cotten more. Besides you'll probably see about 3 lbs and get all stressed, at least that's about what I saw on mine so I got rid of it.

[bmh]

You can buy a kit from a shop to install a gauge on the motor, usually at the tappet screen. I have an old Drag Spec gauge kit on the shelf we use for these type of tests . Or you can just use an automotive test kit at the same location. Even a good pump with proper weight oil may only push 3 or 4 PSI at hot idle. As long as it's giving 15-20 PSI at speed, it's should be OK. Even if pressure at idle drops to 0, as long as oil is circulating it is technically OK. No pressure does not always mean that oil has stopped flowing. Your pressure problems may have nothing at all to do with the pump ( if you have any). Many things can cause a loss of pressure, loose fitting tappets and rocker arms are the two biggest culprits.

Decking the pump body to compensate for improper gaskets sure sounds like a permanent cure to a temporary problem to me. Did he mill both sides of the body? There are two gaskets and two gear pockets. Guess now I got to go through and measure all my old pump bodies for thickness just for piece of mind.