One day after a ride I notice the red oil pressure light go on as I go up it. Had never seen it before, so I check engine oil sight glass, and is low. However, it still looks pretty clean through the sight glass.
I remember that I’m about 400 miles over my oil change due date, and it has been ridden hard in very dusty / dirty conditions, so i figured this was the cause.
I changed the oil with Valvoline 4-Stroke Motorcycle Full Synthetic SAE 10W-40 (bike came stock with non synthetic), fill her to the “max” line in the sight glass, but I swap the OEM filter for a K&N oil filter. I also changed the air filter to an oiled uni filter instead of OEM to prep for a dusty trip.
3 days later I did a 3 day off road trip in west Texas, where it was cold at night but 90+ degrees in the day. Each day it was ridden hard on on moderate difficulty dirt / rocks / gravel with a lot of dust and a few obligatory falls.
After bringing the bike back via a 9 hour trailer ride in the Texas sun, I immediately unloaded it as I parked at home, started it, rode up the block to turn around, and went up my inclined driveway.
I see the oil pressure light come on again and smell something burning. I immediately shut off the bike, check the sight glass, and it looks nearly empty.
No visible leaks or damage anywhere on bike or oil stains on trailer or skid plate. I figure either the oil wasn’t back to the sight glass yet after the 60 seconds of running, or she’s burning oil.
I come back the next morning when the engine is cold and the sight glass is full back to the level I filled it to, however, the oil is very dark, much darker than the OEM non synthetic oil.
Is this cause for concern / do I have a problem? My primary concerns are the oil light coming on, the blackness of the oil, and that slight burning smell I smelled.
I’m thinking the likelihood of this reliable engine doing something weird like burning oil or allowing too much blow by of the pistons is low. My plan is to change the oil again (this time with Motul 10w-40 full synthetic), swap the K&N filter back to OEM, and keep an eye on it.
Should I be concerned about the oil light / burning smell? Or does anyone know why the stock oil would be clearer after 4k miles than the new full synthetic is after 300 miles?
I’ve seen people on the MT-07 forums say their oil pressure lights are also sensitive on inclined driveways, but I had never seen that light come on once before even on much steeper inclines off road.
Would the fact that the bike was cold and I started and immediately rode it up my driveway contribute to the light coming on and the sight glass appearing empty at first after a 30 second ride and then straight up my inclined driveway?
I might just be paranoid but what would you do to be sure?
EDIT: To clarify, I didn’t start the bike on the incline. I started it on flat ground, rode it for 30 seconds, and then went up the driveway quickly in first gear.
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Question
ducaticowboy
Or am I just paranoid?
I have about 30 degree inclined driveway.
One day after a ride I notice the red oil pressure light go on as I go up it. Had never seen it before, so I check engine oil sight glass, and is low. However, it still looks pretty clean through the sight glass.
I remember that I’m about 400 miles over my oil change due date, and it has been ridden hard in very dusty / dirty conditions, so i figured this was the cause.
I changed the oil with Valvoline 4-Stroke Motorcycle Full Synthetic SAE 10W-40 (bike came stock with non synthetic), fill her to the “max” line in the sight glass, but I swap the OEM filter for a K&N oil filter. I also changed the air filter to an oiled uni filter instead of OEM to prep for a dusty trip.
3 days later I did a 3 day off road trip in west Texas, where it was cold at night but 90+ degrees in the day. Each day it was ridden hard on on moderate difficulty dirt / rocks / gravel with a lot of dust and a few obligatory falls.
After bringing the bike back via a 9 hour trailer ride in the Texas sun, I immediately unloaded it as I parked at home, started it, rode up the block to turn around, and went up my inclined driveway.
I see the oil pressure light come on again and smell something burning. I immediately shut off the bike, check the sight glass, and it looks nearly empty.
No visible leaks or damage anywhere on bike or oil stains on trailer or skid plate. I figure either the oil wasn’t back to the sight glass yet after the 60 seconds of running, or she’s burning oil.
I come back the next morning when the engine is cold and the sight glass is full back to the level I filled it to, however, the oil is very dark, much darker than the OEM non synthetic oil.
Is this cause for concern / do I have a problem? My primary concerns are the oil light coming on, the blackness of the oil, and that slight burning smell I smelled.
I’m thinking the likelihood of this reliable engine doing something weird like burning oil or allowing too much blow by of the pistons is low. My plan is to change the oil again (this time with Motul 10w-40 full synthetic), swap the K&N filter back to OEM, and keep an eye on it.
Should I be concerned about the oil light / burning smell? Or does anyone know why the stock oil would be clearer after 4k miles than the new full synthetic is after 300 miles?
I’ve seen people on the MT-07 forums say their oil pressure lights are also sensitive on inclined driveways, but I had never seen that light come on once before even on much steeper inclines off road.
Would the fact that the bike was cold and I started and immediately rode it up my driveway contribute to the light coming on and the sight glass appearing empty at first after a 30 second ride and then straight up my inclined driveway?
I might just be paranoid but what would you do to be sure?
EDIT: To clarify, I didn’t start the bike on the incline. I started it on flat ground, rode it for 30 seconds, and then went up the driveway quickly in first gear.
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