Oil pressure light after oil change

[jimmymac]

I always put some oil in the filter before installing it. The smear some on the seal too.

[Tim]

I always put some oil in the filter before installing it. The smear some on the seal too.

I do the same. I put in enough oil to just wet the element. Not so much that oil runs out when installing on the bike. 

This has cut oil light times down. I would never leave an motor I liked to run for a earth minute with and indication of no oil pressure.

Makes me wonder of Kawasaki is having trouble with oil pump tolerances again.

[VirginiaJim]

My light (oil light) is only on for a second or two.  I don't think that Kwak has an issue with this engine.  It's basically bullet proof.  Of all things that have happened to this model.....engine issues ain't one of them.  There may be one offs but it isn't something that's come up on the radar here.

[Cuda]

Back in 1970 I worked at a Gulf service station , pumped gas ( remember THAT) and did oil changes and grease jobs, I was 16 and a motorhead, had a 1964 corvette
327, that I helped rebuild   (far from stock)
Father and son were the owners and the son went thru mechanic school at General Motors  and  told me to put oil in the filter first, before install. I always have.

[B.D.F.]

Sure, now it is a standard phrase but just a few days ago someone using that phrase was subject to ridicule and the idea that a medication adjustment was needed.

Sheesh!   

Brian

I do the same. I put in enough oil to just wet the element. Not so much that oil runs out when installing on the bike. 

This has cut oil light times down. I would never leave an motor I liked to run for a earth minute with and indication of no oil pressure.

Makes me wonder of Kawasaki is having trouble with oil pump tolerances again.

[B.D.F.]

Fine and well but still anecdotal information at best. Nothing wrong with filling an oil filter before putting it on, and in a vertical installation it certainly would re- pressurize the oil galleys. But there is no need to do this and it is not very effective in horizontal oil filter installations anyway; if you really do fill the oil filter, most of the oil is going to run out of it before it is screwed all the way (easy boys!) on, just like the old one leaked like a sieve when it was being unscrewed.

All the way back to the origin of this thread; if an engine that uses a pressurized lubrication system cannot pressurize in far less than one minute (Earth minute) then something is wrong and that engine should be checked post haste by a competent technician, using applicable tools, starting with a pressure gauge.

Brian

Back in 1970 I worked at a Gulf service station , pumped gas ( remember THAT) and did oil changes and grease jobs, I was 16 and a motorhead, had a 1964 corvette
327, that I helped rebuild   (far from stock)
Father and son were the owners and the son went thru mechanic school at General Motors  and  told me to put oil in the filter first, before install. I always have.

[VirginiaJim]

Sure, now it is a standard phrase but just a few days ago someone using that phrase was subject to ridicule and the idea that a medication adjustment was needed.

Sheesh!   

Brian

There's nothing wrong with taking meds as required...no ridicule intended.....yeah right...

[JJFLASH]

I have a 2011 Concours 14.  I notice that after changing the oil it seems to take a long time for the low oil pressure light to go out.  I see the same behavior on the Ninja 1000.  On my other motorcycles after the oil change the low oil pressure goes out in about 10 seconds.  I have not measure it but on the Kawi's it seems to take over a minute.  I think this is too long for oil pressure to come up.  After the first start it behaves normally.  I am using Kawi filters and Castrol MC oil 10W-40

Is anyone else seeing this?

I have Googled it and there seems to be a number of post showing this is a common Kawi problem with complaints on the ZX12, ZX10, ZX636, etc.

I changed the oil in both the Concours and Ninja 1000 today.  This time I "pre-filled" the oil filters (OEM) before installation and the oil pressure light went out on the first start within seconds.  Problem solved.

[VirginiaJim]

So roughly how much did you get into the filter without it spilling as you tightened it up?

[Cuda]

75% to 90% of engine wear happens during start up , I have three diesel's that take two oil filters and each one is three times the size of my large Cummins oil filters , so I don't need to fill them up first ? Yeah right !
I soak my FOB in scotch every night , that way no oxygen no corrosion RIGHT!

http://www.astm.org/DIGITAL_LIBRARY/MNL/PAGES/MNL11465M.htm


http://autorepair.about.com/od/regularmaintenance/ss/oil_change_5.htm

http://www.lightplane-maintenance.com/Oil_LPM_0705.html

[SimonSaysDie]

If the light won't go out, sometimes you have to "burp" the filter because it gets an air bubble that doesn't want to purge.  I haven't had this on the Connie yet, but it's happened on my Z1000 several times.  To burp it, unseat the filter just a little, then start the bike and as soon as oil starts coming out of the filter screw it on, turn off the bike and tighten the filter.  Unlike what someone said earlier you can fill the filter before putting it back on and you don't lose all the oil from it while putting it on even though it's horizontal, in fact you lose very little.  At least that's been my experience.  Have you ever tried to drain a filter after taking it off?  All that really drains out is what's right in the center channel; the oil inside the filter takes time to work it's way out.  To prime the filter you need to fill the filter and let it set for a few minutes.  As the oil gets "absorbed" keep putting more in until it's full.  Some people say it helps.

[JS_racer]

75% to 90% of engine wear happens during start up , I have three diesel's that take two oil filters and each one is three times the size of my large Cummins oil filters , so I don't need to fill them up first ? Yeah right ! ..................

you think that is remotely the same as a small ass horizontal filter ?? 

[B.D.F.]

That is not quite right- 90% of an engine's wear occurs during the first three minutes, when the oil is too cold to lubricate correctly, not because of a lack of oil or oil pressurization.

If you have vertical filters, and they are huge, then sure, it would make sense to fill them beforehand so the engine doesn't have to do take that amount of time.

On a small, horizontal filter I just do not think it makes any difference. With a new, empty filter, the oil warning light goes out in perhaps 3 or 4 seconds. Besides that, there is oil in each of the main and con rod bearings already, in fact the engine is very well lubricated everywhere for those first few seconds.

Brian

75% to 90% of engine wear happens during start up , I have three diesel's that take two oil filters and each one is three times the size of my large Cummins oil filters , so I don't need to fill them up first ? Yeah right !
I soak my FOB in scotch every night , that way no oxygen no corrosion RIGHT!

http://www.astm.org/DIGITAL_LIBRARY/MNL/PAGES/MNL11465M.htm


http://autorepair.about.com/od/regularmaintenance/ss/oil_change_5.htm

http://www.lightplane-maintenance.com/Oil_LPM_0705.html

[VirginiaJim]

Brian, if you continue to use logic, I'm going to have to lock this thread down.

[B.D.F.]

If you are filling an oil filter, turning it sideways and not much oil is leaking out.... you are not filling it. It sounds like you are filling the center well of the filter and not giving it time to saturate through to the outside of the can. A new filter, full of oil, will pour oil out of it when put on the engine sideways just as an old filter pours oil out of it when it is being taken off.

Brian

If the light won't go out, sometimes you have to "burp" the filter because it gets an air bubble that doesn't want to purge.  I haven't had this on the Connie yet, but it's happened on my Z1000 several times.  To burp it, unseat the filter just a little, then start the bike and as soon as oil starts coming out of the filter screw it on, turn off the bike and tighten the filter.  Unlike what someone said earlier you can fill the filter before putting it back on and you don't lose all the oil from it while putting it on even though it's horizontal, in fact you lose very little.  At least that's been my experience.  Have you ever tried to drain a filter after taking it off?  All that really drains out is what's right in the center channel; the oil inside the filter takes time to work it's way out.  To prime the filter you need to fill the filter and let it set for a few minutes.  As the oil gets "absorbed" keep putting more in until it's full.  Some people say it helps.

[B.D.F.]

Hey, just trying to use the last few hundred years of accumulated knowledge to fight the darkness. But the darkness has a lot of inertia and for some reason, people really like the darkness.

Brian

Brian, if you continue to use logic, I'm going to have to lock this thread down.

[Conrad]

Hey, just trying to use the last few hundred years of accumulated knowledge to fight the darkness. But the darkness has a lot of inertia and for some reason, people really like the darkness.

Brian

Well, it is almost Halloween after all.

[JJFLASH]

So roughly how much did you get into the filter without it spilling as you tightened it up?

About 2/3 full.  The filter medium acts like a sponge.  Just threaded it on with literally no loss of oil.  Wouldn't have believed it if hadn't seen it with my own eyes.  Surprising easy to do.

[JJFLASH]

That is not quite right- 90% of an engine's wear occurs during the first three minutes, when the oil is too cold to lubricate correctly, not because of a lack of oil or oil pressurization.

If you have vertical filters, and they are huge, then sure, it would make sense to fill them beforehand so the engine doesn't have to do take that amount of time.

On a small, horizontal filter I just do not think it makes any difference. With a new, empty filter, the oil warning light goes out in perhaps 3 or 4 seconds. Besides that, there is oil in each of the main and con rod bearings already, in fact the engine is very well lubricated everywhere for those first few seconds.

Brian

There probably is oil the bearings but I THINK you need oil pressure to provide a lubicating layer between the moving parts.  Not an expert here

[JJFLASH]

If you are filling an oil filter, turning it sideways and not much oil is leaking out.... you are not filling it. It sounds like you are filling the center well of the filter and not giving it time to saturate through to the outside of the can. A new filter, full of oil, will pour oil out of it when put on the engine sideways just as an old filter pours oil out of it when it is being taken off.

Brian

Surprising, that does not seem to be the case.  Can't tell you why but it seems to work.