Hard breaking triggers oil light?

[Buffalo Bill]

81-GS550T.
I had to break hard at a fast light today, it stalled the engine too. So I found an empty road and practiced my emergency stopping. Hard breaking triggers the oil warning light, hence the stalled engine at that light.
Is this a designed safety feature, or low oil pressure in an old engine, (20,000 miles)?
Thanks. Bill

[tkent02]

81-GS550T.
I had to break hard at a fast light today, it stalled the engine too. So I found an empty road and practiced my emergency stopping. Hard breaking triggers the oil warning light, hence the stalled engine at that light.
Is this a designed safety feature, or low oil pressure in an old engine, (20,000 miles)?
Thanks. Bill

The oil slops forward, away from the pump pick up.
Probably the fuel in the float bowl slopped forward too so the engine quit.
The oil light coming on would not kill the engine.

[Agemax]

The oil slops forward, away from the pump pick up.
Probably the fuel in the float bowl slopped forward too so the engine quit.
The oil light coming on would not kill the engine.

as tkent02 says. there is no GS that has a low oil pressure engine cut out switch,as far as i know. probably just the shock of stopping to fast and maybe not pulling in the clutch quick enough

[Buffalo Bill]

Oil pressure low?

I tried hard braking my 82 1100G, the oil light did not come on.
Do you guys think the oil pressure in the 550 may be low? How can I measure the pressure?
Thanks!
Bill

[Nessism]

I tried hard braking my 82 1100G, the oil light did not come on.
Do you guys think the oil pressure in the 550 may be low? How can I measure the pressure?
Thanks!
Bill

The roller crank GS engines only have a few psi oil pressure, pretty hard to get lower than that. Most likely the issue is as discussed, oil sloshed away from the pickup. Make sure the crankcase is filled to the high mark.

[TheBigRed]

The roller crank GS engines only have a few psi oil pressure, pretty hard to get lower than that. Most likely the issue is as discussed, oil sloshed away from the pickup. Make sure the crankcase is filled to the high mark.

Agreed, the pressure is very low on these already. Right now I'm tracking down why my 550t will have the light come on if I'm in gear stopped at a light or stop sign. If I put it into neutral and let the clutch out the light goes out.

It didn't do this before (but that was years ago). I'm thinking it may be the switch itself may just have a stronger spring for the pressure to fight (this bottom end is not the original bottom end). I have a couple of sensors I can switch out, but it's a very tight space to work in there.

Amos

[Rudeman]

Agreed, the pressure is very low on these already. Right now I'm tracking down why my 550t will have the light come on if I'm in gear stopped at a light or stop sign. If I put it into neutral and let the clutch out the light goes out.

It didn't do this before (but that was years ago). I'm thinking it may be the switch itself may just have a stronger spring for the pressure to fight (this bottom end is not the original bottom end). I have a couple of sensors I can switch out, but it's a very tight space to work in there.

Amos

Check your clutch free play; if it's set to loose you may not be fully disengaging your clutch and the drag is slowing the engine down which translates to decreased oil flow. The roller breaing crank GS engines run low pressure but they are high volume.

[TheBigRed]

Check your clutch free play; if it's set to loose you may not be fully disengaging your clutch and the drag is slowing the engine down which translates to decreased oil flow. The roller breaing crank GS engines run low pressure but they are high volume.

Actually, the rpms are sitting at around 2k and it still happens (working out small bugs from the rebuild and haven't gotten the idle properly dialed in yet).

Amos

[TheBigRed]

ARight now I'm tracking down why my 550t will have the light come on if I'm in gear stopped at a light or stop sign. If I put it into neutral and let the clutch out the light goes out.

Just an update on this.. Duaneage came up to my place today, and we took another look at this. Popped the clutch cover and removed the clutch, looked at the oil pump drive gear and saw that it was getting a little botched up.

Apparently when we installed the Clutch Basket when we put the drive gear on we didn't pay close enough attention to make sure the "dogs" on the clutch basket were properly seated in the drive gear.

So, when the clutch was out it was being pushed enough to engage the gear and thus pump oil, but when the clutch was pulled in the basket would pull away from the drive gear, causing the pump to stop working.

Good thing I was VERY conscientious of this and minimized as best I could how much that light was on in the past 60+ miles of driving.

So, that solves my mystery.

Amos