Warning Icon

[jdub53]

Several times during a 300 mile ride the other day on my '13 RT I noticed this icon displayed:  <!>  (as shown in the pic below). Each time I kept watching it, and it soon disappeared only to reappear again later. 

 

 

The owner's manual says that icon by itself may indicate a problem with the oil level sensor, or that icon in conjunction with the engine oil light means a very low oil level/pressure (duh!).

 

The oil level remains in the middle of the sight glass where it's been since I bought the bike 2,500 miles ago (I'm very familiar with the procedure for checking oil level on these Boxers), so just curious if anyone else has even seen this and what, if anything, was done about it.

 

Due to its placement at the rear of the sump, the oil level sensor on my old '07 Hexhead GSA used to erroneously display a low oil level warning when stopped facing downhill at a redlight, but this icon on the RT appeared and disappeared while riding. 

 

  

[TEWKS]

There was an old conversation about it here but I didn’t read every post to see if they came up with a solution to the issue. 

[jdub53]

15 minutes ago, TEWKS said:

There was an old conversation about it here but I didn’t read every post to see if they came up with a solution to the issue. 

 

Thanks for the link, but now my head hurts after trying to follow all of the confusion posted there about symbols, oil level and oil pressure.    

 

Anyway, that concerned Hexheads and it may have related (not sure anyone there actually knew what was going on) to what I'd mentioned in my first post about the erroneous low oil level warning on my old Hexhead.

[9Mary7]

My '11Camhead would show this low oil level light when the level was around half of the sight glass..... overly sensitive adjustment. Couple ounces fixed the issue.

[jdub53]

1 hour ago, 9Mary7 said:

My '11Camhead would show this low oil level light when the level was around half of the sight glass..... overly sensitive adjustment. Couple ounces fixed the issue.

 

Thanks, that could be it. The engine likely used a tiny bit of oil in that 2,500 miles, just not enough for me to notice any difference at the sight glass. I'll be changing the oil soon at the 42k mile service, but will add a little bit in the mean time and if the icon doesn't reappear that should clinch this sensitivity as the cause.

[pwillikers]

You probably already know all this but I was perusing the Owner's Manual and found this relevant entry: 

 

(I have a soft copy if you need one PM me.)

 

 

 

 

 

[dirtrider]

On 2/2/2023 at 10:37 AM, jdub53 said:

 

Thanks, that could be it. The engine likely used a tiny bit of oil in that 2,500 miles, just not enough for me to notice any difference at the sight glass. I'll be changing the oil soon at the 42k mile service, but will add a little bit in the mean time and if the icon doesn't reappear that should clinch this sensitivity as the cause.

Morning   jdub53

 

That could easily be what is causing your low oil level warning.

 

On some Camheads the (low oil level sensor) trigger level is very sensitive to actual oil level. Remember the oil level drops slightly with the engine running as the oil cooler is then full & the oil circuits are all full.  The motorcycle also needs to be fairly upright for the low oil level sensor to be accurate. If you lean the motorcycle to the left at a stop then the (low oil level) warning will trigger at a lower sump level. If you lean the motorcycle at a stop then you probably need to keep the oil level near the top of the sight glass.   

 

Engine temperature at time of (sight glass) oil level checking can also figure in. The engine (engine case & oil itself) needs to be up to or near full operating temperature when checking the oil level in the sight glass as engine temperature can effect the oil level in the sight glass. 

 

Not a big deal as far as the actual operating oil level goes but it can effect the low oil warning sensor trigger point if the oil level is slightly low.

 

With the HOT motorcycle on a level surface & also on the center stand  (on the center stand as soon as possible after a ride) check the sight glass level about 5-10 minutes later. If the oil level in then between slightly above the center of the sight glass & the top of the sight glass (about 3/4 up the sight glass to top of sight glass) then your low oil warning should stay off. If it doesn't then you probably need to have the low oil level sensor checked out.

 

The "low oil level warning" is not a real warning by itself as about all it does is tell you to check/verify the actual oil level in the sight glass at next stop.  Now if it comes on in conjunction with a low oil pressure warning (or something else that is red) then take it serious. 

 

 

[jdub53]

12 hours ago, pwillikers said:

You probably already know all this but I was perusing the Owner's Manual and found this relevant entry: 

 

(I have a soft copy if you need one PM me.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, that's what I read in my owner's manual after first seeing the warning. It came on intermittently during two rides although I'd verified that the cold engine oil level was halfway in the sight glass. I now attribute the warning to the level being right on the edge of what the sensor considered worthy of triggering the warning.

 

When completing my first oil change on this bike recently, I ensured the oil level is now nearer the top of the sight glass circle so assuming no oil usage I shouldn't get the warning again unless the sensor goes bad.

 

48 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

Morning   jdub53

 

That could easily be what is causing your low oil level warning.

 

On some Camheads the (low oil level sensor) trigger level is very sensitive to actual oil level. Remember the oil level drops slightly with the engine running as the oil cooler is then full & the oil circuits are all full.  The motorcycle also needs to be fairly upright for the low oil level sensor to be accurate. If you lean the motorcycle to the left at a stop then the (low oil level) warning will trigger at a lower sump level. If you lean the motorcycle at a stop then you probably need to keep the oil level near the top of the sight glass.   

 

Engine temperature at time of (sight glass) oil level checking can also figure in. The engine (engine case & oil itself) needs to be up to or near full operating temperature when checking the oil level in the sight glass as engine temperature can effect the oil level in the sight glass. 

 

Not a big deal as far as the actual operating oil level goes but it can effect the low oil warning sensor trigger point if the oil level is slightly low.

 

With the HOT motorcycle on a level surface & also on the center stand  (on the center stand as soon as possible after a ride) check the sight glass level about 5-10 minutes later. If the oil level in then between slightly above the center of the sight glass & the top of the sight glass (about 3/4 up the sight glass to top of sight glass) then your low oil warning should stay off. If it doesn't then you probably need to have the low oil level sensor checked out.

 

The "low oil level warning" is not a real warning by itself as about all it does is tell you to check/verify the actual oil level in the sight glass at next stop.  Now if it comes on in conjunction with a low oil pressure warning (or something else that is red) then take it serious. 

 

 

 

Exactly.