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From: stuart@rochester.ARPA (Stuart Friedberg)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: Flashing Oil Light
Message-ID: <20783@rochester.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 13-Sep-86 22:54:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: rocheste.20783
Posted: Sat Sep 13 22:54:06 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 15-Sep-86 02:10:35 EDT
References: <1271@drutx.UUCP> <1848@ihlpa.UUCP>
Organization: U of Rochester, CS Dept., Rochester, NY
Lines: 18

In article <1848@ihlpa.UUCP>, animal@ihlpa.UUCP (D. Starr) writes:
> ...  The only Japanese four-stroke engine I know of with an
> oil-level light is the Yamaha V-twin, which is all roller bearings and
> can't maintain more than two or three pounds of pressure.

I have a 1981 Yamaha 550 Seca.  It has also has an oil-level warning,
rather than a oil-pressure warning.  It is a four-stroke in-line four
with plain bearings.  I am actually rather glad to have the level
warning, since it goes off sooner (before actual damage is likely to
occur) in the usual case of running low in the sump.  I've had this
happen twice after/during long distance trips and suffered no damage.

It's my impression that when an oil-pressure warning goes off, it's
like the chip-detector in a helicopter:  You're already getting big
time damage; land (pull over) the thing IMMEDIATELY.  Anyone care to
comment on how long a bike engine lives after oil pressure fails?

Stu Friedberg  {seismo, allegra}!rochester!stuart  stuart@rochester