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Buellxb Forum

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Eville_Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2011
Messages
94
XB9 build. While on routine ride around block to road test, oil light came on. Oil level normal. Oil clear. There has only been a couple of miles logged since oil change. No visible leaks. No smokey exhaust. No weird noises from engine. How does one check for oil pressure? Anyone with similar experience??? Opinions???
 
What year is your bolt? When you say there has not been a couple miles logged since last change, I got confused. Does this mean you just changed your oil recently and got this on your first ride since? Did you change, fill, and tighten the oil filter properly?

Mo info please
 
Engine is '05. Bike is made up of many Buells. Started life as a western XB9S. Engine original lower end. New cylinders and pistons, used heads. Bike has never failed to fire or run. Assembled last fall. Not yet registered. May be track bike or street. Therefore, have only ridden around neighborhood and country road to see if everything put together correctly. Everything appears to be. Bike has never leaked, smoked, or made weird noises e.g. oil pump failure. See thread "Diary of a Madman".
 
Not yet. Will try tomorrow. Did burn a race map a few weeks ago. What a headache that was. Once loaded and OEM plugs back in (fouled two sets of NGK Iridium plugs), bike ran relatively well. Still fires and idles fine. Currently, I'm not willing to let it idle for more than a few seconds out of fear that it is not circulating oil!
 
it will come on if the bike has been tipped over or layed on its side, did u have it moved or engine rotated or something?

take off the oil filter and put it back on
 
No tip over or anything like that. The bike is handled quite carefully as it is just about finished and all but perfect. See pics on my build thread. In my fruitless search, I did come across a suggestion to undo the filter and put it back on. I'll try that too. It's done because of an air bubble being trapped in the lines, correct?
 
Update: finally had time to work on the xb. Drained oil, pulled filter, checked ball and spring, dropped oil pump. This is what I found

IMG_3749.jpg

Shaft was a bit difficult to turn and was grabby. I didn't think this was how it was supposed to operate. Ya think?
IMG_3750.jpg

Chunks of metal like the one seen to the left of the gear shaft were found on the inside of the housing.
IMG_3751.jpg

Inside of oil pump housing. What made it self destruct like this???
 
Those chunks of metal is or was the thrust washer! To disintegrate at just over 6k on the clock is unusual, to say the least. My hope is that the Wix filter caught the rest of the pieces. New pump from dealer at $204 including tax. Searching for salvage yard replacement, but it's been my experience that guys who cannibalize Buells don't remove the oil pumps. I may still go ahead and pull my lines and blow them out just in case there is any other debris in them. What a huge PITA. Think I caught this in time??? I've read of guys limping their bikes home after the low oil pressure light comes on. Luckily, I was two houses away when it happened to me!
 
So the thrust washer was definitely in there? I thought maybe it was left out and the #10 assembly chewed up the inside of the pump housing.
 
when that oil light comes on, kill that engine. it served it's purpose. good job on using your common sense and shutting it down.
remember kids: if it has tits or wheels, it is going to cause you problems.
 
Cut filter open. Pretty easy and not as messy as I expected. Used my trusty Dremel. Filter was clean. Blew out oil lines. No debris found. Am now awaiting for new filter ($207 with shipping) and will cross my fingers that Buellie is ok.
 
Hi Al, dump your oil and check the magnetic plug for filings. That washer is ground up somewhere in there and you don't want it ruining all your hard work.Also wasn't there an upgrade to the oil pump in 08?

BR
 
if you want I have my old oil pump, the gear on the top is screwed but the internals are good
 
I've also been told there is an electric pump that matches up off of the new sportsters (I've been told this, haven't done it or looked far into it), it'd need to be wired but should eliminate the stress fracture problem on the older drive gears
 

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