Oil circulation after swingarm replacement...

[midway]

Question if I may ... Drained my oil, replaced swingarm by the SM. Replaced oil, start engine and the oil light did not shut off after a few seconds. Shut down, drained oil again and replaced a new oil filter this time. Pulled the plugs and cranked it good hoping to get circulation and the oil light to go off.

My question is; how do you prime the oil pump on a Buell? SM's no help, youtube's got nothing and the archives in here for oil pump priming are non-existent. The only way I ever confirmed oil circulation before was visual down the fill cap hole but that engine light has me spooked even though I saw circulation.

 

[TPEHAK]

See service manual swingarm assembling.

 

[midway]

See service manual swingarm assembling.

The swingarms just fine, perfect install unless a june bug crawled up in it and blocked my oil line I can't explain the oil light indicator LOL. I need to prime the oil pump do you see that in the service manual?

 

[ocgreenmachine]

I am not aware of any priming procedure for the oil pump. For example, if you were to do an engine upgrade (1250 kit) for instance, the assembly procedure has you pour oil down in the rocker boxes on the top end before buttoning up the rocker box covers. And then after filling oil into the swingarm, you start the bike and wait for oil to make its way through the system and for the light to go off and for oil to fully circulate through the system while the bike idles (do not rev the engine while waiting). It did feel like an eternity of clacking before oil fully filled the lines. Now, I also had an issue another time where the oil light would come on with plenty of oil moving through the system. Jacob from MotoEnthusiasts opened up my oil pump and found that a little of what looked like silicone had blocked the bypass valve in the pump and that was what caused the oil light to come on. Check for debris in any of the passages if it doesn't go off after a little more time idling.

 

[ReadyXB]

Unless there is blockage, pump priming would have occurred when you cranked the engine with no plugs.

Have you checked the oil pressure sensor wire/connector? I believe a grounded sensor wire would cause the light to stay On. I can't recall if an unplugged pressure sensor wire would give a solid pressure light, or no pressure light.

Just checked the service manual, and it indicates that the low pressure light will stay on when engine RPMs are below 1000 RPM.

What was the reason for replacing the swingarm

 

[Chicknstripn]

Check that the wire to your oil pressure sensor hasn't popped off

 

[midway]

What was the reason for replacing the swingarm

Custom paint job, stowed the OEM swingarm and all the original plastics for the next owner assuming they want to take it back to stock.

I appreciate the replies. Before I put the plugs back in and fire it up I'm going to sweep the manual for the suggestions above. Waiting for the oil pressure light to go off makes me very nervous but might have to do it. I feel like there should be a place in the lines where one could disconnect, crank it over and visibly witness the pump is pressurizing. But this sounds messy, so not too excited about this procedure either.

 

[midway]

Check that the wire to your oil pressure sensor hasn't popped off

will do... thanks!

 

[midway]

@Chicknstripn & ReadyXB ... pressure sensor connection is good thanks

@ocgreenmachine ... after a series of cranks until battery weakened I put the plugs back in feeling the urge to apply your patience with the oil pressure indicator light. Fired up and after a nerve racking 15 seconds the oil light went out. You sir have bigger balls than me.

Lesson here is to grow a bigger pair!

 

[user_deleted]

there is no "priming" of an XB pump whether 03-07 or 08 and later style.
your system was air-bound. sometimes also happens after extended oil drain time and refill.
solution: install filter....fill system....START MOTOR with swingarm fill cap removed. automatically vents excess air. and contrary to yet more internet BS....low or no oil pressure for anything less than one full minute in an XB motor at idle....harms nothing. it's a roller bearing bottom end. recommend NOT trying it at home but they'll actually run an extraordinarily long time at low speeds with no oil pressure.
rob: i see your brake pad thread took on a typical internet life-of-its-own. ebc HH pads are outstanding and no more of a "dust generator" than any other sintered style pad. the folks that really understand motorcycle braking systems recommend staying away from ceramic pads for street usage.....a nice read and great info below. OR go with TEABAG'S recommendations. he may very well know more than the EBC techs.


https://ebcbrakes.com/articles/ceramic-brake-pads/

 

[midway]

there is no "priming" of an XB pump your system was air-bound. sometimes also happens after extended oil drain time and refill. for anything less than one full minute in an XB motor at idle....harms nothing.

<----this was VERY comforting thank you. I was beginning to suspect because the forum had no topic about priming oil pumps then the lack of any procedure in the SM. But until I heard it for you there was still doubt :up:

I hear you on brake pads too... my decision is EBC

 

[Cooter]

I was going to post almost exactly what Lunatic already did. A full roller motor needs very little oil pressure because it doesn't have to generate a pressure barrier between shell bearings and journals.

It's frankly shocking to crack an oil line with a XB motor running and see how little comes out! Where a automobile engine will spray like a fountain if a line fails (oops!)