Oil Pressure

[bbelk]

After 1500 flawless miles last week I decided to clean up the bike and took it to the car wash which is about 3 miles from the house. On the way home, the Oil light came on and I wipped into a convienance store. The oil was on the stick, but at the bottom. I dumped in 3/4 quart of cheap oil which brought it 3/4 of the way between the hash marks. The light went out but I made it only about a 1/4 mile and it came back on. It was down hill the last two miles to the house, so I just rolled with the engine off. I started it at the house and ran it for 30 seconds or so on the lift. There were no unusual noises and the oil light was off. I drained the oil and went to pull the filter. It wouldn't come out.

The end of the filter pulled off but a pair of needle nose got it out. It was squashed! It was clearly flatened from the outside and the perferated tube down the center of the filter was deformed.

Is there enough oil presssure in that 1975 R90/6 to crush a plugged oil fliter? Do I need to do anything else? There was less than 3000 miles on that filter.

[Garnet]

We had a big long thread on this last fall if I'm not mistaken, and I have forgotten what the general concencise was.

Someone smart will be along soon.

[barndeadr80]

Just when the nightmare began to fade, you brought it back with the clarity of a needle in my eye!
There was no answer to the collapsing oil filter problem in my R80. The filters were not dirty. No variables changed before it happened. No solution. You got 3000 miles on that? Mine were hammered flat in a few hundred miles. Factory two-piece filters folded inwards and split at the seams. K&N filters looking like they had met a boot heel.
Yours looks absolutely fine compared to what was coming out of my motor.

[Kurt in S.A.]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the look of your filter...those pleats will move around...that's been my experience. You are using the old style, generally not available, straight filter. The newer bendy ones are theoretically stronger because they have the middle section with additional aluminum bands. Most likely the oil light was just because you were low on oil and maybe you dabbed the brakes and the oil shifted within the sump. I'd just change to the new filter, keep an eye on the oil level, and light. Probably OK.

Kurt in S.A.

[bbelk]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the look of your filter...those pleats will move around...that's been my experience. You are using the old style, generally not available, straight filter. The newer bendy ones are theoretically stronger because they have the middle section with additional aluminum bands. Most likely the oil light was just because you were low on oil and maybe you dabbed the brakes and the oil shifted within the sump. I'd just change to the new filter, keep an eye on the oil level, and light. Probably OK.

Kurt in S.A.

That filter was deformed. The metal tube down the center was collapsed. I am familure with the 0il-light-when-brakeing deal and this was not that. I don't remember where I got that filter, but it was replaced with a jointed one.

What sort of oil pressure comes out of that pump?

[bbelk]

Just when the nightmare began to fade, you brought it back with the clarity of a needle in my eye!
There was no answer to the collapsing oil filter problem in my R80. The filters were not dirty. No variables changed before it happened. No solution. You got 3000 miles on that? Mine were hammered flat in a few hundred miles. Factory two-piece filters folded inwards and split at the seams. K&N filters looking like they had met a boot heel.
Yours looks absolutely fine compared to what was coming out of my motor.

Were the crushed filters something that repeated? Was there an eventual solution? Do I need to change my oil every few hundred miles for awhile?

[barndeadr80]

There was no solution that I know of in my case. I think there were 4 destroyed filters in a row. This was all hashed out here in the forum. Everything that was thought to be the problem was investigated. Installing a pressure gauge was interesting for about a day, but not enlightening.
A fellow forum member suggested tilting the bike and removing the oil filter cover to inspect it to manage paranoia.
In my late model, the filter was unsupported. If it collapsed and opened up, it could literally come apart and enter the engine. I did buy a longer tube made for an oil cooler bike, shorten it and crossdrill it. The filter can collapse only as small as the tube.
I am running thinner oil than I always had run. I am running it hard.

[bbelk]

I am running thinner oil than I always had run. I am running it hard.

Now there is a thought. I did just change from 20-50 to straight 40 weight. Maybe that 20 is necessary.

[Garnet]

Now there is a thought. I did just change from 20-50 to straight 40 weight. Maybe that 20 is necessary.

20-50 is 20 wt oil that has the viscosity of 50 wt oil when it is hot. It never gets more vicous than 20 wt.
40 wt oil is much thicker when cold and will build extrodinary presure.

[ME 109]

About now, Barndead will be expecting me to pipe up with all sorts of suggestions of things to pull apart
Well, here I am.
Barndead did much research in pulling the front off his motor with nothing found.
(thank you Barndead)

I suspected the down stream side of the filter to be the culprit.

Different brand filters collapsed..........rule out filter.

This is happening to new filters......rule out clogged.

Nothing found downstream of filter........rule out down stream.....for now.

Up stream of filter we have a pump, don't we all. I don't think any of us have 'super pumps'............rule out higher pressure from pump.

There has to be a totally stupid reason.