Oil light = engine shutdown???

[shameless]

I have a 95 600 katana that, every once in a while, the oil light comes on, and it shuts down completely. I still have lights and all, but the engine shuts off. seems to happen more when I'm riding a little harder, when it shuts off, normaly if I baby it it'll straighten out for me. I havent had the bike long, havent gotten around to fixing a slight oil leak, and havent gotten around to changing the oil and filter yet either. I did put some thicker oil (5W - 30) in her but it was doing this before that. Should I be checking for a wiring (short) issue, or is this sounding like something else?

any help would be greatly appreciated, its a little scary when I'm trying to pull out onto a busy road and it does this.

[scottynoface]

The light comes on after it shuts down because there is no oil pressure. Now if the light comes on and then it shuts down...

[kevin2502000]

Check your side stand switch, it will shut the bike off is it is malfunctioning. These bikes don't have a "safety" switch for low oil pressure so I doubt that is your problem. My $ is on the side stand safety switch. It works by shutting off the motor if you put it into gear with the kickstand down. It can become misaligned or malfunction and turn the bike off even with the kickstand is up.

[shameless]

how do you check a switch? just replace it, or make sure its in alignment?
and yes, the light seems to come on then it shuts down, I could be wrong, it happens so fast.

[jiver06]

I agree with kevin. Also I run 10w40 oil in my 91 kat. 5w30 seems a little lite to me. If your using a full synthetic then I guess it would be ok but with the high performance of a motorcycle engine I prefer the extra protection. Oil light will only come on after the engine is no longer runner unless you have a faulty oil pressure sending unit. The engine will maintain pressure if you the bike stalls and you are slowing due to engine compression. Once your rpm's drop to zero then your light should come on naturally. I would get an ohm reader and check the stand switch and possibly your engine kill switch to be safe. good luck man

[shameless]

you mean the switch on the handle bars? as the engine kill?

[Kevins_Black_Kat]

I think what Kevin is talking about and I agree with the idea is to check your kickstand switch... if kickstand comes down while in gear or the switch is bad, it could shut you down when riding.

[stonefry]

I think it's more likely that it's dying from low rpms and the oil light comes on as a result.

[kevin2502000]

You can by-pass the switch, test ride it and if it work fine then you know that's the problem. This is a very common problem on these bikes btw. I use Rotella t synthetic 15-40, it's great oil.

[nicholaskumm]

yah I agree stand switch. All you gotta do is cut it and splice the two wires together to bypass.

It is near the stand, stand pushes the button in.

[1990gsx 600]

kinda like the clutch safety easy to bypass....now that i think of it my bike dosent have a clutch safetyjust snip off and twist together put some tape and bam if that works just leave it like it is but solder the wires together and heat shrink them together

[shameless]

ok, I'll try that, thats a lot guys, its pretty aggrivating. lol good looking out!