So I just go home from pushing my brand "new" GS500E. It is a 1998 and only has 2400 miles which means it sat for a long time at one point or the other... the guy I bought it from had a good bit of service done to it and looked ok when I looked it over and gave it a test run around the block. Upon first visual inspection I noted a brand new oil filter and fresh oil all the way to the fill line, two brand new NGK spark plugs, brand new brake pads, new fork seals, two new fuel filters, a new drop in air filter and the guy showed me a receipt from his mechanic showing that the carbs had also been "cleaned" (I hope that means that were actually taken apart and cleaned and not just had carb cleaner blown through them).

There are some things wrong though, it needs tires like a hipster needs skinny jeans, the chain appears to have been salvaged from the titanic, the front fender is all melted, and the paint is faded but only in spots where light could touch... which is most of the bike (more evidence that it sat for some time, probably out doors).

Anyway I literally just bought this thing today and it has broken down twice!! The first time I got stuck in the center median of the highway and the second time I got stuck about 2 miles from home and had to push her. I just got back and... well... that sucked.

So when it broke down the first time all the way up to that point I had been noticing that I had very little low end power and that at higher RPM (8500 rpm+) that the power came in surges... I knew this is a sign of the engine running lean. Well when it broke down the first time the oil light flicked on literally right as the engine quit out and when the bike stopped I noticed that the engine was stupid hot... now me not being sure whether the light was an oil pressure light or an oil temp light I just figured that the oil had been heated up too high because the engine was running hot (versus the other way around).

So I got towed off the highway to a nearby shell station and let her cool down for about 45 min. Now she started turning over again but still wouldn't start like she wasn't getting fuel.  The oil light was also still coming on so I checked the oil level and it was lower than when I set off so I bought some oil and topped it off but it still wouldn't start. So then I checked the gas tank with a flashlight and it had some gas in it, more than enough to cover the reserve and regular hole on the petcock, mainly because the stalk for the regular level is broken so I actually dont have a functional reserve. Anyway point is that I was low on fuel but still should have had enough for the engine to start. So I push her over to the pump and put 2 gallons of premium into her tank (I chose premium because I thought she was running lean). After feeding her I try to start her up again and bam she starts up!! So I am befuddled at this point... it wasnt because I was low on fuel, yet it was because I was low on fuel!

So I finally limp her home using the choke to richen up the mixture, the bike was still surging though and still getting hot but it was running!

I get home and I start thinking that maybe the guy didnt clean the carbs well and the jets were clogged... and bla bla bla, ideas and theories left and right. Until in a moment of zen like clarity I remembered the shiny new fuel filters... the metal filters looked out of place on the bike, they looked like car fuel filters. I looked up the part number and sure enough they were car fuel filters! I am like shaZam! this explains why it was running lean AND it explains why filling the tank back up fixed it even though I wasnt out of gas yet... the added weight of the fuel increased the fuel pressure and allowed enough gas through the fuel filter to sorta function. So I go to o'reilly auto parts and I found one of the metal and glass fuel filters with the fine metal mesh screen filter instead of a paper filter. I do the tank shuffle and shut the fuel off and then swapped out the fuel filter on the regular side of the petcock (I will do the reserve when I replace the petcock).

So now I am feeling confident, confident like a stoner walking out of her first philosophy 101 exam. Of course much like my analogy, my confidence was idiotic... anyway I gear up and take her for a spin, I ride around and guess what! She is running like a champ! Plenty of low end power, no surging, nice linear power delivery (mostly linear anyway). Now I am feeling a bit smug about how awesome I am at troubleshooting. The universe allows me to enjoy my smugness for a few more moments before punishing me like the silly girl that I am.

So poof the oil light comes on again and almost instantly the engine bogs down and then quits... of course I coast for as long as I can and then come to a halt. Engine is super hot! Luckily whatever is happening the bike seems to be detecting it and shutting down to protect itself like it should. It didn't get hot enough for any knocking or pinging to occur so thats good, hopefully no permanent damage is done.

So I checked the oil again and it is full and clean. So why might my oil light be coming on?... actually lets go ahead and assume the oil pressure is in fact dropping to dangerous levels. So what do you think is wrong? Oil pump dead or gunked up? Channels clogged with gunk? New filter is clogged or blocked somehow? What should I do next because I don't think dropping a viagra in the crankcase is gonna help keep the oil pressure up, and thats the best plan of action I have right now so I need suggestions.

The first thing that I would do is check that the oil filter is fitted around the correct way. If back to front oil flow will be minimal or nil. I am not sure but I suspect that if the filter is reversed the oil light will still go off with the engine running as the switch is mounted low inside the RH cover but there may be minimal circulation. This could explain the rapid overheating.

Loose the fuel filters.

And yes an air cooled engine will get very hot....all engines get very hot! ...

Not at you joweaver88 .... 'But why do so many people think engines and brakes don't get hot while in use???' 

Not saying that it couldn't be a bad situ either!! ... Just there has been a run lately of new GS500 owners all freaking out over what's 'usually' minor stuff.... Just sayin!

What was your procedure to check the oil level?

Quote from: adidasguy on March 12, 2014, 05:19:38 AM
What was your procedure to check the oil level?

unscrew the cap wipe off the stick, insert the cap straight down and screw it in... then immediately unscrew it and check the stick. Is this correct, or should I not be screwing it down?

Quote from: joweaver88 on March 12, 2014, 12:30:26 PM

Quote from: adidasguy on March 12, 2014, 05:19:38 AM
What was your procedure to check the oil level?

unscrew the cap wipe off the stick, insert the cap straight down and screw it in... then immediately unscrew it and check the stick. Is this correct, or should I not be screwing it down?

If the bike is level, dont screw it down, but either way you're not to worry. Your oil light comes on cos it comes on as soon as you drop the pressure in the galley to about 5psi which actually can happen if you manage to get it idling @ 1000 rpm when fully hot with 10/40 oil ...

You're suffering from the GS500-i-ness of the stupid thing. What else to do but to open and clean and jet if needed, look for rust in the tank and run fresh new gas in it ...

Ergo - take 2 of these and call me in the morning solution.

Stoner and philosophy exam huh ... that's a new one. Experience perhaps ?

Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: joweaver88 on March 12, 2014, 12:30:26 PM

Quote from: adidasguy on March 12, 2014, 05:19:38 AM
What was your procedure to check the oil level?

unscrew the cap wipe off the stick, insert the cap straight down and screw it in... then immediately unscrew it and check the stick. Is this correct, or should I not be screwing it down?

Inaccurate reading when u screw the cap down.......no screw is correct.

Also bike must be on the center stand to read oil level.
If you've been checking it on the side stand and/or screwing in the cap, you are always low on oil.

Ok I will check again correctly. Unfortunately its damn near impossible for me to get it on the center stand by myself... I neither weigh enough or am strong enough I will have to enlist the help of a friend.

Awesome vid about putting her on the centre stand easily, made by adidasguy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWi7zgBYEsU

It's all in the method of getting it onto the centre stand ... Once you sort it then it's fairly easy ...

Stand on left side of bike... Obviously ... Straighten bike up off side stand .. Hold bars left hand and tail handle right hand ... Right foot onto centre stand pedal thingy so both of the stands feet on the ground .... Now ... Don't panic ... Left hand move to frame near fuel tap.... Or over other side of bike in same spot .... Both hands lift a little ... Right foot push a little , or more if you need to ... It should pop right up.... It might seem like it won't be gonna happen .. But there is NOT that much force required!!

So long as your bike isn't lowered and your centre stand is in good repair anyway....

Pretty sure someone has a vid on this as well!! .. Which since I blah blah for so long in reply .. Atesz has posted! 

Sure get a friend to stabilise bike first time or so you do it... But once you have the sequence you should be good..... There are some variations to grab points that everyone uses... But if you are out on your own and NEED to have it up on the stand for some reason..... It can happen! ... Then you need to have it sorted...

I rarely put my GS on the center stand anymore to check oil.  I get on it, lift it from the side stand, and holding it erect I reach down and pull the dipstick and read it.  Works for me.

By the way I had a CB750 almost 30 years ago that needed frequent oil checks and was generally very hot running so I checked the oil hot when I came home one day and then checked it again cold the next morning.  Discovered the reading cold was almost the same or close enough to it as the reading hot if I read it removed from the screwed in position cold and from the not screwed in position when hot.  The amount it screwed in was close enough to the volume expansion from cold to hot.

I've done this with my 2 GSs over 15 years and 180,000 GS miles so I know it works.  Have over 100k miles on my current 02 GS and that's a lot of oil checks and oil added on a GS500.

Quote from: gsJack on March 12, 2014, 02:40:30 PM
I rarely put my GS on the center stand anymore to check oil.  I get on it, lift it from the side stand, and holding it erect I reach down and pull the dipstick and read it.  Works for me.

By the way I had a CB750 almost 30 years ago that needed frequent oil checks and was generally very hot running so I checked the oil hot when I came home one day and then checked it again cold the next morning.  Discovered the reading cold was almost the same or close enough to it as the reading hot if I read it removed from the screwed in position cold and from the not screwed in position when hot.  The amount it screwed in was close enough to the volume expansion from cold to hot.

I've done this with my 2 GSs over 15 years and 180,000 GS miles so I know it works.  Have over 100k miles on my current 02 GS and that's a lot of oil checks and oil added on a GS500.

Owners manual says No centre stand....Service & Repair manual says centre stand.
Seems more natural No centre stand & that's what i'v always done throughout all of my riding & bike history.
Probably not much(if any) difference.............JUST CHECK IT.

While it may not say use center stand, it DOES say "hold the motorcycle vertically without the center stand".
Probably because center stand will tilt forward a little, but it prohibits checking oil on the side stand.

Ok so I just sat on the bike and held it level and bent over and checked the oil with the cap just sitting on top instead of screwed in. Oil level is fine... so what next, oil filter? How does one check the direction of an oil filter as mentioned above?

How does the oil appear?
When was the last oil change?
Did you recently drop the bike on the left side? (could be a bubble in the oil sensor on the right side).
Oil sensor wiring? Is the connection loose and touching the frame? Bare spot in the wires? (grounding the oil sensor wire makes the light come on)

oil is a nice golden honey color, but it is slightly tinted gray. Last oil change was supposedly done right before he sold it to me. I have not dropped it on the left side and I see no indications of damage to the left side. I will check the wiring  thoroughly, but at cursory glance it looks fine.

So I was able to get it on the center stand finally and I drained the oil which actually was pretty nasty looking and apparently it had just been changed... so I am not sure whats up with that. The filter *was installed correctly but it is pretty nasty looking too. Funny thing, I let the oil drain from the drain plug for like an hour but when I popped the cover holding the oil filter in a bunch of oil gushed out... is this normal?

Now I am trying to get the cover off the left hand side of the bike to check the oil pressure switch but I cant get the cover off, all the bolts are out but it is stuck fast and I have tried leverage. Any suggestions on how to inspect the oil pressure switch? I also am not sure if I traced the correct wire from the switch either...

woah never mind on that first bit I almost opened the wrong side case