OIL PRESSURE LIGHT

[SAM58 30]

I have a 1998 Model 314-8, It starts and runs great.

About a week ago about dusk, I notice that the oil pressure warning light was blinking very faint. Can't see it in the day light.

It has a very low voltage blink about every three seconds.

Is this sometime to be alarmed about????

Anyone else ever seem this?

I am using Halvoline 10W30 motor oil, I wondered if this could have anything to do with it.

Or maybe the oil presure sending unit is going bad....

RPM's do not matter, just a faint blink.

Thanks

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

the oil pressure warning light was blinking very faint. Can't see it in the day light.

If you stop the engine and leave the ignition in RUN, does the oil light come on full brightness?

Does this engine use an oil PRESSURE warning or an oil LEVEL warning?

Check the indicator light module behind the dash panel. Is there any evidence of grass buildup that could have caused corrosion on the indicator circuit board ?

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?...topic=12887&hl=

[WH nut 553]

Its a 314 so Im guessing its a oil level light, You are right on with the corrosion on the circuit board

[SAM58 30]

Thanks guys for the tips, it give me somewhere to start looking.

the Tractor is real clean, I bought it this June and it had been stored indoors.

Not any visable rust, but I know curcuits are sensitive to mosture.

Yes the Oil light come on bright with the engine stopped and the key on so I assumed it is a oil pressure warning light.

thanks again. :)

[Retired Wrencher 4,876]

:) :USA:

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Sam,

1998 appears to be the "lost year" in the demystification guide. 1997 shows an oil LEVEL switch and 1999 shows an oil PRESSURE switch.

Assuming your engine has the PRESSURE switch, the pressure switch removes the ground connection to the oil warning light when oil pressure is high enough to trigger the switch.

When the oil pressure is low, the oil pressure light comes on full brightness. This tells me the switch is grounding the indicator light circuit properly.

When the oil pressure switch removes the ground from the circuit board, the circuit board has to "decide" how to interpret the signal from the now open ground wire to the sender.

Circuit design would turn off the oil pressure light completely. If those circuit parameters change from corrosion, moisture, or component failure, you may get a partially illuminated indicator light.

You could remove the circuit board from the tractor and begin a cleaning process on the board. This requires some comfort level with electronics.

A second option would be to remove the wire connected to the oil pressure - start the engine and then connect the sensor wire directly to ground. This would simulate loss of oil pressure while the engine is running. If the oil pressure light comes on with the tractor running, I would assume the sender is doing its job and leave it as it is.

[NolanMVP 8]

I HAVE A 2007 CLASSIC GT 60TH ANNIVERSARY WITH 16 HOURS ON IT. I NOTICED THIS SUMMER THAT I HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE BLINKING OIL LIGHT. IT IS FAINT AND VERY RAPID. I ONLY START THE TRACTOR ONCE A MONTH AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO MOW. I HAVE WASHED IT TWICE DELICATELY, SO I DOUBT MOISTURE IS TO BLAME FOR MY PROBLEM. I AM NOT REALLY CONCERNED AS MINE IS MAINLY A "SHOW PIECE". I DO USE KOHLER 10-W-3O OIL EVERY SPRING WHEN I CHANGE OIL. ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

other options here would be

1/ test the oil pressure being produced by the engine by substitution of a mechanical pressure gauge instead of the pressure switch - this will give you piece of mind the engine is being protected with sufficient oil pressure

2/ substitute the oil pressure switch

3/ substitute the indicator board if one is there / is the pressure indicator only a light bulb with no logic circuitry driving it.

4/ enter the world of undocumented but logically sound troubleshooting - a journey that can start out by getting feedback from someone who has a tractor that does not display this same indicator condition / this may be in fact be how the tractor operates and most folks have never noticed it ??

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,490]

If you follow the 1998 wiring in the OM back from the oil pressure switch it provides a ground for the oil light and the hourmeter when the switch is closed. Makes sense to keep the hourmeter off if the engine is not running. Now look at the other side of the hourmeter and notice it is also grounded.

The 1999 diagram shows the oil light wired in series with the hourmeter and the ground wire to the oil switch is connected between the oil light and the hourmeter.

Is it possible the hour meter is providing an intermittent ground for the light with the engine running and the oil pressure switch is open? This would cause the oil light to flash. Should not if the oil switch is closed.

Hard to believe the hourmeter would run with that power supply.

Is the hourmeter working?

Garry

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Is it possible the hour meter is providing an intermittent ground for the light with the engine running and the oil pressure switch is open? This would cause the oil light to flash. Should not if the oil switch is closed.

Very interesting.

Now that I look at the entire schematic, you are correct - excellent call.

The hour meter does appear to be wired in series with the oil indicator lamp. The demyst guide fails to show that on the oil switch section of the sub circuit listings.

Maybe, with the hourmeter being essentially a quartz controlled clock, the meter draws in "pulses" of current to keep the quartz movement alive. I did notice this on my D series where the hourmeter keeps ticking for a few minutes after the ignition switch is turned off.

Easy to investigate. I'll hook up scope to an hourmeter and see what type of current draw it has. If it consumes current in small but frequent "pulses", yes, the oil pressure light will flash.

And here I thought I was going to sandblast a few mower parts today - guess not.

[SAM58 30]

Yes the hour meter is working properly, I also noticed that the hour meter is in the same curcuit. I do have a basic understanding of electronics.

Did not know that WH used logic chips & circuits in ther wiring, just thought it was simple open/closed swithches.

I did pressure wash this machine back in June to get rid of anything that had collected in places not noticed.

The part about the hour clock passing ground to the warning light makes since because the faint blinking is in rythum, every 3 seconds which acts like it is connected to a timing device. WH may have did this because without oil pressure the engine should not be running and the curcuit would be open and the timer would not be running.

I will check the pressure switch, and replace if needed.

I have put about 20 hours on this tractor this summer on a new oil change with no problems, runs and sounds great. this is the first Kohler I have had with the pressurized oil system.

NolanMVP states his new machine is doing the same thing... could this be part of the design of the logic chip that sends a low voltage signal checking for a change in the pressure signal? and has not been noticed before? Just a thought...

would be interesting to know if anyone else that has a newer machine that does the same thing....

things that make you say Hummm....

I will check to see what the ground source for the timer is suppost to be.

when I bought it, I think the timer was not mounted firmly in the dash and there could be a bad ground from the timer to the dash. Shows to ground with lights, they work fine...

link to pictures below.

http://s811.photobucket.com/albums/zz35/pe...1998%20314%208/

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

The part about the hour clock passing ground to the warning light makes since because the faint blinking is in rythum, every 3 seconds which acts like it is connected to a timing device.

I just sent a email off to Hobbs (Honeywell) to see if they will respond with how the hour meters draw current - constantly or in pulses - will post the answer.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Well, no answer from the manufacturer yet.

Taking an hourmeter off a 520,

and attaching it directly to a 12 volt battery, the hour meter consumed about 2 - 3 milliamps of current CONSTANTLY

then, every 30 seconds, I would hear a click and the multimeter would capture this peak current thru the hourmeter

this cycle would repeat every 30 seconds as long as the hourmeter was hooked to the battery.

I have no doubt Gary has nailed this one. The hour meter is in series with the oil pressure light and draws 0.002 amps at idle and a surge current of 0.260 amps to "kick" the internals of the meter to move the counter mechanism to the next number. The 1/4 amp surge thru the meter is probably causing the oil light to flash very briefly.

In this particular brand / model of hourmeter, the "kick" happens every 30 seconds. No doubt another brand / model of meter may do this every 3 seconds.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,490]

Thanks for that save_old_iron.

The light is severely limiting the current available for the hour meter so owners should familiarize themselves with the benefits of dielectric silicone grease to maintain that circuit. It really is too sensitive for outdoor power equipment without weatherproof connections.

Garry

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

SAM58

any idea if your oil light is an incandescent bulb or an LED assy ?

[Duff 206]

Probably a completely stupid question, but when did Kohler start putting an oil pump in their 14 horse motors? Is it a Magnum-series engine?

Duff :)

[SAM58 30]

Save_old_iron / Gary,

If Red Square gave out metals for service far and beyond the Call of Duty,

You deserve one!

Duff,

I have a dumb question,

Why would you need a oil filter or a low oil pressure switch if the lubrication system was not pressurized?

Maybe someone can inlighten me as to the lub system in the Kohlers...

I am new with the newer Kohler engines 1980's plus, I only had a 1972 K301 until this summer, but with older truck engines, tractors, forklifts, if they did not have an oil filter you could assume it used the old splash system. Some had a little scoop on the bottom of the connecting rod that would force oil into the bearings...

Some did have oil pumps without a filter.

We had a 1950 model Yale forklift that had a 4 cyl Flat head propane engine. No filter, just the splash system.

I am sure there are experts out there in this field.

Great input from everyone :)

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,490]

Sam58,

I'm learning this stuff just like you are.

Looks like Toro started using the Kohler Command series of engines in 1998. A CH14 is Command horizontal crank and the CV14 is a Command vertical crankshaft.

The oil switch is supplied by Kohler and opens and closes at 3-5 psi. Normal oil pressure according to the manual is 12-60 psi depending on oil and engine temperature. Noticed the engine will operate at 25 degrees of slope in any direction and intermittently to 35 degrees.

Garry

[Duff 206]

Sam, you're question wasn't any more dumb than mine! I had just thought from previous posts there might be some confusion over whether the blinking light was oil pressure or oil level. The Magnum engines in my 312's ('89 and older) don't have oil pumps but do have oil level sensors, so I was wondering when they made the change to pressurized engines. I think Garry answered that for us - around 1998 with the Command series. Good info!

Duff :)

[SAM58 30]

SAM58

any idea if your oil light is an incandescent bulb or an LED assy ?

SOI,

Not sure which type of bulb it is...

Duff, No offence entended. I really appreciate all the comments on this site.

thanks

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

I'm learning this stuff just like you are.

Same here.

Throughout my professional career, I have had the privilege of constant exposure to all types of design engineers in many different disciplines.

I always found it fascinating to see how folks develop a "theme" in their designs.

[tgranthamfd 28]

would be interesting to know if anyone else that has a newer machine that does the same thing....

I have a 2005 Classic GT, i have seen the light blink faintly, but only at a low idle, it does not do it at higher rpm's. It has just over 100 hrs. on it, it has been completely washed after almost every use. cooled down before washed and completely dry before started, and been kept inside a nice tight shed since it was brought home, brand new. Maybe I am the lucky one, not having any electrical issues from a good washing. :)

[Duff 206]

Duff, No offense entended. I really appreciate all the comments on this site.

Heck, no offense taken!

And we're all learning things around here - it's what makes this place great!

Best wishes always,

Duff :)

[wheelhorsin1974 6]

Mine is doing the exact same 3 sec pulse. Just posted a ? About it then saw this one. Lol. 1998 314-8

[wheelhorsin1974 6]

If u watch the tenths on the hour meter it matches it exactly. Seems like its not anything to worry about.