82 maxim 400 oil light

[Sweetlindsey84]

hi everyone. This is my first time posting here. I have had my bike for a year or so now and it works great!!m only 12000 mi my only problem i have been having is that the oil pressure light seems to be stuck on I have had an oil pressure check done and it checks out. the light is still on! I'm told that if it is grounded it will stay on so I thought maybe it was a bad wire or something but I can't seem to locate the wire or any possible breaks. if anyone has any ideas i'm open to suggestions.. I may want to sell the bike and since this is the only problem with an otherwise beautiful bike I'd really like to figure this out

 

[N8Bishop]

Well, according to the wiring diagram i have (the '81the special) the oil switch is normally closed. This means that it will light until it is switched off by oil pressure. The good news is that your issue isn't likely to be in the harness. You would have to have a wire connected to ground, not just broken. Most likely is the switch. Mine was stuck open because it sat for so long so i got no light...

If it is in the harness it will be on the ground side of the lamp (brown wire on the 81 i think)

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[Sweetlindsey84]

where is the switch located i am having a hard time finding it

 

[N8Bishop]

Under the sprocket cover.

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[Scorpio1963]

SweetLindsey welcome to the site first of all,and do you have ppicsof your bike you can share?
Once you find the oil switch trace down the wire/s from and it follow along and see if its shorting out somewhere.You may also have a bad switch.Maybe try removing it and give it a good cleaning.

 

[Sweetlindsey84]

grrr i tried to remove the cover but a screw has a stripped out head...... i guess i gotta take it to someone

 

[Scorpio1963]

If these are allen head type screws maybe take the next size allen wrench and tap it in the hole to get it started.If they are phillips use a small easy out extractor on them.Maybe theres something to grab a hold of on the outside of the screw?

 

[XSLeo]

Phillips heads, Get a hand impact tool. When you use it the impact from the hammer drives the bit firmly into the head of the bolt. Then it turns the bolt. Much less apt to strip them out.
Another thing you can do is get a drill bit just a bit bigger than the shank of the bolt. Use this to drill through the head of the bolt. Go carefully. Once you drill through the head it will pop off. Now remove the cover. You can now get the rest of the bolt out. Often just with your fingers.
Take it and all those bolts to a hardware store and get replacements. I like Allen head screws.
Leo

 

[N8Bishop]

Did ya Get it?

 

[Cadapult]

The wiring diagram in the owner's manual for my '82 Maxim shows the + side of the oil light connected to a brown wire from the fuse box (which feeds all the warning & indicator lights) The oil switch provides ground through a black & red wire routed up to the warning light. Like N8Bishop said, the problem would need to be either a bad switch or the black & red wire shorting-out somewhere along its path.