2014 GRiSO Oil Light

Hello everyone. Not my first time posting around here. Despite my best efforts the beautiful GRiSO insists on having some inexplicable, annual problem.

I'm out of the northeast USA and we recently got some 100+ degree days (37 celsius for my friends that live literally anywhere else) and I was out of town so the bike sat, covered, for about 5 days in the heat. I rode it today and on my way home noticed that the oil pressure light flashed a few times at me as well as the giant oil pressure indicator temporarily showing up on the dash screen itself. It would only happen while I was accelerating from a stop and both would quickly disappear after no more than a second.

I've done a bit of searching on this terrific forum and it seems there's some historical consensus that the oil pressure switch/sensor has a tendency to fail, and that I might want to start by replacing it. If there's any other info you guys might have on what it could be I'd appreciate the insight.

Assuming that it is the oil pressure sensor - any ideas how I go about accessing and replacing it and, importantly, where I can actually get a replacement. A quick google search turned up this result: (https://www.ebay.com/itm/115476311102) but I want to be certain I'm getting the right thing. It looks correct based on the PDF owners manual I have access to.

And, lastly, do we think it would safe enough to ride in the meantime? I love the bike and would hate to leave it sitting while a part takes weeks to arrive during prime summer riding days. Thank you all!

The most likely causes are going to be the sender switch or the sump spacer gasket.

You’ll need to ascertain if your current switch is the earlier coarse thread switch or the later fine thread switch. If the latter it will be screwed into a large hexagonal adaptor mounted into the block below the switch. The factory no longer supplies the early coarse thread switch and expects you, at great expense, to buy the adaptor and the grotesquely over priced replacement switch. In fact switches with both threads are available from your local ‘Wottalottacrap Auto’ type shop for pennies. They may have a larger hex and/or a different terminal but they will do the job just fine. We use a Tridon part, TPS 039 I think from memory, but there are ones that cross reference from other manufacturers too. I believe one of them is a Mercedes fitment?

If it hasn’t already been done I would also strongly recommend replacing the sump spacer gasket with the thicker, and better quality, aftermarket type as well. While many oil *Warning* problems are false alarms the fact is that if you DO have a problem from a blown out spacer gasket or some other reason the results can be catastrophic and occur very quickly, as in seconds! So it is really best to not ignore them and hope……..

I also have a 2014 and I got my gaskets from MGcycle.com
You can go to their site and type in GRiSO in the search area and both gaskets will come up on the first page and cost less than $20 before shipping. They are green in color.
Mine were ok but it’s a preventative thing to get out of the way. There are threads about how many bolts to remove and all of that on the site.
I’ve never seen the oil light but I will know it’s probably the switch now if I do.

Pete Roper wrote:

The most likely causes are going to be the sender switch or the sump spacer gasket.

You’ll need to ascertain if your current switch is the earlier coarse thread switch or the later fine thread switch. If the latter it will be screwed into a large hexagonal adaptor mounted into the block below the switch. The factory no longer supplies the early coarse thread switch and expects you, at great expense, to buy the adaptor and the grotesquely over priced replacement switch. In fact switches with both threads are available from your local ‘Wottalottacrap Auto’ type shop for pennies. They may have a larger hex and/or a different terminal but they will do the job just fine. We use a Tridon part, TPS 039 I think from memory, but there are ones that cross reference from other manufacturers too. I believe one of them is a Mercedes fitment?

If it hasn’t already been done I would also strongly recommend replacing the sump spacer gasket with the thicker, and better quality, aftermarket type as well. While many oil *Warning* problems are false alarms the fact is that if you DO have a problem from a blown out spacer gasket or some other reason the results can be catastrophic and occur very quickly, as in seconds! So it is really best to not ignore them and hope……..

Any idea where I can find instructions on how to replace the sender switch? My current setup isn't conducive to replacing the sump spacer gasket on my own so I'll start with the sender switch if its not too difficult, as the nearest servicer I have is an hour away. Do I need to lift the tank to determine which switch I have or can that be done without breaking things down?

Yes, replacing both the sump and spacer gaskets is good preventive maintenance in any case.

I had the "oil can" come up on me at the Ohio Rally upon firing up for the morning ride. Shit!
I begged some long needle nose pliers and was able get a better tighter connection and clear the fault.
Only required removing the LH wing/panel and reaching down with the long pliers.
I believe my issue was the mechanical connection at the switch.
Having little faith in the switch I also replaced it, six or ten bucks, when I returned home.
I can't remember if I obtained the switch from MG Cycle or crossed the P/N on Rock Auto to a BMW or Benz number.
I'd previously replaced the gaskets noted as PM after my second oil change years ago.

pocojuantis, either way, take Pete's advice to heart, replace the gaskets and the switch.
My bit is to check for a tight positive connection to the time of switch replacement.

Belt and suspenders, it's a mad world out there!

Best of Luck

To replace the switch I used a pair of long needle nose pliers, a deep socket and long extension.

This way I didn't have to remove the tank, I think I lifted it and supported it with a 2x4 block.

You have to remove the wings too, at least the LH side.

If the oil pressure light and the oil can image on the dash are coming up replace as previously noted.
Gaskets and switch, preventive maintenance.

Plenty of "how to" info with pictures on the forum. Search around.

Hi everyone - thought I'd provide a brief update since I have some new info.

Managed to lift the tank and pull the sensor off - it looked nothing like the one i initially ordered so I was able to find the right one with AF1 racing.

Before I tore it apart I did run the bike to see if it would flash the code. I only ran it about 30 seconds and accelerated lightly from idle with the clutch in. The first time I did this, with the clutch in, the engine died without warning or lights. It started right back up and I didn't have the problem again but I thought it might be worth mentioning here - with the knowledge you all seem to have about the inner workings of these engines I figure something innocuous like that could be an indicator of a larger gasket problem.

Either way, I have the sensor on the way and will be replacing it then taking the bike out for a ride. Also ordered new gaskets and if the sensor fixes my problems then I'll end up replacing the gaskets when I next go to change the oil at the end of this season.

Thanks again everyone.

Pete Roper wrote:

The most likely causes are going to be the sender switch or the sump spacer gasket.

You’ll need to ascertain if your current switch is the earlier coarse thread switch or the later fine thread switch. If the latter it will be screwed into a large hexagonal adaptor mounted into the block below the switch. The factory no longer supplies the early coarse thread switch and expects you, at great expense, to buy the adaptor and the grotesquely over priced replacement switch. In fact switches with both threads are available from your local ‘Wottalottacrap Auto’ type shop for pennies. They may have a larger hex and/or a different terminal but they will do the job just fine. We use a Tridon part, TPS 039 I think from memory, but there are ones that cross reference from other manufacturers too. I believe one of them is a Mercedes fitment?

If it hasn’t already been done I would also strongly recommend replacing the sump spacer gasket with the thicker, and better quality, aftermarket type as well. While many oil *Warning* problems are false alarms the fact is that if you DO have a problem from a blown out spacer gasket or some other reason the results can be catastrophic and occur very quickly, as in seconds! So it is really best to not ignore them and hope……..

Hey Pete - dropping by to give an update with some pictures. I pulled the engine apart after much difficulty keeping the bike upright without a center stand and discovered the sump spacer gasket did indeed fail. I replaced both gaskets without too much trouble but did find something unexpected that I'm hoping you can explain. Thank you for the insight!

When I pulled the oil pan down I saw a small pool of dense, white liquid floating in the shallow oil that didnt drain. It had clearly come from the rear of the oil pan - from the tube that feeds in that I believe is the recirculation system that feeds from the blow-by box up top. I know there ain't no coolant on this bike so my first thought is that water has gotten into the engine in the last few weeks that it's been sitting while i waited for parts to get in and the oil/water mixture drained and settled in the pan. If you - or anyone else - could offer your expertise into what caused this, how to fix/diagnose, and if its dangerous I would be extremely grateful. I posted some links to the photos below as I couldn't figure out how to directly embed them.


OIL PAN -> [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
FAILED SPACER GASKET -> [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It's emulsion formed/separated out from the blow-by system & returned to sump via the rear pipe (behind the starter motor). Depending on weather/temps/driving regimes they all do that & since it's at the bottom of the sump (water is heavier than oil), there's no danger it'll suck into the oil pick up...there's no need to 'fix' it although less short trips in cold temps should reduce it

Here's mine
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Here are your pix, Poco.

Oil Pan
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Failed Gasket
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And for future reference, upload pictures like this:

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Like Paul says. Also the 8V motor is monstrously over-cooled which doesn’t help. It’s been covered extensively if you do a search on the subject.

Hi Pete, I seem to recall in a related post from quite some back that some variety of BMW automobile oil pressure sensor worked as a replacement for the GRiSO.

There is. But a Tridon TPS 039 is available from ‘Wotalottacrap Auto’ for a reasonable price that does the job.