TOPIC:

Has anyone done this? Ive come to the conclusion that the electronics in the dash cluster are the problem and not the factory oil level sensor fitted to the pan.
My plan is to drill/tap my spare oil pan to fit a 5psi idoit light switch .

I can't speak specifically to the GPz550, but the GPz750 has an existing port under the ignition cover for an oil switch. It normally has a threaded plug installed but is used on the KZ750 model. Perhaps the GPz550 has the same provision.

ayeckley wrote: I can't speak specifically to the GPz550, but the GPz750 has an existing port under the ignition cover for an oil switch. It normally has a threaded plug installed but is used on the KZ750 model. Perhaps the GPz550 has the same provision.

The 550's do not have that port. The switches are on the oil pan.

I wonder if there is an oil plug somewhere on the crankcase that can be swapped with a pressure switch.

Will a Zephyr 550 (90-93 ZR550) oil pan fit the 550H? There are several listed on eebbaayy.
The ZR550 uses the same oil pan gasket (11060-1057), and from eb photos the oil pan appears to be very similar.
The Zephyr has an oil pressure switch & oil cooler. and the mountings seem to be the same as the earlier 550 models.

ps: did you use the factory service manual to troubleshoot the problem? It probably has fairly detailed procedures & flow charts.

martin_csr wrote:
ps: did you use the factory service manual to troubleshoot the problem? It probably has fairly detailed procedures & flow charts.

Yes its definitely a fault in the LCD warning light panel. The FSM helped me pinpoint the fault quickly, unfortunately it says to replace the panel.
Being as its just the oil level light I'm not really concerned about it and think the oil pressure light will be a better fix.
Thanks for the tip on the ZR pans I will look into it.

loudhvx wrote:

ayeckley wrote: I can't speak specifically to the GPz550, but the GPz750 has an existing port under the ignition cover for an oil switch. It normally has a threaded plug installed but is used on the KZ750 model. Perhaps the GPz550 has the same provision.

The 550's do not have that port. The switches are on the oil pan.

I wonder if there is an oil plug somewhere on the crankcase that can be swapped with a pressure switch.

The only ones I can find are the main oil gallery plugs the service manual says to use when doing the oil pressure test. .. That point would work but its not very discrete.

The way the stock 550 oil pressure switch mounts seems like a bad idea, having it exposed on the underside of the motorcycle. Kawasaki kinda goofed.

It does get dirty, but seems to work fine over the last 35 years.

Well I had a look at some photos of the ZR550 Pans and as far as i can tell they look pretty much the same as the earlier GPZ Models . The main difference being if the they machined for a oil level or oil pressure sensor;
This might be a straight swap for someone wanting a oil pressure port,, as I have access to bspt taps i will just modify the one i have

On the ZR550 pan below you can see the spot where the oil level sensor hole would be machined. (green Circle)
the oil sensor gets its feed from the large hole where the oil filter goes (red circle).

Heres a GPZ550H pan with no oil pressure sensorr hole

On the other side of the GPZ pan you see the lump (arrow) where a oil pressure sender hole would go as on the earlier and later pans

KZ550 pan with oil pressure sensor but without the oil cooler ports for comparison

Great info! You are the 550 oil pan king!

That's interesting that the pressure switch just measures the pressure in the filter housing. Seems like you should be good to go then... just a drill and tap job, correct?

By the way, if the gauges are messed up, how are you going to use the pressure sender? Just adding on a light somewhere else?

Haha
I thought is it was unusual, but the FSM confirms that the oil pressure is being monitored before the oil passes through the filter and into the gallery's..
Correct I will drill/tap for the sensor and mount one of those super bright panel mount LED's somewhere behind the fairing out of the way but visible when it lights up.
Its the only thing on the dash that doesn't work . maybe down the line I might look into it a bit more or not.

The right rear of my 85 GPz550 has a hex plug, and the right front of that galley goes to the oil cooler. This might be a good place to get oil pressure. Looks like you have one of them in the picture above off eBay.

I can take pictures of mine if needed.