6: Tail of the Dragon

My oil pressure problem had a reemergence. Twice the same symptoms appeared on my way from Georgia to North Carolina. Discouraging as it may be, I’m determined to put a good effort into properly diagnosing it myself before taking it to another KTM dealer. I spent a few hours online familiarizing myself with the other possible causes. I also spoke with Kip, the engineer who designed the stainless steel oil filter, who gave valuable insight as to how his oil filter and the KTM 950 oil system works. I feel I’m moving in the right direction. I don’t have a way of measuring oil pressure, which would make things easier, so I have to do this by good old trial and error. I assess what were the most likely causes, then sort the least costly to be checked and serviced first.

5: Misty Mountain Canyoneering

2010.09.21 Tuesday

This morning I drove to Cycle Specialty to diagnose what appeared to be the symptoms of an oil pressure problem. With the engine warm, coming to a stop from the engine having been wound up (mid to high RPM), the idle would occasionally drop 300-400 RPM to ~1050 RPM, the oil pressure light to flicker, and a rhythmic metal on metal noise to emanate from the engine. A quick twist of the throttle would sometimes relieve the problem for the rest of the stop, but sometimes I would have to hold it at ~2000 RPM. From the stop, once the RPMs climbed above the lowered idle, the noise and flickering oil light would subside.