oil pressure switch for 81 440LTD - where?

I have no idea what value it is supposed to be.....maybe someone here may know.....I don't see any specifications on the oil pressure switch in the manual....and I have the real kawasaki repair manual.....also...I don't see those specifications on any of the switches that can be pulled up from parts suppliers. I just thought if the running pressure is the same.....then the unacceptable low pressure would be the same.

motors.desc.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=27...06.m270.l1313&_rdc=1
Currently active on the Ebay!!!!

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-KZ400-K...es_Parts_Accessories

Thanks....bought one.......but it still irks me about where to find one once the leftovers on the shelf are gone.....granted....if the switch takes another 29 years to fail....then I'm golden:lol:

Well looking at the picture on the site, It looks like 1 from a lot of Jap cars, but what pressure is the internal spring set at? You would have to test them, and a new Kawasaki one, unless you can find the elusive spec's. Best to buy the correct one if possible, for less than $30.

looks like 28 psi is the low pressure that a switch should activate. Found it in the repair manual.

If that is correct, then the Auto switch would have caused a engine failure before coming on.

Motor Head wrote:

motors.desc.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=27...06.m270.l1313&_rdc=1
Currently active on the Ebay!!!!

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-KZ400-K...es_Parts_Accessories

Looking at the pictures it seems that it's the brake pressure switch as it has the bullet connector on it and not the screw terminal. The ebay seller lists it as an oil pressure sensor, but in the description says it can be used for either brake or oil sensing?

If the oil sensor is supposed to trigger when the oil pressure gets low around 28 PSI it would seem that this would be the opposite of the brake pressure sensor. I suspect that if you use this switch your oil light will stay on unless the pressure drops below the threshold.

Anyone?

the number on the box of the switch on EBAY - 2701-1037 is the correct part number for the oil pressure switch according to Kawasaki.

I was doing some checking on the JP cycle web site and I noticed that the HD pressure switches for the 80's bike look a heck of a lot like this switch. I think that if we knew the exact thread specification of the KZ switch that those would work.

From what I am reading in the manuals, the low psi is a very universal number across most bikes.

However, on autos, I believe a dummy low oil light pressure switch would not trigger until it is below 10 psi (you were right Motor Head!).

Just for shits and giggles, since I have a new one coming, I am trying to seal up the oil leak on the existing switch with epoxy plumber's putty. Will let you guys know how that goes.

The switch with the "Pole" for the round female bullet connector is correct for his bike, no small screw or forked terminal here. As far as pressure I have the FSM and it says will turn the light on, ground, at a "below safe pressure". Doesn't say exactly what that is, but operating oil pressure is there and what the pressure regulating vale should open and close at. Pressure on a warm engine, 28-36psi @ 4000RPM. So I would say that the switch would ground somewhere below 10psi, probably 6-7psi. I can't find an exact spec.
Anyway that one looks to be the correct one, and your leak should then be fixed, the light should be on at Key on and go out right at start up, and at Idle should not come on, even after a long Hi-way run.

I'm confused now.....so low pressure on the kz440 is 10 psi and not 28 psi?

It doesn't say what the low pressure point is, only what the pressure should be at 4000RPM hot. Strange for most of the time a service manual will show Minimum Idle oil pressure as well. If its listed in the manual, I've missed it.

Here is what I got from the repair manual.