Oil pressure switch/light

before i go digging too deep..................

got on the bike yesterday morning, rode about 30 miles, stopped and got some gas. when i turned the bike back on, i got the usual gen light, but no oil light. no oil light with the bike not running indicates to me bad switch or bad light. i started up and rode off, back to my fiancee's parents. last night, i left western ma for the city and when i turned the key on, the light was intermittent. started up, rode 150 miles home, no problem. when i got to NYC, i turned the bike off, then for the hell of it, back on and the light was just fine.

so i'm guessing intermittent bulb or switch?

BUT, before i go assuming, could a blocked breather cause a pressure situation in the engine that would cause the light to remain off, even with the bike shut down? the only reason i ask is because i noticed a very minor weep at the base of one of the cylinders that wasn't there before and some more than usual weeping from the oil pan gasket (replacing next week). both these made me think "excessive internal pressure".

but i could just be over-reacting.

I would sure expect the light to be on with key turned on but engine off. You could confirm that the circuit works by grounding the plug that attaches to the switch at the side of the engine. With key turned on, the light should come on. Try wiggling things around, checking for any opens in the wire. Could just be the switch.

Those switches are crap. Before doing anything more exotic, check the power to the switch, then spend the <$10 to replace it.

There shouldn't be enouhg internal crankcase pressure to trigger oil lite into the open(off) position. I think even seal and orfice would be spewing oil long before enough pressure would build to pressure switch. The switches used in German engines are very suspect! VW, Bmw and MB plus some swedish use the same crappy switches, usually made by VDO.