starts and dies (Fixed)

[Idaho]

Drained the tank, installed new fuel pump and dumped new fuel into the tank. The old pumb had a very dirty screen so I was encouraged. Put it all back together and the battery would not hold up to get it started. New battery. Now it starts but only fires for a couple of rpms and quits. Absolutely will not stay running.

[Jared]

Let me understand you correctly... You have replace the battery, replace the spark plugs, replace the fuel pump?

The bike starts, but doesn't run very long?

[Jared]

My fuel processor wasn't grounded very well one time and the bike acted very odd. It wouldn't even turn over and start.

I don't know what to tell you. With the problem starting so abruptly, it makes me think that it is something electrical, like you shorted something out or a crown wire has come loose.

[dshelly]

Id start tracing wires and fuses. Look for any spot where something may be rubbing. Also if you have one, use a multimeter and see that your voltages going into fuses match what comes out. If you can keep it running long enough, bend and wiggle wires at their connnections. If it start to cut out or run funny, you found the culprit.

[macmac]

The caps you see at the backing plate go on steel to rubber hoses to steel to rubber hoses again, to the intake manifold. Check all of that. This new pump winds up right ? What happens if you just let it idle ? runs ok and dies ? Idles up and down ?

What happens if you add propane to the intake when it is gonna die ?

What happens in hearing with a rod placed on the fuel pump and the other on the bone just ahead of your ear (tech stethascope is better ) Does the pump run up and quit ?

Are the instruments working ?

[Idaho]

It's fixed! :-) I guessed that I had a fuel pump problem yesterday and given that I'm supposed to leave Saturday morning for points east of here I took a chance and ordered a replacement. It got here at noon today.
When I pulled the pump out of the gas tank and compared it to the replacement I learned that what we pull out of the tank is the fuel pump housing. The fuel pump is buried inside that white plastic housing. When I figured out how to disassemble it I found that the filter was mostly clogged and that a rubber bushing on a nipple on top of the pump was split effectively rendering it useless. (effects of ethanol perhaps?)
The new pump did not have the same bushing but had several inches of fuel line. I guessed that I needed to cut a chunk of line to fit over the nipple and seal to the bottom of the recess in the top housing that holds the pump. I cut off a piece and put it together. The parts fit together loosely but I thought I would give it a try.
Bike would not start even though I could hear the pump when the key was turned on. The pump would run until the fuel line was pressurized and then shut off.
The battery did not have enough umph (that is a tech term) so I went to town and returned with a new battery.
The bike started but would only run for about a half second and die. I'm thinking, "It's running out of fuel." Remembering the split bushing and my attempt to replace it with a piece of fuel line I decided to cut a slightly longer piece and install it in the housing to try to get a tighter seal. While I had the pump out and the housing off I decided to blow some air through the top half of the housing to see what would come out.
Now, the top half of the housing has a lower hole and the upper hole that I've described where the bushing makes the difference between the top of the pump and the body and it has a lower hole that leads to the external fuel line. I put the air nozzle in that one. It is a U turn that points directly back at the guy doing the work. When I hit the air I got a chest full of nasty, dirty, smelly gasoline. After that first blast I 'aimed' the housing more judiciously and continued to blow air through it until all of the dirty gasoline and crud came out. It was a considerable amount of dirt.
This time with the longer chunk of hose on the top end I had to push harder to get the plastic pieces to snap together. The plastic housing is held onto the fuel pump baseplate by two metal uprights with screws and nuts that jam onto the top of housing slides and holds everything together. I had to push forcefully to get the screws in place.
This time when I assembled everything and having the new battery in place the bike fired right up and ran perfectly. WooHoo!!!
Road trip is back on.

[Jared]

That is awesome, Bud!!! Glad to hear you got things running smoothly again!

[dshelly]

So it was actually not the pump itself? Just a split rubber seal and full of dirt? That's great to know. Have a great trip...

[Idaho]

Originally Posted by dshelly

So it was actually not the pump itself? Just a split rubber seal and full of dirt? That's great to know. Have a great trip...

Maybe. I don't know if the old pump will work or not. My guess is that it's probably okay but I would not have been able to get the bike running without the new pump because I had to 'engineer' a replacement for the split bushing. Never would have thought of using fuel line without the new one to look at. There were NO instructions with the new pump. Go figure.

The plastic housing holds a lot of fuel and it seems to also hold a ton of dirt. If anyone has fuel pump problems I recommend tearing it down and blowing out the housing and using a piece of fuel line as I described to replace that top bushing.

[Bud2rat]

Congrats on the repair, glad to hear that you are back in the saddle again. Are you planning to attend the rally, if so, hope to get to meet you. Ride safe this week.

[Eddie R.]

Glad everything work out. I've been following your repair work.

I have a question and really don't mean to steal this thread, but seeking knowledge since you've been there!

Why do the carburetor models, '99, have a fuel pump? Wouldn't gravity feed the carb?

[cnc]

That's great Bud.

[dshelly]

Originally Posted by Eddie R.

I have a question and really don't mean to steal this thread, but seeking knowledge since you've been there!

Why do the carburetor models, '99, have a fuel pump? Wouldn't gravity feed the carb?

It's called hijacking , start a new one.

[nomadtom69]

I try to use real gas when I can the ethanol stuff I add the blue marine sta-bilt to keep the moisture out and every now and then some marvel mystery oil. When I change oil I use the sea foam

[cnc]

This bushing didn't just crack for no reason in my mind, yes ethanol will deteriate plastic and rubber but I am thinking maybe the bushing collapsed and cracked partially from a weakened condition and the force put on it by a plugged filtered.

I never had to have my pump apart, but I am wondering exactly what material it is, what it looks like and if a simple replacement could be found or even made other than jamming rubber hose in there.