Sitting on the side of the road in Michigan

[Missionary Rider]

My 06 Midnite Venture quit on me this morning 5 miles out of Three Rivers, Michigan, and left me sitting on the side of the road for 20 minutes before it would start again. The same thing happened 10 days ago in Maryland. The symptoms:

Cruising in 4th gear or so, the engine acts like it is starving for fuel (or that the kill switch has been hit - it wasn't)

Coast to a stop, engine won't start. Yes I tried the kill switch, checked the pitcock - fuel flows from tank. No start.

Yes, I hear the fuel pump when I turn the key.

I have normal dash lights indicated.

There's no smell of flooded engine.

No leaks, no smoke, but no start.

20 minutes later (both times) the engine starts and runs normally.

Since the incident in Maryland, I have put over a thousand miles on the bike (MD, VA, WV, OH, IN and now MI).

 

The only weird thing today when it finally started was that I pulled the choke on and then off while starting and it suddenly fired up. When it did, it was more like an electrical connection being made than the choke clearing. There was no coughing and sputtering. No smoke, no smell. Engine ran fine to the motel in Niles where we are staying.

 

Any ideas or suggestions before we hit the road Thursday heading South?

 

Thanks for mulling it over.

Lynn

[frogmaster]

Missionary,

 

Check this out: [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38888]Twice this Month --- Wont start - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

 

Send Dave Wells a PM maybe he has some more information?

 

Again Tapping the Fuel Pump is not too hard either If your heading North about 3 to 4 hours then you will be in my area. I will PM my cell# for some Michigan Local Info.

 

Good Luck

[Eck]

My guess.. it is your fuel pump or ignition switch.

 

When my fuel pump went out I could hear it clicking but it wasnt pumping... made the sounds as if it were pumping but it would not pump any gas.

 

It may also be this connector that is located under your gas tank that goes to you ignition switch. Only way to tell is by removing the gas tank and looking to see if your connection burnt out like mine did. see below link:

 

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32359]Ignition Switch Wiring Failure - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

 

 

If you think it is your ignition switch, you could install the emergency by-pass switch and have it ready when your bike quits. Then just filp the by-pass switch and see if it starts.

 

Emergency by-pass switch installation info here:

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=512]Emergency Ignition Switch Repair - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[V7Goose]

Perfect symptoms for a fuel filter problem too.

Goose

[Midrsv]

The same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Got a new fuel pump under warranty.

 

Dennis

[Brake Pad]

Its the fuel pump, known to happen on th 07'sHad mine replaced at 23,000.

I too, had to pull the choke, to get it started again.

 

I was also told to use, a mid-grade. 36,000 on it now, so far so good

[Squidley]

Fuel pump a strong possibility, but I have had the gas cap not be venting right and when I tried to open it, it had a vaccume in the tank and I could barely pull it off. If it does it again, try pulling the gas cap off. If you have a big sucking sound, the vent in the cap is going bad.

BTW where abouts in Michigan are you staying?

[Guest seuadr]

i suspect you aren't going to be anywhere near lansing, but if you make it up this way and need tools, my phone number is in my profile, or you can pm me, i don't have TONS, but i have enough to make most things work

[Gary N.]

Fuel pump a strong possibility, but I have had the gas cap not be venting right and when I tried to open it, it had a vaccume in the tank and I could barely pull it off. If it does it again, try pulling the gas cap off. If you have a big sucking sound, the vent in the cap is going bad.

 

 

 

BTW where abouts in Michigan are you staying?

 

The RSV doesn't have a vented cap but it does have a vent hose running from the top of the tank to a check valve at the bottom of the bike. I haven't heard of the check valve giving any problem on the RSV but on the Road Stars it was a common issue. There also used to be a problem with something getting caught in the metal pipe right at the tank.

Remove the hose from the tank and try blowing into the tank with the cap removed and also blow into the hose to make sure nothing is blocked up.

[Missionary Rider]

Fuel pump a strong possibility, but I have had the gas cap not be venting right and when I tried to open it, it had a vaccume in the tank and I could barely pull it off. If it does it again, try pulling the gas cap off. If you have a big sucking sound, the vent in the cap is going bad.

BTW where abouts in Michigan are you staying?

We were in Three Rivers Thursday till Sunday and are in Niles until Thursday (30th). We head to Somerset, Kentucky on Thursday, North Alabama (Winfield) on Friday, Arkansas on Sunday afternoon. We plan on being at the Hub on Wednesday and Thursday of the International Rally.

 

I'll check the site for the location of the fuel filter. Hoping to make it home without major problems.

 

Thanks for all the offers of advice and help.

Lynn

[Yammy]

We got stranded last friday on the 401. Cruising about 70mph passing a truck looked back no wife? Had to drive to the next overpass and it was a good ten minutes until I finally got back to her.

Its an 09 rstd. Question

The ignition switch had been left on over night and the battery was low and I jumped started it. Thought a nice long ride would bring it back up. The only accessory she had on was her sirius radio/mini amp I'm guessing here but, 2 to 3 amps?? The bike has an led tail light so that should almost negate the radio being on. Does the charging system have the juice to recover the battery?

I remember a post but couldn't find it. Goose, you put on a volt meter sounds like a good idea where did you get it?

 

What I found when getting back to the bike.

Deb said it felt like it was running out of gas, sputtered a few times and died. She had tried to start it with no luck.

I opened the gas cap lots of gas and the tank wasn't in a vacuum but then it was 10 minutes and it could have equalized. Turned on the ignition didn't hear the fuel pump. Battery didn't have enough juice to turn it over. Trailered it home.

When I got it home I turned on the ignition switch and the fuel pump clicked about ten times, the battery must have recovered some???

What do you think? Battery discharging during the ride til it was too low to allow the fuel pump to run??

I don't have a good volt meter but it is over 13 volts while bike is running, accessory's on

Thoughts??

Thanks

[RedRider]

I would take the battery into an auto parts store and have it load tested. You may have toasted the battery when the ignition was left on.

 

RR

[Yammy]

I swapped batteries put mine in Hers and it started right up. Charged hers and got it tested everything was good, then put it in mine. Got the charging system checked out, no issues, $71 bucks please. I also went out and got a couple of fuel filters. Sucks though, are we destined to meet the side of the road again?

[Mike G in SC]

My understanding is that a stator (with regulator/rectifier) does not "charge" a battery like an alternator in a car. It more like sustains the charge.

 

In that regard, if your battery gets mostly discharged, and you jump or push start it, the battery will not do a recharge like a in a car. At least not in 20 miles like you expect a car to do.

 

So, if so, your best bet would be to put it on a battery tender instead of assuming it charged.

 

Mike G

[Yammy]

My understanding is that a stator (with regulator/rectifier) does not "charge" a battery like an alternator in a car. It more like sustains the charge.

 

In that regard, if your battery gets mostly discharged, and you jump or push start it, the battery will not do a recharge like a in a car. At least not in 20 miles like you expect a car to do.

 

So, if so, your best bet would be to put it on a battery tender instead of assuming it charged.

 

Mike G

 

Doh, 70 dollar lesson . Had the day off and we were itching to ride. Thought it would charge

[Yammy]

2nd time on the side of the road.

 

Wife's fuel pump with 51,000 km's. The Dealer is getting me a new one under warranty.

I remember seeing some of the replacement pumps, will have to check out the archives. Are they solid state? Maybe carry one in my side bags. I haven't looked but I'll bet my bike's fuel pump is almost as bad, it has 56,000 km's. Yamaha wants $330.00 if you buy it yourself.