Fuel pump froze on freeway

[VentureFar]

Sorry cowpuc I was riding to the beach with the wife in 85 degree weather wearing my new IronButt Mile Eater shirt and zzzzzzzz in the fast lane I have no power and pull to left as there was too much traffic to my right to cut across 3 lanes with no powe.

Not a good place to stop.

Cranking it would almost catch but wouldn't.

I took off the side cover and smacked the fuel pump.

One long crank later and it fired up. We opted to ride home and park it.

That sounds like fuel pump right ??

2007 RSV with 15k miles.

It stuck once before - this summer after my 1st Iron Butt bike wouldn't start. Didn't hear anything from the fuel pump. - no click- and banged it and bike started.

No problem from June to now.

Fuel pump??

 

Thanks all

 

VentureFar...

[Mike G in SC]

Sounds about like my last one. Going 65, suddenly like out of gas.

Not like when you have to switch to reserve with studder's.

Just out of gas quick. Tried several restarts.

Did same, opened side cover wacked it. Started up after gas got back in the carbs.

 

I changed my course back to home. No more real trouble.

Seemed to hesitate in the morning, so dealer (good dealer) replaced it under warranty on my word.

 

But you are out of warranty.

Neil, Look for the post where a few found a place to order the replacement points.

I'll look back at my posts, maybe find it.

 

Mike G.

 

Found it, points replacement:

 

Originally Posted by headdoc

I fired the bike up the other day just to run it for a while. It ran for 30 sec and died. Tried to restart it 3 or 4 times with no luck... Just cranked until battery started going down. I didn't hear the pump working so I pulled the side cover and checked the pump...no clicking and no fuel. So off to the VR site I went to read up on what others here had posted. It didn't take long to find the fix. I ordered a new set of fuel pump points from Powersportswarehouse.com. The item number is 18-4615 made by TourMax High Performance Equipment. The points were $33.95 plus $21.58 for shipping. Much better than $250.00 to $300.00 from the aftermarket or dealer. It only took 15 Min to install the points after the pump was removed. One hour for the total job start to finish with a little break in there too. Works like new again. VR does it again...I LOVE THIS SITE!!

 

Mark (headdoc)

Edited February 16, 2014 by Mike G in SC

[rutman]

where exactly is the fuel pump located?

[XV1100SE]

Same thing happened to my '09 and it was the fuel pump.

 

The fuel pump is behind the left side cover below the drivers seat.

[naturbar]

Here is a fairly quick and inexpensive solution to your fuel pump problem...... Fwiw....

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=80742

[cowpuc]

Awwwhhh man VF,, I hate when that happens... I agree totally with your thoughts, and everyone elses, sounds like a set of dirty/worn contacts in the fuel pump..

I have had exactly what you are describing happen on a couple of my 1st Gens. I always carry a section of fuel line in my bikes "Maintenance Department" that has rescued me in your exact situation.. By taking the vent line off the tank and attaching my spare line to it and than holding pressure in the tank with my mouth I was able to ride it a few hundred miles (got out of a bad situation).

Later I was told these pumps were not repairable, got diggin around on the back of the pump and found a little screw under some coating.. Unscrewed it, pulled the cover off and discovered the points the other guys are talking about.. I just cleaned the points and all was well..

Now I carry a spare pump and have had one time in all these years where I swapped it out on the side of the road (lots quicker than rebuilding one on the highway)..

Ya know,, this doesnt release you from showing off that Iron Butt Shirt!!

 

Glad ya got off the highway and home safe with the bike!!!!

Puc

[VentureFar]

Awwwhhh man VF,, I hate when that happens... I agree totally with your thoughts, and everyone elses, sounds like a set of dirty/worn contacts in the fuel pump..

I have had exactly what you are describing happen on a couple of my 1st Gens. I always carry a section of fuel line in my bikes "Maintenance Department" that has rescued me in your exact situation.. By taking the vent line off the tank and attaching my spare line to it and than holding pressure in the tank with my mouth I was able to ride it a few hundred miles (got out of a bad situation).

Later I was told these pumps were not repairable, got diggin around on the back of the pump and found a little screw under some coating.. Unscrewed it, pulled the cover off and discovered the points the other guys are talking about.. I just cleaned the points and all was well..

Now I carry a spare pump and have had one time in all these years where I swapped it out on the side of the road (lots quicker than rebuilding one on the highway)..

Ya know,, this doesnt release you from showing off that Iron Butt Shirt!!

 

Glad ya got off the highway and home safe with the bike!!!!

Puc

 

 

I am wearing the shirt. We were going to take an artsy fartsy photo of the bike and the Mile Eater shirt it earned, at the beach, but we didn't make it.

 

It fits great- you should see it :-)

VentureFar...

[cowpuc]

I am wearing the shirt. We were going to take an artsy fartsy photo of the bike and the Mile Eater shirt it earned, at the beach, but we didn't make it.

 

It fits great- you should see it :-)

VentureFar...

 

 

 

 

http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/45/88/96/400_F_45889657_rvVstqW6TwiLQxADmtG62xkxeLLFnvVV.jpg

[VentureFar]

http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/45/88/96/400_F_45889657_rvVstqW6TwiLQxADmtG62xkxeLLFnvVV.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/ihavethespirit/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd9459d27.jpg

 

The Mile Eater shirt and the bike that earned it.

VentureFar...

[VentureFar]

Ordered the points. Will arrive in a week.

Does the pump actually need to be off the bike?

It looks like it is all done from the top- installed.

Thoughts??

 

Thanks

 

VentureFar...

[cowpuc]

WOW VF, THAT shirt is gorgeous!!! Honestly, in all my riding days that is the first time I have seen one of those!! Pretty dog gone cool, I can see why you "went the extra mile(s)" (pun fully intended) for that one. Wear it with pride bro (looks good on that bike too)!!

Never worked on a 2nd Gen but HECK YEA, if it were mine and I could get the cover off the pump while its still in the bike I would definitely stick new points in it right in the machine = GREAT OBSERVATION!!! Please let us know how that works out:thumbsup2:

Another thought too, if I were riding an RSV and knew that the replacement points for the fuel pump were the correct ones I would definitely have a spare set in my bikes "Maintenance Dept"!!

 

Thanks for sharing the pic.

Puc

[RedRider]

You may be able to do it on the bike, but it is really easy to take it off. Since you are needing to solder and there are a couple of small screws, I would certainly feel more comfortable changing out the points on a bench.

 

Only real key in removing the pump from the bike, mark which hose goes to which nipple. Get a couple of twist ties, zip ties, etc. and put one on the hose and the other on the appropriate nipple.

 

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

 

RR

 

P.S. Nice shirt. Time to find a Long Distance rally and put those LD chops to use.

Edited February 17, 2014 by RedRider

[VentureFar]

Thanks Red Rider.

Will the gas spill from the lines when taken off the pump?

VentureFar...

[RedRider]

Thanks Red Rider.

Will the gas spill from the lines when taken off the pump?

VentureFar...

 

Yes, yes it will.

 

If you are concerned with that, turn off the fuel petcock and run the bike dry.

 

RR

[VentureFar]

Yes, yes it will.

 

If you are concerned with that, turn off the fuel petcock and run the bike dry.

 

RR

 

Not so much concerned with the fuel running out of the tubes as I am with the fire engulfing the my baby inside my garage :-)

 

Thanks for the tip - I will run it dry before starting on it.

 

VentureFar...hopefully farther with the fuel pump working.

 

So what is the work around tubing if the pump goes out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere?

 

Thanks

[Mike G in SC]

Not so much concerned with the fuel running out of the tubes as I am with the fire engulfing the my baby inside my garage :-)

 

Thanks for the tip - I will run it dry before starting on it.

 

VentureFar...hopefully farther with the fuel pump working.

 

So what is the work around tubing if the pump goes out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere?

 

Thanks

 

Go search for GRAVITY FEED. I, and maybe others, posted it a couple of years ago.

Or when I get home tonight I can chase and link it.

Mike G.

[Mike G in SC]

My 2010 post on Gravity Feed:

 

Mine died last year, under warranty. Shop replaced it. (it's a few hundred if your pocket)

But it died 100% when it died. When you turned the key,,, no clicks.

 

I did do the gravity feed,,,, to prove to me & the shop it was the pump. But also to ride it for a week.

 

The gravity feed will make it run just fine,, except maybe the bottom of the tank or MAJOR throttling.

 

To do gravity feed,,, let me remember,,,,

undo the tank bolt under the seat. Lift the tank up a couple of inches (don't need to undo the front, it will pivot.) use a needle nose to pull the gas line that runs from the tank off the fuel filter. Then pull the hose off the carburetor feed line and put the line from the tank to that feed. Now you are running straight from pitcock to the carb. I suggest you also open up the left side panel and disconnect the fuel pump electrical connection so it won't puke out remaining gas. If you think you want to run this a while (more than emergency) you could also include a $3 inline filter from Wal-mart just below the tank. Buy a few inches of fuel line to run between the pitcock and the filter, rather than cut your good line.

 

I ran it this way a few hundred miles till I got a new pump. But, in your case, this may prove if it is the pump or something else. Stick close to home till you know.

 

Mike G.

[VentureFar]

My 2010 post on Gravity Feed:

 

Mine died last year, under warranty. Shop replaced it. (it's a few hundred if your pocket)

But it died 100% when it died. When you turned the key,,, no clicks.

 

I did do the gravity feed,,,, to prove to me & the shop it was the pump. But also to ride it for a week.

 

The gravity feed will make it run just fine,, except maybe the bottom of the tank or MAJOR throttling.

 

To do gravity feed,,, let me remember,,,,

undo the tank bolt under the seat. Lift the tank up a couple of inches (don't need to undo the front, it will pivot.) use a needle nose to pull the gas line that runs from the tank off the fuel filter. Then pull the hose off the carburetor feed line and put the line from the tank to that feed. Now you are running straight from pitcock to the carb. I suggest you also open up the left side panel and disconnect the fuel pump electrical connection so it won't puke out remaining gas. If you think you want to run this a while (more than emergency) you could also include a $3 inline filter from Wal-mart just below the tank. Buy a few inches of fuel line to run between the pitcock and the filter, rather than cut your good line.

 

I ran it this way a few hundred miles till I got a new pump. But, in your case, this may prove if it is the pump or something else. Stick close to home till you know.

 

Mike G.

 

Ok all makes sense. I am going to put on new points and see how that goes. I am not going to run it gravity feed. I am totally confident it was the fuel pump not pumping. Had it happen once in my driveway just pulling the bike into the garage and tapping on the points brought it back. Then same on the INSIDE shoulder of the fast lane yesterday and tapping on the points brought it back to life. Dang this bike slows quickly from 75mph with no power in gear- especially in the fast lane of a crowded freeway...

 

VentureFar...

[Mike G in SC]

Neil,

The gravity feed is just a nice thing to know if you got stuck.

You only need wrench for the tank bolt and a needle nose pliers (preferably long ones) to do it. Nice to have a flashlight if it is also dark.

 

 

Good luck on the points, let us know.

 

Mike G.

[VentureFar]

Amen to that. With 2 iron butts and Sturgis 6x I am many times a long way from home and out of cell phone ( call AAA / AMA towing) service too.

Thanks.

Hopefully many will read this thread and jot down some notes.

 

VentureFar...

[VentureFar]

on the points- I will take pix and document. Although there is a great video already linked to this thread.

VentureFar...

[VentureFar]

So I decide to do a little digging before my points show up. I open the cover of the fuel pump but before I can, I run into the tie wrap holding the power wire being too tight. I finally figured out how to loosen it - see photo. Next I finally take a close look at my "points". Even the untrained eye can see my points are SHOT and I only have 15,000 miles !

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/ihavethespirit/Yamaha%20Royal%20Star%20Midnight%20Venture/workingonfuelpump_zps13cc4808.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/ihavethespirit/Yamaha%20Royal%20Star%20Midnight%20Venture/wornpointsventure_zps3cc5dd48.jpg

[Flyinfool]

WOW!

 

With as much as those points are burned away, I wonder if you have some other electrical issue also going on.

 

How is the voltage across the battery with the engine at ~3,000 RPM?

 

Is there a condenser built into the pump to help control arcing? If so does that get replaced with the points?

 

Could you have a partially shorted coil in the pump that is drawing more power than the points can handle?

[VentureFar]

Don't know about the voltage as the bike is apart at this moment but I will check it.

Thanks

VentureFar...

[VentureFar]

WOW!

 

With as much as those points are burned away, I wonder if you have some other electrical issue also going on.

 

How is the voltage across the battery with the engine at ~3,000 RPM?

 

Is there a condenser built into the pump to help control arcing? If so does that get replaced with the points?

 

Could you have a partially shorted coil in the pump that is drawing more power than the points can handle?

 

Dont have a tach but is 13.8V steady at my ear listening for about 3x idle

I am not one for getting stuck on the side of the road. I think once I prove that the points replacement does work I will purchase an OEM pump and relegate the "fixed" one to a spare in my bag.

 

VentureFar...