flue pump question

[adventurer 08]

I Have a 86 Venture std with I think has a bad fuel pump. If I take the pump off the bike and leave it pluged in for power but take off fuel lines should it keep on pumping for more than about 6 times and stop or should it keep on pumping when I turn the key on.

[MiCarl]

There is a timer that only allows it to run for a brief period if the ignition isn't firing. This is to prevent uncontrolled fuel spills.

 

Six pumps seems a bit short though. I think my 89 will run for about 10 seconds.

[bongobobny]

It's going to vary depending on the RC time constant delay of the circuit, it normally is around 5 seconds. If you want to dynamically test your fuel pump just hook it up directly to the battery instead of the wiring harness. As described above there is a circuit that cuts off the fuel pump after a few seconds IF no ignition pulses are detected from the TCI i.e. not cranking and/or running...

 

John, fuel pump failures are nowhere as common for the 1st gen as they are for the 2nd gen's, however they do sometimes happen. What has led you to think you have a fuel delivery problem?? You may have a plugged fuel filter, or a clogged screen in the gas tank or other issues with the petcock assembly. The fact that you seem to indicate you are getting something coming out of the fuel pump makes me think your pump is just fine!

[adventurer 08]

The bike starts great using the choke, runs ok, when you start to take the choke off or give it gas it dies. Push the choke on the bike starts right up. I thought maybe it is not getting enough gas when giving it more air. The bike ran good last year in the spring but sat all year, long story.

[MiCarl]

The bike starts great using the choke, runs ok, when you start to take the choke off or give it gas it dies. Push the choke on the bike starts right up. I thought maybe it is not getting enough gas when giving it more air. The bike ran good last year in the spring but sat all year, long story.

 

You're right, it's not getting enough gas. But not because of the fuel pump.

 

The idle circuits in the carburetors are gummed up. It only needs to sit a couple weeks with our modern gas to do that. You need to tackle a carb cleaning.

[cowpuc]

You're right, it's not getting enough gas. But not because of the fuel pump.

 

The idle circuits in the carburetors are gummed up. It only needs to sit a couple weeks with our modern gas to do that. You need to tackle a carb cleaning.

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that::sign yeah that::sign yeah that:

[adventurer 08]

I tried Seafoam but no luck. I just had to rebuild the carbs on my 08 RSV. Here we go again. Any tips?

[MiCarl]

Only tip I have is take your time and do it right. No point in having to re-do it.

[skydoc_17]

Hey John,

You might try this cleaning method BEFORE you go to all of the trouble of removing and rebuilding the Carbs. A year is a long time to sit, but you might luck out and have this do the trick.

 

CleaningFirst Gen. Carbs. On The Bike

I use this cleaningmethod to unstick a float needle that is causing the gas tank todrain when the bike is parked, or for a Carb. That is passing raw gasout of the overflow tube when the bike is running. This on bikecleaning DOES NOT address the issue of a Carb. Set needing a completerebuild, (off the bike) and does not address the issue of AIRPASSAGES being blocked, and causing poor performance. These twoissues require the Carbs. be removed from the bike.

With the bike on thecenter stand, and the engine off, I select the first Carb. I want toclean. You will be looking for the Black Plastic Carb. Drain Tube,and the screw that opens that drain. (Phillips Head Screw) You willneed a small coffee can, or a coke can with the top cut off, (NOplastic containers) to catch the gas that will come out when you openthe drain screw. Allow all of the gas to drain from the Carb. andhave a look in the can for “floaters”. (Solid particles) With anew can of Carb. Cleaner, insert the red straw in the end of thedrain tube. I wrap the junction of the red straw, and the drain tubewith a small piece of shop towel to slow the blow by. Press thebutton on the top of the can of Carb. Cleaner, and count to 3. Removethe red straw and let the cleaner fluid run into the coffee can. Moveto the next Carb. and repeat. When you do Carb. #4, start over again,and do them again. I use up one can of Carb. Cleaner on the fourCarbs. When the can of Carb. Cleaner is gone, retighten all fourdrain tube screws, (CAUTION DO NOTOVERTIGHTEN THE DRAIN SCREWS) Turn on the ignition switch, (do notstart bike) listen for the fuel pump to fill the Carb. Bowles andstop pumping, check the drain tubes and the overflow tubes (down infront of rear tire) for fuel leakage, move the can with the Carb.Cleaner/Gas mixture away from the bike, (or better yet, roll the bikeout of the garage) and start the bike. (It may take a few shortbursts on the starter motor, and you may need to choke it as well) Gofor a ride and “blow the cobwebs out” (my personal FAV part) ifthis doesn’t solve your problem, then a “Carbs. Off Rebuild”may be in order. On a side note, I run 3 ounces of Seafoam in everytank of gas I put in my 87’and 89’VR because of the negativeeffects of the Ethanol in the fuel these days. Earl (skydoc_17)

[cowpuc]

Hey John,

You might try this cleaning method BEFORE you go to all of the trouble of removing and rebuilding the Carbs. A year is a long time to sit, but you might luck out and have this do the trick.

 

CleaningFirst Gen. Carbs. On The Bike

I use this cleaningmethod to unstick a float needle that is causing the gas tank todrain when the bike is parked, or for a Carb. That is passing raw gasout of the overflow tube when the bike is running. This on bikecleaning DOES NOT address the issue of a Carb. Set needing a completerebuild, (off the bike) and does not address the issue of AIRPASSAGES being blocked, and causing poor performance. These twoissues require the Carbs. be removed from the bike.

With the bike on thecenter stand, and the engine off, I select the first Carb. I want toclean. You will be looking for the Black Plastic Carb. Drain Tube,and the screw that opens that drain. (Phillips Head Screw) You willneed a small coffee can, or a coke can with the top cut off, (NOplastic containers) to catch the gas that will come out when you openthe drain screw. Allow all of the gas to drain from the Carb. andhave a look in the can for “floaters”. (Solid particles) With anew can of Carb. Cleaner, insert the red straw in the end of thedrain tube. I wrap the junction of the red straw, and the drain tubewith a small piece of shop towel to slow the blow by. Press thebutton on the top of the can of Carb. Cleaner, and count to 3. Removethe red straw and let the cleaner fluid run into the coffee can. Moveto the next Carb. and repeat. When you do Carb. #4, start over again,and do them again. I use up one can of Carb. Cleaner on the fourCarbs. When the can of Carb. Cleaner is gone, retighten all fourdrain tube screws, (CAUTION DO NOTOVERTIGHTEN THE DRAIN SCREWS) Turn on the ignition switch, (do notstart bike) listen for the fuel pump to fill the Carb. Bowles andstop pumping, check the drain tubes and the overflow tubes (down infront of rear tire) for fuel leakage, move the can with the Carb.Cleaner/Gas mixture away from the bike, (or better yet, roll the bikeout of the garage) and start the bike. (It may take a few shortbursts on the starter motor, and you may need to choke it as well) Gofor a ride and “blow the cobwebs out” (my personal FAV part) ifthis doesn’t solve your problem, then a “Carbs. Off Rebuild”may be in order. On a side note, I run 3 ounces of Seafoam in everytank of gas I put in my 87’and 89’VR because of the negativeeffects of the Ethanol in the fuel these days. Earl (skydoc_17)

:clap2:

 

Been doing what Skydoc is talking about for years John,, GREAT ADVICE and worth a try!! The only thing I do different than The Doc is I pull the slides (free check of the diaphrams while your doing this), do exactly what he is describing only I fill the bowls one at a time until you get carb cleaner running out of the main jets (hole that the metering rod that is attached to the slide slips into). When the carb cleaner flows from the main jet, close the drain and let it sit for a couple hours. Pick up a large syringe from an Ag store (couple bucks a piece), slip the syringe end into the drain hose on the carb (I actually use the syringe to inject the cleaner into the carbs too but that is not necessary - spraying it in like The Doc is talking works great), open the drain and draw the cleaner in and out into the syringe in a good pumping motion - get the agitation thing going on, remove all the cleaner. Close the drains, Refill the carbs with fuel off the fuel pump by turning the kill switch on and off, pull the fuel from the bowls and check it in a clean jar - make sure you are getting good clean gas.. Put it together and see what cha got..