Fuel pump question

[Mcolabella]

I am having trouble starting my 89, I don't hear the fuel pump at all and I use to hear it when I turned the key on, it turning over fine

[bongobobny]

OK are you certain you do not hear any clicks when the key is first turned on?? The reason I ask is there is a "protection" circuit with the fuel pump relay that turns the fuel pump relay off after 5 seconds or less, and the relay will not turn on again until it detects ignition pulses from the TCI. Are you sure you are getting spark to the plugs when it is turning over?? You may have an issue with your TCI not working any more. If you are not hearing any clicks at all with key on, I would suspect the fuel pump relay, which is a special relay, before I would suspect the fuel pump itself as the 1st gen fuel pumps did not fail as often as on the 2nd gen. You can hook up a voltmeter across the fuel pump, and turn the key on. You should see 12 volts for around 5 seconds then zero volts, so you have to look fast!

 

Here's a link to your wiring diagram from this site...

 

http://www.venturerider.org/wiring/86-89%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Simplified%20Circuit%20Diagram%20Rev%20D.pdf

[snyper316]

Warning I am not an expert. What I did when I was in doubt is pulled the side panel off and hooked a piece of fuel line to the outlet. Then I put the other end in a jar or bottle. Then I hit the key to see if any gas was flowing. Mine seems to kick on for about 2-3 seconds then stops. I don't know but mine isn't very loud if the pressure is there, so there is no way I would hear it over my radio if it is on.

[bongobobny]

Yup, that's another good way of seeing if the pump works, but if it does not, then you need to determine if it is the pump or the relay that is bad. The voltage test I mentioned will tell if the relay is good or bad, no voltage at all on key on, bad relay...

 

Or, could be corroded connector on relay, etc!

[Mcolabella]

OK are you certain you do not hear any clicks when the key is first turned on?? The reason I ask is there is a "protection" circuit with the fuel pump relay that turns the fuel pump relay off after 5 seconds or less, and the relay will not turn on again until it detects ignition pulses from the TCI. Are you sure you are getting spark to the plugs when it is turning over?? You may have an issue with your TCI not working any more. If you are not hearing any clicks at all with key on, I would suspect the fuel pump relay, which is a special relay, before I would suspect the fuel pump itself as the 1st gen fuel pumps did not fail as often as on the 2nd gen. You can hook up a voltmeter across the fuel pump, and turn the key on. You should see 12 volts for around 5 seconds then zero volts, so you have to look fast!

 

Here's a link to your wiring diagram from this site...

 

http://www.venturerider.org/wiring/86-89%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Simplified%20Circuit%20Diagram%20Rev%20D.pdf

 

 

I know that I use to hear the clicking, of the fuel pump. I do hear a relay click from under the seat

[bongobobny]

There are no relays under the seat. You may be hearing an initial click from the fuel pump though. The fuel pump relay is located along with the rest of the relays inside the front fairing sort of in front of the dash assembly. If you only hear one click and not several this can mean one of two things, either the fuel pump points (the things that make the click click sound) are shot, or there is full fuel pressure on the output side of the pump. If the second is the case then either you may have a clogged fuel line or a clogged fuel filter.

 

Sounds like it's time to try what Snyper suggested and attach a hose leading into a jar or can and with key on, it should pump fuel for a couple of seconds. If no gas coming out, hook up a voltmeter to the fuel pump wires and look for 12 volts across it for a few seconds with key on...

 

If there was no gas getting TO the fuel pump I pretty much think it would click click away with key on for around 5 seconds give or take...

[ChurchBuilder]

The fuel pump will click when you turn the key on unless the float bowls are full. Once they are full the pump will no longer pump.

 

 

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[snyper316]

If there was no gas getting TO the fuel pump I pretty much think it would click click away with key on for around 5 seconds give or take...

 

Yep and it sounds labored if you know what I mean; I had shut the gas off and it still made the clicking, just sounded sluggish

[snyper316]

@bongobobny Just a question curious did you move your fuel filter? Mine is before the fuel pump mounted to the tank.

[bongobobny]

No, kept the stock location. You want to filter the fuel BEFORE it gets to the fuel pump. Now, auto gas may not be as bad as aviation fuel, but they have contamination issues big time!! We would get fuel valves in from the field with chunks of metal imbedded into the screen on the inlet...

[camos]

Yep and it sounds labored if you know what I mean; I had shut the gas off and it still made the clicking, just sounded sluggish

Sluggish with no fuel getting to it would indicate low power as in battery issues. If the battery is good then a connection issue to the fuel pump or with the pump's points.

[hoochster]

I am having what I think are fuel pump issues as well. I am trying to force myself to turn off the petcock when I park the bike to get in the habit. There are times that I forget to turn it back on when I do this and my bike ends up dying due to no fuel. that has happened a few times. When it did happen it wasn't an issue I would just turn on my fuel after it died and it would start back up. Recently, it happened again and this time I let it sit for a good 15-20 minutes just trying to start it here and there to no avail. I was going to be late for an appointment so I just left it where it was for the day and when I came back about 8 hours later the fuel pump clicked an d it started right up. In the morning after it happened I did not hear the fuel pump trying to do anything even after turning off the key and turning it back on multiple times.

 

does that sound like a fuel pump issue? I don't always hear the pump clicking when I start my motorcycle in the mornings,. I used to hear it every time when I first bought it in 2010. I don't have any issues starting it in the morning but if I run out of gas because I forget to turn the petcock it doesn't always start right up.