Oldodge Posted June 10, 2017 #1 Posted June 10, 2017 I ride a 2013 RSV with about 28K miles on the clock. On the way home from work today it just felt sluggish and the throttle felt abrupt. I thought it was just me, I was tired and sometimes I imagine issues with mechanical stuff when I am tired. On a straight, flat stretch of two lane with cruise set about 65mph the bike just shut off. I coasted to the side of the road and tried to restart. It cranked over fine but wouldn't fire. I tried the choke with no success. I tried exercising the key switch and the kill switch with no success. i pushed it to a nearby wide berm to get away from traffic. Tried it again and it started with full choke, but any attempt to move the throttle or remove some choke and it would die. I tried removing the fuel filler cap with no change in running. I called my wife to come get me, about a 20 mile drive as I was halfway home. Figured I would have to return home and get the trailer when she got there. I had some time to kill and I didn't think it was getting fuel so I started to remove the seat to remove the tank and see what I could see. I couldn't get the toolkit's open end wrench to loosen the one seat nut that I had loctite on. I decided I would turn the key and listen for the fuel pump and if it ran I would then pull the fuel hose from the petcock and check for fuel flow. I turned on the key just as a big truck went by and I couldn't hear whether the pump ran or not. I stabbed the starter and it fired right up, idled smooth, revved smooth too. I texted my wife and had her meet me at a gas station about five miles up the road. The bike ran up to the gas station better than it had felt before the thing quit. Actually felt better than it has the last couple days. We met and she followed me home without incident. I did, when close to home to home, switch to reserve and felt it didn't run as smoothly, maybe just my imagination but at home I drained the tank to see if I had any water or anything and the gas looked very dark compared to normal. No dirt, crud or visible water/contaminants. I had filled up yesterday at a station I always use but decided to put mid grade in instead of the regular I normally use to see if it affected fuel mileage. I don't know if it was bad gas, seems odd it would quit running at speed and then restart gradually as it cooled, but I didn't find anything else. I put a gallon and a half of gas from the lawn tractor can in it and it runs like a champ. Any ideas? Fuel pump or relay maybe? Vapor lock on my old Flathead Dodge acts like that, but it was only mid seventies F and I wasn't running hot, at least not that I could tell. In 28K miles it has never hiccupped, until today. It is running great but I wish I had found something definitive. Sorry for rambling on, but I am really baffled.
sldunker Posted June 10, 2017 #2 Posted June 10, 2017 Remove the black plastic cap from the fuel pump and inspect the points. If they are fried, that should be your problem. Replacement points are available from places like JP cycles, Dennis Kirk or Amazon. After going thru several sets of points I replaced the points on mine with a circuit board made by a guy in Europe. The circuit board should last as long as the bike. I could only get about 25,000 miles out of a set of points. Good Luck.
Karaboo Posted June 10, 2017 #3 Posted June 10, 2017 Is it still covered under warranty? Get the shop to check the points. Maybe you could get a new pump out of them.
Oldodge Posted June 10, 2017 Author #5 Posted June 10, 2017 Thanks guys, it is still under warranty, Not sure if I will take it to the shop or not, I hate wasting a day for them to not find anything wrong and give it back having done nothing. I will look into options, new pump, new points, aftermarket pump etc and then make a decision. Very disappointing, doesn't sound like a very reliable part.
djh3 Posted June 11, 2017 #7 Posted June 11, 2017 Have to agree. Sounds very close to what mine started doing. I thought pump was overheating or possible vapor lock. As mine was out of warrenty I went with an electric fuel pump. Yours is under warranty. Call dealer and tell them what happened, ask them what they might do. Maybe they will just change the pump if they are familiar with these bikes. Or ask them if it happens again what they want you to do, call them or a wrecker and if they are going to cover the cost.
MikeWa Posted June 11, 2017 #8 Posted June 11, 2017 If they balk remind them. "Sirs when I am on the freeway in the fast lane in traffic doing 70mph and the bike quits running. Free towing is not the first thing that comes to mind". Mike
Drews Posted June 11, 2017 #9 Posted June 11, 2017 Fuel pump points NEXT time you may not be able to get it to start that is how bad points act
Oldodge Posted June 11, 2017 Author #10 Posted June 11, 2017 I pulled the fuel pump today. The points look shot. Not arced real bad but worn and worn off center. There was a lot of carbon dust in the cover. I blew that out with electrical contact cleaner. They look like they have an overbite. I made provisions to bypass the pump if I have to. Reminded me how terrible it is to replace the fuel filter too. Doing some research I am amazed at how common this failure is. Yamaha should be ashamed that they built this bike, unchanged, for so long, and still have this failure point. I will call the dealership tomorrow and question them on their knowledge of this issue. First warranty issue so I don't have a feel for their service dept.
djh3 Posted June 11, 2017 #11 Posted June 11, 2017 The fuel pump I think is sourced from Mitsubishi. Anyways did some back research years ago and I think I found that the same pump was used on the old like 80 or so Dodge Colt 4cyl.
Oldodge Posted June 11, 2017 Author #12 Posted June 11, 2017 It does have a Mitsubishi symbol stamped on it.
Oldodge Posted June 12, 2017 Author #13 Posted June 12, 2017 Today I tried to call the dealer where I bought it, closed Monday. That figures, just my luck. It is a little over two hours from home anyway, so I called a dealer that is only about 40 minutes away. He took all my information, listened to my story and said he will order the parts. Said it didn't matter where I bought it he would repair it. He will call when he gets the parts and schedule me to bring it in and have it repaired under warranty. Said since it is running and I already did what he would do to check it out there is no sense bringing it in until the parts are in hand. He did caution that it will probably do it again and may not start next time. Didn't seem the least bit surprised that it failed.
Oldodge Posted June 25, 2017 Author #14 Posted June 25, 2017 Still waiting for dealer to call and tell me parts are in. Haven't been riding, prime riding weather too. Decided I would take a ride this morning and the fuel pump didn't run when I turned the key on. Started and ran for a few seconds on full choke and died. Half hour later I turned the key and the pump ran fine. Fired right up. Don't trust it at all, so I let it sit. I think I will call dealer Monday and ask for status update, if it is going to be much longer I think I will order a Facet pump to get going again. I will probably go with a Facet down the road anyway and keep the Mitsubishi pump in the saddlebag as a spare.
grubsie Posted June 25, 2017 #15 Posted June 25, 2017 FYI, When the the dealer replaces the pump, ask him for the old one. Order a set of points and replace the bad ones in the old pump. Then you will have a good spare pump (for short money) to carry on the bike with you.
Oldodge Posted June 30, 2017 Author #16 Posted June 30, 2017 New pump and filter installed today. Took almost 3 weeks for dealer to get the pump. Running great again.
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