Author Topic: Possible fuel/injector issue (Read 32195 times)

greywolf · « **Reply #80 on:** March 07, 2016, 15:45:17 »

Yes it is.

Fat Rat · « **Reply #81 on:** March 07, 2016, 16:12:23 »

And that was exactly what was stopping the bike from starting. I found an O Ring in my box of bits that seemed to fit, the bike started instantly

I have now ordered a set of O Rings from Suzuki and will replace them all before handing the bike back.

I have enjoyed this little exercise and it seems to me that the issues which caused the bike to lose power were;

The Strainer at the base of the Pump assembly had disintegrated, there were bits of it everywhere, I can only guess that bits of this travelled through to the Filter/Regulator and added to any blockage?

The O Ring that was missing, I was very careful when I took the assembly apart, it's possible that it broke up during dis-assembly?

I will take the bike for a decent ride today/tomorrow before I give it the all clear, but I'm pretty optimistic

greywolf · « **Reply #82 on:** March 07, 2016, 16:46:18 »

I'm sure everything will be fine. You've replaced all the wear items. It's now evident why the pump couldn't push your finger off the spigot.

wurzel · « **Reply #83 on:** March 07, 2016, 17:15:15 »

Well I was just contemplating stocking up on

, but that has been cancelled, I must say, two better, more committed people would be hard to find, I take my hat of to you both, talk about going the extra mile...

TLPower · « **Reply #84 on:** March 07, 2016, 18:47:17 »

Top job Fat Rat.

Wurzel keep Your hat on, the mice will escape.

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #85 on:** March 07, 2016, 19:22:40 »

joderest · « **Reply #86 on:** March 10, 2016, 08:16:13 »

You know, sometimes, just sometimes its a bit sad when a thread like this comes to an end and conclusion, I was enjoying the "investigative" nature of the work.
Well done, super job, top banana !!

Fat Rat · « **Reply #87 on:** March 10, 2016, 13:55:38 »

The new owner has been away for a few days so no pressure to get the bike back to him. The weather today was great so I took her out for a 40 mile spin over a mix of small roads and 70mph roads.

The power delivery was faultless across the rev range, no hesitation or burps and farts.

Thanks to Pat and others who chipped in

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #88 on:** March 10, 2016, 14:53:01 »

Gassoon · « **Reply #89 on:** March 10, 2016, 21:24:00 »

Top work, Andy

What are your thoughts on what might have caused it in the first place? Just an age thing? Maybe sitting dry of fuel for too long?

My bikes a '58 , fingers crossed here...

Fat Rat · « **Reply #90 on:** March 10, 2016, 21:29:00 »

Dave, the Strainer was well past its sell by date. I'm not sure if sitting in stale fuel would have broken it down quicker than normal

It's a terrible design and now I've seen it first hand I'm surprised we haven't seen more cases like this one.

pr · « **Reply #91 on:** March 15, 2016, 12:20:19 »

Yesterday I met Andy in Aberystwyth and took the bike home to Birmingham.
All the power was right there where I wanted it, no glitches. It was a great ride and it felt like many more to come!

As I don't use it daily, I will keep the tank full as much as I can so hopefully that strainer will stay in one piece from now on and as I understood that helps to keep the tank clean.

Top work indeed, Andy! Couldn't have done this myself, so learned a lot from this too.

greywolf · « **Reply #92 on:** November 08, 2016, 13:41:03 »

It has later been established that the fuel pump output at a proper 43psi can be stopped by a thumb. Sorry for the misinformation. To be really accurate, a pressure gauge is best used. Maybe there is a rule of pinky but I no longer have a bike to check.

gerryfr · « **Reply #93 on:** March 06, 2022, 15:55:09 »

I have a 2007 V-Strom 650 with 970 miles on the clock. Having little use it failed to start about 2 years ago. A local mechanic, (mostly on cars, works from home, has a half dozen bikes himself) took it and diagnosed the tank full of crud and fuel pump failure. He replaced the pump and, like Fat Rat, he found the strainer had disintegrated. He replaced this too. He cleaned out the tank and it looks quite clean now. I've kept it full of petrol since.
After collecting the bike from the mechanic I rode it on its maiden voyage last summer 2021, It started and drove nicely for about 4 miles then lost power and eventually cut out as I slowed down to get petrol. After filling up I set out for home but despite a wide open throttle the bike gradually lost power, it lost revs and eventually became unrideable. A few minutes wait after stopping seemed to restore its composure for another few miles until it lost power, failed to respond to a wide open throttle and cut out again. I put it in a neighbour’s house about a half mile away but after a few minutes it started again and I managed to ride it home - just. It couldn’t rev more than 2-3K for this last half mile.
It’s been parked up (full of petrol) ever since in my shed. It seems to start easily enough and seems to idle properly on the few occasions I've started it. But I haven’t dared to take it for a ride. The weather has been indifferent, we've had lock down and I had a touch of covid after Christmas, so the bike has been untouched. This was no hardship.
Yesterday I discovered this site. And Fat Rats experience which seemed to mirror my own.
My suspicion was that the crud in the tank has gone through the pump and blocked the injectors, hence the replacement pump not sorting the problem. But that would not explain the good starting (unless there is a choke type effect in the FI where the injectors allow extra fuel into the combustion chambers until the bike is warmed up).
I've dismantled the pump and checked the O rings and all seemed fine. There was minimal debris on the new strainer. I reassembled it carefully.
My intention was to remove the fuel injectors and check that they were not blocked. But I became afraid of the magnitude of that job so I've reassembled it all again after basically doing nothing.
The weather is dodgy for the next few days (I'm now in Co.Waterford in southern Ireland) so I'll take the bike out after it clears up and report. If it isn't cured I'll be seeking advice on how to reach the fuel injectors.
Has anyone any experience of engine cleaning additives that go in the tank? I have a bottle of "Smog Doctor vb26". Does anyone know if its safe to use on a motorcycle engine?
Thanks to Fat Rat for restoring my interest in the bike and giving me some hope that its fixable.
(Mod - please move post if in wrong location)

Fat Rat · « **Reply #94 on:** March 06, 2022, 16:27:58 »

Is it not likely that it is the (internal to the fuel pump assembly) high pressure filter rather than the injectors?

kwackboy · « **Reply #95 on:** March 06, 2022, 18:21:42 »

Did your mechanic replace the whole pump assembly or just the little motor and sieve ?

If the latter I'd suggest the main filter as FR says, this can cause low fuel pressure causing your symptoms.

pb · « **Reply #96 on:** March 07, 2022, 07:20:53 »

I always put a few cap fill's of "Profi Fuel Max" in the tank when I over winter the bike, it is a complete system cleaner I have used it for years on various bikes with carburettors and fuel injection seems to do the trick. Good Luck

Pug27 · « **Reply #97 on:** March 07, 2022, 09:01:10 »

Could it be the TPS? I had similar symptoms on a Wee. Bike would start and idle fine until it got to operating temp then it would bog down and stall, riding on the roads was a nightmare. it would seem that the hotter it got the worse it was.
So maybe by leaving it to cool down slightly before riding would "cure" the problem until it got back upto temp.
I changed the TPS and, once calibrated, all fine again.

gerryfr · « **Reply #98 on:** March 08, 2022, 10:26:08 »

I'm grateful to FR and kwackboy for the suggestion that it might be the HP filer integral to the pump. This was not replaced when the pump motor and strainer were replaced. If the tank was dirty its likely to have taken in some of the rubbish which may be clogging the HP filter..
I assume the HP filter is the metal cylincer about an inch long sitting on top of the pump and retained there when the top cover is replaced. I saw this but was unsure of what it was.
Thanks to Pug 27 for suggesting it might be the TPS, I'll explore this possibility after I exclude the HP filter. I'd never heard of a TPS before.
Meanwhile the tank is laid back on top of the bike and it starts instantly and idles nicely making me suspect the HP filter is not entirely blocked. If so would it be OK to put some engine cleaner in approx 5 Litres of petrol through the tank? I'm veryt tempted to try this.
Does anyone have an idea where I might find a high pressure filter replacment? Our local dealership here in rural Ireland is into ATV's, chainsaws, lawnmowers and bicycles only. IMHO They are shockingly expensive so I'm afraid to approach them.
Today the weather is bad with wind and rain and its forecast to continue for another week. So no riding (outdoors) anytime soon.
Best, GF

Fat Rat · « **Reply #99 on:** March 08, 2022, 11:14:07 »

I sourced one through a main dealer, I can't remember which one. Make sure you are sitting down when you get the price