Fuel pump fail 2012

Fuel pump failures are well documented on this forum.

My 2012 WR with 10,000km and about 650 hours on board started the dreaded hot-weather engine fail syndrome. Once the fuel had cooled off a bit, it ran just fine etc etc etc. I fitted a new Ebay el-cheapo pump to the original body (I wonder how often you can get away with that...), and so far, so good.

I've done a bit of research into part numbers, and it appears from the listing in MR Cycles OEM spares suppliers (who I've bought from several times and like) that the first year to be fitted with the -10 pump was 2013. Using that listing, it seems my WR had the same pump part number as the 2008.

Regardless, I believe the failure rate of motorcycle fuel pumps is disgraceful. In my city in summer, I was told by a dealer, motorbike fuel pumps are continually failing. This is not only dangerous in traffic conditions, it's inexcusably poor componentry.

Rant over, except to say that fuel pumps really should be a 'for life' item.

However - do you know how cheap these pumps are now? When I replaced mine it cost me hundreds of dollars now you can get two on ebay for like $70

See my comment re ebay pump - $36 or so

I don't know what the actual failure rate is but remember on the internet you're going to hear about the problems disproportionately to the thousands that have had no issues. I ride in AZ (heat) & know of a few high mileage 2008's with the original fuel pumps. My 2008 went through two before I bought it in under 2,000 miles, the last 6,500 miles have been without issue. On really remote rides where extraction would be a serious issue, I sometimes carry a CAcycleworks replacement pump, hose & clamps as insurance. I run an uninsulated black 4.7 tank.

66T wrote:

See my comment re ebay pump - $36 or so

I am not saying the ebay pump is a bad idea but make sure that the hose nipple allows the fuel line to be secured.  I put one of the ebay replacement fuel pumps in my KTM 690. The ebay pump I bought didn't have a barbed outlet nipple like the stock pumps. Because it wasn't barbed, the hose slipped off the nipple even though I had a high pressure clamp.

You're partly right. The hose in the kit wasn't supplied with clamps. Initially, it was a tight fit. But slow running and >40degC days + fuel pressure caused massive leakage around the hose. I have a translucent tank, and you could see the fuel was really turbulent. Once I saw that it was an easy fix. I really needed stainless zip ties, but didn't have any (nearest auto shop is 300km away). So plastic ones are in place, fuel pressure is once again sufficient for normal running, and I'm extremely relieved.

Two things to note: 1. In the search for the source of all evil I found the ECU connector not locked, and
2. I owe my bike an apology for this one. The fact that it even ran like it did was amazing. The fact is that I rode, out of necessity, for several hundred km in conditions that test a healthy bike, and the WR kept on fighting and got the work done. How the engine wasn't damaged I don't know. It seems ok and goes great for what it is. Instead of angry and disappointed I'm impressed. Goes some way to cancelling the dead stator and rooted OEM pump.

Btw, two mates and I own WR-Rs, and two of us have had pump failures. Both bikes are used for working with stock, which is certainly cruel to engines and componentry due to heat soak.

Was the leaking hose the cause of your lack of power off idle in the tread with that name?

I'd safety wire the hose to the fitting instead of using zip ties, it'll hold a lot better, the wire really tightens up pinching the hose into place.

dogfarm wrote:

66T wrote:

See my comment re ebay pump - $36 or so

I am not saying the ebay pump is a bad idea but make sure that the hose nipple allows the fuel line to be secured.  I put one of the ebay replacement fuel pumps in my KTM 690. The ebay pump I bought didn't have a barbed outlet nipple like the stock pumps. Because it wasn't barbed, the hose slipped off the nipple even though I had a high pressure clamp.

...if a metal fuel or small glycol pipe is not barbed i put a "small" flare on the end with a brake line flaring tool to prevent a line from sliding off .. be sure to round over the edge of the flare a bit so it will not cut into the hose.. this of course won't work on white metal or cast aluminum... but may help in metallic instances...

The fuel spigots on the pump are barbed, but the hose was leaking so badly that I thought it must be split. Cheap hose, too. But it's fine for now. I've bought a spare OEM pump just in case...

And now I'm using the new OEM pump, after the el-cheapo pump failed. Onto the third pump in 15,000km and about 750 hrs engine time.

I think I'm just going to have to budget for a new OEM pump every year, as the heat buildup in the tank just kills them. I know I use the bike outside its design parameters, so I've accepted the pump thing as a running cost.

Having said that, this bike, when the fuel pump is working properly, keeps running when other air-cooled, carbureted bikes overheat and stop. TTRs etc will, under hot, still conditions involving slow speed and lots of 1st gear and clutch work (in the evening especially), overheat and call it quits until they've cooled off a bit. My WR has kept going with no engine overheating problems under these conditions, so I'm impressed with that. The fuel is another matter. That Safari tanks gets uncomfortably hot, even with plenty of fuel on board. Not surprising, though. What is surprising is that the pump works at all, really.

Overall, I'm growing used to the increased maintenance costs involved in working this bike (eg pumps, cct failure, another lot of fork seals due, steering head bearings stuffed etc) as it's such a willing little bike that is amazingly hard to stall. And it's good to ride. I have flogged the ring out of this thing on numerous occasions and it doesn't seem to mind. Not the sustained high-rev, fast trail stuff, but sudden full throttle in first and second up to the limiter, then slam the throttle shut and hard on the brakes chasing sheep. This is tough on bikes and people, but sheep are determined little critters and it has to be done. Mind you, my TTR is on its way to more than 71,000 km of the same usage, and is only now starting to use oil in significant amounts, but as you'd expect, it's relatively crap to ride. Still love and admire it, though.

Glad that your are apart of the forum 66t, I doubt anyone else gets as much use out of their bike lol. how many kilometers/hours did you get out of the el cheapo pump, and how often does your fan kick on? or is it always kicking on? Just curious since my fan comes on anytime I ride around in first for a sustained period and I hate it for some reason probably cause it make me feel like I'm going to slow lol.

blusmoke, I didn't really take lot of notice, but I think it was about 100hrs/2000km or so. In street use, in kinder weather, it's likely, I reckon, that even the el-cheapo would get 5000km or more. As long as the fuel doesn't get too hot, it might last for bloody ages. Who really knows?

Even so, it's a good way to have a backup pump to get a traveller out of the s**t until a new one can be fitted. Once the fuel line is off (!@#!!**%) it's such an easy job that changing pumps on the side of the road in reasonable conditions is simple.

Re the fan: for my bike, the fan is the secret. No fan would mean instant overheating during slow running. So much so that I have a spare one, as mine spends hours working. It will usually cut out periodically, even in hot weather, but it's on more than off. In very hot weather it even runs during transport riding in 5th or 6th gear. Don't care, personally. That's exactly what it's for. I do try and blow the dust out of my radiator often, though. It does make a noticeable difference to how often the fan cuts in, and for how long. The amount of dirt that such a small radiator can hold is surprising.

I hope they pay you enough lol that sounds like a really amazing line of work, like a real cowboy for sure!

Thanks for sharing thats great info on the pump and fan, I definitely need to let mine just run haha.

blusmoke wrote:

I hope they pay you enough lol that sounds like a really amazing line of work, like a real cowboy for sure!

Thanks for sharing thats great info on the pump and fan, I definitely need to let mine just run haha.

I agree! I think we need go pro video his WR at work!

Btw, thanks for your comments, but I really feel there are at least several others on this forum who have given/are giving their bikes a huge workout over very long distances. I'm really impressed by this, and am thinking that maybe I should save up and get another WR-R for recreational use. I bet the thing would last for ages, especially fuel pumps! If it was a 350...

66T thanks for posting up your bike experinces


i've been scanning the net a bit to find what other folks are ramming in their gas tanks as a cheaper alternative when the stock fuel pump burns out.. there was an interesting read on  husky bikes HERE where the rider ended up using a ducati internal pump.. One large frustration was discovered that some net  sites use  pictures of "small" fuel pumps .. only for the buyer to find it it was a large honking thing when the actual unit arrived . I am sure there is cheaper alternatives out there that will eventually surface.