Starting issue

I have not taken the time to thoroughly explore the fuel pump thread, but thought I would post briefly an issue I am experiencing to see if there is a commonality. Bike has been running flawlessly. Jumped on it this morning to head to work and it did not fire right up as usual. It caught, then died. Did this a couple times then the battery weakened quickly. I put it away and rode another bike to work. This evening it started and ran for about 20 seconds. Throttle it and it dies. Does not start back up for a while, then repeats same process. Hear the fuel pump begin each time I turn the key on. Strong odor when it dies. I have not had time to explore beyond this. Have the FMF pipe and programmer. No other engine mods. 08 model. Anything sound familiar?

Shep

Making sure the battery is topped off and strong, if it's doing that, I'd highly suspect your fuel pump is on it's way out.

I suspect the same thing. I am charging the battery right now.

Shep

Do you have a battery tender or some kind of charging system for battery?

I'd try that first since you have other bikes to ride.

Yeah, I've got a Tender. The nice thing about multiple bikes (aside from having a backup to ride) is that I can set them all up to use the same tools/gadgets. Each bike has a Zumo 550 mount so I can share the one GPS with each bike. Same for heated gear, charging, etc.

Shep

How's the air filter look?

On the list to check. Will be tomorrow evening before I can take any time with it. Thanks for the guidance.

Shep

Have not had this problem with my 08 but was wondering what everone is paying for a new pump and where they are getting them? Berwyn

Have still not had time to start a serious exploration but I'm getting some new symptoms. It will not start at all, just threatens to briefly and occasionally backfires. Because the original owner located the FMF Power Programmer near the steering head, I can see it when I turn on the bike. I thought it cycled through the lights before. Now, when I turn on the key the first and last light only come on. Will explore later tonight or tomorrow if I have time.

Shep

Sure sounds electrical.

Did you hook bike to battery tender overnight?

The FmF unit should "work" regardless of fuel pump.
(I'm talking about the lights and stuff on the programmer when you first turn the key.)

I charged it, but just a couple turns of the key and it goes dead, so I may need to buy a new battery as well. I can't really remember how the programmer is supposed to act when you turn the key on: do all the lights cycle through or just the first and last? I'm getting the first and last to flash back and forth when I turn it on and when (if) it starts for a few seconds, the first light is on solid. Sound right or wrong? Starting to sound less like the fuel pump to me now.

Shep

I don't have an FmF. I have Attitude Ind., which is very VERY similar. Mine's under my seat though so I have not looked at it for a while.

I'll go look now.

be right back

okay - on my Attitude Industries unit, only the first and last lights, plus one in the middle alternate blinking for about two blinks each then there's no lights at all when I just turn the key to the on position.

I did not actually start bike. Does that help?

Thanks. I'm just going to have to find the time to do some exploration. I have to go out of town until Tuesday, so it might be a while. Would be a good time to check out the flapper mod and put on an IMS tank while I have it apart.

Shep

Holler back when you can, Shep. If your bike is an '08, I'm betting you need a new battery. This particular Yuasa dosen't seem to last as long as some.

Sarah

I had to go out of town for business. I noticed after charging the battery that about 2 or 3 cranks and it was dead again, so a new battery is the 1st order of business when I return. Beyond that, I am taking a serious look at a new fuel pump. Should be able to give it some attention mid-week. My life on the job may be about to make a drastic change very soon...longer hours and more commitment, so I better get the bike fixed while I can. It might even require a move on my part. I will know for sure in a couple weeks. If so, it just puts me closer to great riding! Down side is I might have to live the bachelor life for a while until my wife can join me.

Shep

Had a chance to come by home briefly. Grabbed a new battery down the street and popped it in. Same issue: runs for about 10 seconds and dies. Won't start right up again. Then it does and dies again. Guess I might be shopping for a fuel pump. I've made no recent changes to bike, no reason to have pinched a line, etc.

Shep

Dang, was hoping it was just the battery. Looks like Service Honda may still be the cheapest option for mail order.

Yamaha FUEL PUMP COMP. for Yamaha
3D7-13907-00-00
$213.29


Sarah

I just bought a new fuelpump a few days ago for my own peace of mind.My 08 wrr acted up only once last augest and I've been on the fence about putting in a new one..after reading some posts on here I finally made up my mind,,my local dealership wasn't much help so I'm doing it myself. I got mine at Onlinecycle parts.com for $222.04 with free shipping,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,good luck,,,,,,,,,,Jason

I believe that's the best price yet!

Sarah

Weird, mine is doing the same thing
Last time I rode it it took 10 minutes of stalling and gagging before it started running well, then it was perfect
Started it the other night and it was doing it again
I will try a plug first

Thought I had a brainstorm, but it turned into a fizzle. I remembered that the bike was running fine when the low fuel light came on. I stopped to fill it up and rode it home. The next time I started it, my troubles began...start/die, start/die. Now it won't even start. I was hoping there was just water in the gas so i siphoned the tank and added fresh gas. I was hoping for an easy fix. No such luck. Will order the fuel pump tomorrow. I'm off all next week and would really like to be able to take it out some. Here's hoping.

Shep

You and I have what sounds like the same problem
You shouldn't just order parts and swap them without diagnosis, it's like you are skipping all the simple things and taking an expensive guess, if it won't start consider yourself lucky as it should be diagnosable
You should have your fuel pressure measured
If pressure is good and it won't start, don't waste your time and money replacing a good pump

True enough. The battery was a need, as it would no longer hold a charge. This bike has set for most of its life without use. Beyond that I'm mostly thinking out loud here. I've not done anything yet. Time is an issue for me. Most likely the weekend before I can actually do more than quick and simple checks. At that point, the tank is coming off, the plug is coming out, etc.... no sense overlooking the obvious...or the known common issues.

Shep

So related to fuel injection, fuel pressure, etc... what other gremlins possibly await in this bike's fuel injection system?

I posted last fall that my mileage took a sudden nose dive. There was some speculation it might be winter formulated gas and a few other things.

Well, it's summer now. And unlike Shep and yourself, the bike fires up first time every time and runs smoothly. But my mileage is still down about 15% from what I was getting the first two years. Freshly cleaned air filters, oil change, new tires, new spark plug, different ethanol-free gas stations... doesn't matter. It's not getting progressively worse, or better, just remains down about 15%.

What is the likelihood of fouled injectors or fuel pressure causing either your problems or a sudden and consistent drop in fuel mileage? I have run some very fugly diesel through my Dodge Ram 2500 while out in the Patch, and that Cummins has never so much as burbled and the truck gets pretty much the same mileage it gets when I bought it back in '94. Of course, it also has a big fuel filter, but to this day those injectors have never been cleaned even once.

I don't have sufficient faith in the local dealership to take the bike to them, tell them to start the clock, and figure out why my mileage has taken such a turn for the worse.

Well one thing about our Canadian bikes is they are open loop systems in that the ECU has no idea if the bike is running rich or lean
It knows throttle opening, engine temp, air temp and engine RPM
Then all the engineers testing and mapping assume the above data is correct and does it's thing with 3D maps
When we for instance open up the air box we could introduce warmer or colder air to the temp sensor and the system will adjust for that etc etc
The other thing is the system runs on extremely low voltage so it does not take much of a poor connection to increase the resistance of say the engine temp sensor info that is going to the ECU, might think the engine is cooler than it really is, maybe even crud building up on the temp sensor could effect heat transfer
So having said that, clean and dielectric all connectors would be good practice, also a slight amount of wear or just normal electrical stuff could affect the output of the TPS making the computer assume the throttle is slightly further open than it really is
Could be a very subtle thing that could effect fuel economy by 15%
even too much oil in the engine can do it or 20w50 weight oil