Trouble starting

Yesterday was the first day around here where it was in the upper 90's. I rode my bike (09 WR250X) in to work in the morning and the bike ran fine. Rode it to pick up lunch and it started/ran fine. Bike sat for about 30 mins while I ate lunch and it wouldn't start. Kill switch was in the on position and when I turned the key I couldn't hear the fuel pump prime. Bike would crank with the kill switch in the on or off position, but would not start due to lack of fuel. First thing came to my head was the fuel pump that some of you 08 owners have experienced. I moved my bike to a shady spot and let it sit for about 15-20 mins. Wouldn't start and could not hear the fuel pump priming. I shook the kill switch wires a bit and cycled the key and the fuel pump came to life, but sounded a bit different. Jiggled the kill switch wires again and cycled the key and the fuel pump was normal and the bike fired right up. I was able to ride back to work and home with no problem. When I got home I shut the bike off and cycled the key, fuel pump primed fine. Jiggled the kill switch wire and pump was not priming. I assume there is something wrong somewhere in the kill switch wire. Anyone else have a similar issue or have some input on what I should check?

I plan to examine the kill switch wires this weekend. I also saw someone said to check the plug by the radiator as well, which is one of the first things I will look at. Is there a relay or anything that might act faulty when it gets hot?

When the kill switch is in the off position should the bike still crank?

This happened to me once before (about a month ago) while I was riding in the woods and it was warm out. Let it sit for about 10 mins and it fired back up.

With the kill switch off you should get nothing.

Had a chance to take a look at the issue and pulled the kill switch off first. No corrosion or anything. Tried hitting the starter button with the kill switch off and the starter didn't crank like it was doing previously. Hit the switch with some contact cleaner and checked out the plug behind the radiator and it seemed to be fine. Hopefully it was just something with the switch being pinched. I guess only time will tell when I start taking the bike to work again this week.

On mine (2010 R) when the kill switch is off the starter motor won't turn.

Rode my bike everyday this week and today it did the same thing. Fuel pump would not prime when it was hot. It will crank and when you turn the key you can hear the clicks, but it doesn't prime or fire. I'm guessing it's definitely my fuel pump. Has anyone heard of the 09's have bad pumps? My bike was built 09/08.

blewwrx wrote:

Rode my bike everyday this week and today it did the same thing. Fuel pump would not prime when it was hot. It will crank and when you turn the key you can hear the clicks, but it doesn't prime or fire. I'm guessing it's definitely my fuel pump. Has anyone heard of the 09's have bad pumps? My bike was built 09/08.

Uhhh...if the last two numbers on your build date are 08......

i dont believe it was all the 08's that had problems just a month or 2 ... and cars that are built in the 6th month or later in that year are considered the next years model not sure about bikes thou...was your bike sitting in the sun when the pump wouldnt prime ? i have an 09 and mine has done this once or twice im not too concerned about it

motokid wrote:

Uhhh...if the last two numbers on your build date are 08......

Actually a lot of times a bike built that late in the year are sold as the next year model. My 2005 SV that I bought brand new was built in 11/04.

And for the record my bike has an 03/08 build date, I have over 3000 miles on it so far without an issue (bought it with 189 miles). Lets hope it stays that way but from what I read not all early build dates had bad pumps, that just seems to be the range they showed up in.

Bike was sitting in the sun, but it only happened if I just rode it then it sat. My bike is directly in the sun at work for about 5 hours before I start it up again and it doesn't seem to happen then.

I ordered a new pump. Hopefully everything is good after I install it.