fuel pump problem wth first start-up of the year

DeanR · Jul 11, 2017

Decided to start up the spare 1100 for the first time this year. Time for a ride down the street just to make sure stuff is working after sitting over the winter.

Fresh gallon of no E gas into the spotless empty tank, choke on, strong cranking but no start.

No hum from the fuel pump, so jumped it to the battery pos. Started right up, but,

gas flowing out the fuel drain tube under the bike. I don't understand that because all four carb drain screws are closed.

- Why would the fuel pump not kick on with the ignition? Red connector on the side of tank is connected.

- Where should I look for the gas leak source? Anything to do with having the pump connected directly to the battery?

Brant · Jul 12, 2017

DeanR said:
Decided to start up the spare 1100 for the first time this year. Time for a ride down the street just to make sure stuff is working after sitting over the winter.

Fresh gallon of no E gas into the spotless empty tank, choke on, strong cranking but no start.

No hum from the fuel pump, so jumped it to the battery pos. Started right up, but,

gas flowing out the fuel drain tube under the bike. I don't understand that because all four carb drain screws are closed.

- Why would the fuel pump not kick on with the ignition? Red connector on the side of tank is connected.

- Where should I look for the gas leak source? Anything to do with having the pump connected directly to the battery?

Just a guess Dean, but possibly float pins kinda' sticky from sitting empty and fuel bowls were overly full.

DeanR · Oct 4, 2017

Brant said:
Just a guess Dean, but possibly float pins kinda' sticky from sitting empty and fuel bowls were overly full.

Just getting back to this.
Managed to get the fuel pump working properly.
Bike will start and idle just fine, but there is still gas coming out the drain tube.
Speaking of those drain tubes under the bike. There are three. Fuel tray overflow tube, carb drain overflow tube,and....what's the third one?
Would this still be a likely float pin problem?
To review, the bike had been sitting in the garage with empty carbs and gas tank removed. No start a couple months ago. Fuel pump not running, so I jumped it to the battery. In short order, gas was flowing out the bottom of the bike. Turned it off immediately.
It's now running, but gas is still leaking.

DeanR · Oct 4, 2017

Just answered one of my own questions. The third 'drain tube' is actually the gas cap vent.

dwalby · Oct 4, 2017

Dean,

If the carb float sticks (or a spec of dirt gets stuck on the needle valve) so it can't completely shut off the fuel flow into the bowl, the fuel will eventually reach an overflow level and drain out the same tube that's used for draining the bowl. I think that's the cause of your fuel coming out one of those tubes. I see Brant said the same thing a few months ago.

Upt' North · Oct 4, 2017

Worth a try.
Tap the bowls with a light knocking stick and the floats might just settle down.
I used for ride a R80RT and if the bowls overflowed a little tap would normally solve it.
Good luck.
Upt'North.

DeanR · Oct 4, 2017

A tapping I will go.

Really not thrilled about pulling the carbs, although I remember it not being all that tough.

DeanR · Oct 6, 2017

Carbs are off. Glad it wasn't a first time doing it. Everything looks nice and clean. I think I did a cleaning a couple years ago. Carb cleaner, compressed air etc...
Float pins not sticking and the valve tips (not being a carb/engine guy, I'm assuming it's the thing that hangs from the float arm) are also clean.
Anything else to look at while I'm in there.

dwalby · Oct 6, 2017

the float valves only need a very fine speck of dust to keep them from seating, its not always obvious. wipe off all 4 tips of the valves and their seats before you re-install.

DeanR · Oct 7, 2017

Carbs back on and so far no more fuel spew. Must have been a float or float valve as you guys suggested, because that's all I messed with. Was nothing visible, obvious or sticking that caused the leak.

I suppose it did have something to do with starting it up with the fuel pump jumped to the battery.

dwalby · Oct 8, 2017

DeanR said:
I suppose it did have something to do with starting it up with the fuel pump jumped to the battery.

probably more a case of bad luck, given that there's a fuel filter inline (BTW, how long since you last replaced that?)

In the UJM days I had the same thing happen on my daily commute to work, but in those days there was a straight path from tank to carbs, typically no filter as I recall.

DeanR · Oct 8, 2017

Fuel filter is good Doug. Started it up again today. Might take it for a ride down my road in the near future.
This is the bike (91) that I need to get the 40 amp alternator into, and also a water pump.

My XS1100 has the 'tower' filters above the petcocks, and lots of people put inline filters in as well.

dwalby · Oct 8, 2017

Yeah, after that one incident I put inline filters in any bike that didn't already have one from the factory.