Groaning ST1100 and some odd electrical stuff

wjbertrand said:

The groaning is caused by "heat soak" when the bike is shut off. There's no longer any air or coolant circulating when you stop a fully warmed engine so temps actually increase slightly before decreasing. This has the effect of heating the fuel in the tank slightly forcing the relief valve in the cap to open. The little check valve in there vibrates creating the noise. Next time you hear it loosen the gas cap momentarily as a test, that will cause it to immediately stop. They all do it and it's completely normal.

Regarding the kill switch sensitivity, rather than a loose wire I suspect dirty contacts in the switch. Do you're best to blast some contact cleaner into the switch assembly. While you're at it do the starter & Hi/Lo beam switches too.

Click to expand...

off topic but... can pressure build in the fuel tank be enough to pressurize the fuel system to overcome a bad fuel pump?? the reason I ask is because when my fuel pump quit 2x it was going from a hot temperature to a cooler one. once the temps stayed hot I did not have a problem again on a 1400 mile trip home. I did change the pump and never had an issue again

Final Update: Seattle's once-in-a-generation crazy winter settled in, and so I finally just wound up taking my new ST1100 down to Hinshaw's Motorcycle in Auburn, WA and having them give it the ole once-over. They are a good shop, trustworthy, and I have done business with them for a couple of years, so I know what to push back on, and what to just knuckle down and pay for.

The "groaning" was, of course, exactly what everyone said... nothing to be worried about. So if it groans at me now, I pop open the fuel cap, and instantly equalize the pressure. No biggie.

I wound up having the shop replace both switch assemblies on the left and right handlebar.

They also replaced the leaking(!!) fuel pump.

And mentioned that the gas tank was full of rust.... but when the tech took the tank off, it got mis-handled somehow, and damaged. So they replaced my fuel tank FOR FREE! Yay! No more rust!

All fluids and filters got changed.

And - a mere $2k later *cough* - I have basically a brand new bike. Tires are good. The new Clearview fairing is brilliant. And now that I saw the post about bending the clips back into shape on the luggage rack, I'll get that left side saddle bag to sit properly finally.

And Jim Van will be happy to hear that I have no mice, either.

boomba said:

And - a mere $2k later *cough* - I have basically a brand new bike. Tires are good. The new Clearview fairing is brilliant. And now that I saw the post about bending the clips back into shape on the luggage rack, I'll get that left side saddle bag to sit properly finally.

And Jim Van will be happy to hear that I have no mice, either.

Click to expand...

You would lose that much on depreciation on a new or almost new bike in the first year of ownership - think of it that way.

BTW, the crows around my house love the mice that I trap in the garage. I put them outside the garage after I find one in a trap and the crows fly away with it in less than 15 minutes. I never see them watching, but they are aware of what is happening, somehow.

A leaking fuel pump...? Details on that please! TIA

Regards, John :STOC: Ten Fifty-Eight