1999 XL1000V Fuel Problem - Wouldn't Start!!

[philelmer]

Hello.

You may remember me from this thread http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/forum/index.php?topic=9176.msg80027#msg80027 when I thought the engine on my 99 varadero was totalled. I thought I'd do a short write up on the troubleshooting which brought me to my conclusion and to riding happily again.

The bike wouldn't start, but the choke seemed to work (changed the engine note) and there was definitely enough fuel in it. The spark plugs were sparking and the air filter wasn't clogged (well it was but it was on the garage floor by this stage) so I turned my attention to the fuelling.

Under the belly pan on the left hand side of the bike is the fuel pump, just under the fuel filter, and it's driven by the fuel cutoff relay which is underneath the headlight cowling, in front of the right hand side of the instrument cluster.

Folowing the troubleshooting guide in the haynes manual led me to the inevitable conclusion that the fuel cutoff relay was dead. (jumpering 12V onto the pump pumped enough fuel into the carbs to run the engine and there was continuity between the ICM under the back of the seat and the relay. Oh and the ignition live had 12v on it at the relay.

Haynes however were wrong. Replacing the fuel cutoff relay with a new one (?65 - cheers honda) didn't help. So i took the top off the fuel pump and found that the contacts were burnt out. Apparently (i now find) it's a common fault. There are options to replace the standard pump with an aftermarket one for a mitsubishi somethingorother, but I'd rather keep it all Honda, so I ordered a repair kit from David Silver. It arrived 2 days later, and replaces the electrical contacts that were burnt out.

The repair kit requires a basic understanding of what the pump does in order to fit it and a little bit of soldering, but once the belly pan's off it's a 5 minute job to fit it. Well alright, maybe a little more than 5 mins but it's not a big job by any stretch.

So - new cutoff relay, new pump and I'm back on the road for the princely sum of about ?80.

(well, plus the cost of an air filter, oil filter, oil, some new clips and a compresible washer for the sump plug - may as well service it while it's in bits huh??)

Hope this has been of some use to someone!!

[jp]

Hi phil,
If you  experiences can add anything to the relavent Wiki page let me know and I'll make sure it's updated, or you could dive in and have a go <yikes>
glad you're back on the road.

[philelmer]

There's another thing I forgot to add - Haynes reckons you should feel or hear the fuel pump pumping. I couldn't hear anything at all with my ear right next to a 1000cc V-twin engine failing to start, but you should be aware that the fuel pump does n't pump constantly - at tickover it pumps once every 10 secs or so and as the revs increase it pumps more. It's driven from the forward cylinder's coil but don't ask me how.

If you cup the plastic top of the fuel pump in your hand you'll feel its occasional pulsation. Alternatively unclip the fuel hoses and the pump from its rubber mountings, and you'll see it pulse every now and again when it pumps.

JP - if the forum members think this is useful please feel free to put it wherever you want!
Phil

[SteveT]

This type of fuel pump failure, not just on Varadereo's but Africa Twins, CBR600 etc etc is well documented.
Having had several Africa Twins in the past, the fuel pump points are on the list of things I check fairly early on in my ownership of the bike. I've found that squaring them off, if they have plenty of life left in them, helps keep the pump working for a lot longer.
A common and more modern fix is to fit a Facet solid state fuel pump. Rugged Roads sell complete kits for less than ?50.
This link takes you to one mans fitment of said pump to a Vara. A very tidy job, to my mind . . .

http://sites.google.com/site/hondaxl1000v/technical/fuel-pump

Glad your bikes now sorted.

Steve T

[jp]

This type of fuel pump failure, not just on Varadereo's but Africa Twins, CBR600 etc etc is well documented.
Having had several Africa Twins in the past, the fuel pump points are on the list of things I check fairly early on in my ownership of the bike. I've found that squaring them off, if they have plenty of life left in them, helps keep the pump working for a lot longer.
A common and more modern fix is to fit a Facet solid state fuel pump. Rugged Roads sell complete kits for less than ?50.
This link takes you to one mans fitment of said pump to a Vara. A very tidy job, to my mind . . .

http://sites.google.com/site/hondaxl1000v/technical/fuel-pump

Glad your bikes now sorted.

Steve T

other replacement options are available on this very site
http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Fuel+Pump%2C+Carburettor#Pump_not_working:_Options.

[jp]

............. It's driven from the forward cylinder's coil but don't ask me how.

see http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Fuel+Pump%2C+Carburettor#Purpose_and_Operation for explanation

and here
http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/wiki/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=10
for a wiring diagram,
but you'll need a DWF viewer to view it,

look here
http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=wiring+diagrams#How_do_I_view_them_

[Brent]

My fuel pump packed in the other day. I only reilized because i ran out of fuel before i was expecting to ! so when i got to the garage to fill up it only took 16 lt to fill it, its a 25 lt tank ! so the fuel in the tank which is below the level of the carbs cannot go up hill it needs a pump. There was the problem, i checked the fuse and bypassed the relay, it was the pump defo. The points on the end of the pump were pitted so i cleaned them and got a bit of life from it.

The pump i fitted was a "QH" pump (Quinton Hazell) don't know what car its from. The part number is QFP 171E Got it new from Halfords parts desk on trade about ?50. Slightly different than the Honda one, the inlet and outlet nozels come out at 90 degs but the pipes are 8mm so i got some narrow fuel pipe fitted it over and fits in fuel pipe on bike nice and tight, took the rubber mount off the Honda one and pushed it onto the QH on. Cut the electical lead of the Honda one put spade connectors on and fit the to the new pump.

Works a treat !