1150 help needed: fuel pump? Short?

[gregneedham]

Bike has started dying on me in the last three days and I need some diagnostic help before I go tearing into it.

2000 1150, 108,500 miles.

Recently replaced the Hall Sensor and starter. Bike has always started perfectly. Also, I think I have a short somewhere in the left turn signal, as it tends to come on at random times or occasionally not work at all. And, perhaps related, the neutral light sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Symptoms seem fuel or fuel pump related.

Wednesday drove about 2 miles when the bike died. RID and dash lights stayed on. When I tried to restart, bike stumbled at very low revs, but wouldn't start. Thought I was out of gas. Went and got gas and the bike started right up.

Thursday bike died same place on my way to work. I thought it was out of gas again because I hadn't filled I up, although that seemed strange to me. Got gas and it started right up. Later that morning, it was tough to start the bike, but it got started. That afternoon I rode some trails and started and stopped the engine many times. No problems. Got home and about 1 hour later went to start the bike...wouldn't start. Went to dinner, came home and the bike started right up.

Friday on my way to work, bike died in exactly the same place. Started again in about 5 minutes. Went to get coffee, started the bike up about a half hour later, drove 2 blocks and it died again. Bike would run roughly at very low rpm for about 1-3 seconds when I tried to start it, but would die immediately if I gave it any throttle at all. Waited 15 minutes, bike started up.

Again, when the bike won't start, the bike runs, barely, for a second or two when I release the starter button, but dies very quickly...like no fuel. But it does run independently of the starter for a bit...but like its struggling to catch more fuel.

Any direction would be greatly appreciated. Tomorrow I will pull the tank to replace the fuel filter, which I planned on doing anyway. I will check the wires visually, but electrics are not my strong suit and short of a obvious bare wire, I am not sure what to do or how to diagnose the problem.

 

[Stewart H]

I think you may be on track changing the filter as a starting point. You may see something as you remove the tank, has your bike ever had the Hall Sensor replaced? many ignition problems can feel like fuel.

Stewart

 

[gregneedham]

Thanks. Hall Sensor replaced about a month ago. Fuel filter will be the first step, but the shut off seems so sudden that I am not sure if that is the ultimate culprit. However, I have no experience with a dirt filter, so I can't judge....

 

[roddy]

I don't really have an asnwer for you but somethings to check

check the breather for the tank isn't blocked ?

wasn't there an issue with the wireloom around the head stock on the 1150 the way it bent could cause some of the wiring to crack ?

are you sure you've put the hall sensor in right?, there was an issue with the connecting wires getting brittle due to heat ?

check your getting a good fuel feed to the injectors ?

hope this may give you some pointers

 

[gregneedham]

I will check the breather...don't know where it is, but I can find it. I had the tank loosened and propped up last week to install crash bars, so maybe I pinched something. It ran great on a long day Sunday after that, so it seems unlikely, but I will check.

Hall sensor was installed by a good dealer, so I can only assume everything there is fine.

Thanks, and any more tips or ideas welcome...

 

[gregneedham]

If I have a short to the fuel pump, would the pump shutting off stop the bike immediately? After it dies and I turn over the starter, it seems to try to catch, at low RPMs, almost like it's flooded.

And even when I can't start it, the fuel pump primes, or at least I hear it start up...

Any clues?

 

[robmack]

Check the fuel tank wiring plug on the RHS as you sit on the bike.
Prop the tank up and pull the connector plug apart, give it a good clean.

 

[gregneedham]

Good idea...that plug was loose from its mount when I checked this morning....does that supply power to the pump?

 

[Stewart H]

Good idea...that plug was loose from its mount when I checked this morning....does that supply power to the pump?

Pump, fuel gauge and light

Stewart

 

[gregneedham]

Check that first thing tomorrow. Does anyone have any experience with a short in the fuel pump wiring? If you have, what happened? What are the symptoms? That would be a big help if I could compare them to what is happening to me.

And if no one does, then if it is that rare, that might rule that out....

 

[Stewart H]

Make sure you try wiggling the wires that come out of the ignition switch whilst you are looking, see if that will provoke the fault.

Stewart

 

[gregneedham]

Got home not 10 minutes ago, check the fuse box....fuel pump relay loose. (Lesson learned...I coulda checked that on the road...)

I am going to assume that was my problem, change the filter in the morning.

Thanks for all the help.

Greg

 

[gregneedham]

Okay, problem still persists...need some help.

I am having what I think is a fuel delivery problem. I thought I had it sorted, as mentioned aboce, but Saturday, the bike died again after about 1 mile of riding, then started right back up. Got home, changed the fuel filter and checked all the wiring as best I could going to the fuel pump.

Went for a 120 mile ride yesterday and it ran well, although not great. I stopped after 60 miles or so for a half hour and when I went to start the bike, it wouldn't start. After trying to start it for about 20 minutes, it started right up and ran all the way home. 2 more checks about a half hour later and it started fine.

Is this how a fuel pump fails? Any ideas would be very helpful, as I don't know where to start looking?

It seems to be "missing" or a slight "surge" at 2000-3000 rpms, but other than that, runs fine. When it wouldn't start yesterday, I pulled the plugs and they looked fine. Symptoms were the same as above, bike will chug after starter button is released, but won't catch. Any amount of throttle input kills the bike immediately.

Thanks, I am super frustrated and don't trust taking the bike on the road. I am afraid the next time it stops, it will stop for good and I am 150 miles from any dealer.

 

[John Armstrong]

Just wondering if it's the hall sensor and you fitted a "bad" one when you recently changed it? Am I right in guessing the "fuel" problems only started after you changed the sensor?

 

[gregneedham]

Hmmm...there were a fair amount of miles between the installation of the new Sensor and the problems...any way to diagnose a bad sensor? It was new, from BMW and installed at the dealer.

 

[davegs]

Fuel pump

This should be heard running when the ignition is turned on if not check the plug under the tank simply undo the fual filler cap to check if the breather is blocked if all ok when open ther's the prob. most likely to be the filter though.
Dave GS.

 

[gregneedham]

thanks for the reply. Brand new filter installed yesterday. Fuel pump sound is normal, when turning the key and when running. Seems to make no difference if filler cap is open or closed.

Has anybody had a fuel pump fail on an 1150, and if so, what are the symptoms?

 

[Steptoe]

.

Has anybody had a fuel pump fail on an 1150, and if so, what are the symptoms?

I see a few - You can't judge by the pump noise, some are quiet others are noisy.

The symptoms are fairly obvious, they just stop working.

 

[gregneedham]

Thanks Steptoe, so if it is an intermittent problem, i.e. not starting after stopping for a while, then suddenly starting up with no problem, it probably isn't the fuel pump.

I think I have ruled out the Hall Sensor, the filter, and done what I can looking at the wiring....I have tried with the filler cap open....

Anyone know if the fuel pump relay can fail and what the symptoms are when that goes, or starts to go?

 

[Steptoe]

I'd check the ignition wiring loom.