Author Topic: Fuel pump whine, satisfaction (Read 9449 times)

papatom · « **on:** April 01, 2015, 09:24:08 PM »

I hate to follow the cancer thread with this but, I rode my new to me 02 Cali EV to work today and heard a noise like the radiator fan was stuck on. The noise comes from the right side cover where the fuel pump is located. Cedar Vale is coming and I don't have time to investigate or experiment. I would like to know what I should do. I've read various fuel filters can make the pump hum, or in tank lines or something. Would like a full run down on what to check or replace. Bike has about 35,000 miles with 200 being mine. Thanks for any info,would do a search but time is a premium and computer time falls to the bottom of the list right now.

rocker59 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:44:14 PM »

Sticky electric fuel petcock.

Replace it with the manual version from MG Cycle

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #2 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:51:49 PM »

isn't the fuel pump in the tank on that bike?

if it has an electric petcock, make sure that is opening. check the wires carefully at the bottom of the petcock.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2015, 10:11:39 PM »

Calling Delrod . Could just be a dirty pump .
Dusty

Kiwi_Roy · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2015, 11:21:50 PM »

It could be a clogged filter, that makes the pressure go up from around 45 to 70 psi making the pump extra noisy.
This will be followed by loosing power as the engine starves for fuel.

You can check by removing the return line to the tank and make sure it's got a full flow. This is what came out of my EV filter.

If you have a recessed fuel cap open it, in the bottom you will see a small hole, tip a little fuel or light oil into there and make sure it runs away.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2015, 11:45:31 PM »

Pretty sure the '02 model still had the external pump .

Dusty

delrod · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2015, 08:03:09 AM »

Should be external pump, fuel filter available at napa will be slightly smaller diameter same end fittings. Electric petcock may need replaced or modified. Can someone speak up with regards to the snip job required for that?

delrod · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2015, 08:04:55 AM »

NAPA fuel filter 3008 Wix 33008

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2015, 08:09:20 AM »

Quote from: oldbike54 on April 01, 2015, 11:45:31 PM

Pretty sure the '02 model still had the external pump .

Dusty

Under the right side cover? mine was under the left side.

rocker59 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2015, 09:21:56 AM »

Quote from: delrod on April 02, 2015, 08:03:09 AM

Should be external pump, fuel filter available at napa will be slightly smaller diameter same end fittings. Electric petcock may need replaced or modified. Can someone speak up with regards to the snip job required for that?

I had to do it on the side of the road with my Bassa.

-Remove petcock, have an assistant standing by to plug the hold with his/her finger so fuel won't all run out.
-Borrow some side-cutters from the farmer, whose house you just happened to roll to a stop in front of.
-Snip the plunger with said side-cutters.
-reinstall the petcock, keeping in mind that it's now always open.
-replace with MG Cycle manual petcock when it arrives in mail a few days later.

When I picked up my Bassa from the PO, I noticed the faint sound of the fuel pump under stress, but didn't think anything about it. I didn't realize what it was at the time.

When on a lunch ride out in The Ozarks not long after, the bike died on me at highway speed after sputtering and acting like it was out of fuel. Since the tank was nearly full, I knew it was something else.

Michael D was with me and suggested the petcock issue. He called Chet to confirm, and Chet gave me instructions on what to do. A few minutes of messing with it, and we were all back on the road, the ladies among our group still snickering about my "pet cock problem".

Personally, the fuel petcock is the first thing I would fix. They're a known failure point and easy to get to.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2015, 09:29:55 AM »

Quote from: fotoguzzi on April 02, 2015, 08:09:20 AM

Under the right side cover? mine was under the left side.

Yeah , and this could just be a dirty screen .

Dusty

Kent in Upstate NY · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2015, 10:10:28 AM »

I have a manual petcock and my similar issue was due to the petcock filter being clogged. Pulled the tank, found it was full of crud. A good cleaning and I was good to go.

Howard R · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2015, 12:46:34 PM »

A 5 second test is to lightly rest a finger on the petcock solenoid while you cycle the key (or maybe even the kill switch) on & off. You should be able to feel the "thunk" if it is opening properly. If no thunk start with the petcock, otherwise look elsewhere. A slightly longer test would be to pull the hose off the petcock and run some kind of temporary hose into a bottle, then turn on the key for a few seconds. If you get what looks like a "full" stream from the end of the hose, replace the external fuel filter. If it just dribbles it's most likely the in-tank screen, if you get nothing then probably a broken wire on the petcock.

Good luck!

Howard

Kiwi_Roy · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2015, 02:04:29 PM »

Quote from: Howard R on April 02, 2015, 12:46:34 PM

A 5 second test is to lightly rest a finger on the petcock solenoid while you cycle the key (or maybe even the kill switch) on & off. You should be able to feel the "thunk" if it is opening properly. If no thunk start with the petcock, otherwise look elsewhere. A slightly longer test would be to pull the hose off the petcock and run some kind of temporary hose into a bottle, then turn on the key for a few seconds. If you get what looks like a "full" stream from the end of the hose, replace the external fuel filter. If it just dribbles it's most likely the in-tank screen, if you get nothing then probably a broken wire on the petcock.

Good luck!

Howard

Good advice, and if the petcocks ok ty-wrap the wires to the body taking the stress off the wires so it stays that way.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2015, 02:16:23 PM »

Of course , maybe this fuel pump just needs a good talking to ;D

Dusty

papatom · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2015, 08:22:21 PM »

Thanks for all the info. Will order a manual petcock as soon as I get a new credit card. Somebody tried to use it at western union (not me) and I'm waiting for a new one. I'll get the inline filter and see if petcock is working Friday. By the way, I had more false neutrals than I could count. Was thinking this Guzzi thing may not be for me, but read a thread on linkage maintenance and swapped the linkage to the forward hole and haven't had a missed shift since. I'm very happy now. Except the seats killin me, need to swap the bars for Jackal bars, fork springs, new shocks, ... , but I haven't passed myself goin the other way yet. I like that a lot.

papatom · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:28:08 PM »

Played with the EV today and after following suggestions from this list I'm pretty sure I found the problem. Most suggestions were the electric petcock was the problem, or the petcock filter was plugged. Removal of the petcock showed the petcock filter wasn't attached and was upside down. The capped end of the petcock filter was bouncing around blocking flow to the petcock. Stuck everything back together and no more whine. Do I get an award for using the word petcock the most in one paragraph? Thanks for keeping me pointed to my petcock. It was a hands on experience. I'll go now.

delrod · « **Reply #17 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:32:00 PM »

Good deal pics would have gotten you extra points.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:34:45 PM »

Who gets the cookie ? See you at CV ;-T

Dusty

rodekyll · « **Reply #19 on:** April 03, 2015, 06:35:53 PM »

No award for that, but there's a trophy for saying it without giggling. :BEER:

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #20 on:** April 03, 2015, 07:44:43 PM »

Quote

to my petcock

Dang! I thought I was the only one..

Bob Wegman · « **Reply #21 on:** April 04, 2015, 08:06:01 PM »

Thanks to you guys for this thread. My 02 EV developed a whine in the fuel pump after sitting for a few months last year after an accident. I thought is was the pump giving up the ghost, and figured I would be buying a new one this year. I had ridden the bike on a 700 mile ride one day last fall and it performed fine. However, It had the fuel pump whine the entire way. Yesterday I checked for fuel flow with the fuel line disconnected ( thanks Howard R) and found there was no flow with the key on. One of the wires in the petcock connector wasn't making contact with the harness. So the pump was straining to pull fuel through the closed petcock making the whine noise. I'm amazed I was able to make the long ride without the pump failing. All is well now.

rocker59 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 04, 2015, 10:47:09 PM »

Quote from: papatom on April 03, 2015, 06:28:08 PM

Played with the EV today and after following suggestions from this list I'm pretty sure I found the problem. Most suggestions were the electric petcock was the problem, or the petcock filter was plugged. Removal of the petcock showed the petcock filter wasn't attached and was upside down. The capped end of the petcock filter was bouncing around blocking flow to the petcock. Stuck everything back together and no more whine. Do I get an award for using the word petcock the most in one paragraph? Thanks for keeping me pointed to my petcock. It was a hands on experience. I'll go now.

;-T

Penderic · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2015, 08:20:18 AM »

We are grateful you were not stranded in ....

;)

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Author Topic: Fuel pump whine, satisfaction (Read 9449 times)

oldbike54

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oldbike54

oldbike54

oldbike54

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