'98 EV fuel issue

[maquette]

I took my new to me '98EV for a shakedown ride today and encountered what I think was a fuel issue. The trip was 400 miles round trip and the bike ran like a clock the first 180 miles at speeds from 35 to 70mph. It then started "bucking" like it was running out of fuel. It did that for several miles and then finally the bike stopped. After a few minutes I restarted it and rode the last few miles to meet my friends. It bucked and stuttered some, but did not quit running.

On the way home it started doing that again and finally died again. I happened to be in the parking lot of an auto parts store and at the urging of my friend on the cell phone, I added a bottle of Sea Foam. It started again and ran the last 180 miles home without a hiccup. All seems to be well now, but my question is, does Sea Foam really work that well? Are there other places I should be looking at to keep it from happening again?

I would welcome all your thoughts and opinions on this issue and want see if there is something else I need to do? I know zip about fuel injection and I don't know how often you can, or should add Sea Foam. At least I made it home.  :>)

Thanks,

Tom

[fotoguzzi]

I believe 180 miles is beyond the fuel range so were you running out? or how much fuel was in the tank? could be clogged at the petcock  from schmutz in the tank, how long was this bike sitting?

it will also do that starving for fuel thing if the tank venting is plugged, was there tank suck when you opened the cap?

third but not likely (unless you fooled with) the trim dial on the ECU can flood the motor if turned too far one way, don't mess with that dial, it should have  plastic cap over it.

there is a fault code system you can set off on a 98 EV.. search for the FI supplement manual

[fotoguzzi]

by the way did you read the directions? a whole bottle of Seafoam is way overkill.

[Tom]

Yes, Sea Foam does work wonders but follow the instructions.  Check your fuel filter and reverse blow into it.  Don't suck.  Check to see if you have flow.  Probably need a new one.  NAPA should carry a compatible one.  Similar to any German car one.

[maquette]

I believe 180 miles is beyond the fuel range so were you running out? or how much fuel was in the tank? could be clogged at the petcock  from schmutz in the tank, how long was this bike sitting?

I had put fuel in during the 180 mile leg and had about half a tank.

it will also do that starving for fuel thing if the tank venting is plugged, was there tank suck when you opened the cap?

I didn't notice any tank suck when I opened the cap

third but not likely (unless you fooled with) the trim dial on the ECU can flood the motor if turned too far one way, don't mess with that dial, it should have  plastic cap over it.

I didn't fool with the trim dial

there is a fault code system you can set off on a 98 EV.. search for the FI supplement manual

That I'll have to look in to

Thanks for the suggestions

[maquette]

Yes, Sea Foam does work wonders but follow the instructions.  Check your fuel filter and reverse blow into it.  Don't suck.  Check to see if you have flow.  Probably need a new one.  NAPA should carry a compatible one.  Similar to any German car one.

Tom, I'll look into the fuel filter and it's too late this time to read the directions. :>(

Thank you, too.

Tom

[Tom]

You may have gotten lucky with dissolving the crud blocking the internal guts of the filter.

[Guzzidad]

   Sounds like what happened to me last summer. One wire to the electric petcock broke. The fuel pump had just enough power to draw fuel but not for long. I could hear the fuel pump laboring. After I installed a manual petcock the fuel pump resumed it's normal quiet operation and has been running perfectly

[fotoguzzi]

   Sounds like what happened to me last summer. One wire to the electric petcock broke. The fuel pump had just enough power to draw fuel but not for long. I could hear the fuel pump laboring. After I installed a manual petcock the fuel pump resumed it's normal quiet operation and has been running perfectly

+1 !
I have a spare electric tap, free if you need it..

[maquette]

+1 !
I have a spare electric tap, free if you need it..

Thanks for the offer. Sounds like I need to investigate a manual tap, no?  :>)

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thanks for the offer. Sounds like I need to investigate a manual tap, no?  :>)

http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30&products_id=39

[maquette]

http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30&products_id=39

Thanks Charlie, I just ordered it. I found an old thread where a guy had a similar problem and ended up with the filter on his petcock being blocked. I'm concerned that I may have the same problem and that the Sea Foam I added cleared it up for now, but that the problem will return. I'll get the tank off before too long and see what it's condition is. My fuel pump is kind of noisy and seems to labor instead of the usual "hum" that I equate with electric fuel pumps. Hopefully the pump is OK and cleaning the tank and a new petcock cures my problem.

Tom

[pehayes]

The main filter under the tank is HUGE and will take a lot of crud.  The little 'pencil' filter on the petcock is very small and easily clogs.
Remove the tank.
Remove the petcock.
Flush the tank well and repeatedly with clean fuel and run that through a simple cloth filter to catch debris (you will find rust, paint, sand, etc.).
Once the tank is cleaned, reinstall the petcock and the tank and add new, clean fuel.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[azguzzirep]

You need to bring the bike over here and run it up to 200k/ph, or 125 mph!

Lots of fun and does wonders for the motor.
 If it don't blow up on ya, it will run forever

Let us know what you do/find. My EV is a 98 also.

Tom

[JoeB]

Side stand switch acting up? Many disabled it. Manual on efi and trouble codes: http://dpguzzi.com/efiman.pdf The relays in the fuse box were often suspect and the fellow that hosts the manual posted sells good ones. It was common practice to replace them.

[jetmechmarty]

Tom,

I hope you don't mind if I board this thread.  I have a '98 V11 EV that I acquired and put in my basement about six years ago.  It was last registered in '02 and shows 18K miles.  It was mostly apart and it took me a long time to figure out where the pieces all go.  I finally sorted the wiring out the other day. 

It started up and seems to run fine.  First time running in many years.  I recently cleaned out the tank with Metal Rescue.  Parts of it were pretty rusty, but it's all clean for now.  Fresh ethanol free fuel is in there now.  It idles just fine once warmed up.  I tried to ride it and there isn't enough power to make it up the driveway.

Will a Wix 33008 filter be appropriate?  What's the chance the filter is the culprit?  Is it likely that the injectors are nasty?  Do I take them apart, or is Sea Foam recommended to try first?

[fotoguzzi]

  I tried to ride it and there isn't enough power to make it up the driveway.

  Is it likely that the injectors are nasty?  Do I take them apart, or is Sea Foam recommended to try first?

not enough info, more discretion please .. is it running only one cyl? does it rev up in neutral?

I would try seafoam and not take apart the injectors without more proof that was the problem.

[jetmechmarty]

My throttle response is fine in neutral.  It runs on both cylinders.  They seem to be firing evenly.  Going up my driveway is a heavy load, as it is very steep.  I made it halfway and it quit.  It won't pull.  It would taxi me around on the bottom OK and idles with at about 800 with the choke off.

[oldbike54]

 Not a choke .

  Dusty

[jetmechmarty]

Not a choke .

  Dusty

No.  It's the enrichener.  I stand corrected.

[oldbike54]

No.  It's the enrichener.  I stand corrected.

 Not an enricher either , just a fast idle lever . Only bring this up in case you are thinking it is a mixture issue .

  Dusty

[Kiwi_Roy]

The main filter can block off also especially if the bike has lived outside the rust blocks the main filter, it usually shows up bogging down on the hills.
Take the fuel cap off and dribble a few drops of fuel into the moat drain to male sure its clear otherwise any water from washing ends up in the pump.

There is nothing wrong with the electric petcock as such. If you ty-wrap the wires to the body so they don't flex where they come out of the epoxy they won't break.
Listen to the fuel pump, does it seem to be extra noisy?
Pull the return hose off where it joins to the tank at front by the steering head, put it in a bottle and see how much fuel comes out when you turn the key on, it should
be a full pipe.

[fotoguzzi]

My throttle response is fine in neutral.  It runs on both cylinders.  They seem to be firing evenly.  Going up my driveway is a heavy load, as it is very steep.  I made it halfway and it quit.  It won't pull.  It would taxi me around on the bottom OK and idles with at about 800 with the choke off.

could the clutch be slipping?  is there a drip from the bell housing that smells like gear lube?

[jetmechmarty]

could the clutch be slipping?  is there a drip from the bell housing that smells like gear lube?

There are no indications of a leak or slipping clutch.  Since I had a rusty tank, I'll try to pick up a fuel filter this week.  That is, if the Wix filter will do the job.

[Kiwi_Roy]

....... Since I had a rusty tank, I'll try to pick up a fuel filter this week.  That is, if the Wix filter will do the job.

The chances are the moat drain is blocked then, it's very common with these bikes, the water collects around the sunken cap and runs into the tank un-noticed next time you fill up.
Both of my EV drains were blocked so I assume it's a common problem.

If you take the filter off it's very easy to back-flush the rust out, fill it partially shake it up and let it run backwards out the inlet.

When I first bought the bike in Denver I noticed how noisy the pump was and it started bogging down on the mountains. Eventually I figured out the filter was blocked so I
flushed it for the first time alongside the road, this picture is the second flush I did back home, it still blocked off the shop cloth.
Of course if you are able to find a replacement it would be interesting to cut the old one open to see how much rust it contains.

To unblock the moat drain take the chrome pieces off the tank and drill it out with a short length or steel cable (thanks Patrick for that tip).
Its a pigtail shape so a straight drill is useless, prepare to waste several hours eventually you may be able to blow it out.
Swill a little Rust Mort around inside the tank to take care of the rust left behind.

[jetmechmarty]

I replaced my fuel filter.  I cleared that drain.  No joy.  It starts and runs fin.  It won't pull.  I have adjusted the valve lash.  I put some Seafoam in the tank and let it idle for a while.  As of now, it won't climb the driveway.

http://vid1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff485/jetmechmarty/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-12/1231151631_zpsnrfqp0jj.mp4

[Wayne Orwig]

Is it maybe just running on one cylinder?
Is it misfiring under load?

[pehayes]

Sounds like one cylinder.  Look at the plugs and plug wires.  Swap left and right to see if if moves.  Feel the header pipes to see if they get equally hot.  Maybe your valve set technique is still off and one set of valves are open at compression TDC for that cylinder.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[jetmechmarty]

My last post has video of it running.  It's running on two.  It gets a bit of a knock when I try to go up the driveway.  It's very steep.

[oldbike54]

 Hmm , any chance the timing is retarded ?

  Dusty