gstallons Posted April 28, 2017 Posted April 28, 2017 can you take a picture of where this leak is taking place ? Baby powder on the area will show the exact place . The hose might have a crack where it is clamped .Both pumps can't (unlikely) be bad and leak so I would look at the connections.
Scud Posted April 28, 2017 Author Posted April 28, 2017 Yeah, she's looking all streetfighter and ready to ride. I was just gonna pop the seat on and ride it around the block if it started. Too bad the champagne paint doesn't look that good up close - it shows 50,000 miles of "love." Here's a video I took yesterday while I was trying to figure it out the fuel leak. But it's hard to see what's going on under the tank. http://vid1128.photobucket.com/albums/m492/timscudder/Champagne%20LeMans/IMG_6107.mp4 As you can see, it's a gusher, not a little leak, so I don't think foot powder is going to help. The original pump did the same thing. It seems unlikely that both pumps would have the same failure - since they both worked a few years ago and have been just sitting idle. I suppose that I can start pulling things off to test for blockage. But having seen these leaks, I'm not feeling very confident about riding it. I replaced all hoses between the pump, filter, injectors and regulator with high-pressure fuel-injection hose. I used new clamps - the nice clamping type, not the worm-drive type. And as I mentioned on the last page, I used a Wix fuel filter and I verified that the arrow printed on the filter is in the direction of fuel flow. I did not do anything to the fuel tank - but obviously the petcock works - and I replaced the hose from petcock to pump with standard (not high pressure) fuel hose. I did find a kink in the hose before the pressure regulator. This was a surprise, because I used all the old hoses to mark the cuts for the new ones. I cut about 3 inches off this hose and it now connects without a kink. There was no fuel in this hose.
Chuck Posted April 28, 2017 Posted April 28, 2017 There was no fuel in this hose. Sounds like a clue, Dr. Watson..
Scud Posted April 28, 2017 Author Posted April 28, 2017 There was no fuel in this hose. Sounds like a clue, Dr. Watson.. Thanks Sherlock. The fuel pump still leaked after I re-routed the hose to avoid the kink - but I have not removed it to see if there is fuel. I'm sure that a slow, methodical examination will reveal either my error or a faulty part.
gstallons Posted April 28, 2017 Posted April 28, 2017 You do have the hoses on the pump correctly ? This leak does not occur until the ignition is turned "on" ?
Scud Posted April 28, 2017 Author Posted April 28, 2017 You do have the hoses on the pump correctly ? This leak does not occur until the ignition is turned "on" ? Well, I certainly think so. I replaced all the hoses, clamps, and filter on my Scura with no problems. I think I did everything the same here. The leak occurs only with key on. I'm about to go take off the tank and airbox and do a thorough point-to-point inspection and test.
footgoose Posted April 28, 2017 Posted April 28, 2017 This is hard to get my head around. My pump (on an '02) is in front over the oil cooler. My filter is where your pump is. Your leak is coming from what would be the inlet end of my filter. Fuel goes to the rear to injectors. The leak coming from the front of your pump would indicate that being the outlet end. Is that the direction of fuel flow on this system? Maybe I'm not seeing it correctly, but what else would concern me is 1- whatever device that slows the pump whenever adequate pressure is met... ain't workin. and 2- fuel is being forced out the weakest point.. that be the hose coupling on the outlet. Maybe a small crack in the hose there.??
Scud Posted April 29, 2017 Author Posted April 29, 2017 The pump is under the frame - it pumps gas up to the filter, which is on top of the frame. I don't like what I see here... and I'm bummed about leaking gas on a freshly painted (and not yet heat-cured) engine. http://vid1128.photobucket.com/albums/m492/timscudder/Champagne%20LeMans/IMG_6111.mp4 The fuel is coming up around the electrodes. Both pumps are doing that. I took them off and applied current directly to them. They both pump gas into the measuring cup, but they both leak fuel at the electrodes while doing so. I suppose it's time for a new pump. But I'm concerned that I may have damaged these two somehow - and don't want to ruin a new one. Both pumps came off bikes that were running, both sat for probably at least two years, and both leaked at the first application of current when installed on this bike. Also in common: the hose was kinked between the RH injector and the pressure regulator when I first applied current. Do you think the pumps just happened to fail in the same way from sitting (seems unlikely)... or did I somehow break them both? Is a kinked hose enough to blow out a fuel pump?
MartyNZ Posted April 29, 2017 Posted April 29, 2017 I've seen fuel leaks caused by seals shrinking after the fuel dries out in storage. Most times, the leak stops 24 hours after the seals are re-wetted with fuel, and swell back to normal size again. Have you checked the pump again? If you want to store a used pump, you could keep the seals wet with diesel or 2 stroke oil.
Chuck Posted April 29, 2017 Posted April 29, 2017 Hey, Scud.. Dave at WG has a Centauro with a failed pump "and" pressure regulator. Maybe the regulator is your problem?
Scud Posted April 29, 2017 Author Posted April 29, 2017 Each pump sat with fuel in it for a several hours. I can try the pumps again (maybe with non-flammable diesel this time). Do you know how to test the pressure regulator without fuel? Like, can I use air pressure somehow? (I haven't found anything yet by searching).
swooshdave Posted April 29, 2017 Posted April 29, 2017 On some cars there's a Schrader valve in the fuel rail and you can check the fuel pressure there. Not sure on these bikes. Yet.
Chuck Posted April 29, 2017 Posted April 29, 2017 Each pump sat with fuel in it for a several hours. I can try the pumps again (maybe with non-flammable diesel this time). Do you know how to test the pressure regulator without fuel? Like, can I use air pressure somehow? (I haven't found anything yet by searching). I've never tried it, but I'll bet you could rig up some sort of hillbilly thing with air pressure and a gauge to see where it blows off? There's gotta be *some* reason for 2 pumps going tits up. I did this to set the pressure on the aero engine pressure relief valve..
Scud Posted April 29, 2017 Author Posted April 29, 2017 Each pump sat with fuel in it for a several hours. I can try the pumps again (maybe with non-flammable diesel this time). Do you know how to test the pressure regulator without fuel? Like, can I use air pressure somehow? (I haven't found anything yet by searching). I've never tried it, but I'll bet you could rig up some sort of hillbilly thing with air pressure and a gauge to see where it blows off? There's gotta be *some* reason for 2 pumps going tits up. I did this to set the pressure on the aero engine pressure relief valve.. Thanks Chuck - It occurred to me to try the Champagne tank on the Greenie, since I also wanted to see if the manual petcock (Greenie has electric) cures the Greenie's fuel starvation issue. I'm playing Dr. Frankenstien today...
footgoose Posted April 29, 2017 Posted April 29, 2017 I'll have a glass of Champagne with an olive garnish (with pimento)! 1
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