My Oldwing let me down...

[skiri251]

Long story.
I went on 3 day camping trip with my son. Route 1 north toward Big Sur or Monterey.
10 miles into the trip, the mechanical fuel pump failed (engine cut off occasionally like fuel starvation).
No problem I switch to electrical fuel pump and completed the first day (Motel night at Morro Bay).
Second day. Headed north on route 1. Around 50 miles south of Monterey, the engine suddenly lost power. It idles but it won't move the motorcycle.
Somehow it recovered and I noticed intake hose to the fuel pump was loose leaking gas slightly.
Tightened it, all seemed to be okay so headed south. (need to go home before Oldwing fails completely!)
Reached Morro Bay, ate lunch. Headed south. The engine occasionally cuts off but otherwise ran okay.
Around 50 miles north of Santa Barbara the cut offs got really bad. Could do only around 40 MPH. Got off the next exit and luckily (I thought) there was a auto parts store.
So I bought $70 electrical fuel pump. (I thought my cheapo electrical one gone south because I saw bubbles in intake fuel hose.
Hooked it up, engine started okay (no more bubbles) so headed south on 101. After a few miles, engine started cutting off again.. This time stranded at the side of the freeway.
Took an hour for the tow truck to come.
Went to the nearest town (Buellton, where I bought the electrical pump) around 5PM.
Luckily U haul was still open.
Rented the truck, loaded the Oldwing (on 2 foot wide ramp, scarely) with the help of tow truck driver and headed south (yet again.)
This time I managed to come home around 9PM and writing this post after hot shower.

So... What should I do? (Apart from unload my Oldwing from the U haul truck which will be scary again.)

 

[Steve83]

That sucks!! Glad you got home. Maybe the fuel filter, line or tank pickup clogged up? Switch to reserve. Tank vent plugged? Ignitors overheating (melted backsides)...

 

[Joep]

Fuel filter... coils or igniters.. is where I would look first.. then possibly air leaks? .. try it this morning and see if it fires right up...

 

[mcgovern61]

Sounds like one or both coils cracked.

 

[joedrum]

sounds to me like the gas cap is pluged skirri ... run it with the gas cap off ... i think the cap is creating vacuum to the point of over welming the fuel pumps and bike starves for gas

 

[skiri251]

I drilled vent holes to the gas cap a while ago.
I tried reserve in desperation but it didn't work.
I also opened the gas cap to let air in but no change.
After I hooked up the new pump, I opened the petcock and saw fuel flow... yes but there is a possibility the flow is not enough.
When I put new electrical fuel pump I used brand-new fuel filter came with the pump.

After half an hour ride on the trailer, I tried to start the engine. No sign of fuel igniting what so ever.
Before that, it cut off and eventually engine die and I stop. But if I wait for a few minutes, the engine started at least..

Anyway I need to unload Oldwing first.
I have ramps at home so hopefully this will be much safer than loading. That was out right scary.

 

[joedrum]

well if its still fuel problem then it has to be in float valve cloged ...and if ignition...witch it starting to sound like id check spark units under shelter for getting hot and melting out the epoxy and coils as mention already

 

[dan filipi]

Check for a dumb mistake I made....some Teflon tape I used on the gas line threads got into the line and jambed up the float needle.

User error...

 

[joedrum]

:smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :whistling: :hihihi: :doh: :mrgreen: me been there

 

[slabghost]

Try checking the ignition components and maybe a test fuel tank. Could be sucking air at leaky petcock or line or pickup screen inside might be clogged. Could blow fuel back into the tank and see if that clears it some.

 

[dan filipi]

Entirely possible you got bad gas too.

I did a road trip L.A to Florida once.
Around mid way my van quit getting gas.
Turned out the rear fuel filter was completely clogged.
Stalled at a remote abandoned restaurant, in poring rain, I crawled under an pulled the filter. Blew it clear in reverse with my mouth.

 

[skiri251]

Checked the fuel flow from the petcock into a container. No problem.
So I started the engine while Oldwing is still on the truck (or maybe it's a van).
It started right up (still no guarantee I can ride though. Yesterday morning when it first acted up it rev'ed fine in neutral but about to stall taking off).
I saw no bubbles in the fuel hose (I have clear urethane one).
This I am 100% sure there were full of bubbles with older electrical pump yesterday. But completely gone with the new one.
I ditched old fuel filter also. I also ditched those cheesy fuel T-connecters. So the routing is straight forward: Petcock - newFilter - newPump - carb.

If it's fuel tank, petcock, or carb float or jets, does it behave like this?

Yesterday when it completely died, it was a middle of the day. I rode @ 70~75MPH (4500~5000 rpm) for an hour or so in 90F ambient temp.

 

[mcgovern61]

Hmmm....possible flooding? Any gas smell out the exhaust?

I still think a check of the coils is needed.

 

[skiri251]

Smell of gas? I don't think so...

Once Oldwing is off the van, I will open up the shelter and take a look.
I have a relay for the ignition. Is it possible the relay acted up like this?

 

[slabghost]

Yes relay can act up like that. Could install a toggle switch bypass for it and test that way.

 

[Steve83]

Yeah, I'm leaning towards ignitors or coils overheating, or the relay going bad. And check your oil - you mentioned the mechanical pump failing, and if the diaphragm let go, you might have gas in the crankcase.

 

[AApple]

skiri251 » Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:30 am[/url]":1tvsnevp]
It started right up (still no guarantee I can ride though. Yesterday morning when it first acted up it rev'ed fine in neutral but about to stall taking off).

Guarantee you it's an ignition problem. :yes: No load in neutral, but once you try to get moving, it takes more fire/energy to keep the plugs lit properly.
Bubbles in the filter don't really mean a lot. I have a clear filter on mine, and it NEVER fills completely, and when running, it has bubbles all the time. If the filter is after the pump, it's a different story, but pulling fuel thru a filter will always create bubbles like that, in my experience.

You're loosing spark somewhere. Could be coils, could also simply be a bad/loose connection.....heck...might even be the ignition switch. :yes:

 

[skiri251]

Steve83 » Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:44 am[/url]":3ulgj3qy]
Yeah, I'm leaning towards ignitors or coils overheating, or the relay going bad. And check your oil - you mentioned the mechanical pump failing, and if the diaphragm let go, you might have gas in the crankcase.

Oh! The dreaded gas-oil. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[skiri251]

AApple » Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:59 am[/url]":11agm9yx]

skiri251 » Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:30 am[/url]":11agm9yx]
It started right up (still no guarantee I can ride though. Yesterday morning when it first acted up it rev'ed fine in neutral but about to stall taking off).

Guarantee you it's an ignition problem. :yes: No load in neutral, but once you try to get moving, it takes more fire/energy to keep the plugs lit properly.
Bubbles in the filter don't really mean a lot. I have a clear filter on mine, and it NEVER fills completely, and when running, it has bubbles all the time. If the filter is after the pump, it's a different story, but pulling fuel thru a filter will always create bubbles like that, in my experience.

You're loosing spark somewhere. Could be coils, could also simply be a bad/loose connection.....heck...might even be the ignition switch. :yes:

I see. For some reason, now I don't see any bubbles what so ever. Maybe the filter is directly attached to the pump inlet?

>it rev'ed fine in neutral but about to stall taking off

This occurred after two hours or so of morning ride in 65F temp.
Uphill, suddenly it started missing, I pulled the clutch to prevent engine stall.
It rev'ed fine but I couldn't take off.
A driver of the car behind me tried to help me but we couldn't push the bike uphill.
I started the engine again and luckily it got the torque to climb up the hill. So we u-turned and headed back south.

 

[skiri251]

BTW, is this a van or truck?
It says it's a van..

It is important because if it is a truck, it is subject to 55MPH speed limit on freeway.