Ok I was on my way home for lunch today and about a quarter mile down the road my bike ran out of gas. I looked at the trip meter and I should have had another 30 or so miles left. It's a pretty hot day up here today lower 90's and I still have the zip in liner in my jacket. I was about a quarter mile from a gas station so after trying to get it started with no luck I started pushing thinking I would top it off and I know some of the guys in the shop so maybe borrow a few tools. I top it off and try to start it and nothing. I remember reading a thread a while ago about switching to gravity feed and I had always planned on making the switch but never did. So I ripped the side plastic off and checked the switch by flipping the kill switch on and off. No click. I then pulled the pump out and rerouted the hose to bypass the pump. after a couple seconds turning it over she fired right up. I swung a leg over and off I went. I plan on being pumpless from now on.:biggrin:
yeah, I remember those threads and I think I remember you typing that you were gonna switch it over also. I thought about it with the old VF but I sold it now so no matter..
Why do they put those pumps on there anyway? Bikes with carbs ran just fine for 100 years w/o a fuel pump. Gas does still run downhill, doesn't it?
The thing that gets me is they only made the bike for 3 years and every year they change some little thing that will mess you up if you are looking for used parts. like in 86 they did away with the fuel pump. I've got an 84 parts bike but my rider is an 85 I put the 84 tank on my 85 and figured I would use the petcock from my 85 because I just cleaned it out and everything. on the outside looks the same but once you take it off the tank they are different and won't inter change. She's running good now and I went on an impromptu ride last night and put about 65 miles on with no probablems I think it runs better now then it ever has. yesterday I was at work and my brother that I haven't seen in about 2 years pops his head in the parts room. He's back from the sand box in Afganistan and he's in maine for a few days. He told me they were going for a ride and I couldn't pass it up. There where 8 of us total. was a good night to ride and no issues. I would have taken some pics but you wouldn't have seen much. We didn't really get moving until after sundown.
I think you will find that the tank has some lines inside that will actually go above the level of the fuel at sometimes (depending on fuel level). Once you lose the "prime" gravity feed stops working. Since it must work all the time, the pump was used. On my 1000R, the tank would force me to switch to reserve at about 2/3 tank remaining. Near as I could tell, it was the line inside the tank rusted through, and once it was uncovered, it would pull air. Gravity feed did not help this at all.
