It won't start! no sound for the fuel pump either! It was starting ok before...

Hi,

On my last trip to Scotland one pipe of the exhaust manifold came loose. I did just tightened it up and to my surprise when I switched on the ignition key, no sound for the fuel pump and could not start the motor. I must say I had difficulty in reaching the back pipe of the manifold. During this I took off (obviously the rear wheel and exhaust) the right heatshield and lifted the tank from the back so I can access the bolt of the manifold, one hand from the top and one hand from the bottom. Could I have accidentally disconnect something not allowing for the engine start?

any help appreciated

 

I'm dealing with an intermittent kill switch issue right now. I don't remember any wiring in that circuit that far back but it's possible that when you lifted the back of the tank you may have unplugged the fuel pump. I'm 90% certain that that circuit requires the entire system to be a closed circuit and if it's open at any point the enitre start ciruit is open and will not function.

 

Check and clean the kill switch would be your priority and go over all the wires and make sure no surprise there.

 

You guys use the kill switch to shut down the bike? I leave the kill switch on all the time unless in an emergency (what it's for) key off only. Bike gets older handle switches are usually first things to start going.

 

No actually I don't I use the kickstand to kill the bike.

The issue I'm having now is that if I bump my kill switch at all it kills the bike.

 

Solder joint may have loosened up. Or decent amount of oxidation on contact surfaces.

 

Torn apart cleaned and checked... Ohm'd out the switch no noticable amount of resistance across the contacts.

 

Could be a break internal in a wire leading to the switch, check around any pinch points and try flexing the wiring while power on

 

I'm gonna buy a kill switch off of a later model to gain a Hazzard switch to run some Aux lighting that I use for bicycle race marshalling duties. It's only $60 and then I'll know it's good for another 10 years.

 

Ahem! That's my line.

 

Many thanks guys,
It does seems possible that I have accidentally disconnected the fuel pump. I will let you know the result once I've done the checks, so far I didn't get the chance of going to the garage

 

Could not believe it , It was the kill switch, I must have kicked it off accidentally as I never use is...
THANKS for your input!

 

Glad it was an easy fix ound: