About 2 weeks ago (on a miserably hot and humid day) I was on a ride with my ABATE chapter and while trucking down the road going through the gears, with the throttle twisted good, the bike shut off. No sputtering, missing, surging, power loss or anything else. Just shut off like you flipped the kill switch. Fortunately the lady behind me on the huge Goldwing trike that was as big as a Cadillac somehow missed running over me when my bike lost power instantly. Got off the road and of course it would not start, just cranked. Ended up getting it flatbed towed home. The lady with the trike may have saved my life with the big cold gatorade she gave me to keep me hydrated while I waited for the tow.

Anyway I get it home and started checking things as it still just cranked with no starting. I thought for sure it was electrical but found I had plenty of spark. So I then unplugged the quick disconnect fuel line under the tank, wiped it off then put it back. Bike started right up.

Since I am as OCD as most on this site I decided to replace anything connected with that fuel connector as I was unsure what the problem actually was with it. I ended up replacing the quick disconnect/check valve on the tank, which included the hose to the regulator in the tank, I also changed the fuel filter in the tank, which came with the other hose that is in the tank. And lastly, I changed the fuel line that runs from the quick disconnect to the throttle body. It now starts and runs like normal.

I finally got time to look the old parts over, trying to figure out what went wrong and I think I found it. Where the fuel line fits into the disconnector/check valve it is an "L" shaped piece with a groove around the male end. Inside the check valve are 3 small ball bearings that fit within this groove to hold the fuel line in. The disconnector has a sleeve you raise up that releases the ***** to get the line in or out, then when its lowered the ***** lock into the groove. When I put my glasses on and looked at the groove there are 3 worn spots on the groove where the ***** have worn the groove, causing the fitting to partially back out of the check valve. I am guessing the wear was finally enough and the fitting moved out enough that the check valve went closed.

The new fuel line looks a bit different from the original with a different fitting at the throttle body end, the hose is now braided instead of rubber and the "L" fitting is smaller. It still has the groove and the check valve is still the same design so I don't know if this will end up doing the same thing again someday. I am sure its vibration that wore those indentations into the groove. I only have about 18,000 miles.

Here are some photos of the old line, new line installed and the worn fitting.

 

hmm- I think you got it.

do you think that if the worn line was rotated just a few degrees the fuel flow would be restored?

mike

 

Yes it would, however with the design of the line and its location it would be nearly impossible to turn it and get it to stay put.

 

Read of posts where unplugging the quick connect and reattaching it gets the bike to run again.Thanks for going into detail on what was causing the fuel shut off.

 

that's where a bungee comes in.

I'm gonna have to remember this one.

Nice detective work.

Mike

 

Zip tie.