While the bike was tore down for a paint job, I decided to change the fuel filter. The design of the fuel pump, gauge, filter assembly is a real humdinger. I may share some of my experiences about the removal of that albatross in a later post

Nevertheless, it is required to cut the hose clamps off of the old assembly. So as I sat on my short seat in the cool autumn breeze on my driveway with the fuel assembly before me. I positioned my cutting pliers on the clamp and carefully applied pressure. The clamp is obviously made from some experimental metal for planetary research because it completely mocked my cutters as I strained to separate the bond. I knew if I could just get a seam started, it would give up the ghost. But as I attempted to ever-so-slightly twist on the edge of the clamp, I said to myself - "better be careful because you never know how fragile that plastic is...." SNAP! The tip of the fuel pump, still securely held inside the hose by the clamp from hell, lay before me on my driveway. If I had any doubt as to the degree of damage, a check valve and spring rolled out to as if to rub salt in my fresh wound.


My heart sank and my stomach rose. I had read nightmare warnings not to damage the fuel assembly because it's an 'all or nothing' unit (except the filter) that runs between $300-$400 dollars. Naseau.

However, I came across a thread somewhere here in HDF about a gentleman who replaced a fuel pump on his Chevy Colorado, and lo and behold, it was identical to the fuel pump on the broken fuel assembly he had just a couple of weeks prior on his touring bike. He didn't know if it would work or not -

My heart rose from the floor. A light at the end of the tunnel. It was 11:00pm. O'Reilly's Auto Parts opens at 7:00am....

I took my pump in and told the employee I read about the Chevy Colorado fuel pump. He looked at it and said, "I just sold one of those yesterday - but it was for a 1999 Ford Ranger." He brought one from the shelf - identical in structure in all respects, save the bottom rubber foot which rests on the bottom of the tank - which I popped off, and even the foot pad on the Harley pump fits directly on if you're really **** about such things. Ok - so I put the Harley one on.......I failed to get you a picture of the new pump, but I testify it is identical, except the plastic tip that broke off in my hand is improved on this pump which is metal Here is the box and broken pump.





One question you may have in your head is the specs of the replacement pump. The psig rating is 70 minimum to 100 maximum with a free flow rate of 44 to 55. Thus far the regulator handles the pressure just fine and the bike idles smoothly. As soon as I adjust the belt tension, I'll take it for a spin and let you know how it handles the highway.

When I first tried to start the bike, the fuel pump didn't make a sound (groan.....). I began tracing power. The short of it - I found one of the needle sized pins that fit in the plug to the canopy and fuel assembly had bent downward. These pins are so small that you can't even tell that the plug isn't fitting in appropriately. So hold that sucker as level as possible and move it slowly to make sure it is aligned properly. I fit it back on and fuel pump purred, pressured up, and shut off when the regulator said to~



The price? About $65.00.
Peace!

 

Awesome. I've saved this info as I'm getting ready to replace my wife's 2006 Deluxe and brother's 2006 RK filters.

 

Wow! Now that's some good stuff there. Thanks

 

Thanks for taking the time to post and share. This is what this forum is all about. Great job!

 

I ruined my 2000 fuel pump doing the exact same thing!

My earlier MM unit doesn't have a check ball spring in there, and Having No Patience, I pushed the new tube onto the broken stem until it bottom out, drilled a tiny hole straight through the hose and stem all the way through to the other side and ran a pin fashioned from a large clip tightly through the hole and bent said pin up on both sides.

That was 6 months and nearly 10,000 miles ago... Though if mine ever breaks, I'm on the way to the Auto Parts store.

Thanks for the post.

 

Good to know. Somewhere on the forum said the fuel injectors are a match to some Chevy part number. If it idles the pressure regulator is doing it's job. If it gets low from say a stopped up filter the idle is first to go. If it has normal pressure it will be fine for w.o.t.

 

Update on this tester - after getting the bike together from the paint job, I took it out for city run. After topping off the tank, I logged about 45-50 miles with zero issues. She seemed to be running great. HOWEVER, coming down the freeway at 60 MPH on cruise control, I dropped off cruise and throttled straight down to coast towards an exit. Immediately the engine started sputtering and coughing. I intended to turn left, but anticipating a stall, swept right - and sure enough it died. Though the bike restarted, it was running like crap.

I pulled into a parking lot and went inside a place, grabbed a bite to eat and let the engine cool. When I came back out, it reluctantly started. On the way home, at mostly freeway 60mph speed limits, I noticed that when the engine was loaded, though not running 100%, it did seem ok. But on decel of any sort, such as the backside of an overpass, it started throwing a fit.

So - I'm thinking this aftermarket pump pressure was too much for the regulator - and has caused it to fail, thus causing the decel and idle issues. That would make for a mighty sensitive regulator - but EFIs are picky about their pressures. I pulled the pump assembly out (why did have to be a frickin' full tank of gas????) and can't see any thing out of the ordinary. But then I've never seen what a failed regulator would actually look like ;-)

As I perform more diagnostics, I'll post the results.

Peace!

 

The latest - after purchasing the stock fuel pump, regulator, and housing, I installed (which I'm getting pretty good at now) and fired off. Much to my chagrin, it ran like crap. Due to my schedule, I decided to turn it over to a hawg shop in town and let them wrestle with it - short story - an internal fuel line had a "hole". I figure when I had the pump assembly out while getting the bike painted, the hoses, that otherwise had probably been submersed in the tank since original purchase, now exposed to the atmosphere, cracked. Lesson? Always use fresh hoses ;-)

So maybe the auto parts pump actually worked and the regulator didn't blow. Who knows now? For another day.

Peace.