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View Full Version : Fuel Pump Allows On?!



PGTipped
07-31-2008, 02:00 PM
Hi all, new to the threads, been riding Buell for about a year and love it!!
The last post by 2003buellxb9s partially addressed the issue I having.

Normal 1. Turn key
Normal 2. Fuel pump kicks in
Normal 3. Start bike
Problem 4. Fuel pump does not go off.

I was wondering if this could be relay related? Bikes runs fine, but I rode about 100 miles the other day and it never went off. I replaced the battery the same day and noticed the pump sounded a little weaker, but still going?

Any thoughts?

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 02:06 PM
Sure I have a question for you. If the fuel pump is not on and producing pressure to the injectors how does fuel get into the cylinders?????

The fuel pump has to run all the time or the bike wouldn't run that is 100% normal. If you don't have fuel pressure than no fuel gets into the injectors.

PGTipped
07-31-2008, 02:43 PM
I guess I should put it this way. When I first got the bike, and two other Buells I have ridden...(this is in regards to sound I could be off on mechanics)...pump comes on noticeably loud, then went off when bike fired off.

Lately, this sounds never goes away and was not normal when I first got the bike, nor on the ones I rode at dealer.

I understand that fuel has to be sent to injectors, etc...This sound is not normal however???

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 02:54 PM
Every time I turn my bike on the pump pressurizes and then shuts off. When I hit the start button the pump turns back on and stays on the entire time I am riding the bike until I shut it off. That is 100% normal and is meant to happen. Now if your pump is making odd noises than the pump could be going, but if you are just hearing the pump the whole time while riding that is normal. Also some pumps make more noise than others and I don't know why. Mine is pretty damn loud and others are much quieter.

Thaloc
07-31-2008, 03:18 PM
My pump only comes one when I hit the run button, I wait for it to go off before starting, it usually does 2-5 seconds before the engine light goes off, I then start it and my pump does not turn on again. I ride an 08 XB12R.

PGTipped
07-31-2008, 03:33 PM
My pump only comes one when I hit the run button, I wait for it to go off before starting, it usually does 2-5 seconds before the engine light goes off, I then start it and my pump does not turn on again. I ride an 08 XB12R.

This is what I am accustomed to as far as noise is concerned. So pump suddenly changing to noisy has me concerned.

Thaloc
07-31-2008, 04:22 PM
Ya that sounds a bit odd to me, Maybe LeFox has some input. But especially if your bike didnt start out doing that. Id also look into your bike Dan, im pretty sure the pump shouldn't be running the whole time u ride.

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 05:02 PM
Of course the pump should be on the entire time. If your fuel pump isn't on please tell me how the fuel is getting from your gas tank to the cylinder??

Thaloc
07-31-2008, 05:07 PM
Ok well, When mine doesnt stay on. All bikes iv ever rode they turn off after a moment. and I rode every 2008 XB model before I bought my 12R and they are the same. My old '96 Yamaha FZR 600 was the same. Iv never been on a bike that the pump ran the whole time, so.....Maybe all the bikes I ever rode were broke[confused]

Not trying to attack your theory, just sharing my experience :)

PGTipped
07-31-2008, 05:15 PM
Of course the pump should be on the entire time.Â* If your fuel pump isn't on please tell me how the fuel is getting from your gas tank to the cylinder??

I don't doubt this...tell me though, when you turn the key on and flip your run switch (battery power only at this point) you hear the loud and obvious fuel pump turning on and getting fuel where it needs to be in order to fire up, it then goes off, you crank her up and ride. Not hearing the sound again...right? even though your bike is still pumping fuel to plugs, pistons, etc...

This constant on noise is not normal, so I was hoping someone could confirm this as a problem.

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 05:31 PM
I turn my bike on the pump turns on and then shuts off. As soon as I start the bike the pump comes right back on again and never shuts off until you shut the bike off.

I clearly hear my fuel pump the entire time I am riding. Every now and again I will hear the fan turn on when it is really hot out like 95+ and I have been idling for a while at a light or something. But yes the pump does turn right back on when you start the bike. You probably just can't hear it because of the exhaust. If you listen you can easily hear the pump running at all times while the bike is running.

Thaloc
07-31-2008, 05:36 PM
haha I was just gunna say its possible I just dont hear the pump because my bike is such a god damn beast..lol

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 06:36 PM
Yes some pipes will be so loud you can't hear it but with my Buell Race Pipe it isn't that loud so I can hear the pump and for those with stock pipes you should easily be able to hear the pump.

LeFox
07-31-2008, 07:07 PM
this is simple guys and mechanic basics.

turn ignition on => power to fuel pump = zoom sound coming from fuel pump = pump brings fuel system under pressure

fuel pumps stops => fuel system is under pressure => no leaks, so pump shuts off (otherwise the whole damn thing would explode => too much pressure :p)

engine start => no leak, but fuel gets injected = pressure changes in fuel system = fuel pump switches on to get pressure back.

why? pressure is needed to ignite the fuel.
fuel needs to be changed to fuel vapor to ignite.

dunno if you know that but you can actually extinguish a match in a bucket of fuel ;)
(kids, don't try this at home, cause above the fuel liquid, there is....yes yes...fuel vapor)

why didn't you hear it?!
- you didn't pay any attention to it till someone said: 'hey...my pump keeps going...is that normal?'
- engine noise
- had to much fun riding
- exhaust noise
- wind noise
- traffic noise
- just not paying attention
- etc etc

dans03firebolt
07-31-2008, 07:43 PM
I was trying to explain it as easy as I could Lefox it just seemed like no one wanted to hear what I was saying.

2003buellxb9s
08-01-2008, 02:16 AM
yeah actually what i realized tonight in my failed attempt to save my little buddy with some spark plugs is that the reason i thought the fuel pump was incorrectly "always running" was that the engine was running all crappy and much much quieter. it has probably been that way all along I just couldnt hear it much like several above have said.

PGTipped
08-01-2008, 04:27 AM
[confused] I will let it go at that. :)

I do know without a doubt that i bought the XB12s with the stock pipe, and the "zoom" noise was heard at start up. Once started, it was never heard again. I now have D&D, which as we all know is pretty darn loud, and I can now hear it over the exhaust after start up.

I am sticking with Thaloc's original theory to the grave!!!!

Thanks for the feed back...I am in the process of doing some mods so I have been enjoying all the posts and banter, this is a great site, I am glad I signed up.

Thaloc
08-01-2008, 05:04 AM
Yeah man, I started my bike today, crouched down beside it with my helmet off and could hear no fuel pump. I have stock exhaust, iono iv never noticed the pump on while riding and I too prolly would have thought something was wrong. So I dunno I dont disagree with Dan and LeFox, but I have never heard what u guys have described.

onelogue
01-24-2009, 12:24 AM
I have an '04 and my pump is noticeable while it's adoling. My brother has the '08 and I can't hear his at all. It maybe has to do wi thtechnology or I have heard that the louder the fuel pump gets , the chance of the pump going out...

FIDOSOL
01-24-2009, 02:29 AM
Read through LeFox's theory again. Now think that if your system is somehow losing pressure in a manner that is not normal, wouldn't the noise increase from the pump as it attempts to compensate? Also if your pump is going out it is losing efficiency until it eventually burns itself out because it is on ALL THE TIME trying to keep up the fuel pressure. Have your fuel pump checked and check your entire fuel system for leaks or have someone check it for you. Also check your oil, make sure it doesn't smell like fuel... How is your gas mileage since this extra noise started? Did it go down? If so then you do have a problem.

chrispudd
01-25-2009, 02:38 AM
wow! this is a huge discussion about fuel pumps. The pump must be on in order to move fuel. Therefore anytime you request fuel, the pump will be on. Anytime the engine is running the pump is on. Same as a car, or truck or anything else. That's how efi works. Fuel doesn't magically fall out of the injectors, it's injected: under pressure from the fuel pump. My pump is noisy and so is every other one ive ever heard. Car pumps are noisy too, you just don't hear them cause they're at the back and have sound deadener between the tank and body. 'Nuff said!!

FIDOSOL
01-25-2009, 02:50 AM
Hey chris, pump will be louder when priming, sounds like his is priming or near it all the time. That is NOT NORMAL, I've listed what it could indicate above, not trying to hate on you just spreading the wealth of knowledge gained throughout my few years with all of ya'll. But yes you are right. On bikes the pumps are generally smaller than most cars and also create less noise, for the most part.

netty2424
06-25-2011, 07:25 AM
PGTipped you're not crazy. I'm glad I found this thread.

Im new to Buells as I've only had mine for 6 months maybe, and without a doubt, typically my fuel pump primes before ignition but stops(at least the noise stops) and doesn't run immediately after start up and continued to run. This happened yesterday. I thought it was my fan, but after looking at it, it wasn't on and I realized what it was.

Not to disagree with the years and years of experience in this thread, but this was the first time it happened, and didn't do it after I stopped and started riding again.

Im guessing there's a separate issue thats causing it as several stated above.

uly luigi
06-25-2011, 07:40 AM
Fuel Pressure regulator may be trying to go out, giving a false low pressure signal, and when the system is actually over pressed it binds the pump up, making it noisier and hotter, eventually leading to pump failure, just an observation,
the preceding statements are not meant as an expert explanation, or diagnosis, all information given is opinion only and may not apply to your particular situation

netty2424
06-25-2011, 07:44 AM
the preceding statements are not meant as an expert explanation, or diagnosis, all information given is opinion only and may not apply to your particular situation

Lawyer? :D

uly luigi
06-25-2011, 07:54 AM
I'm thinking of making it my tag line,LOL:D

anrkizm95
06-25-2011, 10:51 AM
the pump stays on when ever the bike is running wether you can hear it or not its on.if it wasnt the bike wouldnt run.this goes for bikes,cars,boats,planes and rockets.your pump has probably just gotten louder could be going out maybe not

07Bolt
06-25-2011, 01:01 PM
Happened to me:-) regulator went out, fuel pump wires chaufed together. Fabbed up a fuel pump remover tool, soldered the wires, zip tied them apart.

Fixed the problem and sold the tool too kyle_dewaldB-)

That is if I remember correctly:-D

netty2424
06-25-2011, 03:38 PM
I hear y'all on the pump running all the time and I get the function behind it, but that noise does not always remain on. Because I had this happen to me recently, ive specifically been listening for it. Sometimes it will sound, other times it does not.

I went to HD today for something else and talked to the mechanic there who owns a Buell and it didn't come back on while he was standing there. Either way, he said it's not something to be concerned about. He said the fuel pump may be going bad so it's just getting louder.

defconjuan
09-08-2013, 02:54 PM
Following, I'm having the "always on priming" noise too. I have an '05 XB9SX with 25K on it. I bought it with 10K and I've had the same thing:

1. Insert key, turn on ignition
2. Toggle run switch (Fuel pump fires up and never goes off. When I start the bike, I'm not sure if it's off or on because the engine starting noise.)

Bike runs fine generally, but when I see YouTube videos of people starting their XB9s, their fuel pump priming noise at start-up always goes off after a few seconds. I don't want to just start replacing parts. But if I did, what's the best ones? Fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator?

anrkizm95
09-08-2013, 05:55 PM
the fuel pump is never ever never never ever off when the bike is running.if your pump is louder than normal the filter might be plugged or the might be on its way out.if the pump stays on longer the the 2 sec prime with the bike off it could be a short or a relay or an ecm problem.some people mistake the exhaust valve actuator sound for the fuel pump sound too.

mathisen
07-09-2014, 07:39 PM
I'm quite a newbi myself, so i had the same "problem." noticed it after the dealer changed my exhaust from a jardine gp-1 to a remus after the canister cracked open after 2 months. maby it was to loud? [confused] or the exhaust valve actuator..? is this sound supposed to be so intense? cause now i can hear it very good..


some people mistake the exhaust valve actuator sound for the fuel pump sound too.

mrlogix
07-09-2014, 08:14 PM
with the engine off, the fuel pump pressurizes the system to asset point determined by the fuel pressure regulator, then stops. If your fuel pump never shuts off with the run switch on and the engine off, your not getting to the set
point of the regulator (bad fuel pressure regulator or leaks internal or external). The sound can change as the fuel pump wears internally or just deadheads momentarily till regulator shuts it off. Fuel pump noise can be different on the bike run mode on and engine off -vs- engine off because fuel pressure is not deadheading even at idle. LeFox is dead on. Fuel pump noise changing is a sign of regulator or pump efficiency changing, not necessarily bad, just not full efficiency.


the pump stays on when ever the bike is running wether you can hear it or not its on.if it wasnt the bike wouldnt run.this goes for bikes,cars,boats,planes and rockets.your pump has probably just gotten louder could be going out maybe not yep :D

mrlogix
07-09-2014, 08:16 PM
dunno if you know that but you can actually extinguish a match in a bucket of fuel
(kids, don't try this at home, cause above the fuel liquid, there is....yes yes...fuel vapor)


LMFAO, I see that I'm not the only one to try this (not a match, but a lit cigarette) :)

SEXT9
07-09-2014, 08:21 PM
The year is going to make a difference on how much noise you hear from the fuel pump. This thread goes back quite a ways. The principles are the same. But the pump noise has changed.

My 04 was noisy pressurizing. It was noisiest when low on fuel. I read somewhere in 06 the pumps were quieted down. My 10 makes a simple 'swish' sound to pressurize when the electric is turned on.