Plugged fuel filter?

RadioHowie · Feb 8, 2009

Beautiful Sunday afternoon in Central Florida....perfect time to go ride.

About 60 miles in to the ride, make a sharp left hand turn out in the middle of nowhere and suddenly my '04 won't run over 2500 rpm.

Give it gas and it just quits. Under 2500 rpm, runs great.

But needless to say, even in top gear, 2000-2500 means 37-42 mph. Not fun.

Took a LOT longer getting home than it did to get to the 60 mile mark. Had to go back roads the entire way home to avoid fast traffic, since about 42 mph is all the Feej can manage before it acts like I just turn the key off. NO engine warning light or tach/speedo shenanigans to make me think the problem is electrical.

Just before I left, I filled 'er up with a premium brand premium blend plus a can of Seafoam, as the Feej had been sitting for a while, and when I popped the filler cap, I noticed what looked like a lot of "dirt" around the filler neck...tried to clean it up with dropping any in the tank, but naturally, some DID fall in.

I wonder if the tank's rusted up some and flakes might be blocking the filter screen in the fuel pump.

Oh, got a notice for the TPS recall, which the bike hasn't had, but haven't taken it in for the recall.

Does it sound like a fuel starvation issue or a TPS-related glitch?

Anyone care to chime in?

Ignacio · Feb 8, 2009

I'd do the TPS first.

Haven't heard of a bike actually plug a filter before.

un4gvn · Feb 8, 2009

+1 Check the TPS

El Toro · Feb 8, 2009

If you know the gas has been sitting in the bike for a good while, and if you know that you dropped detritus into the tank when you opened it, don't rule out your idea of the fueling blockage.

I resurected a carburetted Yamaha a few years ago, and it did fine until it got dropped (my son was "learning to ride" and he accidentally spent some low quality time on one wheel before dropping it). The drop stirred up the water and debris in the gas tank, which had accumulated there for a several years. It would start and run, but once you got to the point where you needed serious gasoline to drive your load, it would essentially go powerless. I ended up having to take the carbs off, clean the jets, replace the nastiest filter I've ever seen, clean the fuel pump, replace the petcock assembly because the reserve pipe was clogged up, drain the tank and clean it out several times to get the "loose rust fines out," and when all this was done, the bike was ready to work again.

terrebandit · Feb 8, 2009

How long was it sitting? Always good to store a bike with the tank completely full to prevent rust. I would imagine that rusted tanks are pretty common in Florida (higher salt content in the air). You may have to clean and re-coat the inside of the tank.

RadioHowie · Feb 8, 2009

Ignacio said:
I'd do the TPS first.
Haven't heard of a bike actually plug a filter before.

Well, I don't have the guts to yank the fuel pump and check for smegma...yet...

But I just did a TPS diag and the readings were 16 at closed throttle and 99 at WOT with no dead spots or ambiguous readings from full stop to WOT....very smooth increase in numbers as throttle was turned. No skips, jumps or "odd" numbers.

Just for fun, I fired it up and took it for a quick spin around the neighborhood. Ran like a top.

Dontcha just hate problems that disappear for no reason?

Oh...no "bad" diag codes to be found, either.

Maybe just cycling the ignition a couple of times, to get into the Diag sequence, cleared something out? Who the hell knows.

I'm gonna ride to work tomorrow and see if the symptoms return.....

k7lvo · Feb 8, 2009

Take it for another long ride. If it starts acting up again, open the gas cap. If that cures the problem, the tank vent is restricted or plugged.

RadioHowie · Feb 8, 2009

k7lvo said:
Take it for another long ride. If it starts acting up again, open the gas cap. If that cures the problem, the tank vent is restricted or plugged.

Y'know, that's a damn fine idea. That's been a chronic problem with ZRXs...clogged vents in the gas cap assemblies.

I'll give it a try if it does it again.

Don't I remember reading a post here about someone's gas tank collapsing due to a clogged vent? (or was it on the ZRX forum?)

dcarver · Feb 8, 2009

RadioHowie said:
Well, I don't have the guts to yank the fuel pump and check for [SIZE=12pt]smegma[/SIZE]...yet...

Ahh, there's my bud, in finest form! Trust your ODOT trained nose, follow the scent, and you will find truth and enlightenment, GrassHopper!

Clogged vent hoses is a fine thing to check; and like Jestal PM'd me once - don't be afraid to run the bike over 4k rpm...

:yahoo:

For what its worth, RH, and it ain't much, believe me, but I had one tank of really crappy gas that lasted 4 tanks later; the bike would stumble, hesitate, not run in upper rpm's. I was on a 'ride' and dumped 2x recommended Techron additive and from then on all was good.

(please don't tell me that adding 2x recommended Techron additive will cause premature ejaculation, worn valves, or decreasing piston return spring tension! :****:

k7lvo · Feb 8, 2009

RadioHowie said:
k7lvo said:

Take it for another long ride. If it starts acting up again, open the gas cap. If that cures the problem, the tank vent is restricted or plugged.

Click to expand...

Y'know, that's a damn fine idea. That's been a chronic problem with ZRXs...clogged vents in the gas cap assemblies.

I'll give it a try if it does it again.

Don't I remember reading a post here about someone's gas tank collapsing due to a clogged vent? (or was it on the ZRX forum?)

I browsed https://www.bikes-n-spikes.org/maint/ff/ff.html a while back, and your symptoms, coupled to experiences that I've had with junker cars when I was a kid, brought it to mind.

SkooterG · Feb 8, 2009

Very simple.

The anti-'tard' sensor finally started working after all these years. Wonder why it wasn't working before?

Oh yeah,

:****:

ionbeam · Feb 9, 2009

I can positively say that it wasn't your fuel filter -- there isn't one. There is a quite porous sock over the fuel pick-up in the tank.

I agree with the others, check the tank venting. How is the little orange doohickey at the filler neck? Take some time with the FSM and review how to test the coils and fuel/injector system using the diAG screen so you will be a Boy Scout should there be another episod. Should there be another seizure, when you get home you may want to pull the plugs and check for color.

Based on the symptoms you describe I don't think the problem is the TPS. Abrupt shut-off is usually electrical, fuel problems typically will cause 'soft' performance and/or rough running. There is a chance that you just got shitty fuel.

CHRIS_D · Feb 9, 2009

I know I'm a bit slow. :wub: I don't know where the fuel filter is on Gen 2. Is it in the tank?

odot · Feb 9, 2009

It's not really a filter, per se....it's more like a kitchen sink plug.....with holes in it.

petey · Feb 9, 2009

CHRIS_D said:
I know I'm a bit slow. :wub: I don't know where the fuel filter is on Gen 2. Is it in the tank?

The fuel filter/screen (Gen 1 & II) is part of the fuel pump assembly inside the tank.

Bounce · Feb 9, 2009

since the fuel filter is part of the pump assembly (and burried inside the tank), i've never bothered with it. but now that someone mentioned it and since the pump is out of the tank.. seems this would be the perfect time for me to take a gander at the pump assembly and look at such things as a simple PM issue. THANKS!

SkooterG · Feb 9, 2009

Bounce said:
since the fuel filter is part of the pump assembly (and burried inside the tank), i've never bothered with it. but now that someone mentioned it and since the pump is out of the tank.. seems this would be the perfect time for me to take a gander at the pump assembly and look at such things as a simple PM issue. THANKS!

There is NOTHING you can do to service the fuel filter/screen. Except replace the fuel pump in it's entirety.

Clicky HERE for photos

odot · Feb 9, 2009

Well, there's a pic of a fuel pump......and some shiny stuff....did I miss something?

Geezer · Feb 9, 2009

Yep, I suppose you could rinse off the filter sock if you saw a lot of stuff stuck on it, and flush out the tank. That's about all there is.

Plugged fuel filter?

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