Stalls

OK Tuesday I got a tank of gas at a local ARCO station. 6 miles down the road it stalls, sets for a while and starts, 3 miles (towards home) it stalls again, a little further down the road it stalls again, fellow co-worker and rider stops and we use his screwdriver to drain the bowls, he says it has a lot of water in the gas, ok. Load it on the trailer, siphon the gas out, re-fill elsewhere. Next day (Wed) Drive and from to work (50 odd miles round trip) no problems, next day (today) the trip TO work; no problems, going home I get about half way and it stalls, slowly looses power just like the last tank of H2O and gas. Pored about 1/4 a bottle of HEET in the tank, Wait 10 or so minutes and it starts, got to the nearest gas pump and filled it up. Now I travelled a total of 75 odd miles on the re-fill and when I put gas in it the pump stopped at 3.?? gallons, so not only does it stall the mileage really stinks. So I get maybe 2 miles down the road and it stalls again, wait ten minutes and I get to another gas station, I pull off and got a ride from a kind soul. That was about 5 miles from my house.

I can hear the fuel pump clicking away every time I turn the key, it cycles (noise wise) just fine.

I do not think this is water, I think it's a fuel filter, fuel pump or TCI

How say you all?

I'm got a fuel pump sitting on the parts bike (an 85) and a couple of new filters laying around. Is there a list of fuel lines, drains and their specs etc. on the forum?

I await the wisdom of the forum.

I had heard before that the water can plug the filter as it doesn't go through like gas. YMMV.

Yup! Replace your fuel filter!!

Also there is a good chance you still have water in the tank. How did you drain the tank??

EDIT: Your fuel filter is located near your R/R. It is best to remove your rear tire to get to it. Also if you can remove the gas line at the fuel pump and before you install the new filter but with the old one off blow compressed air through the line to eliminate any trapped moisture and crud, or replace the line with a new one!

Anything changed on the ignition system in the last few days....wires etc?

Thinking bad connections at coil or caps.

During the low power epsiodes does the tach act incorrect vs road speed....ie does it

follow road speed even when loosing power or drop and jump back up.

It sounds like mileage wise the bike is running on only 3 cylinders.

Anything changed on the ignition system in the last few days....wires etc?

Thinking bad connections at coil or caps.

 

During the low power epsiodes does the tach act incorrect vs road speed....ie does it

follow road speed even when loosing power or drop and jump back up.

It sounds like mileage wise the bike is running on only 3 cylinders.

That's what I love about this forum! So many wise (o_d) people!

I switched out the 2 suppression IGN. cables to NON-suppression, that was MONDAY. I don't think it's that though because of all the times it started just fine....

During the run-down on stalling the tach, well if it was acting weird I would have noticed but it did not.

It has a back fire on cold start I think that may be new; peder didn't mention it when he synch'ed the carbs...Well I don't REMEMBER his mentioning it, it does have a plugged pilot circuit though.

I am seriously considering dismantling the carbs and giving the parts a good soak in some B-12 carb cleaner. I have a wonderful air compressor to blow it all out. I have rebuilt a few Holly carbs, some GM corporate, Autolite and a couple of quadra-jets in my day.

I'd like to find the replaceable parts (needle valve, seat, gaskets, O rings...before I do this. I'm hoping I don't need any diaphragms or slides...I will try (again) to get the DVD on carb overhaul.

So far my post for this has been unproductive.

Has the bike been ridden in rain recentlý......could be TCI got wet.

Yup! Replace your fuel filter!!

 

Also there is a good chance you still have water in the tank. How did you drain the tank??

 

EDIT: Your fuel filter is located near your R/R. It is best to remove your rear tire to get to it. Also if you can remove the gas line at the fuel pump and before you install the new filter but with the old one off blow compressed air through the line to eliminate any trapped moisture and crud, or replace the line with a new one!

With a siphon hose I filled and nearly filled 4 containers (two 1 gallon gas cans, one 1 gallon antifreeze bottle and one 5 quart oil jug) so I'm PRETTY SURE I got most of it. I re-filled at the local grocery's (Albertson's) store on the way home and put some dry gas (HEET) in it when I got her into the garage. That was Tuesday evening. I have since ridden the bike as described above.

I have never heard of fuel filters turning squirrely like this because of water; HOWEVER I have no idea what the history of the current filter is. Shame on me for not changing it when I did the first oil change.

I have a Yamaha (read $15.00 - $17.00?) fuel filter for the 1600 Road Star I have, it looks about the same as the one currently in the Venture, just a lot cleaner both outside and I'm sure INSIDE where it counts. Too bad the rate and pressure specs are CLASSIFIED by Yamaha. I figure any fuel filter that can supply an engine no smaller than the 1200 will do...

Last night (while waiting for my wife to get home (3:30 am so I could go retrieve the Venture) I removed the pump and filter from the '85. So now I know how to do that, 2 bolts and some finagling and the pump is out and have a couple of plugs to plug the fuel lines (there was gas in the '85s tank of course). Now my problem with using a used fuel pump is that it's used....I like the one cited in the other thread, an airtex I think, it even looks like the Yamaha version. I just wish I had a spec on pressure and flow rate on the Yamaha version so I could get as close as possible on a new one. I found one on Amazon for $38.??. I think that's a killer price.

I realize that my problem may not be in the pump, but I must assume the pump is 31 odd years old; I'm too old a soldier to believe I can rely on it as if it were a new one.

I take it the outlet on the tank is on the low part of the tank, I have a spare I got when I bought a load of venture parts from a guy over in Tacoma. So I can figure that one out ok...but that is why I have been advised to remove the rear tire I believe....

Anyone have the pump and filter specs?

Has the bike been ridden in rain recentlý......could be TCI got wet.

It rained last night, at first not enough to get the TCI wet and I have ridden in downpours recently without issue but things can change. It rained like a BIG DOG later but that was while I was waiting for Wifie to get home. While the bike is down I'll be moving the TCI as we have discussed and get that number off of it too!

i got the mr gasket 42s on mine now it is still a work in progress to mount it but the bike runs on full choke to half choke it will idle for a minute then dies i sprayed some silicone spray lube on all the vac hoses and it will run fair no choke for a couple min at idle and reving it to 3+ k and then she wants to die so now i have to track the culprate and replace it but figure i will just replace all the vac hoses and caps