Two Problems

[FootNote]

Alright, so my bike is up and running, painting is done, Tach is still not where I need it to be, but to be honest I am burnt out dealing with it. I will come back and work on it later. But there are two other problems that I need to figure out.

Problem 1: Fuel Switch

My bike only seems to run when the fuel switch is on reserve. When ever I have it in the ON position it seems to die out like there is no gas (Yes there is gas, I checked). I will say though after taking it for a ride the other day once I got back to my neighberhood I switched it to on and it worked fine for the 1000 feet or so I rode it. I am not sure if that was a fluke or not.

Problem 2: Coolent leak

One ongoing problem is that there is a coolent leak. It seems to be coming from the coolent pump weap hole. What is the normal checks I need to make for this? New pump?


Thanks.

 

[tugla]

Sounds like a rebuild at min for the water pump.

As for fuel pump,wonder if a connection is bad or corroded. Easy to take the pump out open it up as see.....obviously it works so leaning to a connection in the switch itself.....I'm sure someone will chime in with having the same issue before and can help.

 

[alorio1]

If you have the tack cluster unplugged or changed the bulb on the fuel light and installed the wrong wattage bulb, the fuel pump will not run. The fuel light bulb is part of the circuitry that allows the fuel pump to run in the ON mode. Your low fuel light should come on when the start button is pressed.........

 

[alorio1]

Edit; my low fuel light comes on on my 04 Vmax when start button is pressed but not on my old 85 Vmax. They must have changed the circuitry between 1985 and 2004, but I can't say when...........

 

[FootNote]

If you have the tack cluster unplugged or changed the bulb on the fuel light and installed the wrong wattage bulb, the fuel pump will not run. The fuel light bulb is part of the circuitry that allows the fuel pump to run in the ON mode. Your low fuel light should come on when the start button is pressed.........

Ahh gotcha. This answers that question then. I did install a new tach that has the fuel light go to the tach. So I need to work on the tach more. Too easy. Thanks.

 

[FootNote]

Sounds like a rebuild at min for the water pump.

As for fuel pump,wonder if a connection is bad or corroded. Easy to take the pump out open it up as see.....obviously it works so leaning to a connection in the switch itself.....I'm sure someone will chime in with having the same issue before and can help.

Basicly what my friend said about the collent pump. Fuel pump connection pretty much was answered above.

 

[tugla]

Glad easy ans.....what kind of tach u install?

 

[FootNote]

Glad easy ans.....what kind of tach u install?

The Koso rx2n. http://www.digital-speedos.co.uk/rx2n-10k-rpm-multifunction-1-p.asp

There is an adapter I need to buy to get the fuel light working, I will eventually do it but I am still trying to figure out if I blew the RPM gage or not on it.

 

[tugla]

Sweet set up. Can you split the wire one to factory bulb one on new gauge...will that solve ur issue.

You got a pic of gauge on your bike?

 

[VMAX1260]

before 4 years i experienced the same problem with the reserve switch. I am sure that the bulb in the tacho has nothing to do with the fuel pump. i am 100%. you have a bad cable. i had the haynes service manual and sorted out which cable was. it beggins from inside the left scoop(where the flasher) there is a big (i don't know which is the exact term) plug under the left scoop. one of the cables i cannot recall the color as i have not have the manual with right now but this causes your bike to work only is res mode. i just installed a new cable over it (bridge) from the plug under the left scoop to the other end (at least as far as i could reach without tearing apart the wiring harness) and i was suprised that this was the problem. you bulb has nothing to do with it.

 

[VMAX1260]

If you have the tack cluster unplugged or changed the bulb on the fuel light and installed the wrong wattage bulb, the fuel pump will not run. The fuel light bulb is part of the circuitry that allows the fuel pump to run in the ON mode. Your low fuel light should come on when the start button is pressed.........

no way . the bulb has nothing to do with pump. if you unistall the bulb the pump will work just fine.

 

[alorio1]

no way . the bulb has nothing to do with pump. if you unistall the bulb the pump will work just fine.

Check this thread out if you disagree and there was another Sean Morley posted explaining the circuitry, but I can't locate it right now.

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=29099&highlight=fuel+pump

 

[VMAX1260]

Check this thread out if you disagree and there was another Sean Morley posted explaining the circuitry, but I can't locate it right now.

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=29099&highlight=fuel+pump

checked the thread. they are talking about replacing the bulb with a led one. i have done it myself. it is a tricky part. didnt manage to make it work properly and put the old one back. the same thing happened to me with the res switch and fixed it like i wrote before. i dont think it has to do with yhe bulb. if it was the bulb when trvelling on a highway and the bulb burns out this means the circuit wont wotk and the fuel pump will stop working ? didnt happen cause i had a burn bulb in a fuel light. when i get my haynes manual i will post which cable i replaced and all worked properly again

 

[Ed in Mississauga]

I installed a Koso RX2N and it needs a 4.7 ohm resistor inline on the green wire going into the unit otherwise it will only run on the reserve setting. The resistor simulates the incandescent bulb which they designed to be part of the circuit. The fuel pump will still work, but you lose the on/reserve function.

 

[alorio1]

no way . the bulb has nothing to do with pump. if you unistall the bulb the pump will work just fine.

Read this thread and notice post #8. I think you had to replace your fuel pump relay to solve your problem in your previous post.
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=21505

 

[[email protected]]

it was the bulb when trvelling on a highway and the bulb burns out this means the circuit wont wotk and the fuel pump will stop working ? didnt happen cause i had a burn bulb in a fuel light. when i get my haynes manual i will post which cable i replaced and all worked properly again

Yes, the fuel pump will stop working if the bulb is blown out. However, you can put the switch in the "RES" position and the pump will then function normally. The pump will not function if the switch is in the "ON" position and the bulb is removed or blown out.

 

[Miles Long]

Yes, the fuel pump will stop working if the bulb is blown out. However, you can put the switch in the "RES" position and the pump will then function normally. The pump will not function if the switch is in the "ON" position and the bulb is removed or blown out.

Seems like a incredibly poor design. The correct operation of a fuel delivery system being dependent on a filament inside of a light bulb. Not typical of the Japanese at all.

 

[naughtyG]

Best they could think of to show you when the reserve's reached and stop fuel delivery until RES is switched on. Not bad for 1984 LOL

 

[Rollie]

Best they could think of to show you when the reserve's reached and stop fuel delivery until RES is switched on. Not bad for 1984 LOL

Agree for 1984 , but when did they change or upgrade it ? ............ right . I put it along with the handling and brakes and fuel injection and .......... right.

 

[FootNote]

Ok, I havn't had time to play with the fuel pump yet. Follow up question:

Would the fuel pump relay cause the bike to bog down at high RPM's? When ever I try to speed up fast, the bike bogs down. Not nessarly a high speed, but high RPM's.

Are the two problems connected? I know it could be the fuel filter, AF screws, ect ect.

Edit to add:

Thanks for all the advice so far!