[joshtron]

Hey guys,

I recentley began to help my dad to get his 86 350 fourtrax working, it had been in storage for several years since my grandfather passed away. We took the machine out of storage, drained the fuel tank, put a new plug in and charged the battery. The machine started up fine and with a small adjustment to the idle speed the bike was running fine.
The problem started when the bike died out on idle, we then started the bike and everything lit up, we had power to the battery but the fuel pump was making a clicking noise. we pulled he pump of of the bracket and when we tried to start the machine you could hold onto the pump and feel it vibrating in your hand.
Assuming the pump was shot we went to the local honda dealer and bought a new pump and fuel filter. Once home and with the new parts mounted on the bike we tried starting it and it was running fine, started up right away and was idiling properly. Then once again the bike stalled out while idiling, when we went to start it up again the new fuel pump made the same clicking/buzzing noise as the old one. now the bike won't start again, the battery is fine and we have power, a new plug, filter, new gas and the air filter is as clean as a new one.

can anyone help me out with this problem? all of my experiance is with two stroke mx bikes, and this is driving me nuts. thanks in advance

 

[joshtron]

fuel pump

oh, and it's still pumping fuel as well.

 

[jkhuntin]

Did you pull the carb and clean it? Sounds like you got trash in the bowl and it is sucking up into the jet. Shadetree and/or helmut will be along before long to help you more.

 

[Helmut]

Yeah, I agree with jk. Sounds like the carb might be the problem. I would try cleaning it and see what happens.

 

[joshtron]

Hey guys,
Today i pulled the carb off and clean the float bowl out, sprayed the carb down with pj1 carb cleaner and compressed air. I was surprised at how clean the float bowl actually was in this machine.
I then mounted the carb back up and I'm still getting the same noise from the brand new fuel pump. At first I thought the impeller might be cavatating but when you pull the fuel supply line apart from the carb it still is actually pumping fuel through. I then drained the float bowl out from the drain screw to find the carb was getting fuel.
I can understand the concept of a dirty carb not properly suppling the right mixture of fuel and air to the bike, but i'm still left with a brand new pump that buzzes and clicks and the bike still won't start either kicking or electric start.

Is it possible that my floats are not set properly? I also assume that this bike is running a tad rich hence a bit of carbon soot found on the plug? But all that aside it still doesn't make any sense why the pump is making noise and i can't get it to start. Even a bike thats running rich should at least turn over since the jetting hasn't been changed and the bike was running off the same specs when the carb was dirty.


thanks for any help guys.

 

[Pain]

I can't really add anything, except to say that the fuel pump will make that chugging noise like that. I had an 86, and if you turned the key on after it sat for a long time, the pump will run until it builds up pressure. If it was off for just a minute, it will chug a few times and then cut off because there was already pressure in the lines. It might chug on and off like that as long as the key is on.

As for your problem, can't really help you. Just make sure the filter is clean and you are getting good flow out of the tank. Most of those older machines will have a badly rusted tank.

 

[shadetree]

Hey guys,
Today i pulled the carb off and clean the float bowl out, sprayed the carb down with pj1 carb cleaner and compressed air. I was surprised at how clean the float bowl actually was in this machine.
I then mounted the carb back up and I'm still getting the same noise from the brand new fuel pump. At first I thought the impeller might be cavatating but when you pull the fuel supply line apart from the carb it still is actually pumping fuel through. I then drained the float bowl out from the drain screw to find the carb was getting fuel.
I can understand the concept of a dirty carb not properly suppling the right mixture of fuel and air to the bike, but i'm still left with a brand new pump that buzzes and clicks and the bike still won't start either kicking or electric start.

Is it possible that my floats are not set properly? I also assume that this bike is running a tad rich hence a bit of carbon soot found on the plug? But all that aside it still doesn't make any sense why the pump is making noise and i can't get it to start. Even a bike thats running rich should at least turn over since the jetting hasn't been changed and the bike was running off the same specs when the carb was dirty.


thanks for any help guys.

your fuel pump will make that sound..until it builds up enough pressure..then the fuel pump control unit will cut it off..it behind the metal cover on the rear right fender well..this control unit senses when your fuel pump has reached it's pumping pressure from the carb's float..in other words..once your carb's float bowl get's full..and the control unit see's the back pressure from the fuel pump..the pump will run until this is reached..just because you open the drain screw on the bottom of the carb...does not mean the carb is reaching it's full mark on the inside of it.first thing you need to do..is make damn sure your getting gas from your tank to your pump..unhook the fuel line from your pump to carb..with the key on..and the kill switch set to the off position.crank the bike over..watch the fuel line from the pump..is it squirting out gas real good ??.if not..you got something blocking it from the tank...if it is..then you got a problem in your carb's float.

 

[Exaviator]

And I wonder if you can return the new pump--because it sounds like the old one is working as it should. Did you clean and polish the float needle cavity? Sometimes the gunk car impede the movement of the float needle, causing a too high or too low bowl level.

 

[Pain]

Typically electrical parts are non-returnable. Not to mention is will have an odor of gas. But,it would probably be worth posting for sale on the forums or on ebay, explaining that it works fine and was replacing while troubleshooting, but turned out to not be bad.

 

[joshtron]

thanks guys i'll give these ideas a shot in the morning, i really appreciate it.

 

[Frankenstein350]

this sounds what my bike does when my fuel filter is stopped up. my fuel pump just keeps popping. i take the filter off ant blow it out and it starts right up. yes i know, i need a new filter.