Fuel blockage?

[dagus]

Okay, WTF. Brewsy and I tried to fire up my Hawk a week ago (dude, did you ever get your tools back from Metro North?) and find out my fuel pump's fried. Enter a Lister with a spare pump, bada-bing, it's now set up. I primed a carb with a little gas this weekend after not getting her to start, it turns over and promptly dies b/c the tank was off. Okay, I think - hook up the tank and we're in business. NOTHING. For some reason, I'm not getting fuel into the carbs. Any ideas?

When I got the tank painted, there was crap in my tank when I got it back. I flushed most of it out with gasoline... if it was blocking my fuel lines, where could the blockage possibly be? I'd like to minimize how many crusty old hoses I have to disconnect.

For the love of God, I just want to f*cking ride already!

[MrDude_1]

this is where my "blingy just for show crap" transucent fuel line becomes valuable.

pull the tank, check its petcock for blockage... after that, start taking off lines and blowing them out with air i guess...

really, i would bypass the new pump, put enough gas in it for it to gravity feed, and see if the carbs get fuel that way.


before doing anything else, id triple check that you're not kinking a line anywhere when the tank is on.

[hawksonfire]

To check for flow refer to section 18-8,18-9 in the service manual (available online or maybe you should buy a service manual). If thats not it, did you rebuild the carb(you should have)section 4 in the manual. Replace the fuel filter??? Thats how I would trace back the problem.

[NT696]

Doug:
There is three filters the fuel normally goes through on its way into your engine. One on the end of the petcock (inside the tank) one in-line on the fuel line before the fuel pump, and the last one is inside each carb float bowl. If you are sure the in-line one is OK, start with the carbs as it will be the smallest and have the finest mesh. (easiest to clog up)

[JR]

When you connected the new pump you did put the pipes back on the correct inlet/outlet ?

[SkinnE]

+1 on what 696 said.

When I got a bit of muck in my lines the inline filter was pretty bad, so I replaced it and all the old perished hoses, (glad I did that just before they became obsolete) and cleaned the carbs thoroughly.

One thing I will say is if you don't already know it, the Hawk is notoriously hard to prime. Years ago, I once ran completely dry trying to make it to a bachelor party bus and managed to push to the Mobil station. After filling up and waiting with the gas cap open to let the fuel work it's way down to the pump, the battery just about died trying to start it. Seeing me not getting anywhere, a very helpful Limo driver walked over and we pulled the lines off to discover the lines still dry. I then orally sucked the gas through each section of line, then fitted it, sucked the gas through the next section of line, etc. With the battery too weakened to do the job, the driver then push started me. Thanks again kind sir.

I never made it to that bus, even though I was broken down only about Two miles away. Doug, you'll probably know where it happened actually, travelling between NYC and CT as you do. It was on the Hutchinson Parkway, near the Mamaroneck Avenue exit, around 21 I think?


Anyways, the moral of the story is; it will very likely take a lot more effort and time than you expect to get the bike going from dry. And I'm not alone in my experience of this.

[DefTrap]

To prime the system I normally open the tank cap and blow into the tank. Seems to do the trick.

[dagus]

To prime the system I normally open the tank cap and blow into the tank. Seems to do the trick.

You've got to be kidding me.
Whatever. I'll try anything.

[dagus]

...the Hawk is notoriously hard to prime.

figures.

I then orally sucked the gas through each section of line, then fitted it, sucked the gas through the next section of line, etc.

This is even better.
Hopefully blowing into the tank is gonna be enough...

Doug, you'll probably know where it happened actually, travelling between NYC and CT as you do. It was on the Hutchinson Parkway, near the Mamaroneck Avenue exit, around 21 I think?

Yep. I know exactly where you were.


Anyways, the moral of the story is; it will very likely take a lot more effort and time than you expect to get the bike going from dry. And I'm not alone in my experience of this.[/quote] [/quote]

[DefTrap]

You've got to be kidding me.
Whatever. I'll try anything.

Nope. But then I prime brake lines by sucking on them too.

[MrDude_1]

i just put enough gas in the tank to raise the tank level higher then the carbs..... then you dont need to pump it.

[Guth]

Another suggestion

You could short the proper wires at the fuel pump relay connecter (after removing the connector from the relay). See page 18-9 in the manual for details.

Once you've made your jumper connection on the connector, you simply turn your ignition switch on to get the pump going - no need to run the starter. The carbs will be probably be primed in less time than it took to read this.

The things you learn after owning a Hawk for less than a few weeks...

All the best,
Guth

[dagus]

Re: Another suggestion

You could short the proper wires at the fuel pump relay connecter (after removing the connector from the relay). See page 18-9 in the manual for details.

Once you've made your jumper connection on the connector, you simply turn your ignition switch on to get the pump going - no need to run the starter. The carbs will be probably be primed in less time than it took to read this.

The things you learn after owning a Hawk for less than a few weeks...

Thanks. Marc, is this what you were doing with the short wires and my battery tender?

[brewsy]

Hey mate,
actually we bypassed the relay and just ran the pump off the battery, hence my diagnosis of 'dead pump'.
As soon as I touched the battery the fucker should have started humming away.

Sounds like its worth trying what the guys all suggest.
Start by getting the tank off the bike, remove your quick release fitting and open the tap.
Does petrol come out?
If there is good flow then the filter in the tank is probably OK. If it comes out like the piss of an old man with prostrate problems then that filter will need cleaning.
Id then suggest going straight from the tank to the T on the carbs and just get it started!
If that works and the floats are full put the piping back to normal and see if it will stay running...

[dagus]

Yesterday I tried blowing in the tank after topping it off with gas. YUK, and it didn't start right up, anyway. I'd have sucked on the lines but they're old and cracked and STUCK and would've torn.

So I got the plunger from the bathroom. Yes, it worked.

Started up with a ROOOOOOOOOAARRR and I took her for a shakedown run. I am officially roadworthy (if not quite legal yet - gotta go down to the DMV etc etc)!!!

She runs lean but I know that's because Factory 1 kit from the PO + Unis = me stalling out a hundred times. Whatever - I just keep the revs up and I'm sano. Until I get a Factory 3 kit I'll just run the stock air filter again anyway... that part's cake.

SHE RUNS!!! WOOOOOOOOOO!!!