[I haven't seen a thread pertaining to this issue for this model of bike but if there is then please direct me to it.]

So the problem happened a few days ago, out of nowhere, I went to start my bike and when I flipped the "Engine On" switch, the usual sound of the fuel pump priming did not occur (nor did the fuel injection light up on the dash). Luckily a family friend on mine is a very well inclined bike mechanic and has been looking at it for me. So far to date he has:

• Hooked up a battery to the fuel pump to eliminate the possibility of the actual fuel pump being broken
• Checked the relays
• Attempted to check the majority of the wiring and connectors

He was able to start it up after disconnecting and reconnecting some wires near the dash but all of a sudden tonight, it again would not start. He went through the same procedure as he did before but he was unsuccessful in getting it to start. So basically, what else could be wrong? What else could be causing the fuel pump not to prime? The only thing I could come up with was a possible ECU issue (which I really hope it is not), so I'd like to test some alternative explanations. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Are the headlights coming on or very dim?? On the instrument cluster, are both turn signal indicators staying on when you turn the key on??

 

Headlights are full strength, and I don't remember anything different about the cluster although I will double check tomorrow but I'm 99% sure that everything else about the cluster is correct.

 

Does it crank freely? Do you hear the fuel pump turn on at all? You could always take a rubber mallet and lightly tap the fuel pump to see if it shakes it loose. If it makes the pump work again the pump's contact points are getting weak. I do this on automotive cars since I am a mechanic.

 

What do you mean by crank it freely? If your referring to the throttle then yes it is normal. No I don't hear the fuel pump turn on at all but I don't think that it is an issue with the fuel pump itself because when it is hooked up to an external battery and I flip the engine on switch then you can hear it prime normally. That's what the mechanic at my local shop thought it was too but I think the external battery sort of discounts it. Thank-you though.

 

Limited knowledge of the F4i since I haven't had to figure anything out yet. But playing around with getting my alarm's remote start to work, there were a couple no fuel pump situations.

Fuse in the white box attached to the starter relay.
Fuel cut off relay
Engine stop relay

and of course there's the BAS I hope to never set off.

 

That's interesting because the second occurrence of the fuel pump shutting off (after he had fixed it initially) was after installing the remote start portion of my new alarm system. Although he said that he put everything back the way it was (luckily just did a dry run of the wiring) and it still did not work but perhaps something went wrong...I'll definitely run these ideas by him, thanks.

Please keep the ideas coming, I want to make sure that when I go back to check it out that we can address every possible situation.

 

Hmm... What alarm?

I have a Spy 5000m, hooked everything up and it all worked. jondevos has a Spy 5000m alarm, hooked everything up just like I did and the remote start won't work. But the bike still starts.

How'd he do the dry run on the wires? Could be a bad splice or cut in the wires. The wire I used that enabled the remote start runs straight from the ignition & kill switch to the engine stop relay. If that wire is open, the pump won't prime.

 

Kill switch ? Dirty contacts....?
2c worth, before ripping everything out.

 

I would try bypassing the Engine Stop and the Fuel Pump relays under the tail towards the right side of the bike.

Also, check ALL of the fuses in the fuse box INCLUDING the small 20A fuse holder hanging on the side.

Does pressing the starter button with the red switch on still crank the bike? (Do you still hear the starting noise).

If none, it is possible that while messing with the wiring behind the dash, the mechanic friend messed up the ignition. I don't recall the specifics but something in the ignition fries bypassing it is attempted. Afterwards the bike acts normal but the fuel pump won't prime.

-Duo