Help: Stranded With A Dead Fuel Pump (990 Adv)

Hello OC,
I've been pouring over the HOW and the fuel pump information listed there while standing around the local NAPA parts store here in Evanston, WY. Most of the HOW info has to do with 950's or fuel pump projects. Unfortunately, I am holed up in a motel while I wait for a $500 fuel pump to be overnight-ed, hopefully by Saturday.

Before I spend the $600 on shipping, hotel rooms and fuel pumps, I wanted to run this by the OC to make sure I am thinking right. My 2008 KTM 990 has about 16,000 miles on it. About 100 miles back, just outside of Salt Lake, the bike would stutter with big throttle openings. while climbing out of the Salt Lake area. I could back off, and it would get better for a while, but it would act as if it was "lean" after a few more miles (because I think it actual is lean). Anyway, I filled up with gas thinking I may have got a bad batch, and the bike ran fine for another 40 miles. But then it started again. If I let the bike idle on the side of the road, it would be fine for a few more miles, but soon enough the problem would arise again. So I think it is one of two things.

1. Clogged fuel pump filter. Not even sure if there is a filter and if I can clean it, but I will tear it apart tomorrow in the hotel parking lot and find out. I thought I remember someone from Danrago, CO telling me about his filter being clogged on a brand new bike... Thoughts?

2. Broken fuel pump. Could be shot points on my fuel pump. Wth 16K on the odometer, its a real possibility. I am ordering a replacement ($475 ouch!) and having it shipped. As a "hail Mary", I am going to see if I can dismantle and use some contact cleaner on the faulty pump to restore it for the 100 mile ride to the KTM shop in Rock Springs, WY. Fortunately, I have a NAPA close by for small items, but I don't want to try and retro fit a different model pump while on the road.

Any suggestions would be appreciated?

On the bright side, I still have my health, and there is a CB450 for sale down the road. Maybe I'll make it to WestFest on a used vintage honda! Thanks!

I feel for you. same thing happened to me but in the middle of the woods. Exact symtoms bfore it died completley and took the main fuse with it. so Im guessing fuel pump. Mine only had 2000 miles on it.

Thanks Dez, its pretty much a smoking gun, but its going to cost big bucks, so I thought I would double check with the OC. This is just the feedback I am looking for. Thanks!


ps. I'll be riding through Vegas the first week of August, I'll send ya a pm if you want to grab a beer some night.


...assuming the bike is running by next month.

I have been working the 950 pumps and they have points that can be worked a bit, and the 950 can be limped along with no pump at all. I believe the 990 FI is a gear pump running at high pressure. The only circumvention I can imagine is grafting an auto FI pump.
Sorry
best of luck

Anyone know if there are other parts needed to replace the stock 990 fuel pump, ie, hoses, camps, etc that cannot be salvaged from the stocker?

Should be good to go with just what you bought, but I haven't done it so I hope you get better info.

JW, with the new pump assembly you should be good to go. since you already ordered it, just R&R and ride to westfest then troubleshoot later. Could very well be the filters, but could be the pressure regulator or the pump itself as well.

Your new pump assembly will come with everything, filters, orings etc, so all you need to do is remove the left tank, pop out the old and put in the new, so you got that going for you, which is nice.

FWIW I carry an entire pump assembly with me at all times since I ride way the hell out there more often than not. Score another point for the carb'd 950's. Wish I would have bought one instead of the 990.

Funny thing is, many of my buddies ride HP2's and even GS's and I have never heard of a fuel pump problem with those bikes. If BMW can get it right, why cant KTM? Things that make you go Hummm.....

Since you did already order the pump and you are staying put for atl least a day, try and clean the "sock filter" near the bottom of the pump housing, its easy to see when you take the pump assembly out. That is the most likely culprit if it is in fact the filter. Basically, you remove the pump, then take it apart to get the first filter at the bottom of the pump, which is the "sock" type filter. the second filter under the pressure regulator is the cylindrical filter, and they are usually good afor some reason. Flush the sock filter with some gas as best you can, re-install, then see what happens. Basically, the bike sould run good for about 100 miles or so then you have to reapeat the process when it starts acting up again. The filter will look dark/black but not clogged. Cleaning it with gas will not yield visible results, but it will get it unclogged enough to work for a while, about a 100 miles or so.

If you feel so inclined, try it out. At least that way you will know if its the pump or pressure regulator, or simply the filters.

Take a look at this thread for a little insight into the 990 fuel pump.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=461827

Good luck amigo.

Silly, but how much could it hurt to do the 15-minute test? Maybe the elevation whacked out the EFI. A longshot, but it will only cost you the time...

I'm probably wrong, all the evidence points to the inevitable.

KTM = Kan't Take Mexico?

Well, hes not even in Mexico! But I hear ya. I carry a Mr. Funnel and pre filter all my fuel nowadays, especially in Mexico.

I had the same EXACT problem last year with my '08 990S going to TX and back to TN. Took it to a KTM dealership in Dallas area, and they were basically stumped. I couldn't leave it with them for full diagnosis, so I had to head back with a bike that would top out at a little over 70. What helped was hitting the kill switch (while riding!), then flipping it back on. For some reason it came back to life! Well, for a while, and then it would happen again. Just leaving Dallas it would run good for about 15 to 20 miles, then I'd have to flip the switch to regain my life...now imagine having to do that for 750 miles!!

Anyway, when I arrived in Nashville, it was all but useless to do that anymore, but I was home! I took it to Castle Powersports, and they were able to diagnose it as a faulty fuel pump. New one installed under warranty, and vavoom! I was golden...still happy to this day!

That is why I like my KLR... I always care spare gravity with me.

Coop

yeah, whatever... If youre not going to be of any help, go back to fixing your broken frame, broken shock, troubleshoot all the wires because the bike doesnt have spark, broken doohicky, broken water pump housing, and muffler that fell off........ And after that's done go ride it WFO getting passed by Ford Fiestas on a Mexican highway because the forks and shock are too trashed to handle any dirt.

All in good fun mate, but we shouldnt kick a guy when he's down.

UHOH,
I think someone hit the crazy bone!

Awesome, definitely going to try this while I wait on the fuel pump. Can't hurt! Thanks a lot.
-j

Thanks Coop, big help.

Good point, actually I WAS in Mexico about 1500 miles ago! Pemex every time.

sorry, couldnt help myself as I'm sure that coop74 couldnt either. Ah, its all in good fun though, that was a pretty funny comment about carrying spare gravity.

But just to add JW, I have run Pemex for thousands and thousands of miles with never a problem. Its the barrel gas that probably does the filters in, and the kicker is that that only takes a tank full of shitty gas to f'k up your filters. Even if you were running Pemex, I would suspect some dirty gas clogging the filters first as fuel pump failures are quite rare and would tend to just just up and quit rather than being intermittent.

I have read many of the 990 threads of "my 990 fuel pump quit" but I suspect that many of these folks simply took the bike to the dealer, and the dealer replaced the entire assembly first without even troubleshooting the problem. And actually, by doing that they probably saved the customer big bucks in labor from some know nothing flunky trying to chase down a fuel problem. But, I suspect that many of these incidents were the result of clogged fuel filters. JMHO and YMMV.

HAHA Yup.. If I had a dollar for every KLR I have seen broken on the side of a rough dirt road or read about in the forums I could retire. Anything rougher than a smooth graded road and they start falling apart..

Jesse,

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Maybe you could post something in the west thread and someone around the area could at least give you a place to work on your bike and a backyard to tent in.. or check the tentspace thread.. Saving money on motel bills would be a first priority..

Paul

We rode together in Tahoe