VS800 CRANK-NO-START: Did My Fuel Pump Fail?
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 8:13 pm
I’m a fairly new rider and recently bought a used 2003 VS800. It was supposedly in good condition before it sat in a garage for at least a year; however right now, it will crank but it won’t start.
First time I ran it, the sound was high, it smelled burnt, white smoke came from the engine, and the engine temp light went on. Also a puff of black smoke came out of the exhaust after I turned it off.
Changed the old coolant (smelled like piss) out a week later and ran it again - sounded and smelled normal, no smoke. Put the radiator cap back on 10 mins later and tried to start it again - crank, no start. Jumped the battery again but nothing changed.
It has a new battery, spark plugs, air filter, oil and oil filter, gear oil, and coolant. The carbs should be fine - I cleaned the first one, which was already in good condition, and left the other one alone. The electrical seems fine. It has fresh gas and no visible leaks. I’m especially confused because it started and ran (poorly) at least three times and ran fine once and then, after nothing changed, it wouldn’t run at all.
My friend suspected the fuel wasn’t getting to the engine because it wasn’t leaving the tank, hence the lack of leaks. When we disconnected the fuel pump, we found that the inside of the tube was corroded where it connected to the pump. Unfortunately, we broke the seal while checking out the pump, so a new one is coming regardless.
Could it not be starting because the fuel pump was already bad the first few times the bike ran, and then failed after it ran successfully for the last time?
I’m asking here for advice and in hopes that someone will tell me that replacing the pump will fix the issue and I won’t have to take it to a shop (tears).
First time I ran it, the sound was high, it smelled burnt, white smoke came from the engine, and the engine temp light went on. Also a puff of black smoke came out of the exhaust after I turned it off.
Changed the old coolant (smelled like piss) out a week later and ran it again - sounded and smelled normal, no smoke. Put the radiator cap back on 10 mins later and tried to start it again - crank, no start. Jumped the battery again but nothing changed.
It has a new battery, spark plugs, air filter, oil and oil filter, gear oil, and coolant. The carbs should be fine - I cleaned the first one, which was already in good condition, and left the other one alone. The electrical seems fine. It has fresh gas and no visible leaks. I’m especially confused because it started and ran (poorly) at least three times and ran fine once and then, after nothing changed, it wouldn’t run at all.
My friend suspected the fuel wasn’t getting to the engine because it wasn’t leaving the tank, hence the lack of leaks. When we disconnected the fuel pump, we found that the inside of the tube was corroded where it connected to the pump. Unfortunately, we broke the seal while checking out the pump, so a new one is coming regardless.
Could it not be starting because the fuel pump was already bad the first few times the bike ran, and then failed after it ran successfully for the last time?
I’m asking here for advice and in hopes that someone will tell me that replacing the pump will fix the issue and I won’t have to take it to a shop (tears).