fuel pump failure

My 1997 r850r's with about 40K miles suddenly developed intermitent fuel pump problems. Sometimes I would start the bike and the fuel pump would work fine and other times it would just quit without warning. The engine would crank but the fuel pump wouldn't run. I was getting current up to the three prong electrical connection.

I decided to go ahead and order a new pump. I contacted a few BMW dealers and the price was in the $300.00 range, plus a filter, clamps and such...OUCH! Against my better judgement I went ahead and ordered a complete fuel kit, complete with pump, filter, clamps and such from Beemer Boneyard for about $150.00. The parts guy told me it was a automotive application that works on R bikes and they haven't had any problems.

Do you think the non-BMW aftermarket fuel pumps are a waste of time and money or can I expect to ride with confidence next week? BTW, a 2K mile trip planned for next week.

Thanks for the input!

Beemer Boneyard is reputable. I think they would not stock and sell an inferior product. You will be fine.

Bby

Yes, the automotive fuel pump is fine - it may not be the exact same length, but is equivalent in every other way - but you will have to live with the fact that you didn't spend enough money on it.

You might be happier in the long run.

Just replaced my fuel filter on my 96 R850R and it was, shall we say, "fun"....
God love those German engineers. "Hey, I know, let's put the filter, and the pump with live electrical wires inside the gasoline tank! "... Ya! das wunderbar!

Oh, one more thing...

As an R850R owner you might have googled this page already, but Bill Laudeman's website has a good story about the fuel pump in his bike: factory defect that took years to finally break down...
http://laudeman.com/bmw_r850r/fuel_filter.html

Us R850R owners gotta help each other out..not too many of us out there!
K

kmkahuna said:

Just replaced my fuel filter on my 96 R850R and it was, shall we say, "fun"....
God love those German engineers. "Hey, I know, let's put the filter, and the pump with live electrical wires inside the gasoline tank! "... Ya! das wunderbar!

Click to expand...

I think the company engineers are told to design things in a way that requires or at least encourages dealer service. That is; I think parts are made inaccessible and difficult to service on purpose. This is true not just for BMW motorcycles, but for all manufacturers, bikes, autos, what have you. Or, maybe I am jaded, but I don't think so.

136388 said:

Do you think the non-BMW aftermarket fuel pumps are a waste of time and money or can I expect to ride with confidence next week? BTW, a 2K mile trip planned for next week.

Thanks for the input!

Click to expand...

I installed the Beemer Boneyard pump (at less than 50% of OEM $$$'s) in my '04RT a couple weeks ago at 87k mi. when the original left me stranded on the way home from the IBR. It comes with all the O-rings and wire bits you need.

It is a Walbro pump, they include a nicely molded rubber piece so it fits perfectly in the original mount. A little fuddling with the wires to crimp new connectors on and you're good to go.

Methanol

I noticed that the gentleman who wrote up the fuel pump replacement article indicated that he felt that his use of Chevron Techron would prevent future water problems in his fuel tank.

Techron is a great product, I am unaware of it having properties to correct water in the fuel. It's a bit pricy as well.

In the north a product known generically as "dry gas" is sold rather cheaply. Supposedly it is methanol and will combine in reasonable amounts with water in a fuel tank the combo being burned off in the engine. Supposed to prevent the dreaded "Fuel Line Freezeup" in winter.

Imho adding about half a can of this to the fuel tank from time to time might be cheap insurance.

kmkahuna said:

Just replaced my fuel filter on my 96 R850R and it was, shall we say, "fun"....
God love those German engineers. "Hey, I know, let's put the filter, and the pump with live electrical wires inside the gasoline tank! "... Ya! das wunderbar!

Click to expand...

I have to agree German engineers are insane/crazy/obsessive and all that. But putting fuel pumps in gas tanks has been done for years and solves a lot of problems. For one thing, if the pump/filter was outside the tank and leaked, (or was crushed in an accident) at those pressures youd have quite a bit of gasoline all over you and the bike.
All those electric wires and the motor submerged in gasoline makes for strange bedfellows admittedly.
But the real stupidity is putting the tank where it is up high on the bike. Ride a bike with an underseat tank and you'll immediately see the advantages. Also, the BMW frame mounted tank must straddle the frame resulting in a split chamber which cannot totally empty so you cant use all the fuel in it. Whereas the underseat tank drains completely.

Ignition source and explosive flammables in an enclosed, vapor laden space...

As the title suggests, sort of fails the common sense test, doesn't it?
Well, regardless, it works... I agree that it might actually be safer in a crash, because if the tank is ruptured, and those wires cause a spark, that will probably be the least of your worries...they're probably scraping you off the pavement.
A friend of mine had a line on his Guzzi rupture right as he was leaving his garage and it started spewing pressurized gasoline all over the engine.
The endless parade of risk management decisions continues...

If motorcycles were safe, they'd have cup holders....oh crap, they make those things??
K

Many thanks to those who responded to my question regarding the fuel pump!

2009 r1200gsa

My GSA has 4000mi on it. The fuel pump or the fuel pump controller failed at 1600mi. Something in the fuel system (would not start) failed agian at 4000mi. The BMW dealer is telling me that BMW says it is the winter blend gasoline in Colorado and Northern New Mexico that is causing fuel pump failures. They claim that the E10 gasoline is well over 10% ethanol. Has anyone else heard this? Is this just a BMW excuse for a fuel pump problem?

Where does one ride a motorcycle (very much) in winter in CO? Should be a relatively easy task to stockpile enough summer gas (20 gallons?) to cover that. Of course, that wont stop your fuel pump/system issues IMO! But at least you will be able to call BMW on that one.

winter fuel blend starts long before the last riding day

Also, first failure was in June and no winter blend