fuel pump

[GregsARed]

Who knows what?

Don't hear anything about fuel pump problems ('99 R11RT) that's good? , or did I miss something?

 

What's inside these buggers and more importantly, do they wear out.

 

I'm about to go inside the tank to replace a working fuel filter, because somebody says so, and wonder if I should also replace the ~$230 pump. With 188k, it's working as it should. Is it likely to go out on me soon?

 

It's expensive preventive maintenance, but ...

 

It's also a good idea to replace those hoses, right?

 

Appreciate any insight with this device. Thanks.

[T__]

Who knows what?

Don't hear anything about fuel pump problems ('99 R11RT) that's good? , or did I miss something?

 

What's inside these buggers and more importantly, do they wear out.

 

I'm about to go inside the tank to replace a working fuel filter, because somebody says so, and wonder if I should also replace the ~$230 pump. With 188k, it's working as it should. Is it likely to go out on me soon?

 

It's expensive preventive maintenance, but ...

 

It's also a good idea to replace those hoses, right?

 

Appreciate any insight with this device. Thanks.

 

GregsARed, you don’t hear of many BMW motorcycle electric fuel pump failures.. But on the other hand not very many out there with the miles you have on yours.. Those pumps do wear out (I’m talking automobiles here though it’s basically the same pump).. The armature shafts wear, the bushings wear, the plastic impellers start spinning free on the shaft, etc.. You start to see pump failures in automobiles at the post 100K mark but they are venerable at about 60K up.. Really depends on their life, & if run out of fuel or with a plugged fuel filter.. Those little pumps are fuel cooled (internals cooled by gasoline flowing through them).. I know using gasoline to cool an electric pump sounds insane but luckily the there is no air in there to allow ignition.. If the pump is run with a low fuel level or plugged filter there is always the chance of heat induced damage..

 

I really don’t know how far your pump will go.. On the other hand if you install a new pump there is no way to know it’s integrity so it could quit at about anytime also..

 

Tough choice you have.. I don’t know maybe just carry a spare pump,, or install a new pump & carry the old pump as a spare..

 

Twisty

[Ken H.]

BMW bike fuel pump failures are pretty rare. If it ain't broke, don't fix it IMHO.

[DavidEBSmith]

The very few fuel pump failures I can recall hearing of have been preceded by some warning like an increase in noise. So if there's no unusual symptoms, it should be OK.

 

On the other hand, the fuel pump in my Exploder just didn't work anymore one morning.

 

If you're really paranoid, you could buy a pump just so you'll have it handy if the original one ever fails. You could consider it a hedge against inflation and varying exchange rates.

[GregsARed]

Thanks for your input Guys, I'm considering all of it:

 

"If it ain't broke don't fix it", I follow this philosophy perhaps too much ( at least w/ the labor/time intensive things). This fuel filter I'm about to replace will be my second, the orig. filter was working fine but I replaced it anyway at ~90k. So I figured the second one should make it at least that long. It's at 98k now. I follow this phil., but don't know how smart it is.

 

Because I don't change the filter often and I let my gas run low, the pump may be working harder and hotter than it need be. This pump may be tired.

 

"...to hedge inflation"

 

I'm going to go ahead and replace it, figuring I'm going to keep the bike a while longer.

 

Thanks again.

(It may also be time to get one of those little bells)