Good morning all you K-Heads

I returned from the Dragon Rally in Snowdonia yesterday after having a wail of a time in assisting to bar to run out of ale at 10pm.

Coming back through Liverpool the bike started to cough and splutter with 115 miles on the trip meter. I felt exactly like I was running out of fuel. I stopped and filled up with 12 litres of fuel which brimmed it. The hesitation completely disappeared and che was running as sweet as a nut.

So - I had 12 to 13 litres left and it was running out of go-juice.

The fuel pump and filter are new (less than 600 miles ago) and there is no crap in the fuel tank.

Any ideas chaps?

Ackers

did perhaps the pump not sit correctly in the mount inside the fuel tank .
the clip that holds it in place is known to be hard to locate correctly

could this be a contributing factor  ?

good luck

Flaky fuel tank connector?

Wot Duck says. What year is it? And which one of the thousands of Ks parked in that bloody cold field was you?

Hello Ackers,

Over several years my outfit had this weird effect and I have a theory that it is caused by cavitation at the fuel pump, when the pump is trying to pump air.

 It always occurred when the fuel level was low, but no where near empty, and always went away on filling the tank or, as in the first time it happened, stopping the engine and letting it stand for a few minutes; (I stopped to investigate the problem, decided to have a pee in the hedge and when I came back to the bike the problem had gone away).

 This happened only about 3 or 4 times over the years so there was never an opportunity to really discover what was going on, but, as later fuel pumps were fitted with an 'anti-cavitation' vent on the filter, this implies that the early style of pump could suffer from this problem.

It's virtually impossible to determine if this idea really is the cause but I haven't had a repeat since I replaced the fuel pump a couple of years ago. 

If it happens again, try pulling over, stop the engine for a couple of minutes, which should allow any air bubble to dissipate, and see if the problem has gone away.

I know it's a long shot and you already have a new pump, but.......

Paul.

I have had this happen very intermittently, say once or twice then nothing for a two or so months and like you for no apparent reason.  Could be poor quality supermarket fuel?  I have been told by someone in the trade that the supermarkets can buy some real rubbish in order to get the price point down. I tend now to fuel with branded higher octane fuel and have not suffered the issue recently.

Regards
Nigel

I've got a new Hiflow fuel pump installed which should be OK for anti-cavitation ( I hope!!). The fuel strainer does not seem to sit well on the rubber boot and always seems to be loose when I take the pump out. This shouldn't be an issue at the moment as the tank is spotless inside due to a repair to the dreaded alloy tank corrosion hole that can form in the fuel pump sump.

I'll have a play with the tank electrical connector to see if that has become loose.

In answer to Dai's question, I was the one on the weird Street Scrambler with the polished alloy effect tank in the field near the toilet block. I spotted your bike but there was no one hanging about so I couldnt introduce myself. I hope you left with all your belonging as there were quite a few thefts of wallets and mobiles from tents. A mate of mine had his mobile taken from his tent whilst it was charging on the pillow next to his head at the far end of the tent. It's being blamed on a pair of scumbags that were seen running away across the fields in the early morning. I'm not sure I buy that as who would be cruising around rural Snowdonia on a two man crime spree just on the off chance they came across a thousand tents in a field!!!!

rgakrill wrote:In answer to Dai's question, I was the one on the weird Street Scrambler with the polished alloy effect tank in the field near the toilet block. I spotted your bike but there was no one hanging about so I couldnt introduce myself. I hope you left with all your belonging as there were quite a few thefts of wallets and mobiles from tents.

We stopped and had a good look at that. I was really pleased to see that you'd removed the panel mounts from the fuel tank but cable-ties for the side-panels?

Next to my K was a K100 with a chair. We were the first group in the field looking towards the river from that point - easy enough to spot if you know how. We invariably fly a really battered flag saying 'Old enough to know better' in blue on white. Cluan Si was at the rally too.

Yeah - we know the Conwy Club quite well and they were spitting fireworks about the thefts. The Dragon is normally immune from that type of scum but - regretably - they inevitably had to arrive sooner or later.

I know about the cable ties!!! I'm waiting for a mate to get his arse into gear and install some rivi-nuts for me.

Cable ties?

How to give a K owner apoplexy: use WHITE cable ties......

I now have this vivid image of Dai on discovery of the offending cable ties suddenly copying a John Cleese 'squatting monkey' outburst in a certain episode of Fawlty Towers.....

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Cable ties?

How to give a K owner apoplexy: use WHITE cable ties......

I now have this vivid image of Dai on discovery of the offending cable ties suddenly copying a John Cleese 'squatting monkey' outburst in a certain episode of Fawlty Towers.....

... Except on my K. I have a whiteish frame/body and use white or stainless steel ties exclusively.

Oooh this thread is taking a dangerous direction. If Ks were meant to have white cable ties they would have been made with white frames.....

Your mate needs to be getting a move on.

On a much more serious note welcome. I have met Dai quite a few times and been to Conwy too but not to a rally. I love Wales and its on our list of places for some nice trips.