2010 Roadster Died

[RocketEd]

2010 Roadster, 28K miles, all stock except for the under tank K&N Art insisted I install.

Bike has always started fine and ran great. Fueled up a couple weeks ago and when I restarted it kind of stumbled and died. Restarted and ran fine the 20 miles home.
Tried going for a ride a week or so ago and it just died after going maybe 1/4 mile. No idiot lights, no backfire, no warning, just dead. Restarted after several tries, ran fine on the 1/4 mile back home. Hoping it might just be bad gas I poured in several ounces of sea foam. Ran fine when I restarted so I ran it several miles around the neighborhood (always going uphill so I could coast back home if it died). It ran great the entire time, but then wouldn't restart.
I can hear the fuel pump prime, but it doesn't sound quite "right".
No MIL and TuneECU shows no fault code. Running the fuel pump test in TuneECU kicks on the relay, but I don't hear the pump run. Shows no error codes.
I've since put in another fuel filter and fresh fuel.
After several tries it started and idled fine for several minutes. I shut it off, restarted it and after less than a minute it died and won't restart. It will fire a couple times, but not start.
Eastern Beaver headlight relays installed years ago. Wiggling the key, wires, etc., makes no difference.
I'm thinking I need to test the fuel pump for pressure, etc.
What say you, Captains Collective?

 

[Blastedbones]

I'd say electrical... something is loose. Take the battery out & look for that little black wire that lives around/under battery. mine did this & it was the crappy loose spade connector. Failing that, it a long methodical chase for a dodgy connection someplace else.

 

[R-III-R Turbo]

when you make these several attempts to start, is the starter turning it over or just clicking when u thumb the start button?

 

[Willtill]

How is the battery? Strange things happen with motorcycles when the battery starts to go/has gone tits up.

 

[pjsmithres]

It's possible.
Is the fuel tank half full or less.
Check the inside of the tank with a flashlight while turning it over.


Rare but it happened. The fuel pump on a friends 07 had an o ring go bad.
It was only detected when the tank was below the level of the fuel pump. (not the suction tap)
The pump is normally under fuel, when full.

The pump would spray the fuel back into the tank and was not able to see when fuel was above the fuel pump. The mechanic in Las Vegas had seen this a few times. Looks like a squirt gun from the pump on one of the plumbing connections of the pump.

 

[TriumPhil]

I'd say electrical... something is loose. Take the battery out & look for that little black wire that lives around/under battery. mine did this & it was the crappy loose spade connector. Failing that, it a long methodical chase for a dodgy connection someplace else.

That was my first thought, too, but I was hesitant to post it because warp 6.9 always bashes me for my kindergarten-level mechanical acumen and you all know how sensitive I am...

Obviously, you should check the battery terminals to insure that they are tight and then go troubleshooting for electrical gremlins from there!

 

[Blastedbones]

a new favorite Gif!

 

[RocketEd]

Battery's good. Terminals are tight. Battery lives on a tender.
The starter spins the motor over really well.
Same symptoms with the tank full and with ~1 gallon in it.
Flushed out the tank and it looks good inside. Put in fresh gas.
Fuel pump pick up screen looks new.
There is no stutter and catch, or backfire, it just dies.
Same symptoms fully warm or after sitting in garage for days.
When it dies, the only idiot light that comes on is the oil pressure. Not the ABS or engine symbol as would happen if main power had been interrupted.

 

[Blastedbones]

I guess it's time for a trip to the dealer?

 

[RocketEd]

Not ready for the dealer trip yet. Besides, I don't know how I'd even get it there. Short of using a 40' ramp I'm **** sure not pushing it into the back of my lifted 4X4.

I have spark.
Pulled a plug and it was bone dry.
Tip over sensor?

Right now it looks like it may be the fuel pump relay even though it tested fine using TuneECU. I swapped a couple around and got it to start several times and run fine. Or it may just be a fluke. I'll buy a new relay and make sure wires are tight in the relay base.