Sputtering and engine cutting off, 2002 S4

[Duck-Stew]

Fuel pump is 18 yo, can you check how much pressure it’s generating?

[ducpainter]

The tube that is plugged with rust is the cap area drain. It got that way from a crimped rubber hose under the tank which caused water to sit inside the tube and rust. It won't cause sputtering.

What it will do is to allow rain water into the tank if the bike sits in the rain and the cap area fills with water. It can be cleared with a piece of wire. It's very time consuming, usually requires some phosphoric acid, and ingenuity. Tank should be removed so you can work from both ends.

Be careful not to break the wire off in the tube. Then you're screwed.

Have you changed the filter yet? A filter that will pass low pressure fluid often will not flow enough at high pressure.

[Qomomoko]

The tube that is plugged with rust is the cap area drain. It got that way from a crimped rubber hose under the tank which caused water to sit inside the tube and rust. It won't cause sputtering.

What it will do is to allow rain water into the tank if the bike sits in the rain and the cap area fills with water. It can be cleared with a piece of wire. It's very time consuming, usually requires some phosphoric acid, and ingenuity. Tank should be removed so you can work from both ends.

Be careful not to break the wire off in the tube. Then you're screwed.

Have you changed the filter yet? A filter that will pass low pressure fluid often will not flow enough at high pressure.

sweet!! makes sense.
have not ordered filter and other parts yet.
Water sitting on top makes sense, thanks.
The fuel sensor, is it pulled from the bottom? Will try and fix or maybe/maybe order the new one  $200 some odd dollars

[ducpainter]

Fuel sensor comes out the bottom. There is no repairable part in them to the best of my knowledge. It's electronic, not a float.

NAPA sells a filter that works great...NAPA 3032. Buy a length of fuel hose at the same time...H209. Do not use any substitute. The ethanol will eat them.

You can get H315 to replace the rotted vent hoses. It is the 1/4" equivalent. You might need clamps as the Ducati tubes are ~5mm.

[Qomomoko]

cracked the casing of the low fuel sensor, I was being super slow and smooth. IT WAS STUCK, been at it for over 4 hours, breaks in between unclogging the breather line..

Not sure I can fix and take the chance of it braking when re installing the low fuel sensor, I can tell from the inside that the crack goes up to where the power wires exit..

Been also cleaning the tank, flushing with  fuel and then getting the little dirt out; the walls are partly white and get powdery when touched.

[Qomomoko]

For now, use a kit to clean and seal the inside of the tank

Continue to unclog the breather line ( will try carb cleaner to spray in side)

Will play with the low fuel sensor but will very likely order a new one; looks like when the low fuel light when out it was b/c it was cracked bu the pump wires were still good enough for the pump.

Pretty sure it was not me who cracked the fuel sensor  

[Speeddog]

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=75429.0

[Qomomoko]

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=75429.0

jaja thanks

deja vu

I 'll be getting a new fuel sender. I'll keep an eye out as to what causes the swelling.
Maybe once a year do a sender inspection.
Probably the water/fuel mixture...

[Duck-Stew]

First one went 18 years.  You may not own the bike by 2036...  I don’t know that I would bother routine inspections.

[Qomomoko]

First one went 18 years.  You may not own the bike by 2036...  I don’t know that I would bother routine inspections.

If I still own her in 2036, I will know I am a masochist jeje

the clogged breather hose is about 20 inches long. From the bottom I have "freed" about 6 inches and from the top about 4 inches.
Still working on it.

besides using a wire to bang on the grout I have used following chemicals.

-1/2 water 1/2 white vinigar
-BP rust blaster
-VapoRust

Flush the line with also fuel to get little debris that is "liberated".

edit( the longer breather has about 2 inches left of crud [17 inch lenght], the shorter overflow is FREE and measures 16 inches)

[ducpainter]

Try some phosphoric acid.

[Qomomoko]

A WIN!!!

unclogged it is!!

will do tank quick fuel clean and before going with the tank inside re coating will make sure issue is resolved!!!

phosphoric did not get to, little by little I kept flushing with previous solvents.

 

[ducpainter]

I forget if this is the cap area drain, or the vent for the cap.

Either way, if you run drain hoses under the tank make sure they don't kink because it will clog again, and possibly perforate from the rust causing a fuel leak,

If not running a charcoal canister, I just remove the little rubber piece under the cap as it no longer serves any purpose, and if damaged can block the cap vent.

[Qomomoko]

Dont understand how the charcoal stuff works or for what it is for.

BUT

SHE runs!! well turns on and engine runs well and my low fuel level works!!!
15 minutes run
new inside tank hoses
new fuel level gauge
new fuel filter.
Breather/drain unclogged

I have not driven her yet b/c I have no foot pegs as i am resolving a rear set issue


lessons learned

:sputtering not the results of the breather/drain lines; ducpainter mentioned this.
:should have replaced the filter as one of the first steps of my trouble shooting

Next steps

: coat the tanks before corrosion gets me again.

or maybe set her up to just ride for 15 minutes and make sure the sputtering really is over

Thanks again guys.!!!!

It must have been the fuel filter, feel so dum yet happy

[Howie]

From the looks of the insides of the tank your new filter would have had a short life.  If you are referring to the charcoal canister its job is to absorb gasoline fumes to later be burned in your engine.  Nice idea, and required by California emissions law.  In reality they are problematic on bikes and, unlike cars, party vented to atmosphere anyway.