This may sound elementary, but Ive had a similar issue with a new 2020 790 adventure. The trick I found, is to sit on the bike, kickstand up, tranny in neutral. Turn the ignition on and allow the priming of the fuel happen.The ignition press switch (red) should be in the middle position, not on "off". Then press the ignition switch to fire it up, without giving it any throttle at all. It worked for me each and every time. Hope this helps.

 

Can you hear your fuel pump prime?
On my other bikes in a case like this I would just squirt some brake clean or carb clean in the air box and see if it fires, but it's going to be harder to do that on this bike with the tank and air box etc.
Another thing you can do is pull one of the side spark plugs, and check spark.


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

My 16' has also started to become hard to start after sitting for a few days. Because of covid I haven't been riding daily and the bike sits a lot. I suspect ethanol gumming up the fuel pump/fuel filter. I hadn't thought to open the fuel cap to see if there was a vacuum lock when the bike didn't start so I still have to confirm that. Then it'll be off to the shop when they have an opening. They already have my "I know it's gonna happen one day..." replacement fuel pump just in case. I'll let you know.

 

Remember, battery's usually do not last more than 3 years. If your battery is OK then, Sounds like the fuel pump/ fuel pump filters in the fuel pump. Fuel pump assembly is easy to replace. You do not even have to remove the tank. Just empty the tank and get new O rings. I went with the Rottweiler assembly (HFP - KTM 990 - 1290 - Fuel Pump with Installation Kit ). Best,

Doc

 

Remember, battery's usually do not last more than 3 years. If your battery is OK then, Sounds like the fuel pump/ fuel pump filters in the fuel pump. Fuel pump assembly is easy to replace. You do not even have to remove the tank. Just empty the tank and get new O rings. I went with the Rottweiler assembly (HFP - KTM 990 - 1290 - Fuel Pump with Installation Kit ). Best,

Doc

Doc:
Do you happen to know if the O-ring and filter are available separately, or only as a part of the kit?

Oh, and by the way, are there two filters, or only one? I only see one in my shop manual, and it appears to be imbedded inside the fuel pump assembly. If that's the only one, and if the filter and O-ring cannot be purchased separately, the easier thing to do is replace the entire pump assembly with the one in the kit.

EDIT: Never mind; I just now noted the separate "Fuel Pump installation kit", for $79.98, that includes O-rings and filter, but no pump iself. I think I'll spring for the $129.98 kit that includes the pump, just in case my pump is bad too. Plus, I won't have to dismantle the pump assy to get to the old filter.

I wasn't gonna worry about it until Spring, but it was 68 degrees here yesterday!! (Supposed to snow tonight, tho').

Thanks!
Chet

 

Thanks for the link, doc.

If it's the fp, lucky for me it didn't crap out at night in middle of nowhere with no cell signal!

Is there a way to test the fp before I spend $ for a new one?

 

What voltage was the dash showing while cranking the engine? This is critical...... if it is well below 9.5v then your battery is the culprit.

Best to look at this before spending cash or pulling plugs etc (I know your's has a voltmeter cause it's the same as my GT)

 

Battery seems plenty strong; Voltmeter shows 12.4 when I turn key, drops to 10.4 while cranking. Cranks very briskly, just won't fire up. There's no exhaust odor hint of fuel, as would be the case if flooded.

The puzzling thing is that it ran fine a week ago. I went for a short ride of 80 miles or so, got home, and parked as usual. Next time I try to start it (yesterday), it won't fire up.

Can a fuel pump fail while the bike is parked?

 

Sorry, been in the OR and just got out. It is not the fuel pump that fails. The filters in the fuel pump assembly clogg up. If the fuel pump is functioning you should hear it or feel it when the bike is turned on; the fuel pump assembly is on the left side on the bottom of the tank.

The second issue could be faulty spark plugs and/or bag coil(s). The latter is unusual and usually associated with RPM loss while throttling.

Best,

Doc

 

Pull one of the coils and put a spare plug in it to check for spark before you replace the fuel pump.

 

If you talk with Rottweiler they will let you know that the fuel pump assembly's filters on the SD easly clog up and have to be replaced. They recommend at least every 20-30 K miles. It is a no branner to do. Tank does not have to be removed.

To check or replace a coil is a major task on a SD. The tank must be removed, radiator moved forward, etc. Yep, had to replace a coil. Went ahead and changed out the 4 spark plugs and replaced all 4 colis at the same time.

Best,

Doc

 

This is precisely why my KLR will always be my favorite bike. It's simple, like me.

I REALLY am fortunate this bike didn't leave me stranded somewhere...and lots of places I ride, there is very little traffic, and no cell service. Better to be lucky than good, as they say.

Guess I'll replace the fuel filter first, since it's easy to do. Gotta get a LOT warmer first, tho. It was 32° inside my shop this morning.

 

My 93
[emoji41]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

Riding down south near the Border wall. new and old.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

The KLR650, the very definition of "trusty steed". Not my cup of tea but I understand the love.

 

Removing one coil to check spark is possible without any other preliminary work. The side plugs are easily accessible.

 

Don't think I want to fiddle with it. May sell it as it sits, if I can.

Anybody want a non-running 2016 SDGT? 17,000 miles, middle Tennessee area. I'm in a selling mood.

 

Sorry Clogan. I know, it's frustrating. Pats shoulder😄

 

G'day Mr Clogan,

I agree with earlier comments and think It's gotta be fuel (fuel pump/injector) related, as you stated there's no fuel smell at the exhaust pipe, so there's nothing being squirted in for the coils to fail to ignite.

Highly likely the fuel pump screens have turned to mush with age and E10 fuels (eg, nothing to do with mileage). All the Brit's and Yanks have this problem as it was a common complaint over on the KTM super twins forum, due unavoidable ethanol in fuel supplies. It could also be down to a contamination blockage (also not mileage related).

If Rottweiler sell pumps and filters for the GT, then that's pretty good confirmation of the issue, but if you could test your pump volume (I have never done this on a FI system so someone more knowledgeable should chime in ........) but I have done it on a carby bike with a fuel pump - the bike was intermittently starving for fuel as I rode it and appeared to be "running out of fuel" - when it actually had a full tank of gas....... - turned out to be a mass moving up and down a fuel hose to the bank of 4 carbs causing a filter screen to block at odd times, not the fuel pump (or a vacuum in the tank or ECU or any other voodoo issue), but I'm not sure if FI pumps work on higher pressures so I can't say how to test the pump flow in your garage - that may be a workshop job .

You'll likely regret selling your bike as a new filter set and/or pump would be just a fraction of the loss capitalized when selling a non starting bike........

The previous mechanic at my KTM dealership (himself an 1190 owner) said they are just another sports bike, nothing spooky, pretty damn robust, so it's gotta be something simple like a buggered 'O' ring in the pump causing loss of function (this was one of the early recall items in Aus for gen1 1290's). He has now moved on to the aviation industry (higher pay rates) so I can't ask him for advice.

I only use non ethanol fuels over this side of the Pacific (yahoo) and can confirm zero fuel pump/filter issues in 4 yrs and 32k kms (20k miles) . Just had a 240km ride yesterday tooo....... all smiles


PS........ was there a relay issue with a few older KTM's some years ago??? Maybe a relay has corroded and is preventing power getting to the fuel pump or injectors...... but I too would have no idea where to look for that.........


BREAKING NEWS - the Aus gen 2GT that taking 3 attempts to start in recent times has been diagnosed as needing a new starter motor and sprag clutch. Seems the error codes in the dash were caused by odd voltages from the failing starter motor - but your engine spins over freely so I doubt the issue is related to your bike refusing to play the game.

 

G'day Mr Clogan,
but I'm not sure if FI pumps work on higher pressures so I can't say how to test the pump flow in your garage - that may be a workshop job .

KTM appears to have A special fuel restricter so they insert a pressure guage and special restrict or nozzle to the fuel lines from teh tank and activate the pump. They look for a certain pressure. (This is liek load testing a battery, they load the fuel pump and expect a certain minimum fuel pressure.)

I don’t know the nozzle size of the restrict or, so unless someone who knows more than me can chime in you are left with stripping down the fuel pump to check for blockages/dirty filters. (i.e. Throwing parts at it.)

For my zx-10R there they specify two values.
1. Max pressure with output blocked.
2. Max volume over time restricted.

KTM’s approach effectively combines these into 1 test.

Rob

 

Are you really done with your gt?

 

Well...probably. Guess we will see what I actually do once spring gets here. Meanwhile, I'll let the bike sit until it warms enough to fiddle with it. I've always got my trusty KLR when I want to ride...IF I want to ride.

 

Clogged fuel filter sounds very likely. In the manual, there's a warning against getting any dirt in the fuel system. Regardless of how careful you are, crap from service station tanks can still clog the filter(s). A friend with less than 3000 miles on a new ZX-14R was stranded on a trip. Someone suggested he remove the tank and pull the fuel pump and when he did, it was clogged with sand. Cleaned up and fresh fuel and he was on his way.

 

Hoping you are right! I drained tank last night (it was full). Now waiting on parts, with fingers crossed.

 

Well, I got an email from Rottweiler that my new fuel pump kit had shipped. It was a tolerable 44° degrees in my shop today, so I removed my old FP. To the untrained eye, all looks OK. Strainer shows no sign of gumming or any sort of clogs. I have not yet disassembled it to reach the actual filter, so that may be where the clog is. Or, it might not be the FP/filter at all. The no-start might be something else altogether. We shall see.

To be continued...

 

Too cold to work in the shop this morning, so I moved in to the kitchen counter. The Rott kit had everthing I needed, and the work to change out the strainer, filter, pump, and O-rings was pretty straight forward. The old strainer looked pristine, but I replaced it anyhow. The old filter was very black in color, but showed no obvious signs of clogs. (Pics below). Consequently, it's pretty much a toss up now as to whether my R&R will cure my no-start problem, unless, of course, the problem was the pump itself. Guess I'll find out when it warms up a bit, and I reinstall the pump assy in the tank and try it out.

To be continued...

 

Oh balls! I would have bet $ it was the fuel pump... That filter in the last picture is suppose to be white, right?

 

Something in the fuel caused that blackening of the filter. If it was clogged, the pump may have overworked itself and become unable to make pressure. Can't remember, did you ever check the ignition? Plugs have fire?

 

I did not yet check ignition. (Maybe I should have)... that's next if FP didn't fix it.

 

Amazing how we have wires and solder joints exposed to fuel (or fumes at low fuel level) and we don't blow up while riding .........

 

Well, rats!

New FP, (with new filter and new strainer) is in, but bike still won't start. The engine coughed once, like it was gonna start, but it didn't. At least I now have a FP with a lifetime guarantee. Too cold to mess with it any further today. Guess I need to look for spark next. Hard to figure tho...it ran perfectly the last time I rode it: like a bat outta Hades, as always. I got home, parked it in shop like always. Then next time I go ride: no start.

What can go wrong while a bike just sits parked, inside the shop???

Got me scratching my head, for sure.

 

Well, rats!

What can go wrong while a bike just sits parked, inside the shop???

Got me scratching my head, for sure.

The only thing that can change is the fuel. According to a friend that has a small engine shop, fuel begins to deteriorate 30 days after it leaves the refinery. If it has spark, it's almost certainly a fuel issue of some sort.