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Write up - cleaning fuel pump filter

118K views 46 replies 23 participants last post by  esco boy 
#1 ·
It seems there's a bunch of people that say clean the pump filter, but I couldn't find a write-up so I made one today...



I've been having fuel issues lately, went through all kinds of electrical tests and injector cleanings, then I found the filter was COVERED in gunk and tank poo.

1: Remove tank and then pull the fuel pump. It might be stuck to the tank a bit but it will pop out, slide it straight out.

2. Remove the three nuts holding the wires to the base, then remove the screw from each side of the fuel pump. You can see on of them in the pic.


3. Hold the top of the pump and separate it from the base, there is a rubber o-ring inside that makes it a little tough to come off. Look at the nasty shit on the bottom of the filter! It doesn't even look like a filter!


4. Dirty as hell screen!



5. Remove the plastic pieces holding the screen in along with the rubber piece.


6. Using a flat head screwdriver, work the filter off the plastic piece. When you put it back in, make sure it is seated all the way.


7. Spray the crap out of the screen with cleaner, stick the straw inside the filter and spray out. Nice and clean again!


8. Clean the base too.



9. While you're at it, you should clean the tank with kreem A & B or an equivalent product. The tank probably has some nasty stuff in there if the pump filter was dirty.

10. Put it back together and go ride!
 
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#7 ·
Matt750GSXR: what year is your bike? your assembly looks significantly different from the K5-K6 1000s . Where's the secondary filter in that assembly? and the pressure relief valve?
You gotta find them and backflush....specially if your primary filter was that bad of shape. Nice write-up
 
#14 ·
I was wondering about that too. What do you use to do the back flush? Compressed air?

The only other thing I would add is that my K1 service manual warns to replace all O rings with new ones to avoid leaks. As far as I know, I think this is because gas expands rubber O rings and they may not fit properly with reuse. If you didn't do that you might want to check for leaks under the tank now and then and at minimum change the tank O ring the next cleaning. That could get ugly :headshake .

Thanks for the pics. I'll be doing this in the spring and it will help.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Part 2: Cleaning and back flushing the pump assembly itself.

9. Next remove the lines from the side of the pump.



10. Now split the pump assembly apart to flush out the internals. Mine was NASTY inside, brown rusty gas came out of it! Hold the top of the pump like this:


Grab a hold of the tip with pliers as shown and pull it straight out, it will take some force so be ready when it pops loose. Make sure the wires won't get caught on anything when it yanks free. (again its an o-ring holding it in there)


11. Warning: I used a shopvac to backflush the components with gas, probably not the best idea but hey it worked. If you have a transfer pump it would be a better idea to use that. But take a clear hose (so you can see what's coming out) and stick it into the hole when the fuel pump normally goes in. Stick the pump down in the gas so the outlet is immersed. Hold your finger over the hole for the pressure relief valve or it will just suck air through there.

You are basically running gas through the opposite was it normally goes, so anything that is caught in there gets blown out. Turn the vac or pump on and keep pulling the gas through until it comes clear. Turn it off and on, shake the pump base around to get all the crap out. I had a some nasty looking stuff come out.

My setup:


12. Repeat this process but stick the hose in the hole for the pressure relief valve and plug the pump one. I ran about three gallons through the pump total.

13. I tried to reverse the polarity of the pump itself and run it backwards, but there must be a one-way valve in there because it won't pump gas backwards, so I just ran about a half gallon of gas through it normally.

14. Clean the relief valve and pray it works, because you can't order just the valve. It's grouped with the assembly which is $290.

15. While you're at it, you should clean the tank with kreem A & B or an equivalent product. The tank probably has some nasty stuff in there if the pump filter was dirty.

15. Put it back together and go ride!
 
#32 ·
I just want to add to this thread so it can help others who may find it.

This is my way to test for flow & pressure. I made it from pipe & hydraulic fittings from the hardware store. I did not take alot of pics. Maybe I could if there's interest & time.



I also back flow my main filter with carb cleaner & fuel. I stuck a 3/8" vinyl hose into the outlet then stuck the nozzle for my compressor in there & turn the pressure to 90 psi. Lots of black crud came out. I have ran it for 3,000 kms & the filter is still going strong.

I will add photos below if I can find them.
 
#34 ·
There's also a fuel filter bypass mod for the vstrom. Which is identical for my 04 gsxr. The reason I didn't go with it is, you'd be pushing fuel at 43 psi while at oem it pushes whatever pressure the pump can put out. At oem the filter is before the regulator. If you put it after the results will be different.


This is what I had planned before I abandoned it.
Auto part Fuel line Vehicle Engine Tire
Auto part Wire Electrical wiring Engine Fuel line


I hope this helps someone.
 
#35 ·
Thanks @RockerGuy for the pics. What did you use to back flush the fine/high pressure filter?

The use of a shop vac that the OP mentioned in post #22 / 11 is a really bad idea. We are talking explosion, major burns and ambulance rides.
 
#39 ·
I am similarly concerned about the pressure differential from compressed air causing the filter pleats to collapse on each other. But what do I know? As I've mentioned before, the final filter on injected systems is normally rated around 10 microns, which is .0004". So it's picking up some very fine particles.

It occurs to me that another possibility is to fill the filter with a rust dissolving liquid like Whink and let it sit overnight. Whink is water based but I think you could get rid of it by draining, then flush with isopropyl alchol, then blow the IPA out with compressed air, then flush with gasoline. I have no idea if this will work or end up thoroughly gumming things up.

Holley makes a 162-550 inline filter that's rated 10 microns and 100 gallons/hr. That rate is significantly higher than our pumps flow (it's intended for 400 HP cars). The 162-556 filter element is available separately for less than $15. I'd like to see someone make an adapter that would replace the Mitsubishi filter and use that replaceable element. I'd think that $100 would be a very reasonable price for it.
 
#40 ·
The more clogged a filter becomes the more efficient it is. I'm not going to worry too much on what gets passed through. I still have to clean my injectors soon.

The external filter I bought is for a Ducati & Triumph. I don't know why Suzuki didn't put the filter external so it is easily maintained.

I'd see how my methods are working then I will do a filter bypass. I'd keep this thread posted.
 
#41 ·
Would soaking in the filter in Seafoam be an effective alternative?
 
#42 ·
That sounds like it would be safe. Back flush it, soak it with SeaFoam then back flush it again to remove the stuff the SeaFoam loosened.
 
#43 ·
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It is a good product and if it dissolves residue it may clean the filter better than using mechanical force to move solid particles. I'd likely set my compressed air to about 50 psi to be just above the operating pressure of the filter and hope the 5 or 10 psi difference is enough to dislodge anything shoved in there at 40 psi from the other direction.
 
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