2006 Honda VTX 1800C3

I found a nice VTX1800 with some road rash and a little damage on FB Market. I have been kicking around the idea of this bike or a Yam Raider 1900. After lots of reading and wondering if I want another air cooled bike or go with water and shaft drive I got the Honda.

Lets me straight to the point, I am frugal and well the Raider was not in my price range for a used bike in the Mid Wisconsin area. So the Honda with some damage was and after today's cool ride, I have a smile on my face.

honda by Tim Brown, on Flickr
416410484_760080499373584_223190627810732808_n by Tim Brown, on Flickr

It needs a little work on the right hand side. PO was run off the road in the twin cities and well the right side took the brunt of it. Good think it has bags on it or I think the bike would have been a parts bike. The right bad tool almost all the damage.

Right floor board and brake lever broke off. Board is back on and waiting on some parts for the rest of it. I now have to source some turn signals and I should be good.

This Honda will be taking the place of the Moto Guzzi Jackal 1100 I will be selling this spring. The MG is way too mellow for me and wold make a great first big bike for someone.

Some the the nice things with the VTX is the "BuB" exhaust and the power commander III that has been turned for the bike. There seems to be a great amount of torque and power this bike has as the throttle is just a tool for how much you want to smile at any give time. That is what was missing from the MG and now I have it.

More to come and more pics of the bike later on.

 

It has been a while sense I have posted about this bike. The last thing I did was the shifting lever seal, last fall. I have to admit, most Honda bikes I have never had a issue with, this one as well, until this week. Yes she left me on the side of the road not once, but twice. Yes, could not repeat the fuel issue the first time, I thought it was the fuel pump. Let it cool after checking all the fuses and the pump ran fine, for 1.5 miles. Yep, she stopped working again.

Bikes before 2006 had in tank fuel pumps. Mine is a 06 for the fuel pump is under the bike in front of the rear tire. Wow, almost like the copied the Suz 1400 intruder and thought that would be a great place to put something. jk

Here is the full pump out from under the bike and cleaned up.
Nf_2Pxb9 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
Not bad once I got all the road grime off it. Then came removing the pump from the outer shell. I have watched a few vids but nothing in-depth for these. Most say spend the $$$ and get a new one and just put it in. I will try to swap out the pump fist.

The filter was a little dirty, but not enough to stop fuel from flowing. Besides, when you turn the key, the was not buzz sound and or shut off once pressure built up.
Clmdt7d5 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
Only one side of the pump housing was dirty, would have thought that some dirt would have been all around the inside, but not so.
5wLkLBt7 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
This pic is after I swiped my finder along the bottom, just to show the drip, dirt or what ever was in there.
E6IQiL0n by Tim Brown, on Flickr
Now to look for another pump. I guess a Bosh will fit in just as well. I don't know how far I have to dismantle the rest of the pump? That fuel filter is on there, and the clip that holds it I am sure will come off, but it is a bugger and hate to break it. I think a new full pump case in over $500. Just like the Wing, might have to do it, but hope not. I think the pumps are only like $20 or $30.

 

Checked the price on Partzilla over $700. Stopped and got a new fuel pump for a Jeep, same looking size and high flow. I thought putting the pump back into the pump holder was going to be hard. That went okay, but then came the B of a job. Putting the pump housing under the bike to be able to start the threads on the high pressure line, wow. Had to walk away twice, third time was the charm.

Bad news, bike does not run, not to sure why fuel is not getting to injectors, something is up. Had to walk away from it and do some research to see if I am missing something. So far no new information to help me out.

Turn key on, pump comes on, pressurizes the system and then turns off, like it should. Turn the bike over and she will not fire. Hit her with some starter fluid into throttle bodies, and she started right up and died. So, no fuel. Before you ask, I do have fuel in the tank, almost thought I was out at one time. I guess I will have to see what is up with the injectors, they could have gotten plugged up I guess? Always fun to take that big tank off, drain it first and set it aside. Good weekend project.

 

I think I have too much pressure in the fuel rail (100psi) instead of the needed 50/60 PSI. So the injectors are not able to open and deliver the fuel to the intake. Part is ordered, but not liking the thought of having to take it off and back on again. Oh well, better the second time around. lol

 

Note to self, always check the easy stuff first. Yep, fuel west not getting to the pump! This was the secondary issue, the inline shout off valve I had for easy no spill tank removal. Well, as you can see by the pic, something is missing from one of these. That being the little plastic shelf that on and off spring-loaded point pushes on to make the fuel flow. Bypassed it and the bike started right up. In the pick the one on the left if broken and will fit together but no fuel flow. The one on the right is brand new as it would come out of the bag.
fNaQgBCa by Tim Brown, on Flickr
Not to sure if I will replace this part or not? I think using some tube on the ends of long nose vice grips will work just as well. Not very happy that this was it, but much better than having to replace the fuel pump again.

Live and learn, always something new and fun to troubleshoot. The injectors at this time have no issue with the psi. I thought it might, but clearly it did not.

 

Test ride yesterday went very well. I will have to adjust the idle maybe, but that is to be expected now that the fuel delivery system has changed. Forgot how much I like to ride the VTX 1800.