Getting a blink code for "Fuel pump relay"

My 2011 FE 570 has been giving me trouble ever since it took a fall on hard rock a couple weeks ago. I was able to ride it back to my trailer at the time, but since then it hasn't liked to start. I postponed working on it and now it isn't starting at all. It sounds like it's cranking just fine but the motor doesn't "catch." I drained the battery trying, so put it on battery tender and fully charged it still won't start. It is making a very loud sucking air type noise which I haven't noticed before, which in another thread someone said is normal for the Husa. The noise is coming from a port in the side of the throttle body which stops when I put my finger over it.

The orange FI light blinks when I turn the key on. It flashes four long and one short, which in my Husa manual, says "Fuel pump relay - short circuit to ground or open circuit."

I'm not very mechanically inclined but the nearest Husa dealer is a few hrs away and the local KTM dealer already couldn't find the problem - actually said I didn't have a problem. I can change my oil and tires, bleed brakes, and I just learned to check (not adjust) the valves. That's kind of the extent of it. But I like trying!

So how to I check the fuel pump relay? Does this mean my fuel pump is dead like the other Husas of this generation or is it a different issue?

Ty for any help

The flashing error code might be misleading as I had it once on my 450 when the bike was running fine. When they checked it out on the test rig they couldn't find anything wrong so they just cleared the fault and it never came back.

Since your bike isn't starting, the error could be genuine in your case so the first thing I'd check is whether the fuel pump actually runs. If you've not noticed before, when you press the starter button briefly you should hear the fuel pump carry on running for a second or two after you release the button. It's hard to hear while the starter motor is actually turning but it should be obvious in that short period afterwards when everything else is quiet. If you don't hear it then either the fuel pump itself has failed or it's not getting power (which could be one of several things including the fuse, the ECU or a wiring fault).

If the pump's not running, check fuse 2 first in case it's simply a blown fuse. If that's ok then disconnect the plug at the pump and measure the voltage across the pins while turning the engine over on the starter (that's the pins on the loose plug you need to check, not the pins fixed to the pump). If you get nothing then the pump is probably ok and you have a fault somewhere in the power supply to it (most likely the ECU or a wiring fault). On the other hand if you find around 12v at the fuel pump plug then the power is most likely ok and the pump has probably failed.

I've actually had both failures! The pump failed, but when they replaced it that disturbed a corroded connection in the wiring loom and after a couple of hours that broke completely and the pump stopped again, but this time it
was because there was no power to it. :roll:

BTW, from memory I think the fuel pump relay is inside the ECU so it's not something you can get at to check it separately, but there are some additional checks you can do to narrow down where the fault is if it turns out to be a power supply issue.

Nice to hear that your local KTM dealer thinks that your bike failing to start isn't a problem...

Just to comment on hearing the fuel pump.
On my bike a 2011 FE570S just after switching the key on I can hear the fuel pump run for about 2-3 seconds.
If you don't have a key then is there a way you "turn power on" before hitting the start button? You should hear the fuel pump run as stated above to build up pressure for the start.
Just tryin' to help.

Dave

I did look to see if the OP had a location set before I posted, but without one it's impossible to know what variant of the bike we might be looking at, and in any case I can't comment on what happens when you turn on the ignition because my UK bike didn't come with an ignition switch! Mine was a 2010 so I guess I can't say for sure about later bikes here but I haven't noticed an ignition switch on any I've seen. On my bike the simple way to hear the pump is as I described, press and release the starter button briefly so the engine doesn't start (not difficult in this case as it's never starting). None of the electrics is live until you do that because essentially the ECU disconnects everything automatically shortly after the engine stops, and only reconnects it all when it detects you trying to do a start. So things like lights and fuel pump won't work unless the bike is either running or trying to start, and I don't know of any other way to get the pump to run. Besides, it's a simple 3 second check so I wouldn't even bother looking for another way.

If the OP's bike does have an ignition switch and you normally hear the pump when you first turn it on then that would indeed be the simplest way to check. I'd have thought it would be pretty obvious if it's not running as you'd be used to hearing it at that point when the bike's otherwise quiet, but worth a check just to make sure unless he already knows for sure he can hear it running.

crazyshannon said:

It is making a very loud sucking air type noise which I haven't noticed before, which in another thread someone said is normal for the Husa. The noise is coming from a port in the side of the throttle body which stops when I put my finger over it.

Click to expand...

Hi crazyshannon,
can we just go back to this bit for the moment, before we get overly carried away looking for the fuel pump relay issue (which may well be a consequence of draining the battery whilst trying to start the bike)?

Where is the port on the throttle body that you speak of, and why is it open? Could you post a picture please? I know it's a bit of a pain to get a picture to appear on this forum, but I think in this case it will likely be worth the effort. There shouldn't be any port of any size or shape open to the world...

I'm thinking that if you do have an open port and it's making quite a noise, it's likely you have in effect a massive air leak. This could well make your bike impossible to start from cold.

A picture will confirm I'm an *****.

Cheers.. Paul

Wow guys thanks for all the tips! You are sooo nice to walk me through everything! I will listen for the fuel pump and follow the other instructions once I return home tomorrow.

My bike is Canadian. It's the street legal version from 2011 so it does have an ignition switch.

I can take a picture of the actual unit tomorrow, but for now, the port in the throttle body looks like this http://image.importtuner.com/f/tech/imp ... e_body.jpg ... The two holes above the butterfly thing? That's what I have, except just one, and that's where the loud sucking noise is coming from.

crazy,
you're talking about holes on the inside of the TB? That makes a little more sense! I'm pretty sure what you're talking about is either going to be a crankcase vent port, connected to some part of another emission control device or an idle speed bypass port. I'm not familiar enough with your model to say which.

When you fiddle with the idle-speed adjustment screw what happens? Does the throttle butterfly plate move? If it does not, the port you speak of is probably an idle-speed bypass. If the butterfly does move when you adjust the idle-speed screw, you need to follow the hoses from the TB back to the wherever they terminate. It's just a guess, but perhaps your tumble has damaged one of the emission control devices?

A picture of your TB may help.

Cheers... Paul

Hey guys

thanks again for all the help

So am finally home from a weekend away. Went out to the husaberg to see if I could hear this fuel pump. Turn key on, there are NO sounds. Also when I try to start it, when I let off the starter button, again no sounds.

Will check the power later on today

Although it was about the fuel pump fuse blowing rather than the pump just not working, there's some general info in this thread about the wiring of the power to the fuel pump and things like what resistance the pump itself should be if you find that the power to it is ok and so you want to check the pump:
http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16633

I'd guess the wires mentioned will be the same colors on your bike but they were taken from the European wiring diagram so yours could be different. I never had the flash code when my pump failed so the broken wiring fault I mentioned in that thread probably isn't what you have, but you'd still want to trace the same wires that take power to the pump if there is no power at the pump plug. You'd be looking for a break in continuity rather than a short to ground though (unless it turns out your fuse *has* blown - check that first if you didn't already).

Let us know what you find when you check at the fuel pump plug. Just remember that you need to check the voltage at a time when the pump should definitely be running, so get the meter ready then turn on the ignition while you watch it (if you don't see any volts I'd also watch the meter while hitting the starter button just to make sure).

Hey guys

it was the fuel pump plug! had been jostled loose somehow and wasn't plugged in anymore!

So bike is running swell again

I did go ahead and order the CA Cycleworks pump, since I figure it is only a matter of time before mine fails?

So the open circuit was what it was-easy fix then.

How many hours on your bike?

38 hours now. It was at 8 hours when I bought it about 3 months ago.

I would venture with that many hours on your bike that your fuel pump is going to not give you the problems that most have encountered with the bad batch of pumps that came on some of the bikes.

Most people with the bad pumps have them do so within the first 20 hours or so. The classic symptoms being that after riding for 45 minutes or more in tight technical terrain, then shut the bike off or stall it and the fuel pump is then locked up and won't work again until it cools off, usually about 45 minutes or so.

Dale

ok very interesting! yes it has no problem starting in that manner. I've already ordered the pump, will just hold onto it then as a spare if it doesn't seem like my stocker is going to fail.

crazyshannon said:

ok very interesting! yes it has no problem starting in that manner. I've already ordered the pump, will just hold onto it then as a spare if it doesn't seem like my stocker is going to fail.

Click to expand...

Not a bad investment to make..........

Willmia posted a great thread about installing the CA cycleworks pump in his friends 570, very detailed.

Check out this thread on my fuel pump problem: http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14147

It was all my fault and it is explained in that thread.

Again, I think that you are good to go on your pump. If you want to get the max protection for your fuel system, be sure your cans are clean, and put one of these in your tank.
http://www.cyclebuy.com/shopping/splitstream/index.htm

DaleEO said:

Most people with the bad pumps have them do so within the first 20 hours or so. The classic symptoms being that after riding for 45 minutes or more in tight technical terrain, then shut the bike off or stall it and the fuel pump is then locked up and won't work again until it cools off, usually about 45 minutes or so.

Click to expand...

Those are the symptoms I had with my pump but they didn't start until it had 109 hours on it, and at first it only happened very rarely and the period before it would restart was only a few minutes. As time went by it happened more often and the recovery time got longer until the pump eventually failed altogether at 152 hours and was replaced. My bike was a 2010 so I don't know whether the 2011 would have a later version of the pump that might be more reliable.

Oh awesome Dave, I will order the filter for sure!

fe 390

Hi all just joined
I have a fe 390 same prob no power to fuel pump , have had meter on it and no power when hitting start button you can here the ecu making a noise and f1 light ok , if I spray a bit of petrol in air intake starts ok for couple of secs so I know thr prob is power to pump, I have also changed pump filters ect so no the pump is ok the cable from pump connection go directly back to the ecu so does that mean that is my prob if so does anyone know how much they are
thanks all
mark h

Mark, check the connector under the seat at the bottom of the airfilter where it plugs into the tank. Check fuses.