XB12X fuel pump failure

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easttroy

Active member
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
41
Hi all,

Went on a 2200+ mile trip to northern california last week and 5th day in the bike died with what seemed like a bad gas issue.

Drained and re-filled with known good gas, bike seem to be fine idling and running for a while and then the same issue.

Had to be towed 40 miles, spend 3 nights in a hotel and wait until this last tuesday to get the pump from Harley (still under warranty).

I've read a variety of people posting that this is/isn't an issue (bad batch of pumps) and also discussed with various techs that they've never done one before (seemingly this is not that big of an issue).

A day or two before it failed, it was showing signs (and I didn't notice them at the time). From a steady throttle while riding, rolling on the rest of the way would do nothing / S _ L _ O _ W _ L _ Y speed up as though someone was turning a garden hose on trickle. Then it slowly came out of it the rest of the time we were riding that day until day 5. On day 5 toward the end of our riding day, It had a similar feel and eventually cut out anything above an idle. Once I stopped and let it idle, it died and wouldn't start from that point.

From this point, the pump failed once warmed up. It would work fine cold and then once warm, wouldn't create any pressure and the bike would cough and sputter until it wouldn't even start anymore. Wait to cool down and it would start right up again (not very handy in 80+ degree heat).

Because this happened on a Saturday, Harley's offices are closed Sat/Sun. Orders are not processed until Monday and then because the dealer was closed on Monday (WTF? During the summer, really?) there was no way to determine whether the parts had shipped OVERNIGHT next day air.

Shout out to Al at americansportbike.com for helping me get a second fuel pump in case the HD shipped one was not shipped. They had computer issues and we worked around that and were able to ship me a second pump to my Hotel so I could GTF out of there and back home. Fortunately, both pumps came the same day and I was on my way (with a spare that I felt I would need possibly). Thanks again Al and your staff for all the help under these circumstances!

Even though I was feeling like I got F'd by HD for not having the parts available at least on the left coast, I felt better after I learned a guy at the dealer broke down a WEEK ago due to a stator issue in his '09 1125. The first one they shipped failed after install and they had to wait over the weekend for the second one. I'm so glad I had decided to spend the $$$$ and get a second pump on the way had the first failed, I'd been waiting another day or two.

I hope that this never happens to anyone else, though i know parts fail, I wouldn't expect a fuel pump to fail in the first 8k miles.
 
Damn, Troy! Knowing how hard it can be to get the time off, if I'd ended up killing the better part of my week sitting around a motel I'd a probbably had a lot more negative comments than you. I will certainly keep my ear tuned for something like that on my bike, which is an '09 like yours with almost 17K on it and going strong on the original pump. Luck of the draw, I guess.

I take it you're in SoCal? I'm from SD myself and SD Harley is open 7 days a week, though the service dept is closed Sundays.
 
fuel pump for a 03 musntang V6, part number E2366 at autozone XB fuel pumps are made by Walbro and are model #521
 
Actually, there was some good things about the trip (and no, I don't live in S. Cali, I'm from Oregon).

1) Tiny Mart in Prather, CA. The owner is a motocross racer and is all things bike. My buddy broke down in Shaver Lake, CA with no DOT4 fluid in his rear brake. Every station / parts store was either out of DOT4 or didn't have it or closed and he went out of his way to get us some.

2) AAA Premier membership will be paying for my expense for the time I was broke down.
 
Anrkizm95, WTF does that mean? That is the parts for the pump? Replacement pump? What? Instructions man, not random thoughts.....
 
Anrkizm95, WTF does that mean? That is the parts for the pump? Replacement pump? What? Instructions man, not random thoughts.....

that would be the fuel pump number for your bike along with the auto application and the location you can purchase it at


fuel pump for a 03 musntang V6, part number E2366 at autozone

XB fuel pumps are made by Walbro and are model #521
 
I just looked it up. Do you really think it will work? looks like an inline filter by the picture
 
The '08 and later look like they have a different electrical connector and strainer going by the drawing in the parts book.

The '03 through '07 are definitely the #521 but I'm not so sure about the later ones.
 
Mine is also an 09 and mine also failed at 8,500 miles.
Its been at Lakeland FL harley since Monday. Its ten to 15 days just to get the pump, but they are dropping the engine to replace both the cover gaskets anyway. Thankfully all under warranty.

Jim
 
The airtex sock fits different and the connection for the fuel line is different ...stick with the walbro #521 part 4500270
 
sounds like exactly the same symptoms you experience in the automotive world when a fuel pump is on the way out. feels lazy going around corners and rolling on throttle, surging or laziness pulling hills, have to crank longer than usual to start when sitting over nite. the walbro is the way to go.
 
I know this is old but I think my pump died on my 09. Dealers don't have in stock. Supposed to be taking the bike on a trip next week. Does AutoZone stock that pump? Its there 2 options. 1 mustang pump. 2 walbro . Or are they the same?
 
I recently changed the pump in my '09 XT and can confirm that electrical connectors are identical to the earlier ones (despite what the parts manual shows).

The pump fitted to the '09 had a smaller fuel filter connection than the earlier Walbro 521. I used an older style pump (AC Delco replacement for the Mustang) and the Buell filter but if I had the choice I would go with the Walbro.
While a lot of pumps will replace the Walbro physically they are unlikely to match the finer points such as current draw. I found that the AC Delco 'equivalent' to the Walbro 521 draws 7.5 amps when running with fuel pressure - the original Walbro draws 5 amps.
I would be interested to know if anyone with one of the Airtex E2366's has done a current draw test.
My AC Delco has worked fine in operation but just a point to consider.
The Walbro pump fitted to the '09 was a F10000276 BTW.

There is another recent fuel-pump replacement thread with several photos:
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...el-pump-fix.-Cheaper-than-replacement-from-HD
 
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