My car has a Kawasaki ZZR1100 fuel pump. If I run out of fuel, will the pump:

a) clatter away even though there's nothing to pump, or

b) stop trying to pump, and go quiet?

The reason I ask is that last weekend but one the car stopped as I was going up the road - the fuel gauge was reading empty, but usually that means I've got a little bit left. I was actually going to get some fuel! The fuel pump wasn't running, which either meant that the carbs were full, or the pump wasn't trying. I didn't have my tool roll with me, so I had to call International Rescue.

After the rescue man got me home on the back of his wagon I poked and tested all sorts of things, but all was ok. Put a couple of gallons of petrol in, poked around some more, and tried to start it again - and it did, without hesitation.

I've gone around and undone/re-fitted all the connectors in case something was dirty (but it all looked ok, with no signs of corrosion). All my earths were clean and tight.

I just wonder if it really was as simple as running out of fuel, and I needn't keep fussing around...

from my experience EFI pumps usually spin really fast and make a much higher pitch whine. Not sure about low pressure if yours is carb'd

A
if i have no fuel it runs but may over heat and seize or
muck /rust stopping the pump do you have a filter before the pump?

[Edited on 9/3/09 by jacko]

I don't know. I haven't ever run out of petrol (and to be honest I think that is what you've done!).

From a distant memory, when I was trying to prime my pump, if there was no fuel in it it just clicked away like mad. Once I'd got fuel to the pump via the medium of sucking the pipe myself it ticked away until the carbs got up to pressure.

The only problem I've had with my fuel pump was when it just stopped working. No warning, just wouldn't start in the morning.

But let me know what you find out, because I don't have a fuel gauge.

Cheers

Mike

My zx9 pump clicks away when no fuel in as did the R6 one i had.

Maybe your pump stuck and putting more weight of petrol behind it kicked it off again?

Normally pumps will keep going, the usually have an over pressure switch but not a under pressure switch... this goes for bikes and car pumps.

it may have overheated like Jacko said, and they usually make loads of noise when they run out of fuel.. but this depends on how noisy you car is

Yup. It'd start spinning really fast and then overheat and go deadly quiet.....

Yup..

Fit a pre pump filter, to stop the crap in the tank getting into the pump.

A mate went for a spin in a friend of his home made Aeroplane.

They crash landed into a field and hit a concrete fencing post hidden in the tall grass.

The cause was found to be a jammed fuel pump. And guess what!!! No pre-pump filter! Just a simple £1 in-line filter would have saved a few £k's worth of damage to his pride and joy.
(They are Locost Aeroplane builders), except its a bit more expensive than our cars.

You could be overtaking at 70 (Huh!!) mph in Lane 3 on a Motorway and suddenly loose power. Thats not a great place to be in an open top car