Back up fuel pump for R1200GS
 

Hi People, before I show up my ignorance of things mechanical in front of BMW trained mechanics, does anyone know if the fitting of a back up fuel pump and a selector switch either mechanical or pressure initiated in the event of a primary pump failure is a feasable proposition. The reason for the question is that I had a failure 2 months ago and whilst not in the wilds of South Africa, in a fairly remote part and it took 3 days and US$750 to get it to a dealers on the outskirts of Durban. A back up pump would have allowed me to keep my beer coupens and use them for the purpose for which they were printed. Ride safe, Mike Anderson

Hi Mark,

on most today's (gas) indirect fuel injection, and that's the case on the GS12, the pump is part of the injection system. Its pumps fuel under a certain pressure up to the injectors placed in the inlet pipes. Those injectors are regulated by the inboard computer. So, I am quuite sure a "simple" backup pump (eg. an electrical fuel pump to feed a carb, you can buy any place) could not do the job, but I will check it out.
And next time have beer coupons with with longer delays when driving a BM out there...

Norbert
PS: I just have taken delivery of my 12GSA, and BMW added free a full assistance (incl replacement car), for whole Europe, as long as I ahve this bike ... but not in Afrika, only SA

No. A carb pup is low pressure.

EFI requires about 30psi and 1 to 2 litres per minute flow rate.

But you could source a pump from an EFI car/truck/4WD and use that to get you home. Would cost around $300aud (new pump here)?

On the 'failed' pump ... try reversing the electrical supply to the pump motor it self .. sometimes the pump grinds to a halt on junk in the fuel - by running it backwards you can get the junk out and get the pump working again. Note - CAN buss on the newer 12 should be removed when doing this - otherwise you'll probably blow that up too.

It is not unknown for the wires leading through the tank to go open circuit either.


I'm not taking a spare fuel pump on my trip. Weight + size vs failure rate = no take.

thanks Frank for your precise answer,
I checked out, and confirm: EFI requires about 2,5 bar.

Norbert

Guess who is presently stuck in Lusaka having wasted lots more beer coupons again with his 3rd fuel pump/unit failure, who says lightening never strikes twice/thrice? By the way the Lusaka BMW agent really is a complete and utter tosser but hopefully the guys in Windhoek are trying to help me out. Ride safe.

What year 1200GS are you referring to?

fellow GS'er
 

Very interested in this thread. Following progress intently.

is a problem with the fuel pump, or fuel pump controller? FPC failures are pretty common, fuel pumps not so much. FPCs are very small and cheap and definitely worth bringing a spare with!

Fuel pump controller bypass
 

Better still and much much cheaper than a spare FPC is this bypass cable. Wish I had one with me when my FPC died in Turkey!

BurnsMoto - BMW Motorcycle Fuel Pump Bypass Cable

Hi People, back on the road again thanks to Andy W's great blog on Fuel Pump Bypass and from now on I will never travel without it. Couple of points before the nitty gritty bit, I have had 2 controller failures, 1 pump and 1 pump unit which started disintegrating before my very eyes and this was quickly followed by the unit on the opposite side which receives the unneeded output from the fuel pump also cracking up which seems to have been the result of using ethanol biogas additive type fuel in a European spec fuel system which you have to do in most if not all of the US. Whatever caused it it has cost me lots of beer coupons and that hurts. The Nitty Gritty then my bike is a 2004 r1200gs and only the gs's are affected by the controller failures due to moisture getting under the silicon filling of the unit due to the crap design and positioning of the control unit, other types of 1200's rest easy. When I stripped mine down as per the blog to make a bypass the short on the circuit board which up to that point appeared to have been fully protected was revealed. The article explains the need for a control which appears to have started with the 1200 series and been previously thought unnecessary. go to

Motorcycle Info Pages - Home and click on Fuel Pump Controller bypass, I would suggest that you read the addition to the article which suggests a variation which may be a better system but as is pointed out takes up more space. So now you know, never leave home without one. from a very wet Victoria Falls where the spray chases away the rain, ride safe.

Simple fix I will try and get photos of the next 1200 I do this too

The black vented fuel pump housing cover (left top side of fuel tank remove the alloy side cover to acces it ) remove it and cut rubber (inner tube or coke bottle flattened out or a side of a plastic "gallon" oil container) a little bigger than the vents and use a good silicone sealer and "glue" the rubber to the plastic BUT leaving an area open but covered(to prevent water access) at the lower side to allow air circulation

Set that to the side and remove the fuel pump controller N.B. Do not pull the cables remove them before you unscrew the torx and if there is any water down in the well dry it out with an airline

carefully lift up the controller and you will see a couple of cables going to a blue plug
This is the actual pump power connection the bits above are only the power connection and CANBUS wire it's that small alloy thing that tells the pump when to power up

There is a seal around the edge remove it clean it and its contact area for any grit or dirt on the bike and the controller if there is any water down in that part dry it out with an airline too

Now the easy part Get Vaseline or any good qaulity petroleum jelly and cover the blue plug and the seal and the contact faces and refit the controller Again smear vaseline onto the pump connections and level sensor connections

At this stage I usually paint the pump controller with a product called Waxoyl it's a black underbody wax / sealant for cars I guess maybe wet chain grease would do but I've never used it

Refit the connections and the covers and Robert would be your fathers brother, Be careful when fitting the out alloy cover the clearance are very fine so I usually fold the rubber flap/cover down as I set it on, so that here is not a gap for water to get below

I've 2 friends with a 2004 and a 2005 still on the original controllers with just my modification