hi there people, i recently removed the tank of my 96 xtz660 to replace some bolts and it took me two weeks to get the tank back on, now im having problems starting the bike.
i suspect ive got an airlock in the fuel pump if this at all possible because the fuel doesnt appear to be being sucked through my fuel filter and into the carbs...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
thanks ...phil.

Common problem.
1. Check: fuel in tank?
2. If yes, proceed as follows:
Open tap. Close tap. Pull off hose. Blow into hose. Put hose back on tap.
Repeat 3 or 4 times.
Start bike.
Brush teeth.

Fuel does not pass through the little hole somewhere in the pump it should pass through when engine doe snot run. This little feature was added because the fuel pump doesn't work when there is no pulsating vacuum from the inlet.

Auke

ok... now i understand about the teeth cleaning... i ended up with allot of petrol in my mouth and i blew on that fuel line until i almost burst my eardrums...
so the bike started and ran for about two minutes then died... now im unsure of how the fuel pump works....

it seems as though the bike ran until the petrol in the carby ran out...
and the fuel pump did not pump the petrol back into the carbs... this seems logical enough, i would have thought that if the bike started to run it would start sucking the fuel through.
is there another suggestion to fix the problem ie large syringe full of petrol, remove fuel pump?.....(blow harder)
thanks ...phil...

The diaphragm in the pump can be broken.

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.

Ok, now the brute-force method.

Fill up tank all the way. Bypass the f*ck*ng pump with a piece of fuel hose, just slip one end on one of the taps and the other on the carb connection. If bike starts and keeps running there is something wrong with the pump.

Leaving the pump out is certainly a possibility, it is only there for the last 2 liters or so, as most of the tank is above the carb.

Auke

auke.. brute force indeed...

started to get really sh*tted off with the bike after pulling out fuel pump and conecting the tank to the carb... still wouldnt work....

so i hooked up the bike behind my friends car towed it up the road and clutched it until it finally started, now it runs fine...no problem.
just one of those little mysteries.
thanks for the help...phil.

Oh then it was the rubbery skin that formed on the unleaded fuel in the vented carb. Next time you're not going to use the bike for a week or two, close the fuel tap about 1 km. [or mile if you're not metric yet] before you get home [or anywhere else], then let it idle until it stalls, then check oil level. Now the carb is empty and the next time you want to start, just open the tap, pul the choke, accelerate a few times and it'll start like a rocket.

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.