I finally got the chance to take the Tour out for a long high speed run today - minus its fuel pump and with an in-line fuel filter fitted - and it behaved faultlessly, even under the most fuel-slurping conditions of uphill, full throttle, maxi-chat riding (if you're reading this and your name is Brunstrom, I'm lying, OK?
). As a confirmed 'simple is better' engineer, it's one less thing to go wrong and strand me miles from home. I couldn't quite see the point of a pump delivering fuel downhill and Bill confirmed it's completely unnecessary. Well, it IS! All that's needed is to undo the two 10mm bolts behind the pump that hold the starter motor (mini socket set is a must here) remove the pump (replacing the starter mounting bolts, natch') and pipe the tank outlet straight to the carb inlet stub - making sure there are no kinks of course. The pump's actuated by vacuum pulses taken from a pipe fitted to the left hand inlet tract would you believe .... which cause a diaphragm to pump the fuel. Cut that pipe off short and just plug it .. I used a 1/4" plastic dowel.
Anybody want a fuel pump - FOC - and a 9" length of redundant hose?
