Kawasaki Mule 3010 Fuel Pump

[White Oak]

I have a 2005 Kawasaki Mule 3010 4x4 , it's been a good unit with just basic maintenance done by me and one dealer service over the years . I now have a little over 800 hours and it's overdue for dealer valve clearance check/adjustment. I always use Stabil in the gas , and lately it's been very hard starting and doesn't want to stay running. I put new plugs in and a fuel filter....When I turn the key to start it I can see a bubble move in the fuel filter but I don't think gas is actually flowing through. So I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump... New Kawaskaki pump is $263 knock off on Ebay or Amazon $15 -$25 . I've read ALOT of bad reviews on the cheap Fuel pumps , just wondering if anyone here has used the cheap pumps and has had good luck or I'm better of spending the big money on a Kawasaki pump. I understand it could also be a Fuel pump relay or possibly gummed up carb. That's above my skill level and don't want to mess with that. But I'm pretty sure I can switch out the fuel pump...AND then if that doesn't work have the dealer look at it... They charge $149.00 a hour labor plus a diagnosis fee ! so trying to save a buck if possible,. Thanks for any advice or info if you had a mule with a bad fuel pump and what to look for.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have a 2005 Kawasaki Mule 3010 4x4 , it's been a good unit with just basic maintenance done by me and one dealer service over the years . I now have a little over 800 hours and it's overdue for dealer valve clearance check/adjustment. I always use Stabil in the gas , and lately it's been very hard starting and doesn't want to stay running. I put new plugs in and a fuel filter....When I turn the key to start it I can see a bubble move in the fuel filter but I don't think gas is actually flowing through. So I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump... New Kawaskaki pump is $263 knock off on Ebay or Amazon $15 -$25 . I've read ALOT of bad reviews on the cheap Fuel pumps , just wondering if anyone here has used the cheap pumps and has had good luck or I'm better of spending the big money on a Kawasaki pump. I understand it could also be a Fuel pump relay or possibly gummed up carb. That's above my skill level and don't want to mess with that. But I'm pretty sure I can switch out the fuel pump...AND then if that doesn't work have the dealer look at it... They charge $149.00 a hour labor plus a diagnosis fee ! so trying to save a buck if possible,. Thanks for any advice or info if you had a mule with a bad fuel pump and what to look for.

I would personally pull the fuel line off, and run it into a bucket while cranking it, just to make sure if it is flowing fuel or not before going through the trouble. My opinion on cheap fuel pumps, it may work for a few months, or a few years, but I doubt you will get another 18 years out of it.

 

[White Oak]

I would personally pull the fuel line off, and run it into a bucket while cranking it, just to make sure if it is flowing fuel or not before going through the trouble. My opinion on cheap fuel pumps, it may work for a few months, or a few years, but I doubt you will get another 13 years out of it.

Thanks I'll try that

 

[bigboreblr]

If you flow look ok, pump the entire tank out and put fresh gas in there. Remebr with fuel issues, you still have crappy fuel in the injector lines possibly, and you will foul plugs on a bad running engine.

Common fuel system problems.

-Tank breather issues. Creates vacuum in tank. Can be rust in the gas cap by the breather, crack or leave cap off. More common wth evap emission carb than efi small engines. But, can still happen.
-Water in gas, even with stabil, even with non-ethanol. Happen alot less with non-ethanol, but still possible.
-Fuel sock dirty in tank or fuel filter dirty.
-Bad fuel pump relay, check voltage across pump while pumping. Usually a no flow intermittent issue. Can also check voltage drop from +DC in to switched +DC out, should be under 1/2 volt.
-Ground issue check voltage between pump and battery, should by about a 1/2 volt or less.
-offroad vehicles.... Fuel line damaged from rock or stick in the trail i the wrong place. Same with wiring too.
-mice.......... Messes with our machines and our trees........ They seem to have a real affinity for snowmobile wiring.......

Check for quality of spark as well. Pull wire and put a test plug in. should see a good spark. weak spark causes problems.

Mice in the wrong spot can be issues too. nests in the muffler or air cleaner.

If you think its the fuel pump, see how it i to get to the fuel pump. Put the cheap one in as a test. Still do the fuel flow test as before to see if it gets better. Pumps often just dont work, not common for a stock vehicle to have fuel flow issues related to the pump itself. Poor flow is often filters.

Again, poor running vehicle will foul plugs in literally a minute... While you figure this out, you may need to clean plugs two or three times.

Even when you "fixed" the problem, you can still have bad fuel in the lines going to the injectors and residual soot. Sometimes takes a minute or two and a final plug clean to get it all fixed up, even in efi world. I had a nasty time with a 1959 mercedes with mechanical fuel injection at my old european car repair job in the late 90's. Literally cleaned plugs a dozen times till we figured out the problem.

You didn't winterize this vehicle with storage oil? If putting fogging oil in, I spray the stuff in the intake lightly, spin the engine, pull the plugs, spray the cylinders, then clean the old plugs with carb cleaner to remove oil. IF I want new plugs the following year, I run the engine until the exhaust is clean, then put new plugs in.

 

[White Oak]

If you flow look ok, pump the entire tank out and put fresh gas in there. Remebr with fuel issues, you still have crappy fuel in the injector lines possibly, and you will foul plugs on a bad running engine.

Common fuel system problems.

-Tank breather issues. Creates vacuum in tank. Can be rust in the gas cap by the breather, crack or leave cap off. More common wth evap emission carb than efi small engines. But, can still happen.
-Water in gas, even with stabil, even with non-ethanol. Happen alot less with non-ethanol, but still possible.
-Fuel sock dirty in tank or fuel filter dirty.
-Bad fuel pump relay, check voltage across pump while pumping. Usually a no flow intermittent issue. Can also check voltage drop from +DC in to switched +DC out, should be under 1/2 volt.
-Ground issue check voltage between pump and battery, should by about a 1/2 volt or less.
-offroad vehicles.... Fuel line damaged from rock or stick in the trail i the wrong place. Same with wiring too.
-mice.......... Messes with our machines and our trees........ They seem to have a real affinity for snowmobile wiring.......

Check for quality of spark as well. Pull wire and put a test plug in. should see a good spark. weak spark causes problems.

Mice in the wrong spot can be issues too. nests in the muffler or air cleaner.

If you think its the fuel pump, see how it i to get to the fuel pump. Put the cheap one in as a test. Still do the fuel flow test as before to see if it gets better. Pumps often just dont work, not common for a stock vehicle to have fuel flow issues related to the pump itself. Poor flow is often filters.

Again, poor running vehicle will foul plugs in literally a minute... While you figure this out, you may need to clean plugs two or three times.

Even when you "fixed" the problem, you can still have bad fuel in the lines going to the injectors and residual soot. Sometimes takes a minute or two and a final plug clean to get it all fixed up, even in efi world. I had a nasty time with a 1959 mercedes with mechanical fuel injection at my old european car repair job in the late 90's. Literally cleaned plugs a dozen times till we figured out the problem.

You didn't winterize this vehicle with storage oil? If putting fogging oil in, I spray the stuff in the intake lightly, spin the engine, pull the plugs, spray the cylinders, then clean the old plugs with carb cleaner to remove oil. IF I want new plugs the following year, I run the engine until the exhaust is clean, then put new plugs in.

Thanks. I read too many bad reviews about the cheap $18 - $25 Ebay / Amazon fuel pumps , some lasted hours, or a couple days or 6 months. I ended up buying the expensive Kawasaki pump from the dealer. I really can't complain , the original pump lasted 18 years... I put the new pump on and a new Fuel Filter , Hastings GF95 and it fired right up. I always add Stabil to the gas I put in the Mule....a Guy at a Different Kawasaki Dealer Parts Dept told Me NOT to use Stabil and wanted to sell me a bottle of something else and thought maybe I didn't need a pump. Glad I didn't take his advice and just bought a new pump. I've never "winterized" the Mule it gets driven year round...the only down time it sees is during Hunting season....say late Oct to Mid Dec. I think this year I will start it at least once a week during hunting season..

 

[bigboreblr]

Glad you got it running. If you need a fuel pump walbro make good powersport fuel pumps. delphi makes pumps too. Sometimes small motors share the same pumps as cars do.

 

[buckdeer1]

Quit using stabil, At the Fire Dept we used to use in generators etc every winter and start having gaskets and stuff falling apart and plugging stuff so we switched to sea foam and no more issues

 

[Kooch]

Quit using stabil, At the Fire Dept we used to use in generators etc every winter and start having gaskets and stuff falling apart and plugging stuff so we switched to sea foam and no more issues

We’ve used Lucas Oil fuel treatment forever and are happy with it. Every tank of gas gets a dose of it before it ever goes in a machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[White Oak]

Quit using stabil, At the Fire Dept we used to use in generators etc every winter and start having gaskets and stuff falling apart and plugging stuff so we switched to sea foam and no more issues

I've never had a single problem using stabil....been using it over 25 years in vintage cars....and probably at least 15 years in my 2005 Kawasaki mule , and NEVER had a gasket or carb issue with the mule . All I did was change out the original fuel pump , and really can't complain if I got 18 years out of it.

 

[White Oak]

Glad you got it running. If you need a fuel pump walbro make good powersport fuel pumps. delphi makes pumps too. Sometimes small motors share the same pumps as cars do.

Yeah I looked into those , if you have a mechanical ability they are the way to go...but you need to do modifications . For me the original part was the simplest just remove and replace

 

[bigboreblr]

I use non-ethanol in all my small engines. I use stabil in them too no problems. Likely overkill.

I sold my 2020 skidoo grand touring 600 ace. Kinda kick myself, but we arent renting a cabin at a campground for the winter anymore. I drive a 2010 polaris 600 touring 2 stroke with 10,000 miles. Reliability is really on my mind.

Want a UTV, but NY isn't too open with public trail systems. There is one by my camp, but get sucked into habitat work too much. Snowmobiling means I got to use that nasty cabin at the club, or shell out $$$$ for hotels. Little torn what way to go. Hug river by my home, should really get a bigger boat.