1989 VT1100C - Max Performance Kit Install and New aftermarket Fuel Pump woes


  • Good afternoon Brutal Team,

    I purchase a 1989 Honda Shadow VT1100C that had been sitting for about a decade. The fuel system was absolutely trashed, so I had to do the standard clean of tank, fuel lines, carbureator, and fuel pump. 

    Since I was already inside the carb, I decided to buy the Max Performance kit, deleted the air box, added velocity stacks, rejetted the carb, and installed the unrestricted exahust pipes from this website. 

    Unfortunately, the OEM fuel pump was trashed beyond repair and I cannot find a replacement with all four wires and the integrated relay. I attempted to use a three-wire fuel pump, but I am struggling with the wiring. 

    It will not start from the start switch.  It will start on ether, but will run even with the kill cut-off engaged. 

    1) Does anyone know where I could get the OEM if necessary, or

    2) Does anyone have a step by step wiring guide for going switching from the OEM pump to an aftermarket?  

    I did search the forums before posting but could not find anything.

    Grateful for any and all help.

    v/r,

    Matt Kline

    Bossier City - Louisiana



  • @Matthew Kline have you tried just running from the tank straigh to the carbs, completely bypassing the pump? 


  • @TJ ,

    Thank you for responding! I have tried that once, but I used a much longer hose than was necessary for sure, and it traveled through the area under the air box that the pump normally sits in (before I deleted the entire air box, of course). Needless to say, that didn't work.

     With that in mind, here is the set up on my bike; as you probably know, the petcocks sits lower than the inlet for the carb, and I was concerned that a gravity feed wasn't going to work in this case. I will attempt the shortest and smallest slope I can do. Other than that, any advice? 


  • @Matthew Kline its not technically gravity moving the fuel, its the weight of the fuel in the tank pressing down due to gravity, that will push the fuel up to the carbs. if youve got a kink in there, it will prevent fuel flow so be mindful of that!


  • @TJ Right! Glad to hear that that small rise won't be a problem. 

    If there was a video on this already, I failed to find it, so what do we do with the black, green, and Blue/Yellow wire that previously ran to the fuel pump? Can we just leave them disconnected, or do we need to close the circuit (mainly looking at the Black and Bu/Y here) to make sure the ICM gets the signal it needs to fire the ignition coils. 

    Thank you for your time and help, learning to do fun shit!


  • @Matthew Kline ive never reconnected the fuel pumps after disconnection. i think youll be ok, but if you have any issues let us know here! with pics! 


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