Scoot wont start after rain

[bunnii]

I went out this morning to go to class and saw it had rained. I didn't cover my scooter last night so I cleaned off the seat, started her up and she started just fine. I released the rear brake so I could turn her around to get ready to go and she idled out.

Usually this happens when it's cold and I try to open the throttle a little too soon but she always starts back up again. This time, no start. Got her up on the center stand (for time for me, yay accomplishment!) and tried kickstart. Nothing. The engine will turn over but she wont start.

I called the mechanic and their main guy is out till 1pm. The guy on the phone suggested fuel in the gas tank but she's been out in the rain before with no problem there. I checked the oil, and it's only coming to the very tip of the dipstick.

Could the low oil be causing this? I couldn't get the scooter open to check and see if there's water in the fuel like the mechanic suggested. I'm gonna call them back at 1 and see if there's anything else I can do troubleshooting wise.

Is there any way to get access to the gas line going to the carburetor to see if that's the problem?

My car died so the scooter is my only transportation till monday.

[scooterollie]

Oil level is not the cause of your problem though you may want to add a little to bring the level up to the middle of the dip stick.

Was it windy during the rain or a particularly hard rain? Could be that something got wet in this last rain that did not in previous rains. Only time will tell when things dry out. Some others have experienced the same thing.

[bunnii]

I have removed every bolt, screw, and body panel I can think of and cannot get that seat off O.O I feel like an idiot having to have my mechanic make a house call cause it's not like I can have my scooter towed. Anyone know where I can buy an inexpensive trailer for the next time something screws up? Luckily the guy who does the work for me had business near by to begin with, but normally he's about an hour away.

[bunnii]

scooterollie said:

Oil level is not the cause of your problem though you may want to add a little to bring the level up to the middle of the dip stick.

Was it windy during the rain or a particularly hard rain? Could be that something got wet in this last rain that did not in previous rains. Only time will tell when things dry out. Some others have experienced the same thing.

I dunno, I was sleeping >.<

I'm proud of myself for finally getting her on the center stand, at least. I wish I'd covered her up at last night.

[bunnii]

...scooter started after giving it 15-20 minutes to dry out. Any idea what could have caused the whole ordeal?

[rerun2]

Wet air filter, you got a monsoon there last night!! I watched it on TV News, you got SOAKED! 35mph wind gusts too, so yeah, you got wet!

[jusdoit]

Hey Miss Bunnii;
Now that we are in fall & winter, cover your scoot overnite...EVERY NITE...to avoid the heavy dew from now til spring. You gotta have it covered, nite & day if rain is possible. Mine kinda "sputtered" at first start-up today...about 1 p.m. after sun came out. I appears that extreme dampness just gets to them a bit.
Have a Good One.........just "Bob" in Garner

[swampsniper]

I don't use a cover, around here they just concentrate the humidity that comes up out of the ground. A scooter sitting in the yard, with a cover, is sitting in a steambath. Get everything dried out, on a sunny, dry day, and start sealing stuff, with liquid electric tape. Yeah, anytime I suggest this, someone comes along, and accuses me of selling the stuff, but I don't, LOL
If I was tempted to use a cover I would want a water vapor proof barrier under the scooter, the problem isn't rain as much as it is ground moisture.

[pseizure2000]

if this is a newer bike could be the battery if it was the one that came with it. let it charge overnight on a trickle charger

[bunnii]

Mine sits out in the parking lot. I covered her while I was away from the weekend. she's been fine since thursday afternoon. Had a slow start this morning (one idle out and then she started right back up again and was fine...she apparently needs two to really get going in the cold. is that normal?)

I should probably invest in a better cover. Definately gonna start putting the cover on if at all there's a chance of rain in the future, though. And she'll be covered when I'm home on break next week. Maybe i'll park her next to the motorcycle across the lot. They can commune while I'm at home eating way too much.

[swampsniper]

bunnii said:

Mine sits out in the parking lot. I covered her while I was away from the weekend. she's been fine since thursday afternoon. Had a slow start this morning (one idle out and then she started right back up again and was fine...she apparently needs two to really get going in the cold. is that normal?)

I should probably invest in a better cover. Definately gonna start putting the cover on if at all there's a chance of rain in the future, though. And she'll be covered when I'm home on break next week. Maybe i'll park her next to the motorcycle across the lot. They can commune while I'm at home eating way too much.

You can try opening the mixture just a tad and increasing the idle speed.

[vukarob]

try spraying some DWF or Q20 into your spark plug cap , that gets rid of any humidity there .

[bunnii]

what mixture? Did I mention I still can't figure out how to get the engine, cause I can't. I'm gonna have my mechanic show me when I get it serviced next so that this does not happen again without me being able to at least look around and see if anything seems off.

[tieso]

My scooter now only works off the generator. The regulator, or ignition switch, messed up after riding in light rain because both of the components are directly exposed by the front vents.

I haven't tested them yet, but I checked the entire wiring system and all other components.

I thought my scooter was dead when nothing came on when I switched it on; nothing lit up or turned over. I kick started it though and everything lit up, the lights just dim when braking and at low RPM, and the turn signals don't blink, they just stay lit till I flip them off.

May want to open up the dash and check those, or check ground connections. At least the batter should light up some LCD. It goes through the regulator. Sounds like a ground wire though, cause these electrical systems are fairly simple, just a pain to test the components.

[bunnii]

My battery is definitely fine because when I turn the ignition on, the gas guage goes back up and my lights come on.

However, it rained again this weekend and yesterday morning and I went out, took the cover off (I've been making sure to keep her covered) and nothing. I held the switch for about four seconds and nothing. I popped her up on the center stand (still proud for finally being able to do that) and she wouldn't start, kickstart didn't work.

After about ten minutes I put her back down, pressed the ignition again and at second 5 she started up. she idled out, but started on second 3 the next time, idled out, but I finally got her going. Went by the gas station, filled her up cause she always runs better on full and she wouldn't start again. After about 20 minutes of "what the bad word is wrong with you arrrrggg!" and looking to be sure nothing was leaking, she started up again (after 5 seconds holding the ignition switch). This seems to happen only when it's cold and wet, not when it's warm and wet (or at least didn't the first week when it was warm and wet) or when it's just cold.

Ideas? I was thinking maybe the spark plug is getting wet but I still cant' get to the engine. I'm going to take a picture of the obstacle that prevents my getting to the engine in a while.

I'm taking her in after my exams but they don't end till the 15th, so it'll be a little while. She started up fine this morning since it was dry and reasonably warm.

[bunnii]

vukarob said:

try spraying some DWF or Q20 into your spark plug cap , that gets rid of any humidity there .

I'm thinking this may be the answer but what is DWF (or Q20 for that matter) and I'm still trying to figure out how to get the seat out. It should not be this hard...

[WarrenS]

He's from South Africa. Here we have WD-40. I believe that is what he was talking about.

[swampsniper]

Take a look at your handlebar switch housings. See the little seam on top? Water can enter there. It doesn't take much to ground out your ignition. It doesn't take a dead short. When you are starting a cold engine you need all the spark you can get.
Take a syringe full of water, start your engine, then squirt water into the top seam over the kill switch, and see what happens.

[bunnii]

swampsniper said:

Take a look at your handlebar switch housings. See the little seam on top? Water can enter there. It doesn't take much to ground out your ignition. It doesn't take a dead short. When you are starting a cold engine you need all the spark you can get.
Take a syringe full of water, start your engine, then squirt water into the top seam over the kill switch, and see what happens.

...I'm not sure that's the most fun idea ever. although I guess it cant' cause any damage more than rain water would.

The scooter was covered through the entire rain, though, and when I removed the cover, it was all dry (at least the outside). Would condensation cause that much of a problem there? It seems like condensation would most effect things closer to the ground (but that could be just my brain working in a weird way).

I may try this water thing...or maybe i could just make sure she's all dried out and seal it off and see if that helps instead? How hard is this liquid electric tape to get off?

[swampsniper]

The liquid tape will peel of easily, but sticks until then. Make sure there is no grease or oil where you apply it.