50cc Electric Start Problems

[cwallace]

Hi my names Wallace and I've been reading this forum for a while now, fixing up my 50cc Roketa using the advice on here.

First a little background. I bought the moped used, I believe its a 2008, with 1400 miles. I payed $100. When I arrived for the test drive it started when the guy used the electric start, and I got to the end of his drive way when it died. I had to buy a new battery, and the scooter would not kick or electric start, and none of the lights or horn or anything worked.

I was able to kick start it after I cleaned the carb, but it would only run for about 30 seconds. I adjusted the valve clearance and now it stays running and even goes a little faster than the 40mph limit on its speedometer. I was also able to jerry rig the lights up and get all my turn signals lights and horn to work. Somehow I broke the kickstart, all of a sudden it just stopped working all together. I took off the cover where the CVT belt is and looked at the teeth and none of them seem to be damaged, and I cant see any reason for them not to be catching, but whatever.

Now when I got the electric semi-working, when you hit the electric starter it would just kind of whine. Or it would just give you one little click. But Lo and behold, and walk outside one morning, hit the electric start and it fires right up, and continues to work without a problem for several days.

Which brings us to now. All of a sudden, my starter has gone back to just whining (which when i say that i mean its spinning but not engaging), or just giving that click. I took the starter off so I could see it, and when I hold it against say the carburetor it spins every time, but when im not manually grounding it like that its iffy, But it should be grounded when its bolted on right? Another reason I thought it might be, is that maybe the little gear that the starter spins that gets your CVT going isnt shooting out and catching like it should, but I cant confirm because everytime I try and use it without the CVT belt cover on it works. IT actually spun off track yesterday and i had to get it back straight.


So sorry for the wall of text on my first post, just wanted to make sure you all had as much info as possible. Appreciate your time and advice.
-Wallace

[cwallace]

Any ideas?

[cwallace]

Okay so i just took the CTV belt cover off so I could see the gear spin when I hit the electric start, its spinning about 1/4 of a turn and then stopping, and its not coming out far enough to catch the big gear, the issue has to be electrical right?

[Fox]

Put the cover back on and then cross the two poles on the starter relay with something metal like a wrench or a screwdriver to see if the starter will spin stronger if you bypass the relay. The key does not have to be in the ON position for this test. It will spark a little when you do it. No big deal. If the starter spins strong and cranks the engine every time you cross the relay poles, then the relay is weak/going bad. It's a cheap part. Ebay: "scooter gy6 starter relay"

[cwallace]

Hi thanks for the responding. I've actualll had to do this before when the electric start stopped working at friends house, and after about 15 mins of trying it cranked up. But when I cross the relay using my screwdriver, it sparks like you said but does not crank the engine. Its basically the same effect as holding the button

[cwallace]

Okay Well I just went out and did it and noticed something, the starter ALWAYS spins if I cross the relay as you suggested, whereas sometimes it only gives a little click using the button, but the gear is still not out far enough to catch the big gear. Is the smaller dear that spins using the starter supposed to be behind the big gear? Mine is just a lil farther back than the big one, should i pull it forward?
It will move back and forth

[Fox]

That gear is called the bendix. It's designed so that it moves out to engage the drive face when the starter is turning and retracts when you release the button. It may be bad or gunked up. See if you can wiggle it out of the engine without removing the drive face. I can do it on my 50. Once you have it in your hands turn the gears on it in opposite directions and you'll see how it works. I spray them out with WD40 real good, towel dry, then I put a dab of grease in the engine side and the belt cover bushings the bendix spins in.
Bendix:



Bushing:




I think maybe you have a weak battery from all the tinkering and a failing relay. Charge the battery all the way full and then cross the relay poles.

[cwallace]

Well the battery is about a week old, I put it on a trickle charge all last nite and it is fully charged, still the bendix is not shooting out to meet the larger gear, ill try to get it out and clean it now.

[cwallace]

Well i cant get it out without removing the larger gear, but i was able to spray it down real good with wd-40, and i can get my hand in there enough to dry it off, its just not enough clearance to pull it all the way off, but i can get behind it. Still no shooting out

[mainepeace]

Double check all the grounds. If it ALWAYS spins when you jump the solenoid terminals, the solenoid or the starter switch is bad.

The Bendix may need a bit of grease. Nothing liquid, and not too much that will spray all over the inside of the case. Just a tiny dab of white lithium grease or even axle grease between the covers, not on the gears.

Greg