(Help again) Vogue trike 150cc stalls out

[savy09]

So this thursday 8am I set out for E. Hampton, got as far east as wading river about 25 min. 40+-50 mph and again engine just quits. wait about 5 minutes and engine starts, go about 5 miles further and the same thing. I turned back thru wading river and after doing some hilly areas 20-25 mins. quits again. Starts after a couple of mins. and I get home. Try to start and nothing, no crank, nothing. I put a charge on the battery 20mins. and starts right up. Something is draining the battery I guess i'm running and the battery isn't charging, tho meter is showing a charge. Is it the kill switch? the starter switch? a bad battery? I did notice the engine seal burned partly away by the bottom of exhaust muffler. Think that is causing an overheat problem? Or is it all electrical. need help guys.

(original thread)
So this a.m. I ride 20 miles to VA/Northport smooth ride no problems. The afternoon I leave the VA and I'm only a mile down the hilly road, I hear a little blowback as I de-accelerate for a stop sign.
I'm cruising at 35-40 mph and engine stalls out. Waited about 5-7 minutes and cranked starter 4-5 times and it starts right up. rode 20 miles, and within view of my apartment complex it stalls out again. Same scenario, I get it home and I think its an electrical problem, either faulty CDI, ignition wire, plug, or something electrical overheating ?
Do these gy6 150cc engines shut down if they start to overheat?
What else should I check?

It happened twice riding back from Queens at around the same approximate miles.
thanks, Savy

[savy09]

Thanks Wile,
I'll check the obvious things first... making the VA trip again this am.

p.s.I didn't mention when I picked scooter up in queens, I put 89 octane instead of 90+hi test. Put a tank of 90+ in before the VA trip, checked fuel line and filter, sprayed carb cleaner thru filter into carb.
(My Vespa mechanic friend says the 90+ octane isn't necessary, 87octane is just as good)

[Parker2100]

I am having very minor popping noises at deaccel also. I figure it is that I put to much carb cleaner in the gas tank. I am also using 87 Octane gas when my manual says I should be using Premium.

Thanks for the tip wile. I will have to check the flange as I expect, via our previous conversations, to have some issues with that in the future. I did check my vacuum lines and air filter and nothing obvious pops out at me.

I now have 22 miles on it the new Viking.

[savy09]

Checked the plug and it was running lean, increased the the idle, and its running fine.
checked muffler flange and all is tite, checked air filter for any leaks none found. rode scooter for about 20 minutes and no more popping on decellerating. no more backfire. Will do the valve check next week inthe hamptons. thanks again Wile, my vespa friend says hi test doesn't help gy6 engine performance. any more than 87? I may have stirred up some crud in the tank upon fill up that got into the carb, put more carb cleaner sprayed in thru filter --savy

[skuttadawg]

Stalling just before coming to a stop ? The valves need adjusting as that what my Echarm did as they were open too far . Most get where they do not open enough and make it hard or no start .

Popping when slowing down is a lean misfire simply put in a larger main jet . Running lean will make it run hotter and risk engine damage

[savy09]

The final fix: changed the wire on my plug after finding the socket fit over the plug was not snapiping on for a tight fit. That and I found my studs on my exhaust pipe to manafold almost off and missing the hexnuts.wtf ! That had to be causing the over heat problem, and the loose contact caused the popping and stalling.

[wiredgeorge]

Some good info and some, well, not so good. The issue with valves and loose exhaust will cause a lean condition and you will get backfiring. The business about regular gas vs high test. Use what the manufacturer recommends. The reason you have different "grades" of gas is the amount of octane added. Octane is added to retard combustion; that is, to slow it down. When you have higher compression engines, they tend to pre-ignite if you don't retard combustion. If you get pre-igntion, you can damage a piston crown. This problem can also be addressed by retarding ignition timing but that negates the power and economy advantages of higher compression. I don't know what compression the scooter engines have but on a motorcycle with 11:1 compression, 93 octane is generally needed. The size and shape of the combustion chamber also affects the need for a certain grade of gas. The small and hemispherical chamber on a Vulcan 1500 requires 93 octane AND retarding the ignition timing if the compression is 10.5:1, for instance. Anyway, a mid-70s KZ900 has 8.7:1 compression and runs BEST on regular 87 octane gas. If you run 93 octane in a lower compression KZ900, it actually runs poorly and will foul plugs as combustion isn't optimal. One thing to keep in mind is that the additive packages added to various grade are the best in Premium (aka high test). This adds to the cost and is probably the oil company's attempt to justify the much greater cost of hi-test fuel.

Last point... if you have issues starting, keep in mind that the hole in the pilot jet on these scooters is small. You may need to take the pilot jet out and clean it or better replace with a genuine Keihin 424-16 type slow jet (probably size 35; check your current slow jet). The mixture screw controls the amount of air going in to the carb to mix with the gas being supplied by the slow jet. Turning the slow jet clockwise richens the mixture. I find that mine is best set at about 1 3/4 turns out from lightly seated. I can't figure out a way to easily adjust the screw and it is probably best to remove the air duct from the filter and adjust 1/4 turn at a time (check for idle speed) after replacing the duct. If your bike was running great and suddenly starts falling on its face when you open the throttle all the way, the main jet has fallen out OR the duct has come loose on one end or the other; usually on the air filter side. This causes the bike to run very lean at wide open throttle. Some have suggested running a pod filter (I think a 42mm ID filter would be right) and rejetting. Don't know what jet is in my 150cc as it isn't market but the slow jet is marked #35.