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Post by waterboysh on Dec 24, 2012 12:54:46 GMT -5
The last couple of times I've ridden my new scooter it's had an issue with cold starts. It'll not be responsive to throttle for about the first minute and would hardly go and even act like it wants to die, but I'm in the very back of my apartments, and by the time I putted to the entrance it would be fine and responsive again.
Well, today I was going to go on a short little drive and I can't get the scooter to stay cranked for more than 10 - 15 seconds. It got me about halfway to the entrance and then died on me. After 4 more attempts to get going I decided to just push it back so I wasn't draining the battery.
It's under warranty, but the scooter store is closed for the holidays until Jan 7th. Any suggestions for small easy things I can try before I wait 2 weeks for them to fix it? I have some SeaFoam and I think I'm going to add a little to the gas and see if it helps any. I want to learn about the engine of the scooter, but I want to avoid anything that will void my warranty, so until next November I'll only be doing small things myself.
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Post by inuyasha on Dec 24, 2012 13:06:45 GMT -5
Hi
How many miles on her? it may be time to adjust the valves
Take care and ride safely
Yours Hank
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Post by waterboysh on Dec 24, 2012 13:15:17 GMT -5
Just over 100
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Post by waterboysh on Dec 24, 2012 13:51:02 GMT -5
Well, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the Sea Foam didn't help. I added a cap full to the gas and it cranked up and went a little at first, but it still died before I could make it to the entrance of the apartment. Something else that may be of concern, but I have no idea if it is or not and especially if it could be causing this particular problem, is that the box that holds my air filter has a hole in it. I have no idea what caused it, but there are a ton of squirrels here and I think one of them decided to gnaw on the air box. It has was looks to me like teeth marks on it. Here are two pictures of it. Could this be allowing to much air in? |
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Post by tortoise on Dec 24, 2012 14:10:11 GMT -5
Might try accessing the carb via the tub door, twisting up the vent tube, and spraying a little carb cleaner in with the carb bowl gas. This gas and cleaner mixture may help clear any obstructions in the internal fuel passageways.  |
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Post by waterboysh on Dec 24, 2012 16:58:20 GMT -5
I fixed it. Turns out it was the carb. I think there was some water in there that came in through the hole in the picture I posted above. I drained the gas from the carb and after that it fired up just fine and I drove to the end of the neighborhood and back twice just to make sure it wasn't about to die on me again. It went back to how it usually acts; being a bit unresponsive for a minute until it warms up, but then seemed to be fine afterwards. Next time I'm near the auto parts store I'm going to pick up some carb cleaner and spray a little in anyway. Thanks Tortoise for helping me realize it was the carb.
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Post by qwertydude on Dec 24, 2012 20:45:40 GMT -5
100 miles it's time to check on those valves.
Also it might be a good idea to adjust the idle mix. They're often set too lean from the factory making cold starts and cold idling difficult. Problem too is they often come with a brass cap that needs to be pulled off to gain access to the idle mix screw. That picture posted above shows the left side of the carb, the brass screw is the idle mix.
You adjust it by having a fully warmed up scooter then you turn it all the way in til it stops. Don't force it though. Then you slowly turn it out listening for the idle speed. As you turn it out the idle speed will increase, then eventually it'll start to slow down. As soon as it starts slowing down turn it back in until it reaches max speed again. Then after that adjust the idle speed so it's stable and the scooter doesn't crawl forward.
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Post by waterboysh on Jan 6, 2013 13:46:57 GMT -5
Ok, so I thought I had fixed it but I'm having the same issue again. My dad thinks the carb float is stuck based off what I told him over the phone. The first time I crank the scooter, it will stay idling for around 1 - 2 minutes before dying. After that, if I immediately crank it back up, it will only idle for a few seconds before dying and giving it any gas causes it to stall immediately. If I leave the scooter and come back later the whole process starts over again and it'll crank up and go for a few minutes.
I live in FL, so it's not extremely cold, but we've been having some weather dip into the 50s lately, plus we've been having quite a bit of rain too. It definitely seems to be an issue more when it's cold.
I'll be taking it in for the scheduled first maintenance sometime this week - if it will stay cranked. I'll ask them if they can adjust the valves since it sounds like they'll need adjusting regardless.
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Post by waterboysh on Jan 6, 2013 23:23:44 GMT -5
Ok weird... I had typed out another reply and submitted it and it was showing up but now all of a sudden it's gone. Anyway, I succeeded earlier in getting it cranked and staying cranked. My dad has suggested tapping on the carb to unstick the float if that's the problem and after doing that I was able to get it cranked, but with difficulties. It cranked, but if I gave it much gas it'd die. If I gave it no gas and let it idle it'd die. So I sat there for almost 5 minutes baby sitting the throttle giving it just enough to not die, but not so much that it dies anyway. After about 5 minutes I was able to release the throttle and let it idle just fine. However, it still did what it's been doing lately and would only putt putt around at 10 mph for the next several minutes. Giving it any more gas than that it would become unresponsive and start to die. Finally though, and all of a sudden, it was like the engine decided," ok, I'm done warming up. Lets go!" and I was able to go just fine to the gas station and back.
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Post by waterboysh on Jan 15, 2013 4:06:06 GMT -5
Alright, here is the latest update on this. I took it to the dealer because it was due for it's first maintenance anyway. They changed the motor and gear oil and gave it a general inspection. I told them about the issue with it wanting to die on cold starts without me baby sitting the throttle. They said that as the engine breaks in, the idle usually needs adjusting a little, and they'll take a look at it. Well I got the scoot back from them and the increased idle seems to help (I think, it's only been a day), but I think they went way overboard on the amount they increased it. I could feel it inching forward when I was stopped in traffic, but not so much I had to really hold the brake; I could hold it with my feet, but I could still feel it. So when I got home I put it on the center stand and lifted the back wheel up and it was spinning like crazy. So tomorrow I'm going to go fiddle with it and try to get it where it needs to be. What is the proper way to do this? My scooter does not have a tachometer. Do I adjust it so that it's just under the threshold of making the rear tire spin? If the tire is spinning do I adjust the screw clockwise or counter-clockwise? Does this make the engine run at higher rpms other than idling? I ask because the engine seemed to run hotter from just the short ride I took home. I'm just judging it from the amount of popping and tinking that the metal makes as it starts to cool when I shut it off. There seemed to be more of it. That's all I have for now. Thanks for the help guys  |
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Post by scootnwinn on Jan 17, 2013 3:39:31 GMT -5
Did you get it fixed? Try turning it the engine will increase or decrease pretty much right away. I don't remember really it should be set somewhere around halfway between too slow to keep running and too fast for the wheel to not spin. Your owners manual should have that information...
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Post by waterboysh on Jan 17, 2013 15:18:41 GMT -5
Did you get it fixed? Try turning it the engine will increase or decrease pretty much right away. I don't remember really it should be set somewhere around halfway between too slow to keep running and too fast for the wheel to not spin. Your owners manual should have that information... Yes I did, kinda. Thanks for asking. I think they just didn't let it get hot enough before they adjusted the idle. When the engine was just warm, it idled fine, but when hot it was pulling me forward when at a stop. I rode it around and did some errands and then adjusted the idle when I got home. Now it doesn't want to idle from a cold start without me giving it some gas again. I figure it's probably better to have to spend 3 or 4 minutes with it on the center stand wiggling the idle a little bit till it warms up than it is for the idle to be way high once it gets hot. |
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 18:47:22 GMT -5
ALWAYS let that puppy warm up prior to riding so it can be a dawg
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