Fixing your scooter.
If you own a scooter and cannot get it to start-up, you know how absolutely frustrating this can be. If you find you are in this position keep with us for effective tips and insight.
Check to see whether your exhaust pipe is blocked. Two stroke scooters are especially susceptible to this problem. Over time, carbon and the unburned fuel and oil mixture form up and clog the exhaust pipe. Blockages in the exhaust pipe will adversely impact the performance of your scooter, or cause it to not run at all. It is not easy to say whether the exhaust pipe is congested. Removing it and starting the scooter is the easiest way to tell if it is bunged or not. The sound may be a little loud - two strokes may resound like a chain saw. If the scooter runs now that the exhaust is removed, you know where the problem will be found.
Think back to when you drained the old gas. How old was it? Did the petrol have an old smell? petrol in a scooter left idle for a year or so will transform into a varnish-like substance. Then you have a lot of cleaning to do. The gas will commonly evaporate, imparting a sludgy, substance in the gas tank,petcock, fuel line and carb that is like to molassas. Completely flush the gas tank and lines with new gas.
If the gas tank is not too corroded or filthy, it may be ok to simply flush it out. Now put in some new gas. However, if you aren't sure how old the petrol is, (even if it smells all right), drain the gas reservoir, carburetor float bowl, and fuel lines,and restock with fresh petrol. Some time ago I worked on an Hond 50 with quite clean-smelling gas. I could make it go with starting fluid, but I couldn't do it with existing gas. At last I had to drain out all the old gas and top it up with new gas. After that, the scooter started at once and ran well.
Take the fuel and vacuum lines from the petcock to the carb. Put an appropriate receptacle beneath the fuel line, and draw air on the vacuum line to the petcock, (if equipped with one), and witness how well the petrol flows. There should be sufficient flow. A dribble is not good enough. If you are able to get this flow, then you are alright. Flush the system by running a minimum of a pint of gas through it. If there is still no flow, it possibly means your petcock is bunged. You will need to take it out and take it to pieces to clean it. Return it with attention on the gas tank or the gas might leak. start the scooter after repairing everything. The gas needs a few seconds of cranking to make its way from the gas tank to the carb. If you are fluky, it may start up right away.
If you still have troubles at this point try the following. install a new spark plug, particularly if it is a two stroke engine. The air filter should be cleaned or replaced when necessary. The carb, air cleaner, and exhaust system should all be inspected and adjusted to work together. If you change any of these items randomly or haphazardly, most scooters will not run correctly.
Check all the connections again. After that, turn over the engine for 10-15 seconds. Is it activated? Do you hear any popping sounds, as though the engine is attempting to run? Do not concern the throttle while cranking; many scooters do not start when you do this. In general, for Honda scooters if you utilize thethrottle just when the engine catches, they tend to fire-up easier. virtually all Yamaha scooters have to warm up awhile before you can use the throttle. If it seems the scooter is catching, but still will not start, stay about fifteen seconds and try again.
If the speedometer is not effective, it's typically because the speedometer cable is crushed. check it about 5-6 inches from its link at the front wheel. This is typically where it breaks because of the twist in the cable and being vulnerable to the elements such as water and dirt close to the front wheel. New speedometer cables are inexpensive (generally under $20) and you can trade them easily.
Now inspect the center stand of your scooter. Getting it parked on this stand can be demanding unless you practice. It's all in the technique. Even the center stand of a large motorcycle can be deployed by a small person if correct method is followed.
Now you are ready to drive and may wish to know how to raise the top speed of your scooter. This question is asked most often about the 50cc scooters, but also can be asked about the better scooters as well. The real queston that is of most importance is, how much money are you disposed to spend? If you own a 50cc, and you desire the top rate to jump from 25 mph to 50 mph, you might want to think simply ofbuying a superior scooter. As you increase the acceleration, you will notice that the brakes, suspension, and frame are not up to par. It is somewhat expensive to trade all the parts. If you merely want a little better speed, modifications to your 50cc scooter's carburetor, exhaust pipe, and the variator may result in augmented performance. possibly you can get a big bore kit and this will lift the engine displacement from 50cc to approximately 70cc.
Generally, adding a performance clutch or performance variator is the easiest thing to do. They may present you with better acceleration and/or advanced speed.
You can also attain a new performance carb, a new exhaust pipe or both. These two components (and possibly the air box) would need to be changed together for optimal performance. mostly, the engine is an air pump. You get more power when you move more air through the engine. By adding a better carburetor, you will draw more air and more fuel into the engine. By not changing the air box, you are restricting the total of added air. You also restrict the total of air out of the engine if you fail to trade the exhaust pipe with one that is either superior or freer flowing. Additionally, also changing the carburetor changes the fuel to air ratio inside the engine. The changes that you make may or may not be liked by your engine. For example, the new carb should give you more top end power, but may lead to starting troubles or the performance might be good at low RPMs but modest at higher ones. It can be hard work to tune your scooter to get the best performance. attempt to obtain a kit that includes a carb, air box and an exhaust pipe that are all planned for your scooter. It will make things much less demanding. finally, use the big bore kit. This will increase the torque and acceleration, but will not enhance the top speed unless gearing modifications are made. There aren't very many performance parts for large scooters readily available in the United States (except for certain new scooters).
Still want more performance? You can try some of the additional tweaks to additionally improve your gas scooter. You can try to get another drive belt. This will give you a little gain on the mph; new belts ride higher in the pulleys. You can also amend your roller weights (you can use heavier rollers for more top speed), adjust your valves, try a new air filter, and keep your tires pumped correctly.
Next check your idle. Is it too high? This can be caused by a throttle cable that is too tense or not routed correctly. It could also suggest that you need to twist the idle screw on the carb the reverse direction ~1/4 turn. A vacuum leak may also be a grounds for a high idle. The rubber manifold connecting the carb and the cylinder head may break after a while. try to start the engine and spray some water around the carb, manifold and vacuum hoses. If there is a reduction in the idle, it means that there is a vacuum leak somewhere.
Finally, one last thing to ponder is elevation. This may not happen very frequently, but it's good to know anyhow. Your scooter will have trouble getting enough air at heights above 4000 feet. You will need to place a lesser main jet in the carburetor. A good decree to track is to decrease the size of the main jet by about 10 percent, and then see if that helps performance.
Hopefully these tips will help you enjoy your scooter for years to come. Don't give up, contact us if you have further questions.
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If you own a scooter and cannot get it to start-up, you know how absolutely frustrating this can be. If you find you are in this position keep with us for effective tips and insight.
Check to see whether your exhaust pipe is blocked. Two stroke scooters are especially susceptible to this problem. Over time, carbon and the unburned fuel and oil mixture form up and clog the exhaust pipe. Blockages in the exhaust pipe will adversely impact the performance of your scooter, or cause it to not run at all. It is not easy to say whether the exhaust pipe is congested. Removing it and starting the scooter is the easiest way to tell if it is bunged or not. The sound may be a little loud - two strokes may resound like a chain saw. If the scooter runs now that the exhaust is removed, you know where the problem will be found.
Think back to when you drained the old gas. How old was it? Did the petrol have an old smell? petrol in a scooter left idle for a year or so will transform into a varnish-like substance. Then you have a lot of cleaning to do. The gas will commonly evaporate, imparting a sludgy, substance in the gas tank,petcock, fuel line and carb that is like to molassas. Completely flush the gas tank and lines with new gas.
If the gas tank is not too corroded or filthy, it may be ok to simply flush it out. Now put in some new gas. However, if you aren't sure how old the petrol is, (even if it smells all right), drain the gas reservoir, carburetor float bowl, and fuel lines,and restock with fresh petrol. Some time ago I worked on an Hond 50 with quite clean-smelling gas. I could make it go with starting fluid, but I couldn't do it with existing gas. At last I had to drain out all the old gas and top it up with new gas. After that, the scooter started at once and ran well.
Take the fuel and vacuum lines from the petcock to the carb. Put an appropriate receptacle beneath the fuel line, and draw air on the vacuum line to the petcock, (if equipped with one), and witness how well the petrol flows. There should be sufficient flow. A dribble is not good enough. If you are able to get this flow, then you are alright. Flush the system by running a minimum of a pint of gas through it. If there is still no flow, it possibly means your petcock is bunged. You will need to take it out and take it to pieces to clean it. Return it with attention on the gas tank or the gas might leak. start the scooter after repairing everything. The gas needs a few seconds of cranking to make its way from the gas tank to the carb. If you are fluky, it may start up right away.
If you still have troubles at this point try the following. install a new spark plug, particularly if it is a two stroke engine. The air filter should be cleaned or replaced when necessary. The carb, air cleaner, and exhaust system should all be inspected and adjusted to work together. If you change any of these items randomly or haphazardly, most scooters will not run correctly.
Check all the connections again. After that, turn over the engine for 10-15 seconds. Is it activated? Do you hear any popping sounds, as though the engine is attempting to run? Do not concern the throttle while cranking; many scooters do not start when you do this. In general, for Honda scooters if you utilize thethrottle just when the engine catches, they tend to fire-up easier. virtually all Yamaha scooters have to warm up awhile before you can use the throttle. If it seems the scooter is catching, but still will not start, stay about fifteen seconds and try again.
If the speedometer is not effective, it's typically because the speedometer cable is crushed. check it about 5-6 inches from its link at the front wheel. This is typically where it breaks because of the twist in the cable and being vulnerable to the elements such as water and dirt close to the front wheel. New speedometer cables are inexpensive (generally under $20) and you can trade them easily.
Now inspect the center stand of your scooter. Getting it parked on this stand can be demanding unless you practice. It's all in the technique. Even the center stand of a large motorcycle can be deployed by a small person if correct method is followed.
Now you are ready to drive and may wish to know how to raise the top speed of your scooter. This question is asked most often about the 50cc scooters, but also can be asked about the better scooters as well. The real queston that is of most importance is, how much money are you disposed to spend? If you own a 50cc, and you desire the top rate to jump from 25 mph to 50 mph, you might want to think simply ofbuying a superior scooter. As you increase the acceleration, you will notice that the brakes, suspension, and frame are not up to par. It is somewhat expensive to trade all the parts. If you merely want a little better speed, modifications to your 50cc scooter's carburetor, exhaust pipe, and the variator may result in augmented performance. possibly you can get a big bore kit and this will lift the engine displacement from 50cc to approximately 70cc.
Generally, adding a performance clutch or performance variator is the easiest thing to do. They may present you with better acceleration and/or advanced speed.
You can also attain a new performance carb, a new exhaust pipe or both. These two components (and possibly the air box) would need to be changed together for optimal performance. mostly, the engine is an air pump. You get more power when you move more air through the engine. By adding a better carburetor, you will draw more air and more fuel into the engine. By not changing the air box, you are restricting the total of added air. You also restrict the total of air out of the engine if you fail to trade the exhaust pipe with one that is either superior or freer flowing. Additionally, also changing the carburetor changes the fuel to air ratio inside the engine. The changes that you make may or may not be liked by your engine. For example, the new carb should give you more top end power, but may lead to starting troubles or the performance might be good at low RPMs but modest at higher ones. It can be hard work to tune your scooter to get the best performance. attempt to obtain a kit that includes a carb, air box and an exhaust pipe that are all planned for your scooter. It will make things much less demanding. finally, use the big bore kit. This will increase the torque and acceleration, but will not enhance the top speed unless gearing modifications are made. There aren't very many performance parts for large scooters readily available in the United States (except for certain new scooters).
Still want more performance? You can try some of the additional tweaks to additionally improve your gas scooter. You can try to get another drive belt. This will give you a little gain on the mph; new belts ride higher in the pulleys. You can also amend your roller weights (you can use heavier rollers for more top speed), adjust your valves, try a new air filter, and keep your tires pumped correctly.
Next check your idle. Is it too high? This can be caused by a throttle cable that is too tense or not routed correctly. It could also suggest that you need to twist the idle screw on the carb the reverse direction ~1/4 turn. A vacuum leak may also be a grounds for a high idle. The rubber manifold connecting the carb and the cylinder head may break after a while. try to start the engine and spray some water around the carb, manifold and vacuum hoses. If there is a reduction in the idle, it means that there is a vacuum leak somewhere.
Finally, one last thing to ponder is elevation. This may not happen very frequently, but it's good to know anyhow. Your scooter will have trouble getting enough air at heights above 4000 feet. You will need to place a lesser main jet in the carburetor. A good decree to track is to decrease the size of the main jet by about 10 percent, and then see if that helps performance.
Hopefully these tips will help you enjoy your scooter for years to come. Don't give up, contact us if you have further questions.
