1989 Elite E not getting enough spark...?

[gotwake5]

Alright so I'm trying to sell this thing and I can't get it started. It ran perfectly for about 3 weeks. Then died completely on me.

It was in the shop for 6 weeks (don't ask me why it sat for that long, just never go to Moto-Scoot in Milwaukee). And their response to me was that it needed a new stator. They couldn't find one so I demanded it back.

I ordered the correct stator the next day and installed it.

It's still getting a minimal spark.

Checked all the connections and grounds and everything is tight. Battery is fully charged.

Noticed that the carb was only mounted with one bolt, the other was missing. So it was hanging down on one side so that it was not perfectly aligned with the intake. Maybe this was the problem, but I'm still pretty sure it's not getting enough spark.

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks guys

[Bear45-70]

What do you mean by "minimal spark"?

Anyway it sounds to me like the just choose the most expensive part they could and said it was bad. You need to troubleshoot this.

Go to the Manual Forum, find your scooter, download the manual and follow the instructions for testing the ignition components. I would suspect the coil, plug wire or plug before the stator.

[martynkim]

Start Cheap and just get the plug to start. Then move on to the other stuff. I have a coil if you wind up needing one.

[gotwake5]

By minimal spark I mean that I'm pretty sure the spark is supposed to look stronger. I took it off and grounded it while starting it to see it, and it's not a bright blue spark. Very dim and small.

Spark plug is brand new, gap is correct spacing.

How do I check if the coil is good or not?

Here is a video of me trying to start it in "my new work space". My college house that I rent. The scary old basement works well as a shop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmcWNfsYO6g

I attached the picture of how the carb was hanging.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

The carb mounting is not a trivial issue. The bolts on Both sides must be firmly snugged into intact threads on the carb body. The lopsided carb suggests one was stripped, making the other side suspect. Attend to that and your scooter should run as before.

[Bear45-70]

[gotwake5]

Carb is now mounted correctly. I took the video after I cleaned it and put it back on.

I think I messed something up when I carried the scooter down my basement steps. The throttle seems to be turned all the way on the handle. Now it only twists clockwise (when I need it to go counter-clockwise).

Should I have put any fluid in the carb after I cleaned it with carb cleaner? There was some in there when I took it off but I'm pretty sure it was just gasoline... My noob-ness shows quite easily.

[Bear45-70]

You installed the throttle slide wrong.

You can't work on these thing "thinking you know what your are doing. Download the manual and use it.

http://www.hondaspree.net/other/SA50_88-02_service.pdf

[gotwake5]

Fixed the throttle. Still no start. Adjusted air screw opening to factory default 1-3/4 turns out. It was almost all the way in.

Checked spark again after doing all this work today and it looks a lot stronger.

I feel like I'm really close. I just want to hear that rumble.

[martynkim]

By minimal spark I mean that I'm pretty sure the spark is supposed to look stronger. I took it off and grounded it while starting it to see it, and it's not a bright blue spark. Very dim and small.

Spark plug is brand new, gap is correct spacing.

How do I check if the coil is good or not?

Here is a video of me trying to start it in "my new work space". My college house that I rent. The scary old basement works well as a shop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmcWNfsYO6g

I attached the picture of how the carb was hanging.

Alright, anything else you have not shared?

Do you have fuel in the carb? (for that matter in the tank?)

plug wire connected? coil connected? 3 position switch set to ON?

These things are fairly simple, one thing missing and no run.

Recheck everything carefully then, try again.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Quoth GotWake5:

It ran perfectly for about 3 weeks. Then died completely on me.

Perhaps this will require some disassembly and verification of the components. The suggested order is to minimize disassembly and starts with the easiest first. It isn't presented as being comprehensive.

The suddenness of the failure is consistent with an Electrical issue, although that's not the only possibility. First and easiest thing to check is the spark plug. Scratch that: Don't check it, replace it. Keep a box of 'em handy and swap at the first hint of trouble. I lost count of the number of times I suspected the worst from an engine misbehavior, only to find that simple spark plug was the issue. If it doesn't look wet and smell like gasoline, see above. The carb has stopped feeding fuel for some reason. Usually that's a gradual performance decline, but a chunk of something blocking fuel flow can occur suddenly too. If the plug is wet, read on.

Follow Forum advice to download the Service Manual. Get a Multi-Meter from HF or wherever and check resistances as described in the manual. While you're at it, verify the integrity of the wiring, electrical connectors and ground wires. All this stuff can be done without much disassembly and without needing to purchase and scrape gasketry. If it all checks out, my suspicion would turn next to the reed valve.

If you have a compression gauge, the integrity of the reeds can be indicated by a slight decrease below spec, that does not improve with the addition of a spoonful of oil down the spark plug hole. Reeds are a bit of a PITA to get to, and you'll then need gaskets and some elbow grease to scrape down the mating surfaces, but if they're faulty the scooter will only start with a WOT and harmfully Prolonged cranking.

Keep it away from that Dealer, who evidently feels he has more important customers to serve than you. Good luck!

[gotwake5]

Do you have fuel in the carb? (for that matter in the tank?)

Tank is full (I'm not THAT new), but as for the carb - after I cleaned it out should I have put a little gasoline in there?

[martynkim]

Do you have fuel in the carb? (for that matter in the tank?)

Tank is full (I'm not THAT new), but as for the carb - after I cleaned it out should I have put a little gasoline in there?

I wasn't trying to be insulting. I have done it before. Just yesterday as a matter of fact. Kept cranking and kicking and WHOA! no gas!

[elitedio]

There is not that much spark at starting rpm. The spark coil is powered by a magnet and is somewhat dependent on rpm.

Is fuel getting to the carb?

[gotwake5]

I'm pretty sure fuel is getting to the carb. When I look into it and turn the throttle a few times, it doesn't look dry in there. But it's definitely not... gushing gas when I turn the throttle. (Pretty sure it's not supposed to gush though)

I was told not to spray starter fluid into two-strokes because they are so small, is this true? Should I somehow just manually put a little gasoline into the carb? It's still probably empty from when i cleaned it out