Cold Start Woes

[CMason]

I just recently purchased an '84 Spree. When I purchased it, it had two main issues:

#1) The scoot would start to reach peak rpm's at WOT then stutter, drop rpm's, and start to rev back up only to repeat the process. At 3/4 throttle it would never stutter.

#2) After sitting, for even just a day, it would not start. The gentleman I bought it from said he had to spray starter fluid in the airbox while hooked up to a battery charger to get it to come to life.

So when I got it home i changed the air filter and cleaned out the air box, both of which were gnarly. I tore down the carb, cleaned it and rebuilt it. The air intake side of the carb was really gunked up. I also cleaned the fuel filter, which wasn't that bad, and changed both the fuel line and the vacuum line.

After firing it back up via charger and starter fluid it is now running so much faster that it was, and no longer is bogging at WOT. After it has been running I can cut the engine, and then start it back up without any problems. However, I still can't seem to get it to cold start on its own power.

If I try to start it on its own power it cranks maybe 10 times and then the battery is pretty much done. If I use just the battery charger and no starting fluid it will just crank and crank but never start. Once I add the starting fluid component in addition to the battery charger it roars to life.

So my question to you guys is where should I be looking for the problem? It obviously seems fuel related but I don't know exactly which components could be the culprit. Petcock? Bystarter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just want to be able to ride it work knowing that it is going to start when it time to leave.

[Bear45-70]

First off, starting fluid and 2 strokes are a no-no. Don't use the stuff.

It sounds like your bystarter (automatic choke) is bad.

You can test it following the instructions in the service manual and in Wikispreedia.

http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... at_It_Does

[CMason]

First off, starting fluid and 2 strokes are a no-no. Don't use the stuff.

It sounds like your bystarter (automatic choke) is bad.

You can test it following the instructions in the service manual and in Wikispreedia.

http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... at_It_Does

Thanks for the heads up on the starting fluid. I wasn't aware that was an issue, but the lack of oil makes sense. Hopefully it wasn't used that often. Anything I can or need to check in regards to its use that falls short of taking the head off?

I'll test the bystarter and see what happens.

[Bear45-70]

Is the airbox in place with a good filter in it?

[CMason]

Is the airbox in place with a good filter in it?

Yea. I took to airbox out, cleaned it all up and put an oem filter in it so it should be good to go.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

There is a little brass "mini-jet" between the main bowl and the bystarter, oft overlooked. I suspect it may still be plugged, if the bystarter itself isn't the problem. The bystarter "defaolt" position is Retracted, oe "choke On", so the scooter should start if fuel can get through.

[CMason]

Greetings:

There is a little brass "mini-jet" between the main bowl and the bystarter, oft overlooked. I suspect it may still be plugged, if the bystarter itself isn't the problem. The bystarter "defaolt" position is Retracted, oe "choke On", so the scooter should start if fuel can get through.

Interesting. Well I ordered a new bystarter but i guess when I go to install it i can open the carb back and try cleaning some more. I originally soaked it in carb cleaner and sprayed the s*** out of it with compressed air. Would you suggest running a thin wire or something through it?

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Yes. When you locate the Mini-Jet, a bristle can speed up cleaning.
When a resin plug forms in a passage, it's a solid cylindrical plug that is perhaps 250 microns in diameter but 2000 microns long. The solvent only nibbles the ends. Pushing a wire through alongside lets the solvent begin to digest it along the full length.
Just be careful not to use anything that will score the metal. I used a single bristle from a brass wire brush, held in a hemostat.

[thistleb]

I have the exact problem with mine. I have thoroughly cleaned carb and replaced bystarter. The last thing I checked was the compression. Mine max's at 90psi. I was looking for more power so i recentlty bought the 44mm BBK. I will know soon enough if there is another problem. Anyone know what the low compression threshold is? Could that be part of the problem?

[S4Patrick]

I suspect the compression is low as well.....

Re-ringing it will bring some life back into it. Hone the cylinder too. Be liberal with the 2-cycle oil upon reassembly, but don't go overboard either. Use new base and head gaskets as well.

Hope this helps...

[fastplastic]

motor seems to run great when it finally fires, i belive wheelman got it right with the main jet being "dirty" so clean that bad boy out should solve your problem......

[KillinSpree]

Your fork boots off lol