Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

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Vancer2
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Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by Vancer2 »

Hey, Im new to the scooter scene. I bought this scooter August 7th. Before I get to the problem I will describe some details that might tell someone what the problem is, because I sure as * dont. When I went to get the scooter from the craigslist deal. It was doing what it is doing now. Trying to turn over but not start. The guy kneeled down and sprayed some ether near under the scooter and that got it to work. I have no idea how this would fix it. But a few weeks ago. I tipped it 3 times in one night after it rained because I desperately needed to get food. I didn't ride it after that. It sat for 2 weeks. Now it will not start. I replaced the battery because it died trying to start up. Can anyone think of what might be the problem?

To summarize. It will not start, It will turn over. I have changed the battery. It has gas, It has oil.
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start.

Post by motormike »

When you ran the battery down, the ONLY thing you should have done was RECHARGE the battery. It is NOT like a flashlight.
Please ALWAYS indicate what kind of scooter you have questions about.
When you bought the scooter, the ether sprayed was inducted into the carburetor
via the air-cleaner intake. This gave the cylinder a fuel source to ignite and start the engine running.
The gasoline in the carburetor bowl had most likely evaporated to a point too low to be pulled into
the cylinder. Once started, the vacuum-operated petcock began flowing gasoline from the tank into the carburetor
bowl. If you let the scooter sit two weeks, the gasoline has evaporated again to a point too low in the bowl.
Turning the engine over with the starter is sufficient to replenish the bowl within only a few seconds when the carburetor is clean and all systems are working.
There is a possibility that the bystarter on the carburetor is not working properly.
This, too, will make cold starting difficult.
There are several important items that must be addressed on a scooter that has not been operated
for extended periods of time. Gasoline will evaporate and leave a varnish coating on EVERY surface inside the carburetor.
This requires dis-assembly and thorough cleaning with solvents, tools, and pressurized air.
OLD fuel and vacuum lines are subject to rapid deterioration, and will create blockages once a dormant scooter has been returned to service.
NEW hoses MUST replace the old hoses to keep your scooter healthy.
The AIR FILTER element is an absolute MUST item that needs to be CLEAN and freshly OILED...OLD elements will deteriorate and create a
nasty mess inside the carburetor.
You will find a tutorial section on this forum called "Wikispreedia"...and you should read about two-stroke scooters there to give you
an elementary understanding of the functions and maintenance of them.
Best of luck with your future scooter endeavors...mm
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by Vancer2 »

Sorry about not telling what scooter I had. Its a 1985 Honda Spree. Before you answered I looked up a few videos and decided to look at the carb. There was not any dirt or anything inside, Though the air cleaner assembly leading to the carb wont attach as the hose clamp is very stubborn. Is this necessary for it to start? I checked inside the air filter. There was a VERY thin film of dirt on the bottom but nothing too bad. After going through that mess. I went to start it up. I BRIEFLY had a spurt of smoke, If I had held the scooter down for a second or two more it would have started. I will get a portable battery charger and clean the carb again, get a new hose clamp and go from there.
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by Sevyndaze »

Hello and welcome,

Motormike touched on all the bullet points. It is normal for these scooters to be tough to start after sitting for a week or so. You should DEFINITELY install a new air filter as yours might be starting to crumble and fall apart depending on how old it is. I bought a new one for my Elite through Noiseguy's Ebay store. Cheap and it fits/works beautifully. The only thing I would add is that a new spark plug is also a good idea, and also cheap. Run a compression test while you've got the plug out to see what kind of condition the engine is in. Replacing the battery is not a bad idea either but you need to make sure the new battery is properly charged before installing it.

If it was sitting for while before you bought it (more than say 6 months) you should absolutely drain the gas and oil and replace them with fresh stuff. Use GOOD oil (not boat oil).

The good news is that at least you know it WAS running, so its unlikely there is anything majorly wrong with it. The wiki is an excellent resource and details a lot of procedures, including how to properly clean the carb. If you're going to pull the carb off for a thorough cleaning, you may as well get a gasket kit and do a full rebuild. I'm not sure if the service manual for your Spree is posted in the manuals section or not, but if so it will be an invaluable resource. I refer to mine constantly when working on my Elite.
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by Vancer2 »

So i was reading a post about how someone said their scooter was dying after warming up instead of idling. My bystarter wires are kind of stripped right near the bystarter cover. I think im going to get a new one.
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by Vancer2 »

Image

You can see how frayed it is. I took apart the carb again and sprayed it with carb cleaner, when I went to start it. The scooter acted like it wanted to start immediately after i pressed the ignition button. It didn't start though, i got sone exhaust though. I suspect the problem is with the carburetor. Im currently soaking the carb in a solution of soap and warm water. If this doesn't work, ill replace the vacuum lines. What do u thibk I should do from here?
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by motormike »

Sir: Soap and water will not break down the varnished fuel deposits that normally cause blockages in carburetors.
Varnished fuel is not water soluble, but requires solvents to break down and remove them.
Complete dis-assembly is required, soaking in solvent, or ultra-sonic bath in Pinesol is effective.
Tedious and careful probing of jets sometimes required to open obstruction.
Pressurized air is also a valuable part of the cleaning equation.
Be sure to remove the air-mixture screw and verify flow through this passage before re-assembly.
Same goes for the idle jet circuitry, main jet too.
ALSO, pay close attention to the tiny hole that feeds fuel from the bowl into the bystarter well.
Carry on and good luck....mm
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Re: Replaced Battery, Wont start. IT WILL turn over.

Post by eclark5483 »

Soak it in a tiny crockpot overnight on low, with some pinesol and a couple scoops of oxyclean. Soap and water will not break down the varnish buildup.
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