Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

First ride on my Spree today.
Started right up. Let it idle for a minute.
Climbed on...got about 20 feet before it sputtered. Started working the throttle, got another 75 feet before it died.
It had run flawlessly on the work stand; idling forever, revving freely.
It's back on the work stand now - it'll start, run maybe a minute, start sputtering...working the throttle will buy me another 30 seconds of run time, and then it dies.
???
The carburetor is scrupulously clean...with no detectable air leaks (fixed via another posting). The bystarter is new, and tests fine. The needle's on the second notch, the air screw is at 1 7/8s. Part of the fuel line is clear - so I can see fuel flowing. A check on the fuel bowl shows it's full. The spark plug is clean.
Can anyone help save my mystery?
Thanks.

Why did you change the bystarter?

I changed the bystarter because the one the scooter came with, didn't work.

Is there any way the fuel could be restricted from the tank to the carburetor? Like a very small tubing connector? How is part of the fuel line clear?

The fuel is NOT restricted, going to the carb. The first 2" of the fuel line is clear...then into a connector and into an opaque line.

Faulty petcock? Plugged in-tank fuel filter? Float needle tip or seat is not sealing? Has the float lost its’ buoyancy and not floating?

If fuel isnt the issue, check the spark side of things. This could be a bad coil/wire...bad CDI...possible stator issue.

Seems as if your issue appears under load while idle is fine. As the demand increases for fuel and spark, something isnt happy...but seems to work ok under zero load. These issues can be pesky. Dont give up and you’ll find it.

Have you made certain the fuel tank filter is clear and free-flows under vacuum? Are you certain there are no obstructions inside the carburetor body and all passageways are clear? Are there any modifications done to this motor? Has the cylinder been removed recently?
How did you test the old part (bystarter) before you replaced it?

meatball, bones...thanks for taking the time. I don't think (put that word in italics) it's a fuel problem. The tank is very clean. The petcock/filter are brand-new - and judging by observed fuel flow, work fine. There are no modifications to the motor. I tested the old bystarter by applying 12 volts to it, measuring needle extension; there was none...new bystarter passes this test.. Float needle tip seems good (cleaned, inspected under magnifying glass, passed the old suck-and-blow test) - as does the float. Do to the brief running, I kinda figure that it isn't a stuck needle...wouldn't it take longer than a minute for a stuck needle to starve the engine? And, while the problem showed up under the engine's first load - it's still there under no-load conditions. Coil? Doesn't that usually show up as bad once the engine heats up? More than happy to throw a new coil/cdi at it, if they're still available. But I'd like to identify the problem. Only curious thing of note - a while back, after running well under no load...pulled the plug after cool-down; the tip was wet. So maybe I do have a fuel problem. I'll stay at it. Thanks!

Might be too early to claim success...can't ride it til I get a new front tire later this week, BUT...back to running like a champ on the work stand. re-reading my last post, I figured I must have a fuel problem somewheres; so I took the carb off, did the spray cleaner/compressed air/fine wire thing - plus being extremely careful about setting the float/needle up...plus i read in a thread that there are 4 ways to put the carb/intake spacer back on, but only one right way. Maybe I had it on so it partially blocked the intake. I dunno. But. I'm back to fast start, fine idle, easy revving and it settles down nicely. So - thanks again.

Ok. Test ride a success. Everything works as it should. Kinda amazes me that, simple as these engines are...if they ain't just so - you ain't going to go. Thanks again for all the help.