Spree cutting out at top speed or under load
Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 9:40 pm
I have been having a problem with my 1987 Spree cutting out whenever I am going faster or under a load going up a hill (max gas usage) it will start cutting out. If I back off the throttle and coast for a bit, it works fine until I go faster (25 mph) or under a load going up a hill. If I buzz around 15-20 mph, no problems. It seems like a fuel shortage because when I back off the throttle and coast, the apply the throttle it works fine. Here are the things I have done:
1. Thoroughly cleaned carb. I have 2 other Sprees and can do this pretty well.
2. Installed a new factory petcock.
Here are my guesses but wanted some other insights as it could be ignition related when it gets warm (doesn't make sense if no problems at 15-20 mph though). Even when I push it and surges to the point it shuts off, I can restart it immediately just fine.
1. The rubber intake connector to the airbox is leaking at carb. It currently does not have a factory clamp, but I could just use a tie wrap.
2. Vacuum or fuel lines going to the petcock are bad. Either sucking air or getting clogged on fuel.
3. Something is still wrong with the carb. Swap with one of my working scooters and check.
4. Could be junk in the bottom of the fuel tank which I can't see. Fuel tank is like new and I've mostly drained it, but who knows what someone may have dumped in before I bought it. Put an inline filter between petcock and carb.
5. There is a factory inline fuse up by the battery. The connection seemed to be spotty but I think that fuse is just for the starter system and not the ignition system.
6. There is some kind of ignition short when it gets warm. It could be the alternator or generator?
7. Bad spark plug or connection with plug. Do these us the threaded connection at the top of the plug wire connection or just standard as they come out of the box. I removed the aluminum cap and just kept the threaded portion exposed for the plug wire.
Again, the scooter starts perfectly, idles fine, runs at lower speeds perfectly. When it surges and even shuts off at high speed or under a load, it starts up immediately and works fine.
1. Thoroughly cleaned carb. I have 2 other Sprees and can do this pretty well.
2. Installed a new factory petcock.
Here are my guesses but wanted some other insights as it could be ignition related when it gets warm (doesn't make sense if no problems at 15-20 mph though). Even when I push it and surges to the point it shuts off, I can restart it immediately just fine.
1. The rubber intake connector to the airbox is leaking at carb. It currently does not have a factory clamp, but I could just use a tie wrap.
2. Vacuum or fuel lines going to the petcock are bad. Either sucking air or getting clogged on fuel.
3. Something is still wrong with the carb. Swap with one of my working scooters and check.
4. Could be junk in the bottom of the fuel tank which I can't see. Fuel tank is like new and I've mostly drained it, but who knows what someone may have dumped in before I bought it. Put an inline filter between petcock and carb.
5. There is a factory inline fuse up by the battery. The connection seemed to be spotty but I think that fuse is just for the starter system and not the ignition system.
6. There is some kind of ignition short when it gets warm. It could be the alternator or generator?
7. Bad spark plug or connection with plug. Do these us the threaded connection at the top of the plug wire connection or just standard as they come out of the box. I removed the aluminum cap and just kept the threaded portion exposed for the plug wire.
Again, the scooter starts perfectly, idles fine, runs at lower speeds perfectly. When it surges and even shuts off at high speed or under a load, it starts up immediately and works fine.