Uh oh! By steelblade (Read 564 times)

[steelblade]

So I scooter on over to the shell to put some gas in. I put gas in. The engine now won't start.

The idle has been low for some reason. Haven't changed the setting, but I will have to sometimes keep it revved. Not a big deal in and of itself, was gonna get to it later.

The engine turns, and it DID start for a few. I had pushed it about 3/4 the way back to work and i was able to get it started and ride it the last 12 feet or so (Ok, not quite that close, but pushing isn't the fun way to ride these) back to work.

So, battery is good, definately getting spark, I don't THINK I overfilled, it was just past the blocking bar where it never gave trouble like this before. I thought maybe there were air bubbles in the gas line, but then it wouldn't have gotten me all the way to the gas station. Or run on the bowl till the air bubble hit.

Just a bit stumped.

[jct842]

You don't say what you are riding but most of the chinese scooters will refuse to start when hot if the valves need adjusting.

[Alleyoop]

+10 on needing valves adjusted.
Alleyoop

[steelblade]

When I got it running, I let it stop running and had the same problem. Didn't give it a chance to get really hot, so I don't think its temp related. Also, less than 500 miles on it.

My strongest suspician is that the idle just plain vibrated all out of alignment, hence me needing to rev it to keep it started. I noticed the idle getting lower and lower, but didn't think anything of it. I'll have a look at that when I get a chance.

[steelblade]

Got to dig into it on Sunday, yep. The idle was too low, but 2 of the vacuum hoses were cracked and bleeding, too. Changed those and it seems to be fine, now.

[steelblade]

Well, thought I had it licked, but the idle got low again the very next day. I got off my arse and rode it around a bit to get it up to temp, then used some blue Loctite on the idle adjustment screw while adusting it again. Got it adjusted to about 2000, where the specs say it should be and also found a couple loose bolts that I tightened and loctited as well. Left it a day for the loctite to set, and this morning the idle is down to 1000 again, started off that way and didn't change after I got to work, when the engine is fully up to temp and such.

I suppose it COULD be the valves needing adjustment, but after less than 500 miles?

[jct842]

If it was me, I would have checked the valves as part of the PDI. That's just part of owning a chinese scooter!

[cyborg]

Alley and jct have this one pegged,,it be valve adjusting time

[steelblade]

Saw a vid on adjusting the valves, doesn't look too hard. Maybe a little time consuming, but not a real brain drainer. I'll see if I can get to it this weekend.

[steelblade]

My manual that came with the bike doesn't have the specs for the valves. Anyone know where else I can look?

[steelblade]

Okies, .004 in, .005 out and it seems to work. I was more than a little nervous having never done this before, but all went well if a little time consuming. When I tried starting the scooter it rushed to life so fast it ground a little on the starter. Just the barest tap on the button will start it, now.

Before, the settings were really tight. Not just in the gap, I had to crack loose the adjustment. Not sure if that was normal or not.

[LUKE]

yeah i dunno how valve adjustment would really matter a lot, knowing how tiny the difference between 0.004 and 0.005 is,,,,,that is even smaller than a baby's hair strand (or magoo's)

[kz1000st]

Re-Read it Luke. I think he's saying he reset the valves to .004 intake, .005 exhaust. No a thousandth of an inch wouldn't make a difference. If the clearance was tight it would. I had to roll on the throttle a little, hot or cold, to start before the valve adjustment I just did. Only the exhaust was off when I checked. It was at .003 before and now it's reset at .005. It starts without throttle now. Two thousandths is 1/4 the thickness of a human hair, or masking tape, yet the scooter starts differently now because of it.

[steelblade]

KZ has it. I found the settings online, and they seem to work. I THINK I hear a 'scrape' as it starts, I've been listening but it goes so fast I'm not sure.

Yeah, the valve settings are extremely precise. It idles better, even when low before it gets warmed up, etc.