Winter storage, now no cranking or start By sillylittleboy (Read 803 times)

[sillylittleboy]

Howdy Scooter guys and gals.  I haven't been out here since I took my scooter over to a friend's garage for winter storage.  I live in Iowa and the winters CAN be brutal, but not this year. We have got 74 degrees in February and the warm weather will remain until the end of February.

ANYWAY... I may have been a bit remiss with my winter prep.  One thing I should have done was bring the battery inside. I had planned on getting a better upgraded battery and this might be what is needed. I had stopped over to visit my scooter every couple of weeks to start it up and let it run for a few minutes. I neglected to do so for probably a month (or more). I rolled it out of the garage and turned the key, clicked on the kill switch, depressed the brake, and then hit the electrical starter button. It cranked the engine over a few times and then it just stopped cranking at all. It acted like the battery was dead, so I ran some jumper cables to it from a running car (should the car NOT be running when jumping this battery?)

The jump got a couple more cranks out of the starter and then nothing. Lights and horn work, but nothing out of the starter.

I've been scanning through a couple hundred posts on here AND even did some searches for "start" and 
"won't start" and a bad battery is a common theme AND/OR the first thing you test on your trouble-shooting highway. Probably akin to Computer Troubleshooting 101 - "Insure the computer is plugged into the appropriate electrical socket.

I had thought that might be my issue, but when I got the battery back home, I connected my multi-meter and with no load it's measuring 12.84 VDC, which isn't too far off the recommended 13.X VDC for no load check.I believe should be over 13 VDC, so I'll charge it up for a bit (hooked up to trickle charger)and take my meter for a load test and any other meter testing needed.t I recall reading that the no load voltage should be over 13 VDC.  I'll charge it for a bit and then do a load test tomorrow. I've got the battery hooked up to a tickle charger now.

I'll have to run some tests on the starter, too. This is my first winter with a new TaoTao Powermax150 that ran from spring thru fall with no issues at all. I think I've got a good trouble-shooting course laid out before me, but I also know there are many highly knowledgeable and very experienced scooter-dudes and dudettes who might have some insights.  I'll check in the AM before I head out and keep y'all posted and share my issue and fix.

[richardv]

You should never have the automobile running. It's charging system is to strong for the scooters system. The battery may read 12.84 VDC but it still may not be strong enough to crank the engine and may have blocker the current from the cars battery.

[cyborg]

I think you're on the right track,,, probably the starter,,,,

[crwford]

Try jumping the starter solenoid just the 2 large post see if it cranks

[sillylittleboy]

Took my time getting to this troubleshoot, which the cold weather returning with a little snow helped remove any immediate need to get my scoot going. I just had a feeling it wouldn't be anything super simple like a dead battery.

Followed the troubleshoot guide/info I had gathered for checking a "no start issue" and what everything pointed to I had trouble believing. But I checked and double-checked. I thought it might be the kill switch or starter switch, but I checked the control leads running into the starter relay and when I push the start button I get 12 VDC on the starter solenoid control inputs. I've got a good ground all around on the scooter and I've got the 12 VDC (well, 12.95 VDC) on the battery which is connected to one side of the relay (read fine there). Can't get that VDC to appear on the other terminal of the relay, even though the relay should be clicking/connecting with the control input.

Thanks crwford for the "short across the relay terminals" test to insure the starter works. I remembered that and thought about it after I left my storage place (a corner of friend's garage). I'll have to try that tomorrow.

It just seems odd to me that a relay would go bad that quickly. My scooter isn't even a full year old AND I know what's going on inside of a relay and they're not usually prone to failures. Maybe I just got a bad relay. Replacements are only $10 and now that I have the scoot all stripped down and naked (removed all body parts), I can do a few other needed maintenance efforts (valve adjustment, carb adjustment, oil changes, and whatever else is needed).

[cyborg]

You're on it

[sillylittleboy]

Yea, it was the starter relay. I jumped across the terminals and the starter kicked over and it started up. That's weird, cause I'd never imagine that a relay would go bad and especially after only a year. It must have been a bad one.  New one is out for delivery right now.

It did start, but one issue I've had since day one is that it only starts right up on the first push of the starter when it's still warm. Even after sitting for only a few hours it usually takes at least 3 or 4 (or more) cranks on the starter to get it to start up. It seems like I've read something about this issue and that maybe it's the CDI? 

I've got this baby all stripped down naked (all body panels removed), so I'm looking to take care of any internal needs before I put it all back together. A valve adjustment, spark plug replacement, carb tune-up, plus gear and engine oil replacement are all on my list right now.

Any other suggestions?

[jct842]

Bigger pilot jet