Recent Posts  By   (Read times)

Ok, so I have been busy, and have recently got back to fixing my scooter. I took my voltmeter while driving one day, and after the bike died, I measured the output. The pickup was about 1.5 volts (plenty) but the stator output was less than 10 volts. I have purchased a new stator, and will be putting it in tomorrow (hopefully if it comes in the mail). I'll post the results so future generations will have access to the results.

Oh, and by the way, you can't buy just a pickup coil, at least I couldn't find a place.

I have officially diagnosed my scooter as having T.I.E.I, (pronounced tie-eye), which is temperature induced electric infertility. I was idling my scooter in the garage with the battery disconnected (I know, I know, it shouldn't matter...) and it ran fine for about 10 min. I revved the engine, braked, used the turn signals, everything I would normally do while driving. Then, after all that I was back to idling and out of nowhere, the engine stops.

I seized the opportunity to test a theory, and removed the spark plug; my TIEI was all but confirmed. I know of no other established diagnosis in the scooter field that fits all the symptoms.

If you can tell me why my spark would be present one minute, and then stop for no apparent reason, you get a gold star.

Well, I was riding again for about 5 min when the engine stopped. I pushed it home and found the spark plug not working. I didn't change anything or do anything, and about 15 min. later I cranked again and it worked. I really have no idea, and it negates my previous idea about it being a carb problem.

Just a thought, it is possible to somehow bypass the wiring to test the intermittent issues?

I have tested the stator output and the pickup output several times, and both read in the acceptable range. I can't get to the stator to check for shorting, because I can't get the cover off. Everything I can get to and can check seem ok. I replaced the ignition coil and the CDI the other day, so that can't be the problem either, I think.

By the way, that pic you have is awesome! That really helps me to understand what is going on. Ok, the stator cant be bad, because when I run the scooter, the lights always work. They even work when cranking, so it is producing power. I don't know what R/R is, for the yellow and white wire, but those dont affect the spark, so that can't be the problem either.

Also, when I had the engine apart again recently, I rechecked the valves and they are set at .004 and .005

If I knew about explosives, and had some, my POS scooter would be in 4 billion pieces! I cannot for the life of me figure this stupid thing out.

So, I cleaned the whole carb again (and fixed a faulty brake light switch that crept up by the way), checked all the connections I could find, and verified my spark plug worked by hooking to my car (not recommended, I got a pretty good jolt). After all that, it started working like it used to. I got on, rode around, waiting any second for it to stop working again. Remarkably, I made it around the block several times, and decided to venture out into the world. Drove some more, reminding myself of how much fun it can be. Got to the bank and cashed a check. Was gone no more that 3-4 minutes, and came back to NOTHING! Damn thing wouldn't even try to start! Cranked a few minutes until the battery died, and started pushing it back to my house.

I really can't understand why the problem is so intermittent. How can it run so well one minute, then completely crap out the next? I have yet to even determine if it is an electrical problem or a mechanical one, since it seems I have had problems with both.

On top of all that, I think back to when I first had problems, and remember that it came out of nowhere. One day, driving it home from work, and BAM.....no workey.

I will now accept you sympathies, and will continue to beg for some insight as to what the $@*%^@! problem is.


P.s. after writing the last part, I went back to my garage (since my batter has been charging for a bit) and started cranking again. Still no workey. So I get curious, and pull the spark plug. For some unknown reason, it is not firing. However, that reason must not have existed an hour ago, because I was riding around......Urge to kill rising.......

Ok, new symptom, I changed the CDI and the ignition coil, and adjusted the fuel/air screw as described. It has been idling for 20 minutes, but as soon as I get on and try to drive, it dies. Thoughts?