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Post by mauiboy on Feb 2, 2011 10:41:35 GMT -6
Great link.
its 4.20 already here, so by the time its $5 on the mainland we will be over $6. It shouldn't cause too much trouble in our house, between the scoot and the 2.0L i4 we dont use much gas. Those with the 4x4 winky extensions that are only used for trips to the supermarket and back will be in for a shock!
I hope we make some breakthroughs soon, lead / nimh / liion batteries are pretty inefficient ways of storing large amounts of energy, not to mention having relatively short life spans compared to what would normally be expected of a car. They can also be extremely bad for the environment when you look at the bigger picture (digging up ore which is rarely pretty, shipping it half way round the world, refining it which kicks out pollution and takes energy, shipping it another half way round the world to make it into cells, the shipping those another half way round the world to be put into cars which are then shipped again, so all in pretty much environmental genocide) and I have been hard pushed to get a real answer as to how long I should realistically expect the batteries to last at an acceptable level and the cost of replacing them. I'm not against the concept, just the execution is a little nonsensical.
Gas is probably going to go up and keep going up until a realistic replacement is found. Hybrids might help a little, leccy cars are like bombing for peace, so chemical fuel it is I guess, be it hydrogen or some biofuel? Lets hope its cheap and the gy6 can be adapted lol
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 2, 2011 4:55:40 GMT -6
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 2, 2011 0:57:46 GMT -6
Thanks! I dropped down to 89 from 92. After a few runs on that I may drop again to 87 and see how that goes! Will pick up some seafoam as well next time I am in town. Thanks for the advice!
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 2, 2011 0:43:46 GMT -6
Will try check that tonight or tomorrow thanks! about 350 miles total. She purrs nicely when running so Im not thinking valves immediately but I just picked up a feeler gauge today to check anyway. As soon as I get chance theres the oil changes, plug change to something decent, perhaps a coil change and replacing the fuel lines / petcock / filters happening just as a matter of course. The HOA loves me  |
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 2, 2011 0:10:20 GMT -6
ok so battery tests fine, bugger! I was hoping for the easy fix. So if it has trouble starting when 'cold' (i.e. not run but with 65-75f ambient) and requires a kick, but perhaps has a little less trouble in the middle of the day when its a bit warmer and much less trouble after 10-15 minutes of running then a quick 15 minute stop into ace hardware whats the most likely suspect? Plug / autochoke / vacuum lines ? Any thoughts gratefully received!
mahalos in advance.
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 1, 2011 10:25:32 GMT -6
Thats great thanks!
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 1, 2011 5:36:27 GMT -6
Thanks! I used to have two of them but didn't bring them when I moved  time to pick one up tomorrow I guess. Any better than others or will any generic $20-30 radioshack one do? |
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 1, 2011 5:16:32 GMT -6
I forgot to add the second most likely suspect is the short commute. Tough to solve. I am hoping the LED's free up an amp or so. Then I guess the next option is a bigger stator. I am a little worried that I have read that the larger (morecoils ) stators leave the bike unable to start on the kickstart alone. Plus a new stator requires more tools than I have now. 5 or so miles at 45mph should be enough to replenish the battery, especially after it starting so quickly the previous time.
Cold temps shouldnt be an issue, under 65-70 is rare, mostly its 70-80 right now, hotter during the day so nothing too cold, although perhaps too hot for the battery during the day?
I will try charge the battery again when I get home (fingers crossed I get home!)
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 1, 2011 5:02:34 GMT -6
The scoot : 2008 roketa mc75 150 gy6 stock purc,hased virtually new (200 miles) in Jan 2011 (so likely crated for 2.5 years).
Pertinent info:
My commute is 2 miles, i stretch it to 4 or 5 to try help the problem
Before I started commuting it was only used for long fun rides of 10-20 miles at 25 ish mph
It runs perfectly once running
It was wired by escaped mental patients
I work nights often so getting parts can be a pain, hell getting tools can be a pain! so I want to try narrow things down before i kill my ride to work
So whats the symptoms doc:
About a week ago it starts being reluctant to start, initially taking more attempts with the starter motor then kicks, then more kicks. I figured the short trips were not replenishing the battery so I got a brand name battery tender from ace and charged it up. I did notice it only took 10 minutes for it to switch from under 8% charge to over 80% then maybe another 3 hours to top up the rest. 12v 7a battery, 1.25a charger (i forget the brand, green packaging, well known brand at least when you aren't tired!). I put the charged battery in and it starts first push of the button. I hop on to go to work and its fine, same the next morning coming home. The next trip to work requires a kick start.
I know I need at least a multimeter to start to diagnose this (couldn't bring my tools when I moved statside so I am rebuilding), but my first thoughts are the battery just isn't holding a charge well which is exasperated by short trips, even taking the longer higher speed route doesn't help much but its only 5 miles instead of 2.
My logic so far rules out the stator (lights run fine and they run direct from the stator right?) although there could be an issue with the stator charging the battery (cut wire, bust rectifier?).
The plug, cdi, coil etc should be ok as it runs fine when its running, its runs perfectly tbh.
The auto choke could maybe be an issue but that wouldnt be fixed by a fresh battery?
The vac pump could be starting to go perhaps? a very slight leak maybe? Its close to the top of the list for replacement after the lights get swapped to leds (in the post right now).
The starter motor seems fine as it does work when the battery is topped up.
So, on the understanding that I know you can't give a conclusive diagnosis based on this is my logic so far roughly ok or am I way off base? Do napa carry a compatible battery? (not much choice on maui!). Please feel free to tell me if I am way off base and / or let me know your thoughts! Thanks in advance!
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Post by mauiboy on Feb 1, 2011 3:56:16 GMT -6
Great news that you are going to give it another shot!
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Post by mauiboy on Jan 30, 2011 3:29:49 GMT -6
Sounds like a perfect day! Nice to hear some good news for once.
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Post by mauiboy on Jan 30, 2011 1:21:01 GMT -6
SAD , nasty condition that. I wonder how many light pipe kits we would need to send your room mate over some of the real stuff from here.
Luckily it was a fairly windy day, the trades were blowing so there wouldn't have been much vapour lingering which is pretty volatile. I did feel pretty vulnerable stood there holding my nozzle (ooh err missus!) over that tiny tank with all the fumes coming out.
It's not so much smartness or a lack thereof, it is this wilful ignorance of anything that gets in the way of them getting exactly what they want or doing exactly what they want to do. Somehow this seems to be ok, the sad thing is no doubt I will be summoned to appear on judge judy to answer for the emotion trauma this poor girl suffered, the shock intrusion of reality into her cosy little self centred existence was probably too much.
I just discovered a site called 'people of walmart'. I think I need to go and hide for the rest of my life.
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Post by mauiboy on Jan 29, 2011 21:28:32 GMT -6
Ouch A sad story. I would suggest perhaps checking out a few more options besides the mp3. The majestic, silverwing and burgmans all have loyal followings and I believe you can get trike kits for all 3. It will cost more than the mp3 but will be a different experience from the mp3 (trike wheels at the back rather than the front). I did test an mp3 and it felt odd to ride. Not bad, just different. Sad to see the scoot heading to the grave, I know others have had mixed experiences. If I had more cash right now Id pay the shipping to take it off your hands and make a donation ton charity, even an entire new engine and cvt and some new bodywork would still be cheaper than a new trike. One mans understandable embuggerance is anothers learning oppertunity lol |
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Post by mauiboy on Jan 29, 2011 16:01:29 GMT -6
Went to fill up at the local 'gas' station the other evening. I'm at the outside pump facing the road and a car pulls up. Mr starts to get out of the car to fill up and the mrs gets out the other side. Drops her cig on the floor (next to the pump), stamps it out and proceeds to light up another in the middle of the pumps. Normally if I point something out like dont touch the honu's (turtles) I am pretty polite as some things aren't obvious to people. This time, a little shocked at what I was seeing I shouted something along the lines of "hey, what the <insert words> do you think you are doing? do you want to blow us all up?" and she just looks at me like I'm the stupid one and walks off without a word. Cell phones in gas stations perhaps might be debatable to some degree (but probably isn't) but surely stamping a lit cig out on the floor then lighting another when you are surrounded by people filling up cars is just wrong on every level. Seriously, there are some types of dumb that just shouldn't be allowed to breed. Sure we get used to people 'turning off' whilst on vacation but there are limits |
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Post by mauiboy on Jan 29, 2011 3:39:27 GMT -6
what a complete and utter chump. There is a time and a place, lets just hope fate gets him before he can breed more stupid.
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time to pick one up tomorrow I guess. Any better than others or will any generic $20-30 radioshack one do?