Modern Buddy

I have a low mileage Buddy 50. Was having some compression issues, I mean zero compression. I took it apart and replaced the piston and rings. New Spark plug, just in case. She fires up nice and smooth with carborator start runs for half and minute and dies. I can throttle it and get a little more time and then it dies.

I see two adustment options on the carb. One flathead screw driver nut. If I open this more then a quarter turn, fuel poors out the rubber hose just infront. There is also a knob that one could turn that moves a post up or down inside the carbarator.

I pretty green, so any advice would be great!

Thanks,

Jon

Jon. I don't know the Buddy 50, but on the Buddy 125 that flat head screw that you opened is used to drain the carburetor of fuel. When you open the screw the 1/4 turn, about a cup of fuel, not any more, should pour out of the little black rubber hose hanging below the carb. We do this when storing the scooter for winter as we want the carburetor to be empty of gas because gas that sits there for months may gum up the carb. parts. That is what I've been taught. So, gently re-tighten the screw.

What makes you so sure it's a fuel issue? I mean it could be the stator or CDI or ...

Maybe it's it petcock not opening and supplying gasoline to the carburetor.

That thumbscrew (plastic knob) on the carburetor is only there to adjust your idle speed higher or lower. As you've discovered, the screw at the bottom of the carb is there to drain fuel out of it.

When it dies, does it shut off like you flipped a switch, or does it cough and try to keep going? You could be running into a fuel starvation problem. If that's the case, run it till it dies out, then immediately open up that drain screw on the carburetor and see if fuel comes out. You should get about three tablespoons worth, if all is well.

Next question,
It's low mileage, but do you know what its history was? Did it sit for a long time before you bought it? You might simply need to clean the carburetor thoroughly.

I wouldn't consider somebody that can change their own piston and rings to be "green".