2013 Buddy 170i starting problems

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jj101
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:21 pm
Location: Santa Rosa, Ca

2013 Buddy 170i starting problems

Post by jj101 »

Today when I went to start my scooter it would not start.
I checked for spark and there was none. Since I had been trying to start it for a while, I decided to charge the battery while I ran some errands. When I came back it started right up. I'm not sure what to check next since it is running. It has power to the coil. Could it be the coil or the cutoff switch?
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Stanza
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Location: Chicago

Post by Stanza »

You may have a weak battery....the 170 is pretty sensitive to this.
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k1dude
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Location: Northern California

Post by k1dude »

Buddy owners often use a trickle charger to keep the battery topped off. Some use it every day, some use it once a week, some use it once a month. YMMV.

I've found the Buddy charging system isn't that robust.
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350kmi
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Location: Madison, WI

Post by 350kmi »

+1 on weak battery.

I had similar sounding intermittent no start with my 170 this spring. It sounded like it was cranking fast enough but no fire. I replaced the battery based on dealer and forum advise and it has been starting prefect ever since.

The 170s do seem to be particularly sensitive to battery strength. When I installed the new battery in the 170 I moved the old one over to my Buddy 125 where it has been working ok. The 125 is carbureted, so perhaps the extra draw from the fuel injection system during starting pushes the battery that much more.
dasscooter
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Post by dasscooter »

If your battery drops below a certain voltage when cranking, the ECU will cut spark. The 170i engine is pretty hard to crank over so it's a common problem.
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