New Buddy Owner - Throttle issue

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BudPow09
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New Buddy Owner - Throttle issue

Post by BudPow09 »

Hi all, new to this forum. I purchased a new Buddy 50 in June. Already has about 500 miles on it.

I noticed the other day that when I came to a complete stop and tried to accelerate again, the throttle did nothing. It felt light and "airy" when the throttle was turned. When it was turned about 1/4 the way, it finally gave gas but with a huge dash forward. It's happened every morning since.

FYI - I have already changed the oil once.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!
TVB

Post by TVB »

I don't have any insights into what's going wrong, but I'd definitely take it to the dealer for them to investigate.

(When you say you "changed the oil", do you mean changing the gear oil, or adding to the oil tank next to the gas tank? One of the benefits of two-stroke engine is not having to change the engine oil: you just burn it off. :) )
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Post by Portland_Rider »

Going from a stopped postion to a jump forward with no in between options might not be good in a tight situation. Think safety. You should have enough control of your Buddy to control the throttle and speed. This seems like something the dealer should look at.
iwabj

Post by iwabj »

oops
Last edited by iwabj on Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for the quick replies.

Yes, when I twist the throttle, I do hear some increase in engine noise, but not as much as I normally would with the scooter actually accelerating.

When it finally moves, the engine noise becomes VERY loud since the scooter thrusts forward.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!!
iwabj

Post by iwabj »

oops
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Post by olhogrider »

3 possibilities.

1. The throttle cable is not functioning properly and needs to be adjusted. This would account for a slower than normal increase in rpm.

2. The clutch is not engaging as rapidly as it should. This would account for slower than normal acceleration if the engine is revving normally.

3. Totally normal behavior and you are just not used to the sound and feel of a scooter.

From what you have told us, it is hard to pin down any closer than that. I would take it to the dealer and have them check it out.
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Post by BuddyRaton »

Start with the easy stuff. Check your throttle cable adjustment. It is not unusal for new cables to stretch as they break in.
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Post by MarsR »

If you've put 500 miles on it since June and just noticed the other day that it was acting differently, I would be inclined to think that there is a problem with the throttle cable. Especially since it has a light and "airy" feel to it that it didn't have before. I would definitely take it in to get it looked at.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Thanks again, everyone.

I do agree with you - although this is my first scooter, I have been driving it almost everyday since I bought it in June. I have a good feeling for it - which is why I noticed the throttle.

Important to note that this appears to happen only in the morning - I just got back from a ride, and no problem.
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Post by olhogrider »

Ah, a new clue! Forget my previous response. I am not familiar with the internals of the 50cc 2-stroke Buddy, but I suspect you are having cold start or "choke" issues. Most non-fuel injected engines have a way of enriching the fuel/air mixture when cold. If yours is not functioning properly, it will not run right until it is warmed up. The enricher is most effective at idle. This would explain how the transition from idle to wide open does not behave as it should. Once the throttle is open, the engine produces its normal power. To go from a bad idle to normal wide open power would cause an unexpected rush of acceleration.

Again, it sounds like a trip to the dealer is in order.
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Post by BudPow09 »

It's hard to believe we're discussing "cold" when it's barely September!

I'll be sure to drop by the dealer - but if you're saying it's a warming up issue, is the quick fix letting it warm up longer in the AM?

Thanks!
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Post by olhogrider »

Yeah, the "cold" refers to engine temperature, not the weather. It usually takes about 15 minutes of running to warm up completely. Old style carbs had a butterfly that closed off the air supply, hence the name "choke". Newer designs use a separate fuel circuit to enrich the mixture. If yours is clogged it would act the way you describe.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Great - thanks for the "cold" clarification.

I'll check back once I visit the dealership.
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Update

Post by BudPow09 »

I want to give an update on this - I now allow at least 15 minutes in the morning to warm up the scooter. However, after about 3 minutes, the engine cuts out. I restart the scooter and try again. But it continuously cuts off.

I took it to the dealership this past week to check this out (in addition to the throttle/choke concern). They found no issue at all.

Since then, the scooter still cuts out in the morning during warmup/idle, and I still have choke issues when driving.

I'm at the point where I think I should assume this is normal behavior for a 50cc 2 stroke, but would love to hear thoughts from you guys.
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Re: Update

Post by Kaos »

BudPow09 wrote:I want to give an update on this - I now allow at least 15 minutes in the morning to warm up the scooter. However, after about 3 minutes, the engine cuts out. I restart the scooter and try again. But it continuously cuts off.

I took it to the dealership this past week to check this out (in addition to the throttle/choke concern). They found no issue at all.

Since then, the scooter still cuts out in the morning during warmup/idle, and I still have choke issues when driving.

I'm at the point where I think I should assume this is normal behavior for a 50cc 2 stroke, but would love to hear thoughts from you guys.
I'll chime in, this is *NOT* normal behavior. It should run just fine without stalling out. If your dealer can't nail it down, ask to demonstrate it to them. Often they just won't be following the same steps you were in trying to reproduce the issue.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Thanks for the reply.

It's refreshing to hear that this is not normal behavior.

I did try to demonstrate for them, but of course, the scooter ran fine when I was there.

The engine cutting off only happens in the morning, so this is also difficult to demonstrate once I finally get to the dealership.

How else would you recommend explaining this issue to them?

FYI - the dealership's exact words were "this is normal behavior".
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Post by Kaos »

BudPow09 wrote:Thanks for the reply.

It's refreshing to hear that this is not normal behavior.

I did try to demonstrate for them, but of course, the scooter ran fine when I was there.

The engine cutting off only happens in the morning, so this is also difficult to demonstrate once I finally get to the dealership.

How else would you recommend explaining this issue to them?

FYI - the dealership's exact words were "this is normal behavior".
If you have to, take advantage of your roadside assistance plan to tow it there. Then it'll still be cold when you get it to the shop.

Your bike should NOT stall out. Thats not normal and needs addressed. Based on your other posts, its likely the choke or carburetor but could be other things as well.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Thanks again, much appreciated.

Do you also think it could be an idle issue? I read a post on the forum about 125/150's stalling out due to a maladjusted idle. Not sure if this would apply to a 50?
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Post by Asburyjer »

MarsR wrote:If you've put 500 miles on it since June and just noticed the other day that it was acting differently, I would be inclined to think that there is a problem with the throttle cable. Especially since it has a light and "airy" feel to it that it didn't have before. I would definitely take it in to get it looked at.
Same, I'm very new to scooters and from what the poster is describing I would have my skoot on the back of my truck hauling it to the dealer for some serious fixin'. That 2 year warranty is your friend.
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Post by Kaos »

BudPow09 wrote:Thanks again, much appreciated.

Do you also think it could be an idle issue? I read a post on the forum about 125/150's stalling out due to a maladjusted idle. Not sure if this would apply to a 50?
It could be. Its one of those issues thats hard to diagnose over the internet.
iwabj

Post by iwabj »

oops
Last edited by iwabj on Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by nissanman »

Take a video of the issue in the morning and show your shop the footage so they can see and hear what's going on (if you can't get the bike to the dealer without riding it). Could be the auto-choke, could be fuel in the evap line too (the dreaded vapor lock issue). Could be some debris in the carb to. If your shop can't find the issue, where's the next closest Genuine dealer? Could also be a fouled plug, bad air/fuel mixture etc etc etc. Just some thoughts...
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Post by Dooglas »

If the problem is only occurring when the engine is cold, the best way to demonstrate the problem at your dealer is to leave it overnight so they can check out the performance of the choke (enricher) and idle when the engine is cold. I'm surprised that your mechanic has not suggested just that. There should be no reason in heck why you need to warm up your scoot for 15 minutes before you can ride it unless the temperature is 40 below zero (and then you should probably just stay home).
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vibration

Post by mojobuddy70cc »

,,or bad roads can cause the idle adjustment to slip a bit, it happens on my 50,,so take off the air-box, let the bike idle if it will for a minute or so until it warms off the choke idle, then adjust the black plastic screw head ( w/fingers),,roll it all the way in and back it out slowly until you get a steady idle, this may take a few stops and starts, some grease on yer paws, but should stop the stalling,, probably not a cable since i have 4800 hard mi on mine and no issue but cables are diff, like the post said start simple b-4 the ER
,,take it for a spin and wot it for a few seconds and let it idle down,,
wah-lahh
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huh??

Post by mojobuddy70cc »

,,you changed the oil in a 50cc buddy 2-stroke,, i need to check mine then,,
you are also due to clean your air-filter etc, :lol:
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Follow-Up

Post by BudPow09 »

Want to follow up on this.

Since my last post, I brought my scooter to the dealership, and they agreed with you fine folks that it's most likely an idle issue. They suspected it was lowered due to bad roads near my house, hitting potholes, bumps, etc. After showing me how to increase the idle, it seemed to fix the problem the following morning, although the weather was not that cold.

However, the problem returned this morning. I started the scooter, and let it ran for a few minutes - then it cut out. I restarted again and it cut out even faster than the first startup. It was pretty cold last night and this morning - I believe we had our first frost here in Boston.

After this happened, I increased the idle even more (it's pretty loud and high at this point) - but it still cuts off within 30 seconds.

Help! It's a brand new Buddy 50cc - I can't imagine there's an issue with the fuel injector?
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Re: Follow-Up

Post by Dooglas »

BudPow09 wrote:After this happened, I increased the idle even more (it's pretty loud and high at this point) - but it still cuts off within 30 seconds. Help! It's a brand new Buddy 50cc - I can't imagine there's an issue with the fuel injector?
You are clearly having a problem with the scoot. Still sounds like it could involve functioning of the automatic choke (enricher). Your scoot does not have fuel injection. It uses a conventional carburetor. The scoot is covered by warranty and it sounds like you do not have the expertise to further troubleshoot this yourself. You need to involve the dealer in fixing the problem. If the dealer where you purchased the scoot won't work with you - maybe it is time to talk to a different dealer.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Thanks, guys.

Would this issue with the auto choke/enricher occur in any weather condition (that is, hot or cold temperatures?). My problem only happens in cold weather. On warmer days, it starts up and runs quickly nicely.
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Post by charlie55 »

I agree with Dooglas. From the description of your problem it sounds if the enricher is doing it's job, but not for a long enough period of time. This enricher relies upon an internal heating element, which, when it reaches a certain temperature, operates a plunger mechanism to cut off the extra fuel to the engine. The normal resistance for the heating element is typically between 5 and 10 ohms. If there's a fault in this element that causes a lower resistance, then the amount of time it takes for it to get hot will be decreased (less resistance = more current = more heat).

That being said, 3 minutes of "enriched" idle is usually sufficient to get my Blur up to a decent operating temperature. Another possibility may be that your fuel/air mixture is set too lean. So, everything works fine as long as the enricher is adding extra fuel. Once it cuts out, however, you're only running on the baseline fuel/air mix, with no added fuel. Given that the idle adjustment went out of whack due to vibration, bumps, etc., it's not unreasonable to guess that the mixture (also set via a screw) may have also been thrown off.

I agree that you should take it to the dealer so that he can put a meter on the enricher and test it, and, if it's OK, take a look at the mixture setting.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Just got back from the dealership (again). They replaced the spark plug, cleaned the carb, and cleaned out the tank. They said these three things should solve the issue. Let's see tomorrow AM when it's cold out.

New questions:

1. When I got home, I noticed they left the 'Intake Cover' in my dashboard. Not sure what this is or where it goes?

2. I also noticed that above the exhaust, there is a plug not connected. Not sure what this is either? See photos. I checked the manual, but could not mind a diagram or explanation on what this is.
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Post by BudPow09 »

Can anyone please weigh in on the above? I am quite ignorant on the mechanics of a scooter.
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Post by charlie55 »

I took a look at the Buddy 50 manual (here on the forum) and cannot find any two-wire green and yellow connections on it. Do either of the wires in the photos have a secondary stripe on them? It's hard for me to tell from the pics.

Would it be that one wire is yellow and the other is green with a black stripe? If so, the wiring diagram for the PGO GMAX 50cc shows that as being the connection to the enricher (or as they call it "auto choke"). If this wire leads to the carburetor (or if you can find the wire pair with which it's supposed to connect, and that one leads to the carburetor), then it's pretty sure that it is indeed the power supply for the enricher.

BTW: Have you tried starting it cold since the dealer puttered with it?
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Post by BudPow09 »

Hi Charlie, thanks so much for the response.

The green wire does have a black stripe on it. So this then, is the enricher? I'm wondering if the dealership forgot to connect it back after the inspection - I road it home and didn't realize it was disconnected until I got back. During the ride back, I did notice that the scooter was functioning odd when giving throttle - it would almost hesitate after giving gas. Would this be due to the disconnected enricher? Any damage with driving a scooter when this is disconnected?

It's been raining/snowing all day so I haven't started it yet - I will tomorrow morning to see if I experience the same cutting-off issue as before.

BTW - when I mentioned to the dealership that I wanted him to also check out the enricher, he looked at me like he didn't know what I was talking about. So I assume they never checked that out during the inspection.
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Post by charlie55 »

Well, we won't know for sure that's the circuit for the enricher until you trace the wires. There are two possibilities for this wire pair:

1) They lead to the enricher, which is mounted on the carburetor.

2) They lead back into the wiring harness, in which case you'll need to find the matching female connector and trace it to see if IT leads to the carburetor.

It would be very helpful if you could check this, but it's really the dealer's responsibility.

Now, let's for the moment ASSUME that it is for the enricher. Disconnecting it from a power source guarantees that (and I know this sounds funny) it will always be "on". This is so because without electrical power, the enricher's internal heating element will never get hot, and the plunger that cuts off extra "cold start" fuel to the carburetor will never extend, which is what it does to effect that cutoff. So now you'll be running with extra fuel ALL THE TIME. This will mask your original problem (i.e., your engine won't die out after a few minutes), but will leave you running very rich in terms of fuel/air mixture. The fact that your scoot is now bogging or stumbling when you give it more throttle after you've have it running a while sounds a lot like that. If you find that your MPGs are taking a nosedive, that would be further proof.

I'm not familiar with 2-strokes, so I cannot comment intelligently on any potential damage, although I don't THINK it'll do any harm in the short
run.

The fact that your dealer doesn't know about, or how to test the enricher
is not a good sign as far as I'm concerned.
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Post by BudPow09 »

It's now dark out, but I will be sure to check in the morning to see if these wires connect to the carb. I also remember seeing a female connector that was unplugged, but not sure where it leads to. I'll respond back tomorrow once I investigate.

On another note, I found an "intake cover" once I got home - I don't know what this is or where it goes - just that it was left inside my dashboard. Any insight on this? (please see attached photo).

Thanks again!
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Post by charlie55 »

Nope, can't say that I recognize it.

As regards the disconnected wires, it's quite possible that the dealership may have done this accidentally if they removed the carb for cleaning. It's sometimes easy to overlook. However, that, coupled with random parts left lying around where they don't belong, and not understanding what an enricher is, would definitely raise a few red flags with me.

I'm willing to bet that your enricher is OK, but your mixture is too lean to keep the engine running during that period between the enricher cutting off and the engine itself being up to full operating temperature.

Too bad you're not here in NJ as I'm pretty sure I could get to the bottom of all this in an hour or so.
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Post by BudPow09 »

My thoughts exactly on the dealership.

They did clean the carb, so I agree that's probably why the wire (if it is in fact the enricher wire) is disconnected.

Thanks again for all your help - more to tomorrow once I look into these wires.
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Post by charlie55 »

OK, I'll be checking the thread throughout the day (On the boss' dime: they screwed me out of a raise and a 401(K) match this year, so if I can't get more dollars per hour, the only way to effectively maximize my profit is to provide fewer hours per dollar).
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Post by kmtscoot »

Charlie, you’re giving BudPow09 some very well thought out analytical advice. I hope you’re getting to the root problem. BudPow09 deserves to have the same solid reliabliity most riders have.

As for your employer screwing you, I just loved your post in the “What do you do in real life?” thread. Maybe you should go ahead and become a harbor tug deck hand. :D I’m a retired electrical engineer and sent that post to a still-working programmer friend of mine. He said it made his week and he made sure it made the rounds with all his programmer friends. Frankly a harbor tug sounds a lot better than the crap I toughed out for thirty-odd years.
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Post by Lil Buddy »

BudPow09 wrote:On another note, I found an "intake cover" once I got home - I don't know what this is or where it goes - just that it was left inside my dashboard. Any insight on this? (please see attached photo).
Is that the airbox snorkel? I removed mine when I did the airbox mod at the same time I installed my Stage 1 kit.

Scroll back up to your last post with the three pictures. In the middle picture you can see that snorkel coming out of the back of the airbox. If that is what it is, better have a talk with the dealer. Messing with the airbox often requires messing with the jet size and playing with the air/fuel mixture.
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Post by charlie55 »

Wow, if that's indeed the snorkel, then this is getting weirder and weirder.

Think about it:

1) Remove the snorkel and you get more air into the carb, so you run leaner.

2) Permanently enable the enricher by disconnecting it from it's power source so that you get a richer mixture.

Net result: if you're lucky, "status quo ante bellum" (back to square one).

Sounds to me like someone's taking a "let's shake the box and see what happens" approach to engine repair. Not so bad when it's your own scoot and your own time; not so good when the customer has to be the guinea pig for each incremental "experiment".
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Post by BudPow09 »

Thanks all - I have to say, I am getting more and more frustrated.

Here is my experience this morning:

1. I can confirm that the male plug is yellow and green (w/black stripe); however, the unplugged female is yellow and solid blue. Is this not the right female for the yellow/green male?

2. The scooter started right up, loud and 'ready to go' which has never happened in the cold.

2. The exhaust was thick and lasted longer than normal.

3. The scooter feels like the restriction is back on (ie, it took over 25 seconds to get to 25mph, and I can't get above 35mph)

4. When I give throttle, it feels like the gas is playing tug of war with me (if that makes sense). I throttle, but it pulls and fights until I give it a half or full pull.

In terms of the snorkel, not sure how to identify it.

Confused on what to do now - I'm not confident that I can fix this myself. Maybe another dealership? They're far away, and I'm sure I'll get charged to tow it there.

Discouraged.
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Post by Kaos »

BudPow09 wrote:Thanks all - I have to say, I am getting more and more frustrated.

Here is my experience this morning:

1. I can confirm that the male plug is yellow and green (w/black stripe); however, the unplugged female is yellow and solid blue. Is this not the right female for the yellow/green male?

2. The scooter started right up, loud and 'ready to go' which has never happened in the cold.

2. The exhaust was thick and lasted longer than normal.

3. The scooter feels like the restriction is back on (ie, it took over 25 seconds to get to 25mph, and I can't get above 35mph)

4. When I give throttle, it feels like the gas is playing tug of war with me (if that makes sense). I throttle, but it pulls and fights until I give it a half or full pull.

In terms of the snorkel, not sure how to identify it.

Confused on what to do now - I'm not confident that I can fix this myself. Maybe another dealership? They're far away, and I'm sure I'll get charged to tow it there.

Discouraged.
Sounds like Charlie55's hunch was correct. They're playing games with your fuel mixture. And it sounds like they don't know what they're doing.

I'd say get your bike to that other dealer, this one isn't gonna do it for ya.
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Post by charlie55 »

Okay, the color mismatch on the wires is probably insignificant. But the only way you can verify that it's affecting your enricher is to work backwards from each of the two connectors to see if one of them goes to the carb.

Frankly, I think it's time to get the scoot to another dealer who knows what they're doing. Once there, here's what I would do:

1) Describe your original symptoms.

2) Tell them what the other dealer did.

3) Point them to the disconnected wires and snorkel tube.

4) Have them put everything back the way it was.

5) Have them do a cold start on the engine and wait for it to die out after a few minutes (your original symptoms).

6) With the engine in this "almost warmed up" state, ask them to keep tweaking the air/fuel mixture screw on the carb and trying to restart the engine after each tweak.

7) This should get you to the point where:

a. The enricher augments the normal air/fuel mix enough for a reliable bone-cold start.

b. Once the enricher cuts off, the normal air/fuel mix is rich enough to get the engine fully warmed up.

c. Once up to normal operating temp, the engine should run smoothly, not die out, and not bog down when you give it more throttle.

Or you could just stuff your buddy in a mailbox and send it to me.

:wink:
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Post by Lil Buddy »

BudPow09 wrote:In terms of the snorkel, not sure how to identify it.
Look again at the picture you posted of the view behind the airbox. In the upper left corner you see the snorkel (black plastic tube, about 2" long).

Sneak a peak back there now, if that piece is gone, you know they removed the snorkel. If it is gone, you will just have a hole in the airbox.... no plastic tube coming out of it.
BudPow09
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Post by BudPow09 »

The pictures were taken after I got back from the dealership and not before - so I should assume the snorkel appears in tack then? Still not sure what's this "intake cover" that I found in the dashboard.

Also - regarding these disconnected wires, I'm determined to fix this myself. I've reattached the two photos so you guys can help me identify what this wire is. The photo to the left points to the green/yellow male wire. The photo to the right is a continuation of the wire that leads to the male plug. Can you identify the part that it's coming out of? Is this the carb? Also - is there a manual online that explains/diagrams wires in the 50cc?

On a side note - I called another dealership. They were very nice. He can't diagnosis anything over the phone and suggests I take the scooter down there. The only downside is that the Roadside Assistance Coverage won't cover the tow since I just had one last week. I have to wait (eight) days. On top of that - Roadside will not cover the tow once the scooter is fixed (from mechanic to home) since the scooter will be fixed/drivable. The out -of-pocket quote was in the hundreds. Urgh.
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charlie55
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Post by charlie55 »

Sorry, but I can't tell anything from the pic on the left, partly because I'm unfamiliar with the layout of the 50cc engine. Can you trace the corresponding female wire back to it's source and get a picture of that?
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Post by BudPow09 »

The female wire is above the exhaust on the right side. It looks like it runs along the exterior panel, but I would have to take the entire paneling off to see exactly where it goes!
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Lil Buddy
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Post by Lil Buddy »

BudPow09 wrote:The pictures were taken after I got back from the dealership and not before - so I should assume the snorkel appears in tack then? Still not sure what's this "intake cover" that I found in the dashboard.
Oooops. Thats what happens when I don't read the post and just look at the pictures :oops:
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