Stellauto starting prob

jmp111181 · Post by **jmp111181** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:06 pm

So in full disclosure, I haven't been driving my
Stellauto a lot lately because of cold, rain, etc. However I have been diligent about starting it up and letting it run 5-10 minutes every 2/3 days. I last ran it Thursday night, and was out of town Friday-Sunday night. I just went to start it up and drive it because the weather is decent, and of course it won't start. It's a new noise this time, it sounds like the engine is trying to turn over then it just makes a buzz, different from any other buzz I've heard on it.

I've uploaded a video of it: https://youtu.be/rG9jNyna0S0
Any ideas what it could be? Really bummed, Ave Scooters has fixed it up a few times for me, and I've been good about taking it out as much as possible or at least letting it run (this is prob first time since I last had it fixed up it went longer than 3 days.) and now it's Mardi Gras and this is how I avoid the mess of parking around parades.

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:42 am

Dead battery it sounds like. If you started it late last week, it shouldn't be too hard to kickstart.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:59 pm

Put lock washers on your battery cable connections. Tighten them real good.. Check the water levels..
Kick start it, and ride it around to charge it up (or charge it on a charger).
Good luck

jmp111181 · Post by **jmp111181** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:02 pm

So to ask, how do I kickstart it?

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:25 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BWXbsdaZfA

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 9:06 pm

Does the stella auto even have a kickstart lever? I cant say for sure..
If it does, make sure that the key is "on" when you kick it over.
Just turn the key on and start kicking all the way down.
Good luck

Rippinyarn · Post by **Rippinyarn** » Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:29 pm

The kickstarter on the auto is a tad difficult to use, and not very effective. It really is more of a back to front movement rather than the usual up to down motion. I've actually only got it started with the kick starter once, and that's when I was particularly determined. Turn the key on, hold the front brake (long reach) and gently kick the lever forward. It's a very small range of motion... you will see what I mean. The scoot can also be jump started, but remember to do it from a car that isn't running, and be sure to get your polarity correct (see below).

The bigger problem is that if you still have the stock battery, it will need replacement. Starting and letting it run for 10 minutes will actually drain your battery with the weak stator output that these generate at idle. Get yourself a Battery Tender and the quick disconnect that will allow you to easily plug it in after a ride or during a period of inactivity. If you do it quick, you may be able to save the stock battery (which are crap) for a little while.

If you are planning on replacing the battery, be very careful. The Scooterworks official replacement battery has the positive and negative terminals reversed from what the original battery has, plus the hot (+) red lead on the scoot is nicely covered by a same-length section of heat shrink tubing that happens to be black. Unless you cram the replacement battery in backwards (the only way it will work with the 3" positive lead), the small black capacitor located just in front of the battery will pop and will require replacement. I've tried telling them at Genuine/Scooterworks, but I don't know anyone who works there anymore, so I doubt my messages got through.

Good luck!