Modern Buddy

For what it's worth.

Blur wouldn't start yesterday.

Fuel read just above empty, which usally means half a gallon. Popped the fuel filler lid, saw a bit of fuel sloshing around down there. Closed fuel filler lid, now the guage read well below empty.

Attempted to kick start. No fuel in engine. Rocked the bike on it's stand in the vain attempt to get fuel down into the engine.

Filled with .8 gallons of gas, now the battery was run down from several start attempts. Still couldn't kick start?

Purchased a trickle charger, got green light after three hours, about right for a nearly dead 12 volt, 6 amp battery.

Aha, started right up.

Was it fuel or was it a battery issue?

It's been cold, but not freezing. I did figure out that I had accidntally popped the seat open when I removed the key after the last time I rode the bike, but the little light goes out after a minute (I confirmed this when I left the pet carrier open wit the charger hooked up). The bike had only been sitting for three days and was stored inside.

By the way, thanks PGO (and Genuine) for making it so easy to get to the battery.

At one time I had the same problems with my Blur. If the battery is below a certain voltage, the kick starter wouldn't even start the engine. Read through this thread and it should give you some useful information: viewtopic.php?t=3259&highlight=battery

But the bottom line (for my case, anyway) was that disconnecting the underseat light relay solved my weak/dead battery issue. I haven't had a single problem since and there are times when my scoot sits for over a week without being used.

I doubt if it could have been a lack of fuel. If you take the plastics off, you'll see that there's a sort of "secondary" fuel tank behind the main. If I've got it pegged correctly, the vacuum fuel pump takes its feed from the bottom of the main tank (which is below the level of the carb) and lifts it into this secondary tank (which is above the level of the carb) and then gravity does the rest. There's even an overflow from the secondary tank back to the main (sort of serves the same purpose as the return line on an electric pump). So, if there was fuel in the main, it'd be a pretty safe bet that there was fuel (about a half pint, I'd guess) in the secondary. I'd bet that it was the battery all along.

I had an almost identical issue with my Blur awhile back. Except it was maddeningly intermittent. I'd think the problem was done, then it would start all over again.

I'd fully charge the battery, and it would work for awhile, then not start again. Occasionally kick starting would work. Usually not.

Finally I discovered the problem. One of the battery terminals was loose. That's all. It looked tight, but wasn't. And from time to time vibration would make the connection too tenuous to work. Then it would work, then it wouldn't.

Apparently Kick starting works with a dead battery, but won't work with an open circuit. Check your terminals.

-Mark