Trouble starting in sudden warm weather

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:19 pm

Happy New Year everyone!

It's been a while since I last posted because I usually find what I need by searching previous posts, but I'm having an unusual problem.

After weeks of freezing weather, today it suddenly got warm (warm enough to leave all my winter gear at home and just wear a jacket). It started fine the first time, but the other three times today it had trouble. The electric start and kick start would not work until I turned the idle up.

Does sudden warm weather do something to the scooter?

It has started fine during all the freezing days and then during one warm day it starts acting funny.

I should also note that the scooter always stays on once I start riding. Despite being difficult to start, I never had it die while stopped or had any problems with the throttle. It works and sounds perfect once it is started.

EDIT: I keep reading stuff about a dirty carb or valves. The bike is only 15 months old and I take super good care of it. I'm no mechanic, but I feel it has something to do with gasoline evaporating?

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:11 am

After an extensive amount of research, the only think I could find was that it may possibly be vapor lock. It's supposed to get colder this week so I'll see if it starts in cold weather.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:50 am

How long was it sitting, unridden? Did you do anything to "winterize" the scooter? I'm not as familiar with storing/winterizing a 2T which may do better with gas drained than stores with an oil/gas mix sitting in the fuel lines and carb. The carb/valves/jets may have trouble after sitting for a couple of months or so.

But, it's also possible that a quick change in weather resulted in the idle needing adjustment due to metal bits expanding and contracting.

With the idle turned up, how is it idling after the scooter has warmed up?

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:15 am

Once the scooter was warmed up, the idle was too fast and I had to turn it back down.

My scooter is used at least a few times a week. Even when riding frequently, I use stabilizer in the fuel tank.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:31 am

Is it running okay once started?

Could just be your battery's weak.

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:32 am

Don't think so because the kick start didn't work either. I'm thinking now it might have been vapor lock.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:54 am

Have you tried starting with the gas cap off?

Vapor lock is more likely to cause a stall while riding than prevent a cold start, though it can be hard to start once it's happened.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:13 am

I had a similar problem with my Fiddle; turned out to be the auto choke/bystarter thingie. I got lucky and warranty covered it. It ran better than it ever had before.

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:14 am

Shoot, will this go away or do I need to take it in?

I guess I could just fiddle with the idle in the meantime.

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:33 am

ericalm,

a lot of research seems to be pointing to vapor lock. I did not try the gas cap thing but its a bit too late now that I'm not riding it.

Just the fact that the engine started fine when it was cold, but then refused to start warm until the rpms were turned up. Apparently, gas stations carry different gas depending on the season. In the winter, the gas is set to evaporate faster so its easier to start in cold weather, but apparently it can evaporate too much if there is a sudden heat wave outside.