Troubleshooting Your Scooter
My scooter is not charging
Make sure the fuse in the scooter is good.
Check the wires behind the fuse holder and the charging jack. Sometimes they come loose.
My scooter will not start
Make sure you have fuel getting to the carburetor.
Check the spark plug for a sign of wear and tear.
Are you holding in a brake lever? If yes, try the other brake lever.
The starter relay is probably defective.
Try using starting fluid to aid the starting process, spray a little into the carburetor.
If it starts by spraying starting fluid and dies as soon it runs out of starting fluid then this means there is no fuel getting to the engine. Check the carburetor.
Or there might be a vacuum leak in the piston area. If your piston is badly scratched up due to the lack of oil, then you need to replace piston and rings to compression back.
My scooter is hard to start
Is the spark plug dirty? Clean or replace it if it's dirty.
Make sure the carburetor and the intake manifold are tightly secured to the engine.
Check the gasket between the carburetor and intake manifold. Sometimes the gasket is bad and caused leak. Solution: replace a new gasket or just toss the bad gasket away and screw carburetor back. Try to start again.
Starter is working but Scooter will not start
Is there fuel visible in the fuel filter? (Round clear plastic filter is visible under the seat in the middle of the fuel line. Check with a flashlight to verify that fuel is flowing.)
Yes. 1. If you have been trying to start it for a while and have opened the throttle, the engine could be flooded. Allow scooter to sit for an hour and then retry. Alternatively, remove the spark plug and run a starter 3-4 times to remove excess fuel. Reinstall plug and start.
Yes. 2. If you have not been opening the throttle, check for spark. Remove the spark plug, reinsert plug in the cap and place the plug against the cylinder head. Try starter and look for spark. If no spark, the coil may need to be replaced.
No. Check the fuel vacuum line to ensure it is attached. If it is attached check the full length of the line for any kinks. TIP: draw on the vacuum line with a few deep breaths and this should get fuel flowing into the filter. If this does not work, check the fuel line for kinks.
If there is a spark and the fuel is flowing into the filter, pull the fuel line off of carburetor and make sure that fuel is getting through the filter and into the carburetor. If it is and the engine will not start, the automatic choke could be inoperative.
Check wiring from the choke mechanism to the connector on the right side of the frame. Note: the choke shares a common ground with the taillight; check to see if the taillight is working. If the wires are connected and the taillight is working, the choke mechanism may need to be replaced.
Scooter runs but is very slow.
Check tire pressure. 32 PSI cold is recommended.
Check both wheels to see if they rotate freely. Brake adjustment could be too tight (drum-type brakes) or too much brake fluid in a reservoir on disc brake models.
Engine idles but then dies.
This is normal for the initial startup. If the problem persists the idle speed may need to be increased. The idle speed adjustment screw is on the right side of the carburetor. It has a Phillips's head and spring is visible around the threads of the screw. Turn ½ turn clockwise to increase idle speed. Scooters will idle more smoothly once they have a few miles on them. Idle may need to be reset after the first 50-100 miles.
Turn signals do not work correctly. Occasionally one turn signal may not work or they both may come on at the same time.
Solution: There is a loose or disconnected wire under the front cowl. Remove the cowl and check the connections from the turn signals to the wiring harness. Most likely, a connector is loose. Check them for tension and tighten if necessary.
Headlight does not come on.
Headlight will not operate unless the engine is running.
Scooter bogs out when I turn the throttle.
Adjust the screw with the spring on the side of the carburetor. Clockwise to reduce gas flow and counterclockwise to allow more gas follow. Usually bogged down is caused too much gas going through the carburetor. Give time for it to warm up. If that does not solve the problem, you need a new carburetor.
My scooter is leaking oil from the Carburetor and Muffler areas
Check the gasket between the carburetor and intake manifold. It might be bad or maybe the carburetor came loose due to engine vibration.
My scooter is not holding its charge.
Using the headlight, electric start and alarm (if applicable) too much will drain the battery.
Gas scooter does have the ability to charge itself but slowly.
An optional charger can be for $25 at any local automotive store.
Most new scooters would have a full charge and it would be displayed on the battery gauge.
But in time, the batteries would lose their ability to hold a full charge. That's normal! Sometimes charging the batteries too much even when they are not low. Most of these batteries charging cycles are around 250-300 times.
Sometimes store your scooter away for a long period would cause that as well. If the battery power drops beyond a certain point, the charger would not recognize it.
Sometimes you could jump-start the batteries by using a higher Amp charger.
Make sure the squeeze the left handle brake while pressing the electric button. When the electric start makes a clicking noise, it means your battery is weak
Check the fuse.
Is your key switch good? Is the electric start giving out a burnt smell? You might have a burnt-out electric start. Sometimes there is no smell.
The cause is a lack of oil getting to the piston and needle bearing areas. Certain oil can’t cling on when the engine get too hot. As a result, the needle bearing fell apart inside and caused the engine to cease. You can buy a new engine or try to rebuild it. Be sure to always maintain proper engine oil levels to help prevent this from happening.
Brakes can be tightened by the handbrake area by the handlebar or by the wheel area.
Not Recommended:
Avoid jumping off of curves
Too much weight on a scooter can bend or break the frame.
DO NOT ride on a flat tire. This is dangerous and will damage the tire and possibly the wheel as well.
Carburetor Adjustment
The small gold screw on the side of the carburetor is the idle speed screw. This screw controls the idle speed, the tip should extend about an 1/8 of an inch (4 mm). Adjust it so the engine will idle at just fast enough speed to stay running.
The brass color screw located lower on the side of the carburetor next to the choke lever is for the high-speed mixture. Start by turning this screw in (clockwise) until it stops. Don't turn it in tight, just until it stops. Next, turn the screw out two full turns (counter-clockwise). This is the factory setting. You should be able to start and operate the scooter with this setting. Once you have it running, you can fine-tune. Never turn the screw more than 1/8 of a turn at a time. Try turning it IN about 1/8, this will help the top speed operation. BUT, turning it in TOO MUCH will cause the motor to run lean at full speed and can burn a piston. Also, running too lean will cause a loss of low-end power. Once you get the mixture set you can adjust the idle, it should be low enough that the engine doesn't vibrate. Finally, make sure you have the choke lever down completely after the scooter is started and warmed up.
There is also a main jet adjustment screw dead center on the top of the carburetor. This is most always set at 1 full turn out. If this is not adjusted correctly, your scooter may not run, or run very poorly. Once again, turn the screw all the way in (clockwise) and then out (counter-clockwise) 360 degrees (1 full turn).
Routine Checkups:
Make sure all loose parts are tightened before each ride. (such as the neck of the handlebar, wheels, seat post, brakes, and ESPECIALLY engine mount screws)
Make sure tires are fully and well inflated.
