Scooter Mechanics Help
A couple of years ago, I inherited a 1985 Honda Aero 50 scooter from a friend who had no more use for it. The thing wouldn't start. It was falling apart. Yadda yadda yadda.
After letting it sit in my garage for a couple of years, I finally decided to get it running again. I replaced the battery and then siphoned out all the old gas (although, in retrospect, I should have run it dry) and replaced it fresh. It would *try* to turn over but just wouldn't quite make it. I took it apart and sprayed some starter fluid into the air intake/carb and it started up just fine, ran for a bit, and then died.
I replaced the two vacuum lines going to the carb, and it ran like a top all day today. Started every time.
Just a bit ago (about 9:30 pm) I tried to start it to no avail. The thing just does not like to be cold. And by cold I don't mean a cold engine. I mean an outdoor temp of below 60º. Honestly, it acts like there's something wrong with the choke?but I don't *see* a choke on it.
This is, apparently, a long-time problem with this scooter. One of the previous owners drilled a hole through the outer shell, the cover for the air filter, and the filter itself so they could spray starter fluid in to get it started.
At this point, there seem to be two likely candidates for repair: the fuel filter/pump thingy attached to the bottom of the gas tank (I'm not sure *what* it is) and the carb.
Does anyone have any ideas about what might be going on? Anyone have any experience with one of these? The thing runs great (well, acceleration isn't as smooth as it should be, but 85% of the time it does what it oughta) and will be used to get me from home to work (about 3 miles on back roads).
ADDITIONALLY:
Anyone have any ideas about how I might mount a cupholder on this? I like to stop by the 7-11 and grab a cup of coffee in the mornings.
After letting it sit in my garage for a couple of years, I finally decided to get it running again. I replaced the battery and then siphoned out all the old gas (although, in retrospect, I should have run it dry) and replaced it fresh. It would *try* to turn over but just wouldn't quite make it. I took it apart and sprayed some starter fluid into the air intake/carb and it started up just fine, ran for a bit, and then died.
I replaced the two vacuum lines going to the carb, and it ran like a top all day today. Started every time.
Just a bit ago (about 9:30 pm) I tried to start it to no avail. The thing just does not like to be cold. And by cold I don't mean a cold engine. I mean an outdoor temp of below 60º. Honestly, it acts like there's something wrong with the choke?but I don't *see* a choke on it.
This is, apparently, a long-time problem with this scooter. One of the previous owners drilled a hole through the outer shell, the cover for the air filter, and the filter itself so they could spray starter fluid in to get it started.
At this point, there seem to be two likely candidates for repair: the fuel filter/pump thingy attached to the bottom of the gas tank (I'm not sure *what* it is) and the carb.
Does anyone have any ideas about what might be going on? Anyone have any experience with one of these? The thing runs great (well, acceleration isn't as smooth as it should be, but 85% of the time it does what it oughta) and will be used to get me from home to work (about 3 miles on back roads).
ADDITIONALLY:
Anyone have any ideas about how I might mount a cupholder on this? I like to stop by the 7-11 and grab a cup of coffee in the mornings.
Comments
this could be a fuel pump issue...
That's what I'm leaning towards at this point. The thing was a real bitch to crank this morning, and I wound up having to squirt some starter fluid in there to get it going. But once it cranked, it ran fine. This is the first day I've taken it to work, so we'll see how it cranks at 5:00 when I leave. I should admit that I have some serious MacGuyverissitude going on with this thing.
The real problem, now, is that I don't know where the fuel pump *is* on this thing. I assume that it's the piece connected directly to the bottom of the tank, which would suggest it's some kind of vacuum driven thing.
Does anyone know what that part might be? I'll gladly take a pic and post it if it'll help.
I'm going to guess that the pump is mechanical and attached to the engine. Follow the fuel line form the carb' backward.
There are two vacuum fuel lines going off the carb, and both go to this little mystery part. But the mystery part is just screwed into the bottom of the tank and isn't attached to anything else.
So. Carb cleaner? Or would that potentially loosen up the gunk enough to clog the lines completely? Just run it for a couple of weeks and see if it gets any better? Pull the carb and clean it myself?
Anyone have any thoughts?
just do a little google searching...
Ahem... I found a website that allows one to purchase a service manual for the aero...
just do a little google searching...
Sure. I have it bookmarked one some site called "Amazon." But COME ON! Having a MANUAL really takes the fun out of it!
Really? That's a stupid name for a website for scooter manuals...
Amazon?
Really? That's a stupid name for a website for scooter manuals...
No kidding. I think they might have started out selling canoe service and repair manuals and maybe branched out or something.
Here's what's hysterical, though: the plug wire and coil are one piece. At some point, the plug wire got separated from the coil. Did they fix it by spending $50 on a new assembly? Nooooooooooooo. THEY JB WELDED THE WIRE TO THE COIL.
Ugh.
So that's my purchase for tomorrow.
Petcock.
I will never, ever tire of saying that word.
Thus, I have to know what the problem is to demand that he fix it or he'll just play it off like it'll go away. Yeesh!
PROBLEM: I give my scooter a bit of gas and it can accelerate slowly, but anytime I try to accelerate hard the RPMs just drop right off.
Where might my problem be, any help would be great!
--Sidai
my guesses as a non-mechanic non-car owning person...
Hardy is probably right with the fouled carb guess.
For air and gas to burn properly the ratio of air to gas must be maintained around a certain level. This ratio is roughly 15 volumes of air to 1 volume of gas. (see stochastic ratio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-fuel_ratio)
There is a sliding component in most carbs (needle valve) that moves as you twist the throttle (and rpm's increase). As the needle valve moves it exposes larger 'jets' inside your carb to provide more gas to the increasing air intake. Your idle jet is working properly so your scoot starts. As you twist the throttle to increase rpm, jet #2 comes into play and it is clogged. Your air/fuel ratio goes to something like 25 to 1 and your engine cannot burn the mix.
Clean the carb with compressed air to remove debris, and use carb cleaner to remove varnish. (Varnish looks just like varnish ?? and is dried hydro-carbons)
A clogged carb will not likely 'go away' until you leave the scoot unattended with the key in the ignition.
Paz