My Scooter Won't Turn Over
There is nothing more frustrating for a rider when, after enjoying a long trip to a half way point and resting, his or her scooter won't start up again. After kicking and kicking the start pedal, a rider can easily get frustrated enough to cause some damage in anger. However, there are a few steps that can be followed which may solve the problem quickly.
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Things You'll Need
- Socket wrench and sockets
- Needle-nose pliers
- Spare gas tank
- Gasoline
- Bottle of water
- Fuse
Instructions
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1
Remove any body panels necessary to access the scooter engine. Locate the spark plug. Make sure the spark plug cap that goes over the spark rests securely to the plug. Confirm the wire going from the plug to the ignition box has no rips, exposure or breaks in it. Tape up any frayed areas with black electric tape and reconnect the wire to the box and plug cap.
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2
Remove the spark plug cap with a wire on it. Use a socket wrench and unscrew the plug. Confirm if the plug shows an oily or sooty black color. Replace the old plug with a new spark plug since a black plug likely means it is fouled.
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3
Check the battery power. Confirm the lights won't turn out when the engine is off. Locate the battery water levels and confirm that the water inside the battery levels out at or above the minimum water lines. Use needle-nose pliers to pull out the yellow water plugs. Add some bottle water if the levels are too low and possibly expose the battery cell. Put the plugs back in and try the engine again.
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4
Open up the scooter seat and find the gas tank. Open the gas tank lid and confirm the gas level is above the reserve level. Switch the gas flow on/off switch to reserve flow versus normal flow if the gas level turns out to be below reserve. Add gas from a spare gas tank if the gas level shows almost at the bottom of the tank.
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5
Locate the fuse box on the scooter. Check if the main fuse has burned out. Replace the fuse with a new one. Disconnect any turn signals so the only power draw is the brake light and head light. Turn on the system again and confirm the new fuse won't burn out. Start the engine and return home to repair the electrical short in the system later on.
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Tips & Warnings
It helps tremendously to anticipate potential breakdowns and to keep small spare parts, fuses, plugs, and connectors in a scooter glove box. This provision allows immediate repair roadside so you can return home and fix the problem correctly if needed.
Not performing regular maintenance on your scooter every 5,000 miles will result in problems that seem to stop the scooter ignition from working. These can range from frayed wiring to bad spark plugs fouling with carbon and oil. Cleaning out disposable parts such as plugs, oil, and filters can help avoid these problems before they occur.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit scooter image by Oleg Tarasov from Fotolia.com
