josie gibblebucket Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm easily taken it or so it seems........ Bike started ok this morning, then just wouldn't start later on. Doesn't even sound as though its firing, but the problem is intermittent. It did this last week, left it a couple of days, and it started first time. The battery soon goes down if you try too many times to start it too. It wont kick start either. Monday it started, I got 30 yards at the most before it just died on me. No power no revs nothing. Someone else said let it warm up before you set off, but its a 2 stroke, so a bit noisy to leave it running early in the morning. Its really annoying because you can't rely on it. Don't think you can bump start an automatic can you?? Like I said, when it goes, it goes well. Smokes a little bit but thats only to be expected >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Josie, some of these 'peds have a reed valve at the rear of the carb, these can play up on older bikes. By all means use a carb cleaner, it won't hurt. What happens with 2 strokes is that if they are left standing for a while, the pilot or main jet can become 'gunked' up, it's an easy job to take the carb off and blow the jets clear, don't be tempted to poke wire through them though as it will damage the jet. That could explain why it runs ok for a while then refuses to start, also try draining all the petrol from the tank and using fresh fuel, rust builds up quite bad in metal tanks and often sends flakes of rust down the fuel line. There should also be a filter, either on the bottom of the on/off tap or in-line from the tank to carb, check and replace this as well. Find a friendly bike shop and ask them to do it for you, if you're not mechanically minded, best to pay someone who is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Two stroke eh? I take it you have the correct oil : petrol mix and that the fuel is well shaken (not stirred) to mix it thoroughly? In the 'old days' I always used to shake the bike from side to side to mix the two stroke fuel before starting it - that's what my Dad taught me anyway back in 1960 ish! There may be a fuel filter somewhere to check - either in the tank or in the fuel line? An intermittent fault could also be electrical and an intermittent electrical fault is virtually impossible to trace until it fails. Whilst I hate to admit that Donna might actually be right I tend to agree that it might be best to find a friendly local motor cycle repair shop and seek their advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teflon2 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 If you look in the tank using a lighted match it should go like a bomb (only joking. Thats for the H&E persons) John (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie gibblebucket Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Tracker - 2012-06-27 4:00 PM Two stroke eh? I take it you have the correct oil : petrol mix and that the fuel is well shaken (not stirred) to mix it thoroughly? In the 'old days' I always used to shake the bike from side to side to mix the two stroke fuel before starting it - that's what my Dad taught me anyway back in 1960 ish! Hi Tracker, its got a separate tank for the 2 stroke oil, so doesn't need pre mixing. I think it must have a reed valve as Donna suggested. I have put clean/fresh petrol in it and it does have an inline fuel filter, it does smell of petrol when you try to kickstart it, so I assume fuel is getting through. My foot will be making contact with it very soon if it doesn't stop playing up >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie gibblebucket Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 donna miller - 2012-06-27 3:51 PM Josie, some of these 'peds have a reed valve at the rear of the carb, these can play up on older bikes. By all means use a carb cleaner, it won't hurt. What happens with 2 strokes is that if they are left standing for a while, the pilot or main jet can become 'gunked' up, it's an easy job to take the carb off and blow the jets clear, don't be tempted to poke wire through them though as it will damage the jet. That could explain why it runs ok for a while then refuses to start, also try draining all the petrol from the tank and using fresh fuel, rust builds up quite bad in metal tanks and often sends flakes of rust down the fuel line. There should also be a filter, either on the bottom of the on/off tap or in-line from the tank to carb, check and replace this as well. Find a friendly bike shop and ask them to do it for you, if you're not mechanically minded, best to pay someone who is. Thanks Donna, a carb cleaner won't take all the oil out of the engine/carb then? Oh by the way, managed to get it kick started this evening - why wouldn't it do that this morning grrrr >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Tracker - 2012-06-27 4:00 PM Whilst I hate to admit that Donna might actually be right I tend to agree that it might be best to find a friendly local motor cycle repair shop and seek their advice! Is this a first...???? :D .................................................................................... josie. always put the oil in first when filling. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 josie gibblebucket - 2012-06-27 9:43 PM Hi Tracker, its got a separate tank for the 2 stroke oil, so doesn't need pre mixing. I think it must have a reed valve as Donna suggested. I have put clean/fresh petrol in it and it does have an inline fuel filter, it does smell of petrol when you try to kickstart it, so I assume fuel is getting through. My foot will be making contact with it very soon if it doesn't stop playing up >:-) Hope your foot soon stops playing up!! I'm too old to know about separate oil tanks but do you know how the fuel and oil mixes and whether it is working OK and not sending too much oil which would not help it to start? That it smells of petrol at least suggests that fuel is getting through OK and if it starts after being left that kinda suggests that it is flooding and then drying out? Is it possible to try and start without choke and then apply a little bit of choke gradually rather than full choke to begin with? It's been such a long time since I faffed about with two strokes other than outboard motors so I'm clutching at straws a bit here - but outboards can be very temperamental to start at times and it usually comes down to too much or too little fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie gibblebucket Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Automatic choke..................................and I think I'm right in saying that the reed valve opens up as the throttle is opened, so allowing the correct amount of 2 stroke through, though I could be quite wrong about that :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 When I recall what a pain in #### automatic chokes could be on cars in days gone I do have to wonder whether that might be your source of aggravation? Can you easily disconnect or disable it to experiment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie gibblebucket Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Because it could be one of several things - I think I will have to do as Donna suggested and get someone who knows what they are doing to look at it for me. Bit of a bummer - as more expense >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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