Roketa MC-16-50 HELP!!!

[jamesrhull]

I have a new Roketa MC-16-50 that I cannot keep running. My wife has put about 50 miles on the scooter since we purchased it in June. It was running great when we first bought it, but after a few weeks it developed the habit of running fine for about 10 miles, then when you pulled up to a stop sign or light it would die. It would always restart after sitting for about 5 minutes.

Now, after a few weeks of not being started and ridden, the battery will not hold charge and I cannot get it to start except by giving it a VERY small shot of starting fluid. It will start on the fluid, but once it has burned off, it sounds as though it is bogging down and will die. If I put a battery charger on it and shoot it with ether, it will start and run if I am giving it WOT, but it sounds bogged down and will starting chugging. It will not even spin the wheel.

I am getting gas through the line to the carb. I am also getting good spark if the battery charger is running. I am assuming I need to replace the battery since it won't hold charge, but more troubling to me is why it will not run. Any ideas on what might be the problem?

BTW, the dealer does not have a mechanic, just an assembler, so they are no help.

[Fox]

Try the following in this order testing it between each one.

Clean the carburetor. If this kid can do it then you can too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nei-9N_s9jU&feature=search

Mixture screw idle speed adjustment:
http://www.scooterforumonline.com/index.php/topic,1603.msg7405.html#msg7405

Valve adjust:
http://www.scooterforumonline.com/index.php/topic,1720.0.html

[goosestale]

It sounds a lot like my stator issues. Is the dealer going to replace parts?

[jamesrhull]

Dealer is not offering to replace parts.  At this point, I am not sure what parts, if any, need to be replaced.  I am going to try the carb removal and clean tonight, as Fox suggested, to see if that is the problem. If not, I'll move on down the list.

[goosestale]

Is the battery charging ok with the charger? But losing power as you go?

[jamesrhull]

Yes, the battery seems to be charging fine with the charger, but when I take it off the battery drops off very quickly.

[Fox]

Sounds like it's shot to me.

I have tried adding acid to old dried up batteries that do the same thing as you describe and it doesn't help. Once they are gone there's nothing you can do but get a new one.

 I get mine here:
http://www.pccmotor.com/moped--scooter.html

[jamesrhull]

Sorry for the delay in feedback.  I had a death in the family that kept me away from the scooter for a few days.  I got around to cleaning the carb last night.  I took it completely apart and gave it a good cleaning.  Once it was put back together, I started the scooter on starting fluid and it idled fine on its own.  It also ran WOT on the stand with no problems.

I took it out for a test ride and made it about a block and a half before it died and would not start again.  I pushed it back to the garage, started it on starting fluid and it idled on its own for about 10 minutes.  If I tried to give it any throttle, it would choke down and die if I did not let off of the throttle immediately.

I did a PDI on everything before I put the skins back on and everything looked fine.

Any new ideas?  Some have suggested valve adjustment as the next step.  Is that where I should go next or is there something else? Thanks for the help.

[Fox]

Yes. Valve adjustment.

 How old is the gas in the tank? If it's more than 3 or 4 months then get rid of it.

[jamesrhull]

Okay, it sounds like maybe the valves are next.  Someone also suggested the autochoke might be the culprit. What do you guys think?

Also, the gas is fairly fresh, probably bought a month ago.

[Fox]

The auto enricher could cause the symptoms you describe but it would happen sooner than ten minutes I would think. Check the unit by removing it. Holding it up to a ruler to measure the needle protrusion then hook it up to the battery with a couple of jumper wires, wait 1 minute and re-measure. It should get longer by a few mm's or so and the unit itself will start to feel warm to the touch.

[jamesrhull]

Fox,

The symptoms are immediate in that once I have it started I cannot give it any throttle without it bogging down and trying to die.  Once I release the throttle it will go back to idling.  The ten minutes I referred to was just the time I let it idle on its own before shutting it off.  I seems to idle fine for however long I want to let it run, but as soon as I try to add any throttle it will bog down.

[Fox]

That sounds like a carb issue to me.

[jamesrhull]

Okay, this is a stupid mistake, but could it be the cause of my latest troubles?

I have realized through looking at a GY6 Service Manual I found on this forum that when I reassembled the carb last night I put the spring under the diaphragm piston instead of on top of it. So, instead of assembling it in this order from the inside of the carb out(diaphragm piston, fuel pin, spring, cover), I assembled it in this order (spring, diaphragm piston, fuel pin, cover).

Could my bogging down when applying throttle be as simple as the placement of this spring?

[scooter 49]

One way to find out now isn't it. Take it apart and put it back together like it is shown.