Not getting spark

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:31 pm

Update: Removed the plug and checked spark and everything and it was blue and ok. Now, it turns over and actually runs, but only while holding down the start button. As soon as it's released, the engine dies. FYI I have no air filter in yet, could this be trouble for starting it? (One is on order in the mail)

hondaman · Post by **hondaman** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:31 pm

You need an air filter. It will not run properly without one. The carb and jets are set up to run on a very fine line with the right amount of air flow. Removing the air filter will let way too much air in.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:52 pm

hondaman wrote:You need an air filter. It will not run properly without one. The carb and jets are set up to run on a very fine line with the right amount of air flow. Removing the air filter will let way too much air in.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense to me now, because I noticed when I poked my finger in the air intake/put something over it, it seemed to run a lot better. (just an experiment

)

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:12 pm

Well I finally got it running, although unfortunately the air filter hasnt arrived yet. I just connected a battery charger/starter and cranked the bike while giving it some throttle, and after a couple attempts it started up (reluctantly) and started to run on its own. I let it run for a few minutes and eventually it stopped belching white clouds of smoke. Despite no air filter, it idles great and is really nice when you rev it. After it had dispelled all the crud in the form of smoke (hadnt been run in a while) it started up right away every other time.

I took it for a ride around the street and it has great pickup etc etc, I know I'm probably not supposed to be riding without the filter but it seemed great and I just couldn't wait. After a couple minutes around the street, it suddenly quit on me and coasted to a stop and wouldn't restart. (I wasn't even pushing it that hard either). I've been looking around the forum and I've chalked it up to running lean (no filter) + 95 degree day = too hot. I couldn't wait until it was cooled off to try to restart it because I had to go somewhere, so I'll do it tomorrow morning but I hope I'm right.

Also, until the air filter comes does anyone know any good homemade air filters you can rig up temporarily so at least it will kind of act like it has one? Thanks

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:25 pm

ITS A REALLY * BAD IDES TO RUN IT WITH NO FILTER!!!! YOU CAN AND WILL BURN IT UP!
Take your sparkplug out and look inside of it. what color is the ceramic insulator?

hondaman · Post by **hondaman** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:47 pm

Your impatience on not waiting for an air filter may just cause you a destroyed engine. You will be running way too lean and sooner or later maybe sooner your piston will be destroyed along with the rest of your engine.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:02 am

Yeah, apparently I jumped the gun. I definitely wouldn't do it again now that I know better, and I guess the bright side would be that I only ran it for a few minutes... not like I went across town but still.

Very misleading though; it appears to be running great while at the same time destroying itself

Gonna check the plug when it's daylight out, it still cranks good and everything, so maybe it's the plug...

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:39 pm

The ceramic on the plug is still white and everything still looks like new. There is a strong, consistent spark, so no problems there. I'm thinking it's not getting fuel anymore for some reason, as the tank has a good amount in it and I know for a fact that it's getting air

and spark. Any ideas of things to look at first?

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:08 pm

snikro wrote:The ceramic on the plug is still white and everything still looks like new. There is a strong, consistent spark, so no problems there. I'm thinking it's not getting fuel anymore for some reason, as the tank has a good amount in it and I know for a fact that it's getting air and spark. Any ideas of things to look at first?

White is ultra lean it should be coco brown you ran it lean. You will be lucky if it still runs the same.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:44 pm

Sorry I got you wrong and looked at the wrong part. I looked at the fat part that said NGK. You mean the smaller white part near the tip? Yeah, it had a nice brown tinge now that I remember.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:23 pm

I didn't really do anything to it but I connected the charger and it fired right up. So I don't know what the problem really was

. It seems to work just as great as yesterday but I'm not gonna ride it or turn it on more until the air filter comes

. Maybe it was something like vapor lock yesterday? It was a record breaking hot day anyway...

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:03 pm

snikro wrote:Sorry I got you wrong and looked at the wrong part. I looked at the fat part that said NGK. You mean the smaller white part near the tip? Yeah, it had a nice brown tinge now that I remember.

ok you should be fine then but still dont run without a filter dust tends to ruin engines.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:07 pm

Thanks for all the help. I know I don't know much about scoots but I'm working to fix that

DougM · Post by **DougM** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:50 am

So what finally fixed it? I am still trying to figure out my very weak spark problem. I am guessing CDI as all of the resistance checks come out fine.

snikro · Post by **snikro** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:47 am

DougM wrote:So what finally fixed it? I am still trying to figure out my very weak spark problem. I am guessing CDI as all of the resistance checks come out fine.

Well first of all we checked all the wiring, and did resistance checks on the CDI and the coil. Then for safe measure we went out and bought a new plug cap because the old one wasn't looking too good. Then took the plug out and checked if it was gapped correctly and what color etc and tested it for spark against a ground. All was good there. Did some of your CDI checks come out strangely? Also, when you're cranking the bike are you hooked up to a battery charger? If the battery's too weak in the first place and you crank it the spark won't be very good anyway. The first time I got the bike to run was when it was hooked up and the charger was in "engine start" mode, or similar