Issues with brand new Downtown running rough and cutting out / stalling

[Vivo]

The engine is connected to the rear wheel, to the rear brake, to the brake line, to the lever.. that's why you can feel the vibes... the front brake is waaaay far from the engine...

[msolok]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have flushed the fuel and filled it with known good, Premium fuel, run some Seafoam equivalent through the engine, and given the engine good runs at 80KPH+ (with some decent reving to get the fuel moving through it).

In the end I have still been noticing the engine is running and sounding rough when it is just turned on or somewhat called, is slow to respond and accelerate when called, and often has the feeling that the engine is about to cut out when crawling along (such as in traffic). It hasn't cut out since I refilled with better petrol, but the feeling was still there. Often I was able to increase the throttle when it had that feeling which I think might have stopped it from stalling.

But today I jumped on the bike for a quick ride. The engine had warmed up and it was running OK (not as cold today as some other days I have been riding) but not great. I got to some traffic which was only crawling and stopping regularly so was just sitting happily keeping up. Until the engine died. I had to stop and crank the engine for a few seconds for it to start back up. So I caught back up with the traffic and was sitting with them for another few minutes and the bike dies again. At this stage i wheel it off the road to get out of peoples way. Again it takes some cranking to get it to start back up but I am eventually off again.

No idea what is happening with this bike but it really isn't happy. I think i'm going to have to contacting the dealer again and insisting that the bike is stripped down and looked at. A real shame as when the bike is running well it's a really nice ride.

[zombie]

Have you checked the auto choke/auto by start?  If the wire is disconnected it will act much the same. I have found several where the wire was never connected at all. It was crimped over the insulation.

Have you turned up the idle screw??? NO! Do it!

Sea Foam "equivalent" is NOT Sea Foam. Just as a female impersonator is not a female. Just sayin'

[wakeupmaggie]

Without reading through this whole thread again, I wanted to offer that when you turn off your bike, do so by using the key, not the kill switch.

I forgot about that today and used the kill switch and then had the hardest time getting it started again.  Never does that when I use the key.

My 2 cents. 

[zombie]

Hi WakeUp!

Technically they are the same. The kill wire is a ground wire that completes, and diverts power out of the cdi. It joins into the key switch along the harness.

You just had a coincidence of hard starting.

[msolok]

wakeupmaggie: Thanks for the advice. I had received the same advice when doing my Learner Course. Their reasoning is that not only is there a chance you forget to turn the bike off with the key (those lights and electronics are on and you will end up with a drained battery) but also that some bikes can have issues with constantly turning off via the Kill switch, and premature wear of the switch.
While I have no way of knowing if they are just talking rubbish or if there is truth in it, but I follow the advice anyway. Saves me forgetting (as I keep doing) to turn off my lgihts and having a dead battery. It's always off via the key, not the kill switch.

zombie: Thanks for all the advice. Never worked on a bike before, so I am a little reluctant to do things like this. I might have to get myself a Service manual and start looking around the bike. However I am reluctant to do anything major with the bike as it is only 2 weeks old, so still has it's full 2 year warranty. Doing too much with the bike the dealer/Kymco may turn around and say I caused the issue (a common excuse for many Car dealers/mechanics here in Aus).
As for the Seafoam, unfortunately it is not available to us here in Australia. I have to make do with what we can get.

Spoke to the dealer again today and they have said the issue may be that I filled up with Premium fuel. They seem to think that I should only be using regular fuel and anything else could be causing issues. They have offered for me to bring the bike in and they will take a look and fix it up for no charge (which they really have to do with the Australian Consumer Laws anyway), but they still think one cause is the fuel I am using.

So what do you guys think. Could the Premium petrol be the cause of the issue. I filled with 98RON petrol, as the manual stated to use 92ron or higher.
I did point out the bike had been having issues before I filled up, but they just said it sounds like the petrol. So I guess I will be taking it in to them for them to deal with.

[zombie]

Maybe cause you had bangers, and mash for dinner too. F' those retards for telling you such a thing. Better fuel has NO bearing on poor dealer prep. If you have the stones for it those would be my first words to the A hole that dares to spew that crap at a PAYING customer.
In fact I would DEMAND that A hole be fired or they completely refund your money/you write a little column in the local paper about what they said, and take your pride, and $$$'s elsewhere.

Sorry Sir... That one pissed me off. I'd be in jail for slapping the prick. Say it again... Say it again...  Say it again...  Say it again...  Say it again...  Say it again !



I'm Sorry!

[Vivo]

The fuel rating has nothing to do with your problem... unless you filled up with a dirty fuel...

[msolok]

zombie: I am exactly the same at this point. Pretty riled up with their responses to the issues those far. They have just been really dismissive of it all. Not happy with them at all.
I have even taken a look at the Kymco manual and they seem to recommend fuel above 92ron. No mention not to use a 'too premium' fuel (which sounds like complete rubbish anyway).

vivio: Yeah, that was my real feeling all along.

I have gone to the extent of sending off an email to Kymco to get their take on this. I will then have something official I can cram under the dealers nose. I am at the point of wondering if I just take the bike back and demand a refund. If they were more accommodating and did their proper prep before giving me the bike, this would be a none issue. But this would be a real shame as I do like the bike itself.

[zombie]

I have a quick story... I live in a town of 2500 people, and we have 4 stores, and two gas stations.
One grocery store for 40 miles one direction, and 25 the next.

I walked into the meat Dept., and I knocked out the meat man for sleeping w/ my wife (who also worked there). The store owner suggested I stay away for a week or so. I suggested he fire the worthless piece of s_it. That was 8 years ago.

About a month ago he asked me why I haven't been in the store lately, and I asked him "when was the last time you saw me in there"... I don't exactly know. he says

"At an AVG. of 100.00 per week on groceries, ect... it was 41,600.00 dollars ago. Perhaps you should have fired the meat man."  I replied.

Moral is "The customer is always right."

[zombie]

Ask the owner to spend five minutes reading your thread here. They will make it right.

[wakeupmaggie]

Hi WakeUp!

Technically they are the same. The kill wire is a ground wire that completes, and diverts power out of the cdi. It joins into the key switch along the harness.

You just had a coincidence of hard starting.

No, it's not a coincidence.  I had a hard time starting it from the moment I picked it up.  The dealer is familiar with the problem and so is Kymco.  Kymco is who recommended using the key to turn it off and not the kill switch.

When it happened yesterday, I then remembered turned the key all the way off and then on and it started right up.  Honestly, I don't know why I used the kill switch.  I must have been daydreaming. 

There is a thread about it here somewhere, but I don't have time to spend a whole lot of time looking for it.  I'll go take a quick look and post the thread link if I find it.

[zombie]

I read the thread WakeupMaggie.

What Kymco has not yet figured out is there is a voltage spike thru the ground "killl" wire that feeds back to the computer. It is an AC voltage spike from the CDI. All they need to do is add a diode (part#In4001) in the ground line or a de-coupling capacitor to shunt the spike, and the issue is solved.
This whole process scrambles the computer until it gets full 12 volts for at least 30 seconds to recalibrate. Try it... Shut off with the kill. turn on the key for 30 seconds before trying the starter. It will start as per normal.

These are CHEAP SCOOTERS. I build more complex midi control boxes for recording studios.

If you want to call Kymco, and tell them the cure for their profit cancer is within reach?? Go on w/ your bad self. Either part is less than a nickel retail!

ABS codes on non abs bikes, non existent codes, two formats... They bought a bunch of universal  controllers from Sony when the Beta Max was undermined.

[scrollderf]

Here is another take on a solution. I had an Aprillia Atlantic 500 that would have occasional rough run and idle and hard start especially after being warmed up well. It would sometime even stall. The start was as though there was vapor lock. The solution on the Aprillia forum was to drill a very small hole in the gas cap. This simple procedure fixed  my problem completely and that of others. I had a rough idle and harder start with my DT300. You cannot drill a small hole in the gas cap on the DT, so I made a small cut in the rubber gasket that would allow air to enter/release the fuel system. I know the system is supposed to be a closed system, but perhaps being closed causes a pressure increase/decrease that affects the fuel pump operation (or something like that). The end result for me is that my running/starting issues have subsequently been zero. Maybe this will help.

[msolok]

I'm sure it's a surprise to on one here the response I got from Kymco today. They confirmed that there are no issues at all using a Premium 98ron petrol in my bike.
What was a surprise was that Kymcoknew the bike I bought, from who and when with me only supplying my name. Very impressive that they go to the effort of looking up my details after a simple email to them.