cold weather starting problem

[Rozz]

Hi Jim,
I think you've misplaced me in the vast northness of Canada.  I don't live in Cape Breton, that's just where my picture was taken on my 250 Piaggio scooter two summers ago.  I was riding up Old Smokey, one of the highest peaks on the trail, Ralph was out in front on his Kawi and he took my picture over his shoulder while riding--bad boy!
Cape Breton is one of the most beautiful spots in Canada, the people are lovely and it's not too crowded, yet, anyway.  We have friends with a summer home there so we're fortunate enough to have a standing invite to visit.
I don't think many would want to go there in the winter time.
We always get a bit of a laugh when we see our southern friends complaining about the temp.  We have gone swimming in the ocean at 65F water temp.
The highlands are great, but we trailer our bikes there.  We live in Ontario about 30 miles from Toronto.
Glad I cleared that up.  It's been averaging 35-40F this week and very damp.  We are probably in the most southern area of Canada.  If you look at a map you'll see that some parts of the US are much further north than us and I can tell you that Buffalo gets far worse weather, New York too sometimes.

Now on the bike starting (or not these days).  I've had a new comp. chip installed which is designed for colder weather.  New battery.  New water pump because co-incidentally I had a slight oil leak.  More anti-freeze in the rad.  The jets are at -2.  I'm not sure if I termed that right, but I am the total layperson when it comes to this, I'm just relaying as I understand the info.
The bike has been gone over top to tail and checks out as fine.

In all the starting and checking, I think the gas level was overlooked.  The tank is not very big after all and I had driven it to the dealer so half was gone when I dropped it off.

It could be that the bike was just out of gas.  It's hard to get a reading on the gauge even after adding half a gallon.  So it could be I flooded it when I added the gas, although I never touch the throttle on start up.

I am flumoxed. The bike ran great all summer long, except for the odd balky start if the morning was a trifle chill.  Now this round-about of it starts fine when it's at the shop, not so much when it comes home.

I don't really want to give up on it as the size and power suits me perfectly and I am very pleased with the dealer.  He has been more than accommodating especially considering the distance.

I expect to have a computer with us when we travel.  If I find a WiFi I'll check in on the forum and entertain you with our tales of alligators and bikes--I really am a little leery of snakes and other reptiles.  That's one thing we don't have to worry about in our neck of the woods. 
Racoons, skunks, maybe a bear or two--but no slithery things.
R

[zombie]

Hey guys, I used to spend the summers on Prince Edward Island. That's where the Scottish side of my family settled. I loved it up there. All except the people with "floppy heads"   South park joke... Just kidding about the puppies Rozz. They all have homes. I've been joking about sending 1 to everyone who posts. Right now they are trying to carry away my dvd burner. I,ll try to post a pict. here.

[Rozz]

Hey, Zombie,
I am glad those pups all have homes--I knew you were only joking, damnit!  I love puppies so much, I thought maybe Santa would do the delivery!
So you've been to PEI.  That's a wonderful place but doesn't have the majestic scenary of Cape Breton.  I've only been to PEI once.  Now I bypass it and go straight out to the Cape.
Oops the Chinese food is arriving--dogs are greeting the delivery guy.  Funny how they don't bark when food is coming through the door.  Not like the mailman.

[Rozz]

OOps--the picture went in sideways--I'll fix it later.

[zombie]

That's ok, I fell out of the chair laughing, and could see it just fine. Today I came home to find my Moma dog sitting on the front porch next to a parcel from UPS. I called Lendel (the ups driver) , and he told me she came out through the screen on the bedroom window. He carries dog biscuts, and she knows it! The mail man will only leave a note in the box. She dosen't have any biscuts! As far as Santa, I hope he hit's everyone else on the good list because he's not getting past my house.  Hey ps. Don't worry about creepy crawley swamp things too much. It's a little cold for most of them. Watch out for drunk RED NECKS though. There is a joke about where I live that goes; What do MOST people say when they realize they are about to drive off the road. --------------( You can fill in your own response, ) In Carrabelle they say "Hold my beer, and watch this"

[Rozz]

Now I'm the one falling off the chair laughing--I'll be sure to fill in the old man.
We're packed and just about ready to walk out the door.
And miracle of miracles--my bike fired up just fine.
Ralph-(bless him)- put a heater out beside it this morning.  Three hours of warmth and the dear thing just fired up first try.
Now we know it doesn't like to be chilled.
I'll take your advice on the critters.  I have all the stats on how few alligator attacks, snake bites etc made the news and I've never seen one on CNN--now we know those guys would never miss a disaster.  And the rednecks too.

Next chat--from somewhere in the US of A. 
Over and out!
R

[zombie]

Knew that you would look!

[Rozz]

Hi Y'all,
Here I am in sunny Fla. and my bike is deader than a doornail.  I despair that we will ever discover the problem.  When we left On. on Thurs. she fired up like wildfire.  We arrived yesterday, set up the RV, unloaded the bikes.  Everything went well, bike started first try.  We took off down the road in search of groceries, about 10K or so.  That's 6.45 miles to those who care.  After shopping when we tried to start the scooter it was flat.  Lights/horn worked great, just click click from the starter. 
Husband came back to campground alone, tore apart the site so he could haul the trailer to come pick up my bike.  Just tried it again, still no go.  Local dealer doesn't open 'til tomorrow--not convinced he can help.  May have to rent a scooter if I want to ride.
By the time we set up our campsite again we were both pretty worn out.  Watched a movie, that was it.
Now it's cold and I'm blue.
We did get caught in the big storm in Tenn.--road was closed through the Jellico Pass.  We eventually got through it at 3:00 a.m.  Not sure I would recommend this trip to anyone.  We could have spent a week in the Carribean for what this will eventually cost us--and been pampered and spoiled and ridden some 50cc peice of cr*p around the island.
At least I can "talk" to you guys about my bike on the super slow WiFi in the campground which is a small city by the way.  Never saw so many trailers in one place.  Haven't seen the 'gators yet.  Maybe I'll go looking for one and see if I can feed him my dead bike.
Now I gotta go wash some  dishes.

[zombie]

Glad to here You's guys made it in 1 piece. The +12v lead from your battery goes to a solenoid, and then to the starter. Try removing/ cleaning, and re-attaching all of those connections. Sounds like something loose. you can try to wiggle the +12v wires to find it. Traveling by camper may be fun to some, but I would never do it. Like you said it does not save any money , and can get quite troublesome. Florida seems to be the camper/ trailer capitol of the world. Where I live there are 2 campgrounds ($600.00 @ month), and they are always full. You may have more luck finding a Black Bear to feed the scooter to. Look around any dumpster at dawn... On the bright side it is supposed to get warmer this week, maybe you guys can enjoy some of that warm Florida sunshine. If not ... Try some of that even more famous Florida Moonshine.

[Rozz]

Thanks yet again, Zombie--I shall instruct the husband when he returns from the beer/key lime pie run he's on.  I rode on the back of his bike for an hour today--oh, my, I think I'll stay in the campground and read a book.  Yes it's relatively cold here today but tons warmer than home.  The campground is really well established mobile home cottages.  Nearly 700 of them.  The casual camp sites appear to be few.  I am still waiting for my first alligator sighting.  Signs all over the place by the water, but no 'gators.  Apparently they have armadillo wandering around--haven't seen them either.  No, I don't care much for camping.  Killed a fair bottle of Pinot Noir last night--wished I hadn't this a.m., so tonight it's corn chips a spicy salsa washed down with decaf from home.
The dogs are not happy with the six ft leash arrangements and are sulking on our bed.  They've tracked enough sand into the van to keep sweeping for a week.
I would prefer camping at The Holiday Inn but this seemed like the best way to have dogs and bikes and travel in one pkg.  I didn't know there was Florida Moonshine. In Nfld they call it Screech--same thing I suppose--clean the tar of your bike if you can't drink it.

[zombie]

MMMMMmmmm! Key Lime pie & Corn Liquor. MMMMMmmmm! Sounds like a party. If you really want to see a Gator, leave a canned ham a few feet from the waters edge around dusk. You'll see one... Don't get caught doing it though. For some reason they LOVE ham. Come to think of it they go nuts for key lime pie as well. There is a camping story that starts with Key lime pie, and an old alligator! It ends with...

[winginman]

Rats, well now we know it ain't the cold weather, huh.  Zombie is right. If we got a click when you press the starter button and nothing else happens it has to be a loose connection somewhere between the battery and the starter solenoid.  If you get a click-click-click continuously when the starter button is pressed it is likely a bad battery or bad starter. If the battery checks out under load test have them check the starter.  I also see there is a 30A fuse in or on the starter solenoid.  Good luck...

BTW, you came down I-75 about 70 miles east of Louisville when you came through Lexington, KY.  Eastern part of the state and Tenn got the snow. It missed us, we had a light dusting on the cars.  I'll bet Jellico Mountain was a mess with the snow.  We take that route when riding down to the Smokey Mountains to ride in the mountains.

[Rozz]

Never did get the key lime--pecan with a cardboard crust was not quite the treat I was looking for.  I am not ready to feed the gators.  Can't believe how close the camp sites are to the river.  Are people nuts?
Ah, the Jellico Pass.  We could see that the locals weren't savvy when it comes to driving in snow, but we had no problem at all.  An inch of slush and the road was straight--I think I could have done it on my scoot--if the damned thing would start.
We are dragging it in to Sarasota this a.m.  We'll see if the scoot shop can figure it out--I'll report in as soon as I know.
Thanks for all your advice, fellas, I'll be sure to mention the fuse etc if it seems necessary.

[Shaka]

Might be good to get a third set of eyes checking over everything as well!

[winginman]

We are talking about Kentucky and Tennessee.  When it snows an inch here it about shuts things down.  I grew up in a rural county mid Kentucky and remember driving after a snowfall of several inches and I caught up with the county snow removal equipment.  It was a county dump truck outfitted with chains and it was dragging what looked like a railroad tie behind it with a couple of chains and there was a worker sitting up in the bed with bags of rock salt and he was throwing it out behind the truck by hand.  And you wonder why a little show and slush slows things down.     Then a few years ago it snowed a couple of feet here in Louisville and it had been so long since the city had used the snow plows it bought no one could remember where they put them until the snow melted and and they were uncovered.

Good luck with the dealer, here is to hoping it is something simple and they spot it right away and you get to enjoy the scoot for the rest of your stay.