NO POWER UPHILL - 2015 Super 8R Road Scooter

[dwbaily]

So I just got this scooter from someone with no history. Just over 3500 miles on it. Found an online manual to try and learn what I can. See that it requires 92+ octane gas and not sure if previous rider used that so drained tank and put 93 in and some Chemtool in case of gum. When I ride it going up a semi  steephill, it slows down to like 5 mph. No experience with a scooter so not sure if a 50cc scooter does that with a 190 pound person on it or if there is something I need to troubleshoot. No Kymco dealer in Asheville, NC. Any comments/suggestions? Thanks guys!

[Mr. Paul]

How hard is it to start? How well does it idle? How is the acceleration and cruising on level ground? Whats the approximate top speed ? That will help folks get a good picture of what ya got going on.

[dwbaily]

Thanks for reply and questions! It starts immediately. The idle is sorta smooth although it's sorta on the high side when I start it. Not sure if that's the choke, if it has one. On flat ground it actually accelerates pretty responsively and cruises smooth even though I've not taken it out on open road yet. Just rode in neighborhood. Not sure about top speed because the Speedo doesn't work. Ordered a sensor for down by the wheel. It's the electronic Speedo they switched to on the 2015 models. The 0 shows up and odometer but neither works when riding it. This thing HATES cold weather too! Was fairly cold this morning and I rode it after changing the spark plug and had to push it up short hill. Wouldn't pull me up it even after trying to get a running start at it a couple of times in my cul-de-sac. Hope that's enough extra info for some ideas. Thanks again.

[Mr. Paul]

Hey Dw. I highly recommend you post this on the general discussion forum. You will get a lot more responses there from some really experienced folk. From what I hear I would recommend you clean the carburetor jets. Most likely the previous owner let it set up too long with ethanol in it and your jets are gunked up some. That is the most common problem. The only way to fix this is to mechanically clear the jets. If you dont know how, look up GY6 carb cleaning on Youtube. Its not hard.  As far as preventative maintenance fuel treatments, Seafoam is best. But do post on the other forum if you would. Hope that helps.

[dwbaily]

Hey thanks a million for the recommendation! You may very well be right on the ethanol. I put some Berrymans Chemtool in it but only maybe an ounce or two. Will check out your YouTube reference. Gonna take it to the local Kymco shop that is the only one I can find and hope they can check it over. Talked to the Kymco rep in Spartanburg, SC this afternoon and he said they come out of the crate restricted and that derestricting it would help. Whatever that means. Thanks again for the recommendation and reference Mr Paul!

[dwbaily]

Tore carb apart and sprayed everything down real good.  Seems to have smoothed out the idle but it still won't pull me up a not so steep hill.  Its like its either flooding out or the transmission is not fully engaging or something.  Bogs down.  Just on a hill.  So issues on flat ground.  Hmmm.......

[Mr. Paul]

Did you unscrew the jets and clean them outside of the carb? I have not had much luck spraying things down. I had to take a small wire and mechanically clean the holes. Some are teeny tiny! The old ethanol takes on the consistency of old sticky varnish.

[dwbaily]

Yea I took both jets out and sprayed them really good with carb cleaner but that was it.  Couldn't get the pin out that holds the floats in.  It was knurled on one end and I didn't have anything to tap it out.  No vise to hold it.  Not sure if that woulda had anything to do with it though.  Watched the YouTube videos as suggested and I'm pretty sure I cleaned it like several did with the exception of taking the floats out.  There's a little piece that is down inside the diaphragm that fell out where the long spring goes and I'm hoping that for it to run, there's only one way that it goes in correctly because I didn't see which way it was in there.  I put it back in with the spring that fits into one end pointing down.  Sound right?  Anything else I should check before taking it to the shop?  Maybe the belt is worn out or would that present a bogging down under a big load like going up a hill?  Scooter has like 3500 miles on it and its probably never been serviced is my guess.  Not sure on that.  Thanks for feedback! 

[Mr. Paul]

If the carb is clean, I am at a loss. Try going up a steep hill, and when it bogs, completely stop and accelerate uphill. If it does not bog, the transmission is not "downshifting" Also take a look at the air filter just in case. But at this point it may save you some heartache to take it to someone who works on scooters to diagnose it. I am sorry I cant be of more help.

[dwbaily]

Pretty sure carb is clean. When it bogs and stops on hill then try and go, it won't go. I have to do the Flintstones approach and assist it to go. Airfilter is dirty and I'm waiting on a new one. Cleaned it as much as I could. Thanks again for ideas. Will see what shop thinks I guess.

[mclark999]

You'll probably have to put lighter weights in the variator for better performance on the hills.

Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk

[dwbaily]

Thanks for the suggestion!

I read over on the General Discussion forum that somebody that had a hill issue fixed it by changing to a smooth variator boss (whatever that is), changed to Dr Pulley 6.5g variator springs (again whatever that is), and put in a 1500 rpm yellow torque spring (wherever that is).  Said the torque spring required him to get like a 39mm driver to install.  Said it totally fixed his hill issue.  How's that sound?  A reply to that suggested going with 5 or 5.5g springs I think is what he was referring to.  Not sure why if the guy said the 6.5g ones fixed his problem.

Another guy said to remove some sort of resonator washer (?) from inside the intake boot that connects the carb to the engine that helps derestrict it.

Comments?  Thanks all for your input in helping me make this scooter more safe to run on the road. 

[tortoise]

whatever that is

NOT seeing much initiative on your part!

Variator removal . . 5 gram sliders . . installation orientation.

[dwbaily]

Valid point Tortoise.    I have searched YouTube ALOT and none of those came up.  Thanks a ton!  Will watch them all.  Just got back from taking it out again and it actually did run a tiny bit better but still falls on its face on the hill in neighborhood. On flat ground it seems to run fine.

[dwbaily]

Watched videos. Excellent info! Thanks Tortoise.  Don't know how I missed them in my searches.  Must have been the search criteria I used.  Am a total rookie so innocent ignorance I'm hoping. Will include Ability 50 in search criteria and see what else I can find. Probably still take it to shop tomorrow to let them replace the parts.  Don't own an impact gun/sockets and my son needs to get going on it ASAP.  Assume shop will know what size jet to increase to after removing that resonator restrictor washer.  Video didn't say and neither did the guy where I first saw it.  Thanks again for the videos!