Well, I hope I'm wrong - but these 500 Kymco scooters have a known issue with refusing to start.
This has been well documented by owners here, and in past years even by owners on youtube!
Interested parties could read the previous comments related to this issue posted by other 500 owners over the years.
The 500 is Kymco's most problem prone scooter - and it is most often a refusal to start.
Stig
@ggraven The engine compression is obviously more than perfect and there is no reason to be worried about valve clearances, bent valves, etc.
On a positive note, there is no way in life I would give up on trying to get the engine going. Since Stig's comments I did some reading about comments regarding starting problems on these models and I think some of those comments might be very useful to get the engine running.
Firstly - on any given gasolineuu engine, if you have proper spark at the right time, proper compression at compression stroke, and the correct air / fuel mixture at the right time the engine WILL start.
I think some old comments regarding starting problems might hold the key to get the engine going. Two comments are very interesting:
1. One owner got his engine going by replacing the scooter's stator.
2. One owner did an upgrade on the scooter's EFI system to solve a "cold start" problem. Apparently the normal power supply to the EFI system was not sufficient, and therefore caused starting problems.
To my mind this simply means there is a good possibility that power supply to the EFI might be suspicious by times.
So right or wrong - I would do a simple modification by installing a "normally open" 4 pin Relay as close as possible to the ECU The idea would be to draw power feed to the EFI directly from the battery - instead of via the existing wiring. The existing power feed wire (+) to the EFI will be used as power supply to the switch part on the relay. (86 is the positive (+), and 85 is the negative (-) on the "switch part" at the relay).
The connections to the relay would be as follows:
1. Connect the existing power supply (+) on the ECU to 86 on the Relay. (This wire probably has "low" power feed)
2. Connect 85 on the Relay to Earth.
( 85 and 86 is the "switch part" of the relay, and doesn't need much power to activate the switch)
3. Connect 30 on the Relay directly to the Battery, with a fuse in between.
4. Connect 87 on the Relay directly to the ECU.
By doing this modification, chances are 100% that the EFI system WILL get a better power supply than usual.
Before I retired at work we did several similar modifications to several other applications, and it ALWAYS worked.
My 2cents.
Please ignore if you are not interested in trying this. But who knows - it might just work.