Won't Start

[gabrielb]

Hi,

Unfortunately my People S200 has been sitting for a few months and will not start. I'm not a mechanic. Though, I could do some things mechanical if I needed to do so. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Thank you!!
Gabby

[Stig / Major Tom]

Welcome to the forum Gabby!
Assuming it was running when it was parked, perhaps if you used a good strong newish battery it will get it started for uou.
Tell us more about what it does when you turn the key and touch the start button!
Again, welcome aboard!

Stig

[Iahawk]

 First thoughts are battery, old gas and dirty carb. All easily fixed. To echo Stig - what happens when you hit the start button?

[gabrielb]

Thank you for your replies!! It turned over like it always did and at first it would catch for less than a second and die. I did this for quite some time. It finally stopped even catching. Unfortunately,  it stopped turning over because the battery died. I've ordered another battery online. It ran fine before the few month hiatus.

[Iahawk]

more than likely old gas and a dirty carb. Did you treat your fuel with a stabil type product before storing? did you drain your carb bowl before storing? If not you'll want to drain the old fuel out of the tank and replace with fresh fuel. You'll also want to clean your carb, starting with the pilot jet. It has a very narrow opening and clogs easily. Once you get your new battery in we can talk more.
Do you have a battery tender (to keep your battery fully charged?)

[gabrielb]

Thank you!! Okay, I’ll let you know when I get the battery. I don’t have a better tender. I don’t know what that is. Thanks again!!

[Iahawk]

Thank you!! Okay, I’ll let you know when I get the battery. I don’t have a better tender. I don’t know what that is. Thanks again!!

A 'battery tender' is a plug in battery charger / maintener.  Many scoots and motorcycles tend to sit for long periods of time between rides for many reasons. Attaching a battery tender will keep your battery at full charge between uses. I'll include a link for one example.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3M4NNNGOHQI33&keywords=battery+tender+jr&qid=1656193797&sprefix=battery+tender+jr%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-3

[Tromper]

Did you give a little gas while trying to start it? (On the center stand)

[Iahawk]

any updates on the scoot? Did you get your new battery?

[gabrielb]

Hi! My battery arrived today! I would be deeply grateful for any advice! Thank you so much.

[Iahawk]

Hi! My battery arrived today! I would be deeply grateful for any advice! Thank you so much.

OK, that's a start! New batteries need to be charged. Do you have a battery tender, something similar to what I linked to a few posts earlier?
You'll want to fully charge your battery before using it.

You'll also want to get rid of the old gas in your fuel tank and drain your carb bowl. With fresh gas you 'may' be able to start it but I would guess it'll take cleaning your carb to get you running again.

[gabrielb]

I have a battery charger. I’ll charge it.

I don’t know how to drain the old gas and clean the carb. Is there a YouTube video I could watch that you think is good for a newbie? Thanks!!

[Iahawk]

To drain your tank you can go to a hardware store and buy a siphon (a little pump handle with 2 hoses, 1 goes in your tank, 1 goes in a receptacle for your gas - old gas can - and you pump the handle and it will pump out your old gas from your tank into the gas can).

To drain your carb bowl you turn a little screw by the carb and the gas in the bowl will drain out a hose under the scooter. I’ll get you a picture of that when I’m back home.

Youtube videos on ‘clean GY6 carburetor’…..here’s a link. You can watch the first 5 and be an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clean+gy6+carburetor

[Iahawk]

here is a pic of the carb from above. I opened the seat and removed the little plastic access cover, using a screwdriver to pop it out. I'm standing on the left side of the scoot looking down (front of the scoot is to the left, back to the right). You can see the bowl drain screw circled with an arrow pointing at it. Using a long, flat blade screwdrive turn the screw counter clockwise a few turns until you see (or hear) gas running out the drain tube under the scoot. When the gas is drained (it takes less than 10 seconds) turn the screw back clockwise until it's tight.

This drains the old gas from your carb. Be sure to also drain the old fuel from your gas tank.

Read up on cleaning a GY6 carb and then come back if you have questions about how to remove the carb from your scooter.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Old gas, used oil, unneeded diesel, etc. will be accepted at your town's recycling center.
Sometimes not cheap...I paid $40 to drop off a jug of diesel. The 2nd jug, I set out for the trash-pickers on Tues. night. Gone in the morning!Stig