oil on my face?

[Matty]

diaphragm a-ok. everything else clean as a whistle.

[sidthesloth]

Still running poorly after sitting says that it is not a heat problem, picking up and running ok for a time and then going back to running poorly again, I would now be looking at the electrics, firstly going over all the connections making sure they are clean and tight.

[Matty]

thanks sid

i've ordered a new battery as a starter for 10.

I'm learning a lot, but this is getting expensive! 

[blue]

learning is good.But befor you spend to much be sure of the problem frist so you dont over spend.I learned that the hard way. Good luck with your scoot.

[Matty]

Thanks, blue.
Here's one to add to the diagnosis clues:

This morning, having cleaned the spark plug, charged the battery and replaced the fuel filter everything ran fine for...1 mile.

Then I stopped at a traffic light and the engine cut out (this is normal for my kymco and not part of the diagnosis).

I restarted using the electric start, and after this the bike was low on power like it was yesterday. It stayed like that for the rest of the journey.

Thinking back, it was after restarting from warm on the electric start yesterday that the power dropped.

Does this suggest anything different?

Spoke to Kymco and they seem to think if the battery is strong enough to start the engine (which it comfortably is) then the above is unlikely to be a battery problem. I'm not sure that's right though - seems like a big coincidence to me.

[REDKYMCO]

Did you ask kymco them about your oil loss, i doubt it is your batt as once your scoot is running your stator will provide your electrical system with all the current it needs even if the batt was near the end of its life, many people who's batterys fail drive round for months before replacing and just rely on kick start and dont have problems with weak spark even i have done it on a boatian scoot i had a few years ago.....

[Matty]

ok. developments...

Found a loose bolt on my crankcase last night, though can't remember which bolt it was. May have been the refill bolt, may have just been a bolt to hold it together.

Either way I replaced my transmission oil last night. This morning on the bike, I had 5 miles low power first, then 3 miles good power (if a little poor at low speed), all on the same journey.

So, may have been transmission oil, but still suspect my battery - my lights dim and flicker pretty seriously when the bike is idling. If not the battery, and not the coil (recently replaced), I guess this may be some other electrical issue. Will get the manual out.

[blue]

sounds more like a power think to me like a new battery.When comes to batterys rember this a battery well stell run lights and horn. But hey have a cranking charge also that need to be stronger then the power to run the lights if the cranking charge is low the stator wont charge the battery at all.ounce you lose the cranking amps the battery is toast.

[sidthesloth]

Are the headlight and dash lights powered by the battery or the generator?  If powered by the battery, then there may be a fault, but if powered by the generator, then flickering with engine at idle is normal.

[slugrocket rob]

My scooter buddies would call this "a test from the Gods"! Good luck and hope you get her fixed.

[Matty]

Thanks, guys. This bike has been a headache since I got it. Sidthesloth - I don't know whether the lights come off the battery or the stator, but I would guess the latter.

on the plus side I figured out how it was derestricted (variator boss), but in terms of running, if it's not one thing it seems to be another...

Here's what's happened the last two times I've used it:

Runs fine in the morning full power UNTIL my first stall of the day (normally at a traffic light). After restarting using the kick OR the electric starter, the power has gone and it stays at low power.

I know I can get round the above stalling by adjusting my idle, but I'd still like to get to the bottom of the problem. New battery is going in tonight but this is mainly a short in the dark. So the question is...

What happens when a bike stalls that might create a "low power" condition immediately afterwards?

Answers on a postcard to "losing the plot, london, uk".

[sidthesloth]

Go over all the electrical connections, test the stator, cdi and regulator, if you can replace these I think you would have it sussed. If not willing to throw the money at it that way, just test the items with a meter using the manual for reference.

[Matty]

changed the battery today. No difference.
That was an expensive test.

[blue]

Boy you got me thinking.I would just keep looking over everything make sure there are no holes in the air box or hose that goes to it. make sure everything got put together nice and tight. what year is the scoot did you buy it used.

[REDKYMCO]

With you saying the scoot runs ok the first couple of miles im thinking that maybe it could be the auto choke sticking on and causing it to run to rich once the scoot is at running temp and fouling plug, or from what else you have said maybe possibly a wet spark plug caused by oil slowly getting into the cylinder especialy as you have still not found a external leak and all that oil went somewhere and you did say your spark plug always looks dirty.....