people 50 dying

[yanobobano]

hi all-
been having issues with my people 50 dying on me while riding.  seems to happen more so with the throttle fully open and going up hills, but it will die out on flats as well.  everything seems to be normal, then it will sort of 'hiccup' (lose and then regain power) and then stop completely.  if i let it sit for a few seconds it will start right back up with the electric start no problem.
i don't know if it has anything to do with this, but the part that holds the kill switch is loose and rotating a bit.  i took it apart and it seems that the plastic bit with the teeth that is on the handlebar has worn out some.
talked to someone at checker auto that has a highly modded scooter, and he suggested that the float in the carb may need to be cleaned.
i'm not mechanically inclined at all, so this is worrying me a lot.
any advice on a diagnosis or remedy to this issue?

[phoghat]

The People 50 has a 2 cycle engine and after using it for a while carbon will build up in the head and tailpipe effectively cutting performance. These parts need to be cleaned of carbon deposits. Google for 2 cycle engine maintenance and you'll probably find some hints as to why this happens (oil in gas mix) and how to fix it. You can hang around your local small engine fix it shop (lawn mowers and such) and if you're nice they might help you out.

[yanobobano]

thanks, i took it out today and didn't have any issues.  i did buy some sea foam to add to the gas, haven't done it yet because i'm unsure of how much to actually add.  but it got a good cleaning yesterday so maybe that helped? we'll see.. *crosses fingers*