Scooter Carb Cleaned

[wheelbender6]

The scoot sat a while over the holidays, and runs like crap now. It’s time for a carb cleaning.

This is the first time I have removed the carb. I have been able to drop the float bowl and change main jets without removal. I just loosened the fittings and rotated it for access.

Don’t use your everyday screw drivers to work on the carb. All the screws are very small and very tight. Get some fresh screwdrivers or bits. Removing the electric choke was really tough because the retaining screw was stuck. I tried different screw drivers and bits until I was finally able to loosen it. (Don’t use an impact driver on a carb unless you have exhausted all other methods. I broke a vacuum cap doing that a while back).

The float bowl came off easy, but I almost gave up on the silver retaining screw for the float. Again, I just tried different screw drivers and bits until one fit well enough to loosen it. With the float out of the way, I could reach all those little passages.

Spray all those small passages with carb cleaner and allow it to work for a while. You will also need a narrow piece of wire to rooter all those little passages. I used a strand from a bicycle cable.

There are a couple of passages in my float bowl for my accelerator pump. It’s easy to forget that those.

My main jet was fine but I removed the pilot jet so I could access those little holes in the side of it. Work the wire in all those little passages in the body of the carb too.

It was easier than I expected. Stuck screws are the only things that held me up. I got the carb reinstalled but we have a front coming through creating a crazy amount of wind. I will crank up in the morning and see if it runs better.

[wheelbender6]

Started it this morning but the same symptoms returned. Cranks and runs well with choke on. Stalls and tough to start when warmed up.
Any ideas?

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

Started it this morning but the same symptoms returned. Cranks and runs well with choke on. Stalls and tough to start when warmed up.
Any ideas?

Did you adjust the valves on this scooter yet?

[wheelbender6]

I did the valve adjustment last week, Jerry. Symptoms over over tightened valves can be very similar to those I am experiencing.

[slowhand]

2 questions:

1. Do these scooters have in line fuel filters? I suspect they do and if so you might try replacing the filter. Might help, might not.

2. Have you tried the fuel system cleaners with P.E.A.? Every spring when I get my lawn tractor out the carb is gummed up too. Never fails. I've started using the little bottle of Gumout in the gas tank when I start to use the mower in the spring and the Gumout helps. I pour about 1/8 of the bottle into a 2 gallon gas can and then put it in the mower. It takes one or two treatments in the 2 gallon gas can until the mower starts & runs as it should. It may help, maybe not. For $2 it can't hurt.

[wheelbender6]

I got it running well, slowhand.
The pilot/idle/slow valve was so clogged that I had to order a new one.
The new pilot valve did the trick.
-I checked both the vacuum fuel valve and the fuel filter and they were flowing fine.

[slowhand]

FYI ... The dealer I purchased my new scooter from offers a 1 yr warranty (with conditions, of course). One of the warranty "conditions" is that I use ONLY ethanol free or 91 octane fuel. He claims that the alcohol based fuels and lower octane fuels gum up the carbs if the bike sits for more than a few weeks.

I've been buying the overpriced ethanol free here in Florida but there's only 1 gas station that has it w/in 25 miles of my home. It's a pain but if the dealer is right it might be worth it. Just my 2 cents.