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Post by ginganinja on Apr 11, 2013 7:32:04 GMT -5
I've been the proud owner of a 2008 Kymco Xciting 250, bought fresh out of the box, for a little over a year now, and have over 4K miles on it. I noticed last summer that on the particularly hot days, it would refuse to start unless I gave it a little - and sometimes a lot - of throttle while pushing the ignition button. Well right out of the gate this year we're having a hot spell and a couple days ago, besides playing that little game in the parking lot, the bike learned a new trick, first at a stop light and then while stuck in a traffic jam - dying when stopped and requiring ample throttle to restart with rush hour traffic all around me. It didn't do it on the way TO my destination a couple hours earlier, when the temperature was about the same, but it did it twice on the ride home so I kept the throttle squeezed a little at all times for the rest of the trip. The difference, perhaps, is that it had been ridden harder by the time I reached that point of the return trip. But then it didn't do it again when I reached my driveway about 20 minutes later. The next day, yesteterday, I paid attention to the RPMs while idling at a light after only a few minutes of riding, and it averaged about a tick above 1000, wavering up and down about 100, but momentarily dropped to about 800 right around the same instant I hit the throttle again. It kinda seems to me that last summer it was less apt to play its parking lot game when the gas tank was completely full, but that could just have been my imagination. My husband's theory is faulty spark plugs. Thoughts?
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Post by wilds on Apr 11, 2013 9:34:59 GMT -5
I would suggest checking the valve clearence and maybe a carb cleaning, depending on if the bike been standing with fuel in the tank and carb over the winter...
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Post by alleyoop on Apr 11, 2013 12:51:27 GMT -5
Idleing at 1000 is a little low for the 250+ motors I would raise the idle, due the hot weather they need less gas and right now it is getting to much gas and not enough air. That is why you have to hold the throttle a little open. Normally 250+ motors like to idle above 1500 rpms wherever it is the smoothest and it will start a lot better. Most 250 folks set the idle anywhere from 1800-2000 rpms. Alleyoop
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Post by shalomrider on Apr 11, 2013 17:17:52 GMT -5
howdy, i may be mistaken, isn't that a fuel injected engine. that could change the equation to where we are looking for air getting in the fuel or filter problems?
lotsa miles and smiles to ya ken
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Post by waterboysh on Apr 11, 2013 17:45:37 GMT -5
I had problems with my scooter being hard to crank. It was the exact same as yours; I had to give it a little throttle while cranking or else it'd just sputter and die. I'd also have to hold the throttle a little bit back for a minute or two until the engine warmed up or it'd die. Had problems with it dying at stop lights too. I just needed a valve adjustment. I don't know how often they need to be done on a Kymco.
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Post by triker on Apr 11, 2013 17:48:00 GMT -5
Start with the routine stuff, air and fuel filter, spark plug, and check the valve settings.
Roy
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Post by jwalz1 on Apr 11, 2013 18:39:22 GMT -5
howdy, i may be mistaken, isn't that a fuel injected engine. that could change the equation to where we are looking for air getting in the fuel or filter problems? lotsa miles and smiles to ya ken I think they Kymco 250's went fuel injection in 2009. The 2008's are still carbed. You will be able to tell if the badging has an 'i' in it. I think the Xciting 250ri was the first FI and that was 09.
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Post by skuttadawg on Apr 11, 2013 23:25:15 GMT -5
Have you had the valves adjusted before ? My Echarm would stall just before coming to a stop and valve adjustment it was new again
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Post by alleyoop on Apr 12, 2013 0:07:36 GMT -5
That is correct the 2008 is carb not EFI. The fuel injected ones show 250i Alleyoop
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Post by ginganinja on Apr 12, 2013 8:48:04 GMT -5
I could be mistaken about the year and I should have mentioned that it is the "Ri" model - fuel injected. It seems my memory of the dealer saying he'd had it in stock since the Scooter Boom of '08 overshadowed my memory of the actual model year. My apologies for the misinformation! But tweaking the idle, as suggested by Alleyoop, sounds like an easy place to start. And my hubby just confessed that he didn't change the air filter when he did my two oil changes because he couldn't figure out how to remove it. So that may be another factor. Any tips to help him on that one? Thank you all so much!
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Post by skuttadawg on Apr 12, 2013 11:14:42 GMT -5
Should have screws in the airbox so you can remove the lid . Some are under the seat . Pour in a lil Seafoam will clean out the fuel system . A dirty air filter blocks some of the air flow like if you had congestion in your lungs . All 4T scooters will need to get the valves adjusted at least once with some needed it out of the crate .
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Post by JR on Apr 12, 2013 14:00:13 GMT -5
And if all that didn't fix it be sure the valves are adjusted and look for vacuum leaks.
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