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Post by nalasha79 on Jul 14, 2016 17:21:57 GMT -5
Hello everyone. My wife and I bought a 2015 TaoTao Quantum Tour 150cc 4stroke scooter in December 2015 from Amazon ( View Here). We have been VERY happy about it, and love the experience; when it is running... I watched some PDI videos before receiving the scooter and knew that I needed to do a few things to it before driving it. I changed the oil ( 15W-40) and gear oil ( Link) immediately, and inspected everything. Once I corrected any troubles I found (a few things), we started to use the scoot. A few weeks ago we were riding back home from a trip out (about 15 miles total). On a slight incline towards the end of the trip I noticed a slight drop in power. We continued to the stop light, waited our turn and as we went through the intersection the scooter stalled. The scooter has 390km on it, so far. I had to push it home. I have tried many things and read many things about what to try, but I am ready for some pro guidance; so I'm here. So far I have replaced sections of fuel line ( Raider 716B-5 3/16"), replaced the fuel filter ( Vakeen Fuel Filter), installed a fuel cut-off valve ( Inline Valve Petcock), replaced the CDI ( Performance Racing CDI), replaced the ignition coil ( Ignition Coil), and replaced the spark plug ( NGK (7544) CR7HIX). I have tested the fuel petcock ( fuel pump) and verified its function by turning the electric ignition over and watching the fuel pump into a container. I have verified the spark at the plug by grounding the plug against the engine block and turning it over as well. I opened the float bowl drain hose ( Diagram) and fuel is flowing out. I wore out the battery trying to get this started and have just recharged it; so it is strong for the moment. The finger test for compression pops my finger off of the spark plug hole when I cover it (while the plug is out) and crank it. All visual examination seems proper, but there is nothing on the plug when I take it out. The plug is DRY. From my reading I know this is a sign of something... I have reached my limits of troubleshooting here. Please help me figure this. |
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Post by tvnacman on Jul 14, 2016 17:43:21 GMT -5
pull the carb and intake manifold off, crank the engine over and while it is turning drop some fresh gas in the hole.
John
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Post by nalasha79 on Jul 14, 2016 18:57:59 GMT -5
John, I just tried this and it didn't start.. I used carb cleaner instead of gas, but it didn't start. Maybe a sputter, but didn't start. Does that say anything?
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Post by crawford on Jul 14, 2016 21:05:02 GMT -5
Leave carb on just take air filter off spray started fluid in just a little see if it starts or trys, carb cleaner isn't going to work.
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Post by nalasha79 on Jul 18, 2016 10:39:44 GMT -5
tvnacman and crawford , thanks for your replies. The weekend came and went. I am going to use gasoline for this test this afternoon. I will give you the results here as soon as this is done. In the meantime, maybe you can write what I can learn from this test; running briefly means/ not running means?
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Post by tvnacman on Jul 18, 2016 11:48:03 GMT -5
It will tell you if it is a carb problem.
John
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Post by crawford on Jul 18, 2016 12:26:43 GMT -5
It will tell you if you have a fuel issue fuel getting to carburetor or not and if carburetor is doing it's job or not
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Post by nalasha79 on Jul 18, 2016 16:26:51 GMT -5
Okay guys, I poured some gas into the intake manifold and the engine sounded like it would start. I am not sure how long it should have tried, but there was white smoke from the exhaust too (showing proper function?). I noticed that the intake manifold boot (?) has a split in it where it connects to the carb. I think it may have been there before I worked on this, but I don't know for sure. If the split was there before, would it have been enough to keep the engine from drawing the gas needed to run (even if the slit was small?), and do you have enough information here to diagnose the test? |
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Post by JerryScript on Jul 18, 2016 22:15:57 GMT -5
Yes, even a small slit in the intake manifold can prevent enough vacuum from developing to pull enough gas through.
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Post by lain on Jul 19, 2016 3:49:27 GMT -5
The white smoke is most likely the carb cleaner you were trying to use. Carb cleaner is not gasoline, it will not have the same burning point and therefor would not have the same timing, not to mention it leans out the engine like in concentrated amounts. You were most likely leading yourself to the wrong conclusions due to using the wrong thing for fuel.
For diagnostic purposes you can duct tape (or gorilla tape for a better more sure hold and possibly longer term temp fix) the intake manifold where it is damaged. I've had a few friends who swear by this fix as a long term solution, but I don't trust it myself and only use it for diagnosing if the intake is in fact the issue.
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Post by crawford on Jul 19, 2016 8:37:40 GMT -5
The split will cause you not to fire if you want to test this get some electric tape take off intake clean it off apply tape all around intake then put it on and then try to start. Remember if this works don't ride it's just a test. I've done this a couple of times with good successes. even if it starts or comes close your good. You can fine them on ebay for around 14 dollars.
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Post by nalasha79 on Aug 1, 2016 16:48:05 GMT -5
 | Okay, I have tried crawford 's and lain 's advice and taped the Intake Manifold to get a test for starting.  , no luck. I have found a manifold for the replacement of the cracked manifold HERE and I will be ordering it, but I would like to order everything that I will need for the scooter to run again... |
The question remains, what is keeping the carb from pulling fuel in from the tank? Or what is keeping the fuel from running into the chamber for spark. Spark is there (plug is dry, remember), petcock (fuel pump) is good (apparently) as fuel will run through when I suck the vac line... Fuel to carb is not the problem.. What can I do next to try and get back on the road? |
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Post by ghcoe on Aug 1, 2016 20:21:56 GMT -5
Ok, lets see if the float bowl is even getting fuel. Find the float bowl drain line and open it up. You should get some fuel out of it once you open it up. If you get fuel then suck on the fuel shutoff valve vacuum line and see if the fuel begins to flow again. If good the next problem could be a clogged pickup tube. Seems to me I did read where this can be a issue with some Chinese units that use some sort of packing material in the fuel bowl for shipping. It is suppose to dissolve with the fuel, but sometimes causes issues. This means you need to take apart the carburetor and remove the pickup tube. I use a piece of copper wire removed from a power cord to clean out the passages in the tube. Copper is softer than brass so it will not easily damage the pickup tube diameters which are critical to fuel metering. Usually to test if I have a fuel delivery issue I use starting fluid, like mentioned above, and squirt a bit in the intake. If the engine starts for a few seconds then it is a fuel issue. Make sure the vacuum lines are leak free. Suck on them and stick your tongue on the end of the line. It should hold your tongue in place. If it pops right off then you have a leak. Most Chinese scooter dealers off a 1year parts only warranty. I would contact them and tell them your issue. Then I would try and get them to send me a intake manifold, carburetor and fuel shutoff valve. I have had warranty issues in the past and usually they will get you the parts that you need to get going again. I looked at your link above (scooter) and they have those parts listed for sale so it should not be a problem. If they refuse a new carburetor is $21.  . Good luck, George. |
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Post by nalasha79 on Sept 19, 2016 18:25:14 GMT -5
Okay, it has been a while since I updated the information on this post, but I have BumbleLove (the scooter) running again. Back at the top of this post the story of the stall is told. We have not been able to start BumbleLove since then. I read a lot of things about what might be going on here, and I was kinda afraid of what I might have to do just to get running again. I decided I would order a new intake manifold, starter coil, CDI, and a carburetor to try and get this worked out. I waited until all of the parts were delivered and then I decided to get 'r done. I installed the starter ignition coil first; no start. I installed the CDI next; no start. I went back to the original (OG) coil; no start. I put new coil back on and went back the OG CDI; no start. I put both new parts back on. I then installed the new carburetor. I had to charge the battery a few times to keep up with this testing. I cranked the motor for some time, but then there was magic  . I thought we were ready for the road, but I wanted to test things out before my wife and I both went riding; good thing too. I noticed after a short while the idle would be rough and I had to give throttle to keep it running. I knew this was not how it was to be. I looked into air/gas mixture and idle settings. I messed with the air/gas and verified roughly 2.5 turns out from closed, waited for the warmup period and set the idle to "sound right" (as I don't have the vac tool). All that was setup fine... Driving home from the test run I stalled... Hmmm... must be the mixture/idle I thought, but the stall happened at 55mph... not idle speed. I had to get home, though, so I went through the motions and discovered the spark plug wire had fallen off the plug. Reconnected and bam; running. I drove down the road some more and stall... Again... Checked the mix and the idle and turned out the wire came off again. Plugged it back in and snugged it with a vac line that was close-by. Turns out the new ignition coil doesn't really fit the spark plug that well. I couldn't figure a way to make this dependable. I stopped by an auto parts store and looked for the "nub" for the end of the spark plug, but that would have been way too big. I ended up taking a wire and separating the jacket from the strands of wires inside. Then I wrapped about ten of the strands around the threaded top of the plug, carefully, and screwed in the spark plug. Then I gently pushed/turned the coil onto the plug and used a zip-tie to try and secure it to a near-by plastic piece; I hope it will stay on... Does anyone have ideas for this? Maybe a new thread for "Scooter spark plug ignition coil troubles".
I then started it, waited for warm-up, and rechecked the mix/idle settings. I noticed that the engine would surge and made setting the idle very hard. I would set it to where it would keep running (warm now) and then it would surge and start spinning the tire. I knew this was not going to be good for the belt so... I looked for more. I heard this hissing and I couldn't think it was right. I lifted on the carb and it stopped; the intake manifold split was causing it. I was going to wait on replacing that, but it was causing me to not be able to dial in the right idle speed due to the surging of the scooter motor. All seems to be well now.. Thanks for all of your help!! |
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Post by tortoise on Sept 19, 2016 18:48:07 GMT -5
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