Could you please help, bike won't start...

click83 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Karma :

I have a new piaggio zip 100 scooter but it fails to start my brother has an identical scooter with no problem.

Here my question, what is the arrow pointing at in the picture below ( the see-thru rubber cap ) because the one on my brothers scooter has some sort of fluid in it and the one on mjine has none at all.

https://i34.tinypic.com/nntbib.jpg

Could this be why my bike is not starting?

What is the arrow actually pointing at and as you can probably see, im new to the scooter larK Very Happy

thanks.

rotax81 · Nearly there... Joined: 10 Sep 2008 Karma :

not familiar with piaggio new stuff. is it some sort of drain bung??

spark plug is a good place to start. get a new one in there, dont bother cleaning the old one just yet, do that later and you can keep it as a spare if its ok.
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click83 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Karma :

More of my story..

Got my bike last thursday got it home and put it in back garden with cover on case it started to rain but it was REALLY windy and the wind got under my cover and blew my bike over onto the same side as the picture shows. Thursday night i drove the bike to work and back everything running fine.

Monday morning not so good, electric start didn't get my bike going but after about 20 mins painfully kickstarting i got it going, after work i had to do the same thing, about 15-20 mins kickstarting.

Come wednesday morning nothing could get my bike going and it i've tried countless times with no joy, very frustrating.

Remember, im new so nothing to technical, things in layman terms please.

---- · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Sep 2006 Karma :

That "plug" that the arrow's pointing at is so you can see if the airbox needs cleaned.

If the plug is missing on yours it could be sucking in too much air,which could stop it from running.
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

That is an air-box drain, it's clear so you can see fluid in it-you need to drain it if there's fluid in it.

Based on that, yours is probably in a better state than his in that regard.

For a petrol engine to run you need air, fuel and a spark.
First thing to check is you've got a spark; take your spark plug out, plug it back into the HT lead and press the metal side of the plug against a metal bit of engine. Turn the engine over and you should see a spark.

If that's looks ok, you need to have a look around fuel and air; is everything look like it's fasted on ok, etc?

click83 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Karma :

Everything looks fine but that might just be because its me Very Happy

More info...

When i try electric start i hear clicking noise as in its trying to start.

When i use the kickstart sometimes my lights flicker .ie. headlights - i nearly got it going but didn't keep the revs up long enough and it died on me again.

DAMN BIKE!

Davo · Davo To The Rescue! Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

A new plug would do no harm.
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Can you turn your lights off while you're kicking it if you can't charge the battery? If not, can you easily disconnect them?

Sounds like the cold weather might have killed your battery.

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

If it is a new bike just take it back to the dealers.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

Swap the number plate with your brothers bike then it becomes his problem.... Wink

The Shaggy D.A. · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Sep 2008 Karma :

Mick_Rs · Derestricted Danger Joined: 28 Oct 2008 Karma :

see if it was the battery would should it not still kickstart?? why dont you take it to a garage get it fixed shouldn't be alot. I am not sure if this could be correct but could it be some dodgy connections in the starter motor?

Odie · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Karma :

if it was blown over, have you checked the battery to see if it still has acid in it?
Sounds to me like its not got any in or very low, that would be the cause of the solinoid clicking (not enough power in the battery!)
get a manual, it helps
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Cigaro · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Karma :

These new Zips are fuel injected AFAIk so if the battery was bad there may not be enough power to run the fuel injection.

Jump start it and take it for a long run.

click83 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Karma :

Thanks for all the replies guys, really appreciate them. Very Happy

Anyway, got my bike going after about 30 pain staking minutes of kick starting and took if for a good 30 - 40 mins run but when i turn off the engine it won't start when using electric starter only starts after another killer kick starting session.

Ann big reason why only a long kick starting is needed to get it going and electric start not?

Cigaro · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Karma :

click83 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Karma :

Cigaro · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Karma :

Yes, it should. Hence why I think you need a new battery Razz

If the bike has been stored for a while without running then the battery can stop working. Or it could just be a bad batch.

To make doubly sure, connect it to a car with jump leads (make very sure you get them the right way round) and try it then. If it starts, the problem is in the battery. Thumbs Up

As I said, what with the new ones being fuel injected, the engine will have a hard time firing if there's not enough power to run the FI system. Kickstart may be OK if the battery was only slightly dead.