Sportcity starting problem

[Cameron500]

The last couple days I've had issues with my Sportcity. It will start up fine when cold and I may ride it 15 miles or so. I'll shut it off to get into the "glove compartment" to get to my garage door opener and then it won't start back up. It'll turn over, begin to start, then dies. Same result with each try until it just turns over only. Almost like the engine is flooded or something.

This happened once last year and 30 minutes or so after I tired to start it (approx. 2h 30min after riding) it started right up again. It never happened again last year. This year I've waited a couple hours and it still won't start. Next morning, starts right up. I rode it to work yesterday and stopped at the post office, about 7 miles or so and it started right up. And after working eight hours it was fine. After my ride home it did it. It exhibits no problems while running, only on start up.

I'm not very educated on the mechanical side. It's not showing that it's overheating but it's extremely hot here, 102 yesterday. I checked the coolant last night and it looked ok. The fan turns off and on intermittantly while riding. The oil looked good. With my limited knowledged it sounds to me like it may be the spark plug? It only has 2,500 miles on it. I haven't had a chance to pull the plug yet and look since I work today (did not ride it).

The small plastic bubble on the swing arm by the air filter housing was empty. I can't remember if it had fluid in it before. Is this for the oil, gas, or supposed to be empty? I forgot to look this morning when it started?

Any ideas? The shop where I bought it closed down this winter, along with its sister shop in Oklahoma City. Another shop was talking about taking on the scooters but I'm not sure if they have yet or not. Any help is much appreciated.

[Cameron500]

I called a local shop here in Tulsa who is supposed to be picking up the service contract for Aprilia and they're going to check on any recalls for my scooter. I saw in a couple other threads people have had their fuel pump replaced.

[jlindh]

The "small plastic bubble" you refer to is probably the excess air cleaner oil collection point.

[Cameron500]

The "small plastic bubble" you refer to is probably the excess air cleaner oil collection point.

Ok, thank you.

[mreric]

Seem like it could be your fuel pump... that was the only know issues with these.

but do let us know so we can have this situation in our forum for future reference

[Rockynv]

The fuel pump issue covered in the service bulliten should cause stalling at traffic stops as the impeller swells and binds as the pump warms up and can't maintain pressure to keep an even idle.

It could just be bad gas from lack of use. Only 2,500 miles in 2 years seems like there is a lot of down time. What do you use to offset the effects of ethanol and to keep the fuel system clear?

If they do replace the fuel pump then make sure you take precautions to prevent ethanol from impacting you in the future if you are not already doing so. I prefer Berryman's or Lucas fuel system treatments myself at 1 ounce per gallon for maintaining and 2 or 3 ounces per gallon for cleaning up an impacted system.

[Cameron500]

The fuel pump issue covered in the service bulliten should cause stalling at traffic stops as the impeller swells and binds as the pump warms up and can't maintain pressure to keep an even idle.

It could just be bad gas from lack of use. Only 2,500 miles in 2 years seems like there is a lot of down time. What do you use to offset the effects of ethanol and to keep the fuel system clear?

If they do replace the fuel pump then make sure you take precautions to prevent ethanol from impacting you in the future if you are not already doing so. I prefer Berryman's or Lucas fuel system treatments myself at 1 ounce per gallon for maintaining and 2 or 3 ounces per gallon for cleaning up an impacted system.

It's new gas, but it's 91 octane so I guess it could actually be old gas with the way prices are. I'll definitely look into the fuel treatment. The guy at the shop that does the work now is checking into the fuel pump issue. Turns out that the shop I bought from, and that closed down this winter, had been making false warranty claims for work not really done. When he ran my VIN number it came up that I had my fuel pump replaced last August which is false. I bought it in May, had them do the first oil change in late May and that's the only thing they did to it. Ironically they didn't turn in the warranty until August so it's still under warranty until this August where it should be expired. So best case scenario is that they will be able to fix it under warranty anyways. And as a side note, it didn't show a recall but that may be because they filed that they replaced the pump already.

[Rockynv]

Not really a recall but a technical service bulleten for a free replacement independent of the warranty.

[tomd]

Even tho these Pumps can be had cheap get em to fix it I just replaced at 28K mine on a Beo I know that to be orig miles and orig Pump This particular part number makes over a 100 K miles in A cage why only 30 K in a two wheeler Hmmmmm? this pump im holdin in my hand goes in my ,corolla, Aprilia, honda (car), jeep rubicon and others

[Rockynv]

This particular part number makes over a 100 K miles in A cage why only 30 K in a two wheeler Hmmmmm? this pump im holdin in my hand goes in my ,corolla, Aprilia, honda (car), jeep rubicon and others

I was wondering that also and what came to mind was vibration, voltage regulation and more likely that in a larger vehicle the pump probably stays submerged in and cooled by 5 to 20 gallons of gasoline most of its life while in a scooter it is not.