200i Like - Poor Starting/Rough Running

[itsamugsgame]

Hi everyone.

Just found this forum so maybe I may find the help I need here. I am based in the UK & the Kymco Like 200i is a bit of a rare bird & the parts expensive & difficult to find. That said, I bought the scooter in April 2015 & it has served me well. In November 2016 I decided to treat it to a full service including belt & rollers.
To be honest, the scooter has never been right since. When I first got it you could hardly hear the engine, now it sounds rough. I took it back a few times but it is no better & they say it is as it should be. The latest development is that it has become difficult to start, especially when warm and it misfires on low revs. It will only start with a fist full of throttle (a bit dodgy on an automatic) and it seems to be using a lot of fuel. It is as though the auto-choke is on all of the time. Although I have some knowledge, I no longer have anywhere to work on it but after the last service, it is obvious that the local dealer can't be trusted.
The scooter has done around 11000 miles. Anyone else had a similar problem?
Many thanks.... 

[vespbretta]

From the Kymco UK Website I have the following information:

-------------------------
Kymco Warranty

MASCO Ltd will guarantee your KYMCO product against all assembly and material faults for a period of 24 months (12 months for commercial use) from the date on which the product was purchased, irrespective of the mileage (subject to terms and conditions).
-------------------------


So the dealer has either to fix it, or if he can´t, you probably have the right to take it to a differnt dealer for warranty fix. Or you might consider also the cancelation of the sales contract. But this for sure is going to be a tough one and you will need a lawyer.
Call Kymco UK (the main importer) and ask them for help. And report this dealer to Kymco UK!

The Like 200i is generallly extremely reliable and delivers constant performance. Night and day, summer and winter.
My Like 200i runs like a charme. But I service the scooter myself since the first service from the dealer at 1.000km.

Choose your dealer wisely!

[itsamugsgame]

From the Kymco UK Website I have the following information:

-------------------------
Kymco Warranty

MASCO Ltd will guarantee your KYMCO product against all assembly and material faults for a period of 24 months (12 months for commercial use) from the date on which the product was purchased, irrespective of the mileage (subject to terms and conditions).
-------------------------


So the dealer has either to fix it, or if he can´t, you probably have the right to take it to a differnt dealer for warranty fix. Or you might consider also the cancelation of the sales contract. But this for sure is going to be a tough one and you will need a lawyer.
Call Kymco UK (the main importer) and ask them for help. And report this dealer to Kymco UK!

The Like 200i is generallly extremely reliable and delivers constant performance. Night and day, summer and winter.
My Like 200i runs like a charme. But I service the scooter myself since the first service from the dealer at 1.000km.

Choose your dealer wisely!

I bought the scooter from an independent dealer about 40 miles away from my house. The Kymco dealer in my hometown is the only one for miles, that said, a scooter isn't exactly the most difficult thing to repair and maintain. We have got to the stage now that they are saying that the latest problem is nothing to do with the initial service, they could of course be correct.
I am loathed to strip it down myself as I have no inside space to do it so I guess that the search is on for another scooter mechanic.....

[LidoCA]

How does the dealer know that the latest problem has nothing to do with the initial service, if no one knows what is wrong with It? Sounds sketchy. Has the dealer tried to determine a cause?
 It does make sense that they changed the fluids and rollers only. I don't know what else they would have checked except for the valve clearances. The valves might be a place to start.

[Stig / Major Tom]

To answer your question  : your symptoms are unusual for this scooter.
You purchased on a day in April 2015,,,this is April 2017 - are you still under the two year warranty?
If so, make calls, use your warranty.

If this is not possible for some reason - you describe a difficult situation of having no place to work on the scooter.

My First Thought is that the valves are poorly adjusted - causes noise, hard starting, misfiring, etc.

So, other ideas;
when you turn on the key, without starting the scooter, a light will blink for a moment under the fuel gauge. After that, this light will blink to indicate a code of flashes for faults in the fuel injection system. Problems in F.I. system can cause poor running, poor starting, poor idling, loss of power etc.
(frankly, if everything is plugged in, and no fuel junk carried into the injector - the LIKE's F.I. system is very reliable)
Is this light blinking  ? which indicates FI fault codes.

Did they adjust they valves ?
spark plug cap-wire on securely?
spark plug screwed in snugly?
battery connections tight?
grounding wires tight?

Any of the above are loose or out of specs you will have ongoing issues.
Correct spark plug? correctly gapped? Old or new spark plug?

You say if ran poorly after a serving - what did the service entail?

Were they under the seat touching the engine, or just changing oils & working on the belt & rollers etc.?

Give us more info and we'll help you sort this out - assuming you are now out of warranty period.

Stig

[itsamugsgame]

Hi Stig
Thanks for the response.

The scooter is a 2001 model so out of warranty. I asked for a 'full service' plus belt & rollers so I assumed oils, break check, valve clearances, plug, greasing, spanner check etc. All the invoice states is 'Carry out service' & then a list of parts & fluids used.

The poor starting now seems to be both at cold & warm and it will only start with full throttle. Once started it coughs & splutters a little & there is a definite smell of petrol. It clears pretty quick & seems to run OK shortly after. There is plenty of power both at top & bottom ranges but it does seem to be using more fuel than normal. It doesn't appear to be smoking...

Hope that helps!

Thanks............

[MJR]

Like Stig I'd start with checking the valve adjustment.

[LidoCA]

Like Stig I'd start with checking the valve adjustment.

 There is a YouTube video on how to do a Kymco Like valve adjustment. It makes it easy.

[itsamugsgame]

There is a YouTube video on how to do a Kymco Like valve adjustment. It makes it easy.

Thanks for that, I will make that a job for tomorrow. By the way it is a 2011 not a 2001

Strangely, it has run like a Swiss watch today 

[CROSSBOLT]

Mugs, you got two of the best, Stig and Lido, for the Like 200i. However, today it is running like a Swiss watch?! I hate it when it does that! Do the stuff recommended by Stig anyway. You are dealing with an intermittent cause and Murphy's Law says it will surface again.

Karl

[itsamugsgame]

Mugs, you got two of the best, Stig and Lido, for the Like 200i. However, today it is running like a Swiss watch?! I hate it when it does that! Do the stuff recommended by Stig anyway. You are dealing with an intermittent cause and Murphy's Law says it will surface again.

Karl

Thanks Karl. Yes, the fault has returned. It only seems to be a starting problem when hot. From cold no problem, it runs well hot or cold. As soon as the engine is warm it is difficult to start & needs full throttle, it eventually splutters into life and there is a strong smell of fuel. It is the same symptoms as a choke on all the time. Valve clearances OK, plug changed still the same.... 

[Stig / Major Tom]

Let's back up here....
Are you getting code blinks from that dash light?
Fuel smell is from tail pipe.....or engine area?
Can you look at engine when it is hard starting ?......open seat, remove four 10mm hex bolts front/rear of underseat bucket, plus two Phillips  scews towards front. Lift out bucket with seat, observe engine. Smoke, fuel leaks visible?
 Spark cap secure?
 Rubber tube from airbox to Throttle Body cracked or loose....leaking air?

Recent fuel over fill...Flooding evap system?
Gas cap vent working....telltale not properly working is sucking noise when opening gas cap.

Battery connections  tight?
Frame ground secure?....look above & to rear of fan cover right side, golden 8mm hex bolt tightens ground wire to frame.

Just some ideas from trouble shoot manual and or Hx of issues posted here from other owners.
Pretty much all can cause intermittent poor running.
Keep responding ....we'll sort this out.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

Thanks Karl. Yes, the fault has returned. It only seems to be a starting problem when hot. From cold no problem, it runs well hot or cold. As soon as the engine is warm it is difficult to start & needs full throttle, it eventually splutters into life and there is a strong smell of fuel. It is the same symptoms as a choke on all the time. Valve clearances OK, plug changed still the same.... 

Any up-date on your scooter's issues?
Thanx, Stig

[Redk]

Mugs, you got two of the best, Stig and Lido, for the Like 200i. However, today it is running like a Swiss watch?! I hate it when it does that! Do the stuff recommended by Stig anyway. You are dealing with an intermittent cause and Murphy's Law says it will surface again.

Karl

well I messed up that quote reply...

What changed?  That will help figger the prob.

It's a 2001 model ?

I would not rule out crankcase seals.
They get brittle over time, regardless of miles, in many engines..

redk

[Stig / Major Tom]

well I messed up that quote reply...

What changed?  That will help figger the prob.

It's a 2001 model ?

I would not rule out crankcase seals.
They get brittle over time, regardless of miles, in many engines..

redk

It's a " 200 i " scooter ( "i" = fuel injected). The Kymco model name of the scooter is a "LIKE200i", first introduced in @ 2012.

Stig