KymcoForum.com
Scooters - Big Bore => Xciting 500 => Topic started by: HOHO on November 06, 2013, 12:40:33 PM
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I could use a useful suggestion on how to start the bike in cold weather. If it's anywhere under 4 degrees (39 fahrenheit) I have a hell of a time to get it started. The battery cranks it but if I don't get it after 5 or 6 tries fageddaboutit. I drive until about 2(35f) because our summer is so short so I'd appreciate your input to extend my driving season. Thanks
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Mine started just fine this morning at 33F.
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Put a battery tender type of charger on it. A shop tech told me that the fuel injected bikes will not start unless the battery is fully charged, With cold weather your cranking amps are low. I got one at chrome battery for 10 bucks. Home depot has them for $19.95 Install on battery leads, and let wires hang down near tail light. :-*
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My experience with a 2010 x500ri here in za,was right from the start,bad starting,and flat battery because same as you,if it does not Start within 2 turns,that's it.
Went the battery tender route, which improved matters but issue was intermittent.
This was fine for home,but there was no battery tender or AC plug at the side Of the road in the middle Of the Karoo(remote place).
Then,I got a second battery and using the seat latch screws,jury rigged a rig to hold this battery up against the original battery compartment.There's still space for a full face helmet. This Battery was connected in parallel.
This solution worked well.
Never had another startup issue.
Long discussions with the dealer, finally resulted in this gem:
Super high quality synthetic engine oil 5w40
(dealer had originally put in 10w40)
On my next service,I went with the better oil, and removed the extra battery,and have had no starting issues since.
We are in summer now,so will have too report back mid winter to confirm it is really solved.
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Update: it is winter again, and starting gremlin is back. It just won't start in the cold. This scoot parks outside. I have booked up the second battery again. I also setup trickle charging. Today will tell if it all worked. Until I did he aforementioned, I had to use th e wife's car with booster cables, this was successful every time. I checked battery voltage when idling. 13.10 no lights. 12.98 with lights. Revving does not change the numbers. I read that battery should be charging at 13.8. How to get this higher number?
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This isnt a gremlin , its a fault !
and kymco should have a fix for it
i have a feeling it has somthing to do with water condensation , bacause i cant start mine after a cold night iether ,it dosnet matter if its been raining or not
im in sydney australia and it dosnt get cold here like it does for the usa
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I just bought a Motobatt that has 240CCA. Cost a small fortune! The bike shop is fitting it and hopefully I should have it back by the weekend.
Using 5w40 fully synthetic helped last year winter.
The starter has been replaced as it got overheated from all the cranking I have been doing this winter. Plus the regulator has been replaced as well.
Hopefully this puts an end to this scoot's cold starting issue.
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The starter relay or the starter motor ?
i remember reading somthing about using a larger starter motor but i dont recall where i read it , so i dont know what motor they used .
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All I know it is not an original kymco starter motor, but it is new,so some parts must be interchangeable, I can only surmise.
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looking forward to hearing about your results xsel .. keep posting
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The dealer called me saying that starting is still an issue-intermittent, even after a new heavy duty battery. It is now going to an electrical expert who already has an xciting 500 in his shop.
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Because I ride 365 if no ice/snow I installed the biggest ccamp Yuasa that would fit into the battery box ,with a little trim of the lid's hold down posts. Have good starts on my efi'd LIKE200i down to 3° F , so far. Running on reg all weather Amsoil, 10/40.
Sounds like 500 needs bigger heavier wiring/starter/battery combo of a kind?
Hope you get it sorted.....we need these scoots to be reliable for commuting all weathers. I'm lucky, my LIKE200i has a system that is just dead reliable.
Stig
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The starting is now sorted, with a bunch of new parts being needed, like starter motor, regulator, some small cylindrical things sits left side if battery in a rubber sleeve, plus some kymco modified item, to increase petrol output when cold. Starts great now, instantaneous.
Only problem is, I did not even get the scoot home, and it broke down again.
This time crank bearings, argh!
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Some kymco mod to feed more petrol when its cold ??
has anyone heard of kevs mod ?
its from the xtx 660 forums , (my second bike )
this guy kev made a relay type thing to fool the ecu-? into delivering more petrol (gas) to the injectors when the weather is cold
and keeps the idle up untill the engine is warmer
"small cylindrical things sits left side if battery in a rubber sleeve" ..thats the starter relay
can you share your mechanics email ? or send it to me ? id really like to talk to him about getting that mod from him
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That cold start mod came directly from kymco south Africa, based in Durban, North East coast. They import everything directly from the factory in Taiwan. So try your kymco importer.
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My bike shop told me it is a Kymco modified ECU.
They tried it on my scoot, but that did not fix the issue, so they refitted the original ECU.
Specifically for my scoot, it was a combination of starter, relay, solenoid, rectifier.
Now it is starting within 3 key turns every morning.
Sent from my hltetmo using Tapatalk
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Well folks, starting issue is back. It is definitely a charging issue as battery voltage is 12.8 with no lights and 12.4 with lights. No noticeable change when revving.
The stator is the only part that has not been replaced, so that must be the culprit.
What say you?
Sent from my Samsung Note 3 with Tapatalk
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May I suggest that the issue is cold oil and cold crankcase.
Therefore, look at some means to keep these warm.
I had similar issues many years ago (25) with cars in the winter here in UK. I worked shifts at the time, so returning to the vehicle in the morning and it was a nightmare to start.
SOLUTION : I used a small compact parafin grrenhouse heater placed under the car sump. This warmed the oil and aluminium just enough to crank the enngine fast and fire up quickly.
Now I know that a parafin heater will not be best solution in all circumstances and I am not recommending this at all for enclosed areas.
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It is never that cold here in Cape Town
Sent from my Samsung Note 3 with Tapatalk
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Boo Hoo. 34F and I'm ready to leave work and my X500 won't start. This is the 2nd time it's happened. First time was a couple weeks ago and then it was fine. I chalked it up to a fluke beings it started in the garage this morning at 30F. Apparently sitting outside all day wasn't good on the CCA's. I plan on riding all winter if the pavement is dry. Anyone know the CCA's of an OEM battery and the possible CCA's that could be purchased that will still allow me to fit the battery in the battery compartment?
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Anyone know the CCA's of an OEM battery and the possible CCA's that could be purchased that will still allow me to fit the battery in the battery compartment?
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Darn it Wayne. ...
I was concerned when I saw you were buying a 500.
Seems like the one Kymco that hss a difficult mechanical issue. ...starting.
If your battery is not too hard to get at....measure...read its specs...go to yuasa web site.....find more powerful battery at same size and same type posts.
27* now...sitting outside after hour ride here...or would post you yuasa specs page.
You'll find all you need there.
Regards Tom
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well, if you have replaced everything there is to replace with charging system and the only thing left is the stator. Then I would venture to say that stator is bad and not charging the battery to the full capacity when riding, there for next time you try to start in cold, it doesn't have enough juice. Either that, or you have a drain somewhere....
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The wife came to get me and I had her bring the jumper cables. Took right off and by took right off I mean it started instantly. I'm going to be doing some research today and try and get something this weekend. Will be looking into the Li-on batteries. Not sure what to get but if the car battery jumped it like it did then the biggest baddest one I can fit into the box area I guess I should get. I'm all about not having to worry about this again.
(later in the morning)
Are absorbed glass matt (AGM) batteries the standard for scoots now?
This is what was in it. 240CCA
(http://www.interstatebatteries.com/AppCode/Helpers/GetScaledImage.ashx?pn=CYTX14H-BS&mw=380&mh=280&sz=L)
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The wife came to get me and I had her bring the jumper cables. Took right off and by took right off I mean it started instantly. I'm going to be doing some research today and try and get something this weekend. Will be looking into the Li-on batteries. Not sure what to get but if the car battery jumped it like it did then the biggest baddest one I can fit into the box area I guess I should get. I'm all about not having to worry about this again.
(later in the morning)
Are absorbed glass matt (AGM) batteries the standard for scoots now?
This is what was in it. 240CCA
http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/Yuasa_Specs_Apps_2015.pdf (http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/Yuasa_Specs_Apps_2015.pdf)
I replaced my small OEM battery in my Burgman 400 and Kymco 163 with the same battery that came in my Forza....for my winter starts in the boonies. The biggest YTZ Yuasa that would fit the box with only a little trim to the hold-down foam on the lid.
Maybe your 240CCA is tired ? - sure seems powerful enough.
Or, maybe something in the circuitry is failing - and powers through with the car battery - but not a scooter battery?
Shoot, hope your fix is easy. (27*F this morning - after 2 hrs my fingers weren't working too well on the cell phone keyboard!)
Stig