KymcoForum.com
Scooters - 125 to 300 => Downtown 300 => Topic started by: vale on March 13, 2025, 08:52:06 PM
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I have a 300DT. A month ago, because the weather was announced to be a little bit bad, I thought that is a good idea to put the battery on charger for 1-2 days when outside it was snow. The snow passed, I put the battery on, the bike started from the first key. Get my kid to school, come back to go to work with the bike, it didn't want to start again.
I don't know much about technicalities so my guess was that the battery was in a bad condition. I bought a new one, the same result. I did some reading, checked the stand sensor, check for spark (it was present), still no go. The brake levers are working (confirmed by the stop light).
I bought a new spark (the other one had 3 years of usage) the bike does the same.
This is where 'the internet' is not helpful.
Maybe somebody has a new idea.
I uploaded a short video here: https://streamable.com/9z5lll (https://streamable.com/9z5lll)
PS: yes I know that I can take it to a mechanic but that means a good amount of money that I wished to invest in the bike (evacuation and windshield)
Thank you!
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Spark is there, confirmed?
Jumpstart from a car battery, car idling!
If it starts then, battery shot.
If NO, then it might not get fuel.
Is the plug wet or completely dry after sstart attempts?
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I tested the old spark, it was present. For the new one O didn't test, thinking that it is new...
This picture I took with the old spark after a few attempts of starting.
(https://wwww.ro/1.JPEG)
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Ok, plug looks wet = fuel is there
Please try with a NEW sparkplug, NO throttle and jumpstart from a car.
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Will do, first i need to find a neighbor with car and cables :)
Let's presume it will start, what then?
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Will do, first i need to find a neighbor with car and cables :)
Let's presume it will start, what then?
It will indicate a tired battery. Time for a new one!
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well, as I stated in the first message, this behavior is present on the old battery but also on a NEW one installed.
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Ok,
-BOTH brake switches work?
-killswitch on RUN
-sidestand UP
-sparkplug cap tight on plug?
-battery connectors tightened and in good condition
-fuses out, clean, check and spray smtg on
-ground cable to starter motor OK?
Put a direct jumpcable from battery MINUS to engine block (anywhere).
Do not rely on the fact the battery /sparkplug are new and therefore proper.
NO throttle, START
Do a thorough engine wash and drying to get rid of all the dirt there.
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well, as I stated in the first message, this behavior is present on the old battery but also on a NEW one installed.
My mistake Vale, an easy go to given how sensitive to battery voltage that our eFI Kymco engines are!
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ground cable to starter motor OK?
can you help me with the location of this cable?
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can you help me with the location of this cable?
Looking straight down close where the starter motor dissapears in the engines block, there is a 6mm bolt which holds a clamp connector/cable to the block.
(pls see pic) its a 300 XC but yours is the same
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-fuses out, clean, check and spray smtg on
check and done
-ground cable to starter motor OK?
Yes, the connection seems very sturdy.
Tomorrow I will try to put some more fuel into it, the most expensive that I can find, to rule out also this possibility.
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Fresh fuel,
-crank without sparkplug a few times
-sparkplug in
-jumpstart cables from idling car
-no throttle
-START
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An update on my problem.
The only thing that i didn't do was to use jumcables from a car. because lack of cables and car :)
The thing that I did, with an advice from a friend, was to keep the starter button pressed more that 1-2 seconds. And after a few rounds of 7-10 seconds, at some point it STARTED!
This was two weeks ago. Since then, no problem at all, started fine even after a few days of unused.
I still don't know the cause, I will think that was gunk in the fuel.....
Now that the problem was resolved, advice me on how to protect those wires and electrical connections, because I want to clean that area (you see how dirty it is around there :( )
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Take this bolt out with an 8mm spanner,
- use a little bit of fuel and a brush to clean this area
- sand or scratch the connector clean
- use grease after your rebolted this connector again.
- maybe avoid smoking or an open flame close by
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An update on my problem.
The only thing that i didn't do was to use jumcables from a car. because lack of cables and car :)
The thing that I did, with an advice from a friend, was to keep the starter button pressed more that 1-2 seconds. And after a few rounds of 7-10 seconds, at some point it STARTED!
This was two weeks ago. Since then, no problem at all, started fine even after a few days of unused.
I still don't know the cause, I will think that was gunk in the fuel.....
Now that the problem was resolved, advice me on how to protect those wires and electrical connections, because I want to clean that area (you see how dirty it is around there :( )
Kymco already has a procedure for this in the manual. It's called the 'anti-flood' because the spark plug can get wet from failed starts.
1) Turn on the ignition
2) Open the throttle
3) Start the bike normally with the throttle open
You might have to try this with the the throttle in different positions until it starts.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1636965/Kymco-Downtown-350i.html?page=354