Author Topic: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!  (Read 3108 times)

nyssa

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
    • View Profile
2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« on: February 21, 2010, 11:55:04 PM »
Bear with me, I'm not much of a mechanical person (I'm better with computers than with vehicles, haha). So try to keep that in mind when you reply.

Backstory: I purchased a Kymco People 50 in 2007, brand new. I was in a minor accident with it a few days after I began riding it (inexperience can really get you!), and subsequently didn't do anything with it for about two years, during which time it was being stored in a friend's garage. In 2009, I decided it was about time I started driving it again, so my friend took it to the shop to get everything up to speed (new battery/spark plug/etc). Supposedly, said friend drove it back to their house (meaning the trip to the shop was successful), where it sat for about a week until they could deliver it to me (in a van). We unloaded it, I parked it behind my house, where it sat for a while (it was winter, didn't want to drive it in the cold). I started it up once during this time, and it ran fine (but I didn't actually take it anywhere; just around the yard). I attempted to start it several OTHER times throughout the winter, but other than the one time, it wouldn't start. It's like it just decided not to work one day.

Kickstart produces absolutely no results, and when I try to use the electrical start it'll turn over, but doesn't "catch". Headlight only works when I turn it on high, horn and blinkers work fine. Clock does not work (but that runs on a separate battery, right?).

What I've tried:
Recharging the battery
Changing the spark plug
Refreshing the fuel (with fuel cleanser)

Where can I go from here? I'm trying to avoid a visit to the shop, as long as it's nothing terribly complicated to do myself. I may not know a lot about machines, but I can follow instructions. ;)

So...any ideas? I REALLY want to get this thing working.

Shaka

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1660
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2010, 12:03:15 AM »
First thing I would try is getting a can of started fluid and try spraying it into the intake.  It should at least fire for a few seconds and then if it is a carb. issue it may die again.  If it dies after the initial fire up then the carb probably needs to be pulled apart and cleaned.  These small carbs really don't like sitting without being run for very long.  The fuel sits inside and begins to plug up the small passageways inside with varnish and what not. 

Possibility #2 is it doesn't fire at all even with the starter fluid.  This would leave me to believe that you don't have good spark.  This could either be the spark plug or any of the other ignition system components. 

Like I said, go get some starter fluid and post back with the results.  If you are lucky, it will start right up and be good to go!

nyssa

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2010, 06:48:10 AM »
Tried the starter fluid. No change, other than it MAYBE sounds a little throatier when I attempt to start it...but it still doesn't start up. It just turns over, but won't "catch".

Can't be spark plug, I just changed it.

Any other suggestions?? :(

Shaka

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1660
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2010, 03:06:58 PM »
Check to make sure you have spark.  Pull the plug out, plug it into the cap, while holding the wire touch the threaded part of the plug to a metal piece of the motor and turn engine over.  You should be able to see a spark jumping between the electrodes of the plug.  My guess is that you just need to clean the carb out.

cygnusx8

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 28
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2010, 10:21:18 PM »
Properly gapping the spark plug can make a difference between turning over and starting. I think it should be between .6-.7 mm

juice

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 668
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2010, 04:38:45 PM »
You might try a ngk BPR8HIX iridium plug . They come pre gapped and because they are fine wire electrodes are easily damaged so dont try to gap them . Good luck .

Calothrix

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 341
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2010, 06:37:13 PM »
They come pre gapped and because they are fine wire electrodes are easily damaged so dont try to gap them . Good luck .

That's good to know.  I ordered an iridium plug for my People 150 and will install it this weekend.  You may have just saved me some heartache.  Thanks!  UMMMMMMMMM Iridium!!!

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2010, 06:31:46 AM »
Did someone say MMMMmmmmmmmmmm? I love MMMMmmmmmmmmm. Oh yeah it's MMmmmaaasssssssss IridiumMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

wordslinger

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10766
  • undead primate
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2010, 03:18:31 PM »
...they ROCK!!!!!

..got their new cd last night...
..every mod (action) necessitates a (reaction) mod..

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: 2007 People50 not starting!! Help!
« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2010, 05:45:26 PM »
Downloaded the studio version a month ago. Love those torrent sites.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function split()