Modern Vespa

My sister's GT200 won't start. Before I go down the rabbit hole of diagnosing ("Won't start" diagnosis for beginners and other such videos), just wondering if anyone who has a lot of experience can diagnose based just on sound. This was a try with a freshly recharged battery, and the scooter was starting a few weeks before this happened.

https://youtube.com/shorts/97JxHUggKWI?feature=share

But if it can be any number of things, then i'll start going through them one by one (Things i'd start with first: check spark plug, carb/jets clean).

Thanks for taking a listen. (I know people post these sorts all the time -- don't mean to be annoying, just wanted to short-circuit the diagnosis process if it's really obvious to someone with experience.)

No spark or no fuel. Probably the vacuum line from inlet manifold to the pet-cock has cracked.

Thank you for the quick response. I'll take a look around at the vacuum line, and nearby connections, and see if I can figure it out.

If the vacuum and fuel lines are original, they absolutely should be changed out as they *will* have crumbled to some extent.

Geez don't crank so long!
5 or 6 seconds will start it - IF it wants to start.
Jmho
O.S.

jimc, you were absolutely correct about vacuum line. It had broken off completely due to age. Seems a simple enough repair. Very much appreciate your sharp ears and experience -- saved me time and effort as I probably would've started looking at other things first.

(btw, the fuel lines had been replaced a three years ago by a tech when my sister saw a pool of fuel underneath the scooter one day. So the lines, at least, should be good for awhile.)

OldSchooot, I was hoping for a miracle I guess. With my et4, sometimes i need to crank it for quite a while if I hadn't started it up all winter.

That's to get the fuel bowl in the carb to fill up before it can provide fuel to the engine. If unridden for a few months, it can take four-five seconds to get some carb'd engines to start up.

Well, I got a chance to replace the vacuum line, and after a miraculous 10 seconds or so of trying, it started:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JZp5ubqdilg

!!
Thanks!



(But on the unfortunate flip side, someone tried to steal my ET4, and now that is messed up and won't start and I have to dig into repairing that...)

I had the vacuum petcock fail on my 2006 not long after buying it over 8 years ago. The lines are fine, they all look brand new, soft and flexible with no cracks.

Be aware that you may soon be needing a new starter. Starters are designed to only be used a few seconds at the time, or they will quickly overheat.