Modern Vespa

Rode out to riderside, rode with a group, scoot ran fine. Coming home on the freeway and just passing 65mph, the scoot started to lose power. As long as I kept it under 65 it wouldnt lose power. if I gased it from 50 mph to 65mph it had power but I couldnt go over 65mph or else it would just lose power. When I got closer to home and stopped at a gas station, it sputtered out like it was out of gas or losing spark.

The gas gauge had 3 bars, but I put gas in it anyways, still wont start. pulled off the gas line and the fuel pump was working, cap attached to sparkplug, disconnected the battery, still wont start. I turns over and sounds like it wants to start but it wont. I even removed the gas cap and tried that, nope.

Had to have it towed home through my insurance, Foremost via Farmers (no out of pocket cost). * Gonna roll it down to the Vespa shop Tuesday morning (they are closed on Mondays and a couple blocks away), prob something covered under the warranty.

Anyone one experienced got any ideas? My guess the electronic ignition pooped out. Thought it was vapor lock as it was hot today, but not at night on the way home.

bummed,

Manny

Any indicators on the dash? LED flashing?

Sorry bout your luck Manny. Not a clue since you said you checked the spark plug wire. My GTS died yesterday too but it was just a loose fuse and discharged battery. I learned to add checking the fuses occasionally to the list.

Star - No LED lit up.

Bobo - Checked them as well. The damn fuse block came loose and I had to hold it with plyers and pull the fuses with another set of plyers.

Hopefully its something fast and simple, its my only form of transportation.


Thanks for the input.

Try a fresh spark plug. I had one go out on my 250 once, it konked out just as I started to accelerate when the light turned green. That was super embarassing, but luckily I had a spare with me and it was easy to fix once I walked it off the street into a parking lot. Hope this helps!

Same thing happened to me when I first tried to check my fuses. Poor design?

check the brown charger circuit connector near the seat hinge under the seat bucket (pet carrier)



these can get moisture in, suffer resistance and create heat eventually burning out.

if it is burnt out the damaged wiring will need chopping back and replacing with the correct gauge wire and preferably using soldered joints / shrink tube insulation therefore dispensing with the need for a plug.

battery voltage regulator and cdi will also ned to be checked to make sure they haven't suffered any damage.

if it is ok, pack it with electrical grease to keep the moisture out 8)

Thanks gents, will do when the temp drops down from 100 F.


Bagal was your plug an NGK Iradium? That what I have and its got more than 5000 miles on it.

had the same thing happen and it was the coil.

uh oh...better figure out the problem before the swerve and curve...

Yup, that's exactly what mine was. Rolf was right, those things are pieces of shit. The damn electrode burned up over time until there was nothing left but a skinny little pin that wouldn't spark anymore! I'd recommend going with a regular NGK or similar standard plug, forget about that overpriced fancy BS. Good luck!

Great news, Double checking the plug the cap came right off, pushed it back on and snapped it back on.
It started right up, Jebus that is the most ackward place to put a spark plug.

Thanks to everyone for the advice, you guys rock.

whew! That's a relief, especially since your scoot is your only mode of transportation. Do have a picture of where it came loose?

Thanks

No, just the spark plug cap came off, not sure how or why.

happened to me. I did all you did and then checked the battery. Toast. I never check the obvious first.

It's so common and has been posted so many times here, It came to me after screaming fuck less than 4 times...

Glad you got it fixed, and all by yourself.

Shit when it happens, but good when it is a simple (if hidden) fix.

Well the mystery continues:

Went to go to the store this afternoon, tried to start the scoot but it wouldnt start again, so I decided to walk it to the dealer and have them change the plug and check it out.
So when I had it off the center stand I tried to start it , it started. As soon as I put it on the stand it stalled out. Got it started, rode it to the dealer, parked it on the sidestand, got the service manager, put it on the stand and died again.

Will see tomorrow what it is, I hope the warranty will covers it.

Manny

Warranty will cover it - and it's always a relief to have an intermittent fault demonstrated to the tech guys!

Im wondering whats shorting out. Glad this happen now and not on my trip to and from SF.

Hmmm... I suspect an intermittent connection in the spark plug lead. When the bike is on its center stand, the rear suspension is extended all the way with the engine hanging down. If the spark plug wire is hung on something inside the frame, maybe it's getting pulled out of the cap just enough to weaken the connection so that it can't deliver a spark? I know that the spark plug wire fell out of the cap on my 300 shortly after I got it, and I've heard that other people have had the same problem too. I wonder if Luigi didn't get the memo that the spark plug cap needs to be screwed onto the wire 4 turns, not 2...

Try pulling the cap off the plug, and screw it onto the wire a couple more turns. That might do the trick... hopefully that's all it is!

I like the way you think!

I hope the dealer figures this out tomorrow. I have a bad motor mount , when you put it on the stand theres a huge clunk sound, I think this is another reason I keep cracking the exhaust header pipe and Lv pipes. Greasy figured this out, while the dealer I used before couldnt tell me what the clunk was. Glad Im out of work right now, how would I explain, I cant come to work today, I have no transportation.

Bagal you and moped rock.

manny *








* shh chit faced on rum & diet coke in my tiki bar.

Temple city found the wire cluster thats grounding out, they now just have to figure out which one. nice work Temple City Vespa.

They had to replace the harness, they did it in about a little more than a week and thats including shipping from Piaggio.

Are you back on the road Manny?

Yes sir, Gonna ride with the Ruckus crew tonite.

Nice scoot Benny in your sig area.

I dunno, man ...that seemed like a perfect excuse to dust off the rally200.

Thanks Manny. Good to hear you're back.

windbreaker, I love your avatar. It's almost worth ripping off.

Not registered and doesnt idle unless the chokes out. Got a clean Stella (white or red) and I might be tempted swap.