odd starting problem this morning

windplr

New member
Went to start the scooter as usual today, but for the first time in a year since new it would not catch. But there may be a couple of explanations:

1. Fuel light was on, so could have been lower than I thought, possibly near empty.

2. The previous day I started the scoot on the stand. Ran it for about 10 seconds to check something, and then shut it off.

This morning, after trying to get it started for several minutes, I added a few ounces of gas, just to see if that was it. Several more tries to start, then it begins to catch but still won't start, then finally it starts. Runs rough for a couple of seconds, then normal.

The reason I don't suspect it was out of gas to begin with is that I then went to fill it up, and it took ~3.2 gallons, up to nearly the top. I think there would have been some fuel in the tank all along. I also seem to remember reading other accounts of hard starting after the bike had been started and then immediately shut off. Hopefully this won't happen again.
 

Jetblack528

Member
See my 7-24-2016 "Scooter won't start" posting in the General Discussion archive. Describes a similar sounding starting problem with some good feedback from the community. Since that episode in July I have been adding Startron Gas Additive after each fill up. No starting problems since then.
 

Lee

New member
Yes, I have used the Startron additive too, with good results in both my C650GT and my 4 wheeled vehicles. However, my BMR shop guys recommended the Marvel Mystery Oil which I have been using lately with good results. Since my scooter is relatively new, there shouldn't be any chronic issues yet due to deleterious effects of ethanol infused petrol! BTW, just got back from my Crater Lake ride, and it was outstanding. I posted a few pictures in the Google Groups BMW Scooter forum. For some reason, I have been having issues uploading pictures to this forum.
 

exavid

Member
I've experienced that same problem with my scooter a couple of times. I think it's something do with ethanol in the gas. Using an additive like that mentioned or Star Brite once in a while seems to eliminate the problem. It's sporadic and rare enough that the exact cause is pretty difficult to pin down. It doesn't seem to matter whether the weather is hot or cold, dry or wet. My bike has always started even when acting up. I usually just crank it with the throttle open until it fires and runs. I don't runt the starter too long at a time because they will heat up. It's a real problem if you battery is weak.
 

windplr

New member
Update, no more starting problems since. I haven't used any additives up till now, but based on feedback here it seems like it won't hurt anything, and could help with this sort of problem.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks