Doesn't start

[sweepluso]

Hi,

I went home home for lunch but just left my PCX on the lateral stand. Didn't take the keys off or turned left to turn the scooter off.

Around 1 hour later I couldn't start it.... When I do the regular procedure all the lights go off.

I tried the flooded engine procedure but I get the same.

Any thoughts?

[gn2]

Sounds like you've flattened the battery, try charging it or getting a jump start.

[sweepluso]

might be that. didn't even think of that option

how do you jump start a Honda PCX?

[maddiedog]

The battery is under the seat, in the hatch all the way to the front. Use jumper cables, and jump the battery like you'd jump a car. Make sure the car you are jumping from is off, you don't want to put too many amps through the motorcycle battery.

[sweepluso]

I see! Thanks.

I wasn't getting it because i didn't understand the expression jump start.

[maddiedog]

Ah, gotcha. If you haven't done it before, you use jumper cables from Wal-mart, or any auto parts store.


Batteries are high amperage, and can kill you, so be careful. To ensure a shock doesn't transmit across your body and potentially shock your heart into tachycardia or v-fib, keep one hand tucked behind your back. ALWAYS keep that one hand behind your back, as long as you're holding a jumper cable.

When jumping a scooter or motorcycle, first turn off the car.

Connect the red clamp on one end of the jumper cable to the red terminal of the dead battery. Connect the red clamp on the other end of the jumper cable to the red terminal of the good car battery. Connect the black clamp on the jumper cable to black terminal of the good car battery. Finally, connect the black clamp back on the scooter end of the cable to the black terminal of the scooter battery.

Start the scooter.

Disconnect in reverse order, keeping that arm behind your back. Ride for at least 10-15 minutes to charge up the battery. If the scooter runs fine, but has to be jumped every time, you need a new battery. The charging circuitry (usually referred to as an alternator in a car) on the PCX is actually the same component as the starter. The component that is the starter / alternator is referred to as the stator. If your scooter starts with a jump, then your stator is good, and therefore your charging circuit will be fine as well (99% of the time -- there can be exceptions if a rectifier goes bad, but that's a fringe case).


Does that clarify it some?

[you you]

I see! Thanks.

I wasn't getting it because i didn't understand the expression jump start.

It's different to bump start. Which you can't do on a twist and go in any case

You colonial types and your use, or otherwise, of the English language...

[maddiedog]

Do you people in the UK call a bump start a jump start?

I miss my old Infiniti G20. After losing 2 starters, I just bump-started it everywhere I went. Aside from the starter being flaky, that car was bulletproof and very nice. I miss those heated seats in the winter...

[JGC]

Do you people in the UK call a bump start a jump start?

I miss my old Infiniti G20. After losing 2 starters, I just bump-started it everywhere I went. Aside from the starter being flaky, that car was bulletproof and very nice. I miss those heated seats in the winter...

No we have jump start and bump starts here too

[maddiedog]

Ok, just making sure. We phrase things funny here... Or you phrase things funny there... It's all relative.

[mad trapper]

Heres a dumb question. Can a scooter be push started like a motorcycle or manual trans car? Im thinking no.

[gn2]

In UK lingo a bump start is a push start and a jump start uses jumper cables. (not to be confused with cable knit jumpers)

A scooter with a centrifugal clutch cannot be push started, a manual one can.

[maddiedog]

To elaborate on GN2's answer, any scooter with a CVT can't be bump-started because the drive belt isn't engaged when the engine is off. The engine revving up spins weights around a shaft. The faster the spin, the more angular momentum, and the more the weights are pushed away from the shaft. The weights are behind the driven face, which is pushed closer and closer to the belt until it catches at around 900rpm on the PCX.

[gn2]

To elaborate on GN2's answer, any scooter with a CVT can't be bump-started because the drive belt isn't engaged when the engine is off.

Not exactly.
The CVT is driven directly by the crankshaft and rotates with the engine.
It is the clutch at the rear which connects and disconnects the drive.
I don't know of any scooter which has the clutch between the crankshaft and the CVT belt...?
It would be possible to have a manual clutch in combination with a CVT.
In short it isn't the CVT which precludes push starting, it is the centrifugal clutch.

[geri]

i'm not sure how it's mechanically possible, but i can report that i have successfully push-started my honda dylan scooter several times. it is also a CVT autmatic so i'm guessing the same could be done with a pcx? although it's a different starting mechanism i think?

i had left the dylan standing for a few weeks/months without riding a few times, leaving the battery a little flat and not being able to start. what i did is start pushing the bike (more like running with it), then apply the rear brake very slightly,then press the starter, and bang, scooter starts! it looks quite embarrasing but does the job.

[trigg123]

Geri invest in a optimate for sure

[maddiedog]

Odd Geri, I've never heard of that.

GN2 -- you're right, my understanding of the positioning of the CVT and clutch was backwards. Ya learn something new every day.

[gn2]

Learning is the whole point of forums