Will only kickstart occasionally.

Trying to get your Spree/Elite to run, or run better? Post your questions here.

Moderator: Moderator

Post Reply
Sterling541
Noob
Noob
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:18 pm
Location: Bend, Oregon

Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by Sterling541 »

I have an 86 Spree.

Here is my problem:
I have to plug the battery in to a charger to get started. I plug in and then kick start and it fires right up. After running around on it for a few minutes I turn it off and it fires right up again but if I let it sit for 1 hour or more it wont start without plugging the battery in.

Also, the blinkers will not work at a stop sign unless I rev the engine.

I am thinking I have a bad battery but do not want to drop $50 on a battery if I don not have to.

Thanks everyone!
User avatar
patthesoundguy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3159
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:38 am
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Contact:

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by patthesoundguy »

Make sure it has enough water in it and top it up to the lines with distilled water. Then charge it. As long as you have more than a 4 amp charger the charger has more than enough amperage to actually start the scooter no battery needed. I use the charger to jump my spree all the time if the battery is low. And if its truly dead lookup on line on using Epsom salts to revive it. Apparently for a lot of batteries it can extend the life of dead battery for a year or more when it wouldn't previously hold any charge. Also pull the battery cables off and clean them with a wire brush or sandpaper, same for the battery terminals. Then clean the ground connection where it bolts to the Frame in the same manner. Clean the connections in the fuse holder as well. The little batteries need all the help they can get. You would be amazed what a little unseen corrosion will do to up the resistance to the point something won't charge on its own or start.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Dude! Ya Can't Fix Stupid!
84 Spree stock
84 Spree Dio AF18E MHR Cylinder Arrow Pipe 28mm OKO
80 Express, 47mm DR BBKit, Weak Ends Intake, Boyesen Dual stage reeds, 19mm Delorto carb, MLM pipe
79 Express
85 Aero 80 stock
84 elite 125 stock
Sterling541
Noob
Noob
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:18 pm
Location: Bend, Oregon

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by Sterling541 »

So you think it is a potentially a bad battery that is causing the blinker issues and the starting issues?
User avatar
swimmingfree
CBR1000RR
CBR1000RR
Posts: 3357
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:28 pm
Location: mich.

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by swimmingfree »

spree will run with out a battery so i wood guess its the stater or the regulator / rectifier...
swimmingfree
handicap (dyslexia)
looking for
se50 crank...

SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
User avatar
patthesoundguy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3159
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:38 am
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Contact:

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by patthesoundguy »

swimmingfree wrote:spree will run with out a battery so i wood guess its the stater or the regulator / rectifier...
swimmingfree
Great point, swimming free. The regulator should be unbolted from the frame and clean the mating surfaces on the regulator and frame, I had a dim headlight last spring, cleaned all of my connections but clean where the regulator bolted to the frame fixed it :-)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Dude! Ya Can't Fix Stupid!
84 Spree stock
84 Spree Dio AF18E MHR Cylinder Arrow Pipe 28mm OKO
80 Express, 47mm DR BBKit, Weak Ends Intake, Boyesen Dual stage reeds, 19mm Delorto carb, MLM pipe
79 Express
85 Aero 80 stock
84 elite 125 stock
User avatar
deuce217
CB900F
CB900F
Posts: 1212
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:13 am

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by deuce217 »

Disconnect that battery and cover the positive terminal with electrical tape so it does not ground out. Then start it and see if that solves your issue. If so, toss the battery to save weight and ride on.
2000 Elite SR50 -THE PURPLE NURPLE
50mm BBK (tai)
26mm OKO (round slide) 135 Main Jet
V-8 pipe
39/18 secondary gears (7.583:1 ratio)
36 grams in Prodigy variator
Malossi Delta Clutch & WIng Bell- Thanks RED EFT
65mph GPS (on the freeway)
PimpinSpree
Elite
Elite
Posts: 722
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:40 pm
Location: oregon coast

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by PimpinSpree »

the battery runs the horn, headlight, turn signals, and brake light. It has nothing to do with whether it runs or not. The 12v system and the ignition system are totally seperate
Sterling541
Noob
Noob
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:18 pm
Location: Bend, Oregon

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by Sterling541 »

patthesoundguy wrote:
swimmingfree wrote:spree will run with out a battery so i wood guess its the stater or the regulator / rectifier...
swimmingfree
Great point, swimming free. The regulator should be unbolted from the frame and clean the mating surfaces on the regulator and frame, I had a dim headlight last spring, cleaned all of my connections but clean where the regulator bolted to the frame fixed it :-)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I cleaned the regulator and matting surfaces. It made no difference. The blinkers still do not turn on until I rev the scoot.

Any ideas?
User avatar
patthesoundguy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3159
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:38 am
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Contact:

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by patthesoundguy »

Bad relay? Or youve got somthing wrong with the stator that supplies the signals with power. Get a multimeter and start testing. Id start with the relay, see if the relay is getting fed the right voltage figure wich wire to the relay is the power feed and see what its gettin. Maybe the regulator is shot, who knows with out gettin into it with your friendly neighborhood multimeter ;-)

Sent from my LG-C800G using Tapatalk 2
Dude! Ya Can't Fix Stupid!
84 Spree stock
84 Spree Dio AF18E MHR Cylinder Arrow Pipe 28mm OKO
80 Express, 47mm DR BBKit, Weak Ends Intake, Boyesen Dual stage reeds, 19mm Delorto carb, MLM pipe
79 Express
85 Aero 80 stock
84 elite 125 stock
User avatar
zuphilius
Elite
Elite
Posts: 884
Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 3:23 pm
Location: Chandler, Arizona

Re: Will only kickstart occasionally.

Post by zuphilius »

If the battery is bad, you won't be able to get your stuff to work. Even if you charge it, if its bad, its bad. You should have about 14 volts at a fully charged battery, if you have 12 volts, its not holding a charge.
I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
Post Reply