Polini 19mm won't start on my spree

[Weezerjerry]

### Polini swapped out the carb and the carb is good... I am now fighting with a bbk that gave out. I just wanted to make sure the carb issue is stated as fixed, Brandon swapped it out with no questions. ###

Finally got my BBK installed, cut the boost port on the gasket, and got my new Polini 19mm CP carb installed. It came stock with a 90 main and 40 pilot (I'm not positive I'm remembering the pilot right). Tried to start her up and she fired up first kick no problem. Then remembering it was suggested hat I run more like a 100 main I swapped it out for a 96.

Now the thing won't start, I went back to the 90 and it still won't start.

I obviously did something wrong... I checked for spark and have it, I'm definitely getting oil from the stock pump, but don't think I'm getting fuel anymore. The bowl on the carb fills with fuel.

I tried starting fluid and it starts immediately... what should I be looking for in this carb?

I am still using the stock intake manifold and stock pipe so I capped the oil and petcock ports on the carb and am using the ones on the intake. Should I do the opposite, cap them on the manifold and run these to the carb?

[benji]

I spent several hours of after work time over the course of a week cuz I didn't have the right spots on the carb capped off or vented out. I literally had a vacuum port that I thought was a float bowl vent and a vent I thought was an extra vacuum port.... I even cleaned out my brand new petcock. Felt dumb. Post a pic of your setup so others can help you avoid my fate haha.

[Weezerjerry]

Well, not sure what changed but I tried again without the airfilter on so I could cover it and she will start for a second and die right away. It is almost like it isn't getting more fuel. The darn thing was starting flawlessly until I tried changing the main jet then went back to stock and she wouldn't fire up.

Here is a couple of pictures of how I have things hooked up... I capped the mix and fuel * inlet on the carb by simply running a hose between the two, this should be OK from what I am seeing on the carb... Thoughts?





Am I all screwed up and should just find a shop that will work on an old scooter? I had a hard time finding a shop that would do it here in the Portland, Vancouver area...

[benji]

Graphite9 on this forum runs scooterswapshop.com out of beaverton I think...

So, those two ports on top, ones a vacuum port and ones a vent I think. Try capping only one at a time n see if it'll start. That's exactly what I did on my stage6 pwk carb-capped off two float bowl vents (or something-vents) and it would only run on gas dribbled in the carb or (gasp) carb cleaner sprayed down the throat(don't do that by the way-strips oil off the cylinder walls, I was just at wits end). Unplugged em n it was fine.

[tazland001]

Did you gain a lot of performance with that set up? Im just curious because you still are using the small intake mani. Seems it would be like sucking air thru a straw.

[Weezerjerry]

I have tried with the ports capped not capped each capped on it's own and no luck. I first installed the carb without them capped and the thing would start up perfectly. I then realized what those ports were and capped them and it would still start up fine. Then I change the main jet and that's when the problem started. I went back to the 90 main it came with and it still won't start and stay running. Now I get it to start for about 1 second then dies off and it will only start if I cover the carb while cranking it and can get it to go for nearly 2 seconds if I am good with my timing letting a little more air in.

tazland, I honestly wasn't going for performance, my stock intake was missing the tube between the carb and airbox and the airbox was all cut up so I wanted to go away from the stock 30+ year old carb. I had some cash and thought a good carb might be a good investment for a reliable scooter... Now I just have less $$ and a scooter that still isn't running haha!

The two ports on the carb are labeled on Polini's site as: Fuel * suppression and mixer. This is where I am getting this info from: http://www.polini.com/en/page_696.html

[Rip_City_Spree]

Don't take it somewhere unless you talk to Brandon at SSS and have him help. Haven't heard any good from any shop in town to be honest. Sabitini vintage motors in north Portland is another good option. He worked on my old spree and did a good job. If this week wasn't so busy if come look at it for ya.

[Rip_City_Spree]

Are you sure your getting fuel to the carb?

[Weezerjerry]

Ya, the bowl is filling up with fuel, the only way I know to test this with the Polini carb is to unscrew the bowl and fuel comes dumping out every time.

[Weezerjerry]

I also want to say for the record, Graphite9/Brandon has been very helpful in trying to troubleshoot this. The carb worked perfectly right from the get-go, it has to be something I did at some point but who knows...

[Weezerjerry]

Well, Brandon was kind enough to swap carbs and I got her started and did about 4 heat cycles. Then took it for a quick 5-10mph ride about 100' and she died on me and won't start again, not at all... Definitely not the carb that was a totally different issue. It's getting gas, there's spark, and I know there's air... Did I just hose my bbk by going 100 feet down the road? Almost feels like there's less compression but I don't have a tester.

Thoughts? I'm about to throw in the towel and don't want to shell out another $100 for a second bbk... She didn't even feel very hot and never went past about 1/4 throttle.

I'm running a 19mm Polini carb with a 98 main jet and a Taz BBK.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Ben L.]

Fuel mix correct?
$100 is cheap for a kit, buy another one and try it again.

I had problems with a phbg 19mm last month. Sometimes when changing a jet it would suddenly get no fuel, I'd pull it apart, put it back together and it would work fine. Make sure the float is set level, thats a big one!

It seems a waste to have that big carb on a tiny intake.

My 72cc af16 elite is still running the stock carb and I'm getting 60mph out of it.

Try getting a huge jet for the stock carb, a new kit, and see what you get from there.

[Weezerjerry]

Did a tear down and this kid did the exact same thing my old kit did... The clip holding in the pin on the piston came out and killed it... Not sure what the deal is... It wasn't too hot, I triple checked those pins since that killed the kit that was on it when I bought it, I did several heat cycles and was at the very beginning of my break-in going very slow and low throttle...

Anyone know of a better kit out there? I ordered another one but am concerned it may suffer the same fate this one did.

My old carb was screwed up from the last owner and I don't have the stock air box. I'm happy with the Polini carb, it starts quick and is pretty easy to tune and parts are readily available for it.

[Rip_City_Spree]

d*** that sucks Weezy I had that happen on my contessa after about 300 miles. I second using better clips. I like the c clips over the ones that are just wire.

[Weezerjerry]

Can anyone point me to the correct clips? I am looking at the polini 12mm clips hoping they are the right size (at $3 I'm not too upset if they aren't). Are these good ones: http://www.treatland.tv/12mm-polini-wri ... s-12mm.htm