Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

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

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Wheelman-111
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Wheelman-111 »

Greetings:

Good deductions, Duo. Glad you got it hummin'.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

I had the sooter out today on a flat road with no wind, had it up to over 32mph on the speedo. Probably near 30mph in real speed. I have the #68 jet but I do not think putting that in is going to do anything more for speed. Don't think I will bother.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

I spoke too soon about running perferctly. Seems I have a new problem now that I sorted out the bystarter needle issue. After my repairs I started the bike by priming the cylinder. It took a couple of primes to get it going. After that while it was warm it ran great. Now that the scoot has cooled down it will not start. I am sure I could prime the cylinder and have it start up but no doubt the bystarter is not enriching the cold start at all now. The pendulum has swung the other way. I am wondering if I assembled the needle assembly correctly
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

So on the bystarter there is the little needle valve assembly. It has the needle with a little c-clip, the brass cylinder and a spring.My parts were discontected by the previous owner so I did not know how exactly to put them together. The Wikispreedia listing for the bystarter does not have this assembly explained. I put it together like my drawing here. Did I assemble it correctly?


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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by swflcarl »

Hey....Duo.

I want to know if you tested the bystarter?

Please let me know... hook up 12v and tell me if is super slowly pushes out?

Like the Youtube link I sent you yesterday. If I doesnt that is your problem.

Once you have this fixed and working... check your main needle vs the service manual and redail the carb in.

You might be super lean due to your previous problem... but my money is on your broken bystarter.
I'm more than happy to explain it to you. I'll even draw you a picture! But I can't understand it for you.

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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by swflcarl »

I'm more than happy to explain it to you. I'll even draw you a picture! But I can't understand it for you.

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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

swflcarl wrote:Hey....Duo.

I want to know if you tested the bystarter?

Please let me know... hook up 12v and tell me if is super slowly pushes out?

Like the Youtube link I sent you yesterday. If I doesnt that is your problem.

Once you have this fixed and working... check your main needle vs the service manual and redail the carb in.

You might be super lean due to your previous problem... but my money is on your broken bystarter.
I will test the bystarter tomorrow. I did not test it because it became clear to me it was assembled wrong and missing a part. Now that I have it together correctly ( I think), I shall test it to see if it engages properly.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by swflcarl »

Look at the youtube video again... from your picture your needle looks already extended ... no bueno.
I'm more than happy to explain it to you. I'll even draw you a picture! But I can't understand it for you.

'86 Spree - Gone
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'85 Aero 50 - Gone
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

swflcarl wrote:Look at the youtube video again... from your picture your needle looks already extended ... no bueno.
I think you are correct. I have part of a second bystarter. I might be able to make one good one from the two if the first is indeed bad.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by dun rite »

there's a breakdown of the bystarter here. http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... at_It_Does
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

dun rite wrote:there's a breakdown of the bystarter here. http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... at_It_Does
I know but it does not detail the small needle assembly.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by patthesoundguy »

Go pm abreen89 and buy a new by starter he sells them at a great price. Sometimes these by starters will move in and out properly and pass all of the other tests and still not work properly. I messed with mine for weeks last summer and the only thing that fixed my issues with my by starter was a new one. Sometimes old parts are beyond repair especially with rubber parts attached.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

OK so this morning I started removing the bystarter. I had read last night one quick way to isolate if you have a carb or a bystarter issue is the remove the bystarter hold down and lift the bystarter out a little from the bystarter well and give the bike a start. I did this and it instantly started. So I know the bystarter is not enriching the carb. Well we all knew that already I guess. I then was going to test the bystarter but realized it was a waste of time because it was obvious the bystarter was already not enriching the carb. So I took my partial "parts bike" bystarter and took it apart. I used parts of both bystarters to make one. I used the other base and heating element but the needle assembly and plastic cover from the original. After assembly I noted the needle assembly was not sticking out as far as the original one so that was good. I installed it and tried the start up. No joy. I measured the length of the needle assembly sticking out and it was too much. I then surmized that if I unscrewed theplastic cover a little the needle would be retracted a bit. I did ths and reinstalled it and bingo. Enrichment. I guess the reason why there are so many fine threads holding the two black plastic housing halves together is so that the extension of the needle can be adjusted. After a ride on the scoot I took the bystarter off and looked at the needle travel and it was extended out such that about 1/4" of the plastic was exposed under the brass cylinder. Then after 15 minutes I looked at the needle travel and it had retracted to the cooled down position.

It makes me wonder if I had not done anything to the original bystarter other that unscrew the housing a little, would it have worked also? I wonder if other people have thrown away a good bystarter that simply needed this adjustment?
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

My carburation issues are not yet completely resolved. The bystarter is working great now. After the scoot cools down it starts right up. I am having an idle issue after the bystarter stops the enrichment. Bike cuts out and won't idle. I am guessing my pilot jet is clogged yet again.
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Re: Duosport's Honda Spree repair thread.

Post by Duosport »

OK with a functioning bystarter I went back to the carb and removed it for yet another cleaning. This time however I looked at the more corroded "spare parts" carb. On examination I realized it was the original carb to the bike. It is an 87 carburetor, slightly different than the 1986. After a cleaning and a scavanging of parts from the other carb, I put together the 87 carb and installed it on the scoot. Fires up. Bystarter works. Rides nice. After warm the bike is restarting with a blip of the throttle. I am going to wait for another cold start up and another warm start up before I declare it a success and put the plastics back on.
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