Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

My very reliable scooter (1999 honda elite SR sa50P) is sick. Gotta hold the throttle wide open just to keep her running, and after a few minutes she just dies. Right now she is my only way back and forth. I can't figure out what the problem is, flushed the carb and everything. She's putting out white smoke in small amounts when she is running which never happend in warm weather. Just hit 6k miles. If anyone can help pm me, ill give you my phone number to call me and hopefully I can get an idea on what's wrong. Any advice is greatly appriciated. Thank guys. :/

Did you verify if the carb pilot circuit was clean... it helps hold idle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbNzbwbuqL8

Here is a video I shot showing this passage in more detail. Typical stuff checked?

1) Filter Screens Cleaned - Oil / Gas?
2) Compression Reading?
3) Air filter cleaned and oiled?
4) New Spark Plug?


Lets start knocking down the typical suspects.

Spark plug is fine, went ahead and put a new one in. Air filter is fine, I even tried running without it. ( didn't ride just tried to let it idle.I don't have the tool for a compression test. Unfortunatly I'm out of time to do anything else with it today, so ill pull the carb off and check the pilot tomorow evening. Thanks man, ill be getting back to you tomorow about the carb.

As for the filters, I didn't even think of that. That's another one ill have to do tomorow.

If it starts you most likely are good on compression... so no worries there, it is just good to have a baseline. I would think at around 8000 miles, it might be a good idea for hone on the cylinder and some new rings.

The fuel filter is inside the tank above the petcock... you will have to remove the petcock to check this filter. The oil filter screen is in the rubber boot at the bottom of the oil tank that hooks to the oil line.

Just good practice to clean these too.... hoping it is just your pilot. Some folks here run a cap full of Seafoam in the gas... it helps keep the carb from getting corn squeez'n build up inside the carb.

I don't do it... but I plan on starting as my stable is getting large and some scoots start to sit.

Shine a bright light up your carb throttle body and verify your pilot is clear... if not you will need to dip the carb and use compressed air to clear. I use a small rubber line to put on the carb cleaner tube then hook rubber line to the bronze pilot tube. It has worked many times for me, but you need to wear eye protection.

Best of luck... you will have it running soon enough.

ok i went ahead and took the carb off. Im cutting into sleep time for work on this haha. but its k, i took it off the scooter, shined lights through evry nozzle and tube on there. do i need to take it apart? Thanks again.

You need to clean the carb.... did you see the youtube link?

Full disassembly... it is not hard. You need to have a carb cleaner too (any local auto store)


http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... r_Cleaning

http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... ture_Guide

It's good to get to the source of the problem so you can have a reliable running scooter. But since its your only way of getting around, try keeping the throttle revved. Since it works at WOT just make sure there's always some throttle play. When you're stopped at a light or stop sign just rev the scooter so it doesn't die. My elite is currently having the exact same problem and I haven't had time to take it apart yet so I just make sure I always rev it. Seems to hold up fine for me. Enough throttle so the scooter moves a little and then let it go. Just keep doing that and it shouldn't die on you. Best of luck on finding out the problem.

bfowler wrote:It's good to get to the source of the problem so you can have a reliable running scooter. But since its your only way of getting around, try keeping the throttle revved. Since it works at WOT just make sure there's always some throttle play. When you're stopped at a light or stop sign just rev the scooter so it doesn't die. My elite is currently having the exact same problem and I haven't had time to take it apart yet so I just make sure I always rev it. Seems to hold up fine for me. Enough throttle so the scooter moves a little and then let it go. Just keep doing that and it shouldn't die on you. Best of luck on finding out the problem.

I wish it was that simple. It wont pull at all even with a full on throttle. It just procedes to die slowly and what sounds painfully. I do appriciate the tip though.

Also, carbs clean and beautifull and it is still doing it. Based off what you said to check, im going to hope its just a clogged filter or somthing, unfortunatly i wont be able to get to it till tomorow. just out of curiosity (and it may be a long shot) is it a possibility that the exhaust is gunked up to the point its not allowing it to breathe properly? As far as I know it has never been cleaned by the previous owner. My question is if it could be that how would i go about cleaning it?

My lost Gyro had a clogged pipe.... last night I cleaned it and one of my spree's.

It made all the difference on the Gyro... it was not breathing right.

Take a look at the pictures on my Gryo build...

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=25797&start=15

Did you verify the pilot was clear.

You could have a vacuum issue on your gas tank or oil tank.... loose the the caps and see if that makes a difference.

Just out of curiosity, how does burning the pipes clean it? Im n ot mechanically inclined and im having a hard time understanding it. Lol.
i dont know exactly what the pilot is, but every tube and opening was clear as can be. Ill jump back on it tomorow though. Thanks again

Dude... it burns out the carbon build up.

The pilot circuit is not the main jet.... it is the small copper tube adjacent to the main jet circuit.

Do me a favor and watch the video I posted.... it shows how to shine the light and see the pilot is clear (the tiny light next to the bright light).

If it is not running good it may be the petcock is not flowing gas to the carb. Did you check?

I think the tip to clean the screens in both tanks was a great place to start. Is the oil pump still working, maybe its soft seizing. Pull the head and have a look at the condition of the cylinder, just pull the head and look leave the cylinder in place so you can put the head and gasket back and torque back to spec, 9 foot pounds I think.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

BMX I have a stupid question.
Do you have the air filter on the bike?
If you dont the vinturi carb will not feel fuel properly. Air going into the carb has to be slowed down by the backpressure the air box provides or the carb will cavitate.

These carbs will work fine with out an air filter as long as the carb is jetted to match the increased airflow. But there is an air filter installed as indicated earlier on in the thread. As far as I can tell the carb is stock and not too oversized to have problems with not atomizing the mixture properly. So over carbing is most likely not the issue here, no air filter would just make it run lean or not at all on wot.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2