Piaggio Vespa Scooter firing problems

uberalles

Good morning all,

I have a 80cc Y Reg Piaggio Vespa Scooter with 400 miles on the clock, which I bought new when I lived in London.

It has not been started for 2 years since I unloaded it off the removal lorry but now I want to use it to make the very occasional short journey into town.

On trying to start it the other day, oil and petrol checked, taking a jump from my car, it would not fire.
It has an ignition switch but also a foot pedal starting system, both non firing.

So, my question is does anybody know where the blooming spark plug is located on these things. I want to clean it up, sand paper it and retry.
It was easy to find the plugs on my old Honda C70 but this is a different proposition entirley.

Many thanks.

porsche289

My experience of vespas is of the old ones only im afraid but im sure they havent changed dramatically. The plug should be located under one of the side panels. Try draining the petrol off too and putting some new stuff in as petrol gos off.

uberalles

porsche289 wrote: »

My experience of vespas is of the old ones only im afraid but im sure they havent changed dramatically. The plug should be located under one of the side panels. Try draining the petrol off too and putting some new stuff in as petrol gos off.

Thanks porsche289, will give that a go. Did think about the petrol although i admittedly tried to shortcut the whole process by adding some new petrol to the mix.
Cheers

scbk

So it's turning over ok? May be worthwhile cleaning out the carb, prolly a bit gummed up after the petrol being sat for 2yrs.
What model is it? A typhoon?
It take it it's 2t?

uberalles

scbk wrote: »

So it's turning over ok? May be worthwhile cleaning out the carb, prolly a bit gummed up after the petrol being sat for 2yrs.
What model is it? A typhoon?
It take it it's 2t?

Hello scbk, thanks for the feedback.
The scooter is an SKR City model, does this mean anything ? Am going to look closer at the fuel sytem tomorrow so will feedback. Cheers

uberalles

Hello all,
I have cleaned the plug and replaced it, I have emptied the fuel tank and replaced this with new petrol. Still no joy.

Now this is where I go all novicey. What I have noticed is this.

At the base of the petrol tank is a 'device' which for the want of a better explanation looks like a coil which is used in the electrics in a car. It has a dipstick of sorts in it which sits in the tank which I guess gives the fuelometer its reading.
From this 'coil like' apparatus are two fuel leads that both go to the carburrettor.
Including these leads, and also a pipe running from the carburretor to I guess the engine, when I disconnected these to clear them of any old fuel they were all empty.
Furthermore, the latter pipe mentioned, when removed I thought the carburretor would throw out lots of petrol once the engine turned over. This didn't happen.

So my conclusion is that the fuel is not being taken to the engine, maybe not even reaching the carburretor. On a car you might look at a pump, is this the same. If so any ideas.

Any ideas at all will be welcomed.
Thanks very much.

scbk

Sounds like the fuel tap you've described, they usually work on suction, hence the pipe going back to the engine. I've never had to fix one before so can't offer much assistance.
Are you saying the carb bowl didn't contain any fuel at all?

uberalles

scbk wrote: »

Sounds like the fuel tap you've described, they usually work on suction, hence the pipe going back to the engine. I've never had to fix one before so can't offer much assistance.
Are you saying the carb bowl didn't contain any fuel at all?

Hello scbk, yes, I think so.
I did not disconnect the carburretor as apart from it being difficult to reach, it is past my expertise.

But none of the fuel pipes held any petrol. Not before disconnection or after putting back and trying to start, therefore you would hope the process of trying to draw the petrol from the tank would have taken place and put a supply in the fuel pipes.
Thank you for the feedback.