The kick start of a scooter is the secondary way of starting the scooter. The kick start is usually used if the normal start doesn’t work. If the emergency start ( the kick start ) doesn’t work you have to fix it as soon as possible. Luckly, this is not something uncommon, and in most cases it can be fixed quite fast. So let’s see what you can do to fix it.
What to do if the kick start is slipping, has no resistance? There are a few things that can cause the kickstart not to work properly. Here are the most common:
- No compression
- Gears not lining up
- Broken clutch assembly
- The spring came off
Ok, so those are some of the most common causes. Now let’s take a closer look at them and how to solve them.
Table of Contents
No Compression
The lack of compression is another possible cause. The cause for this are usually the rings, or the hole at the top of the pistons. You should look at the top of the piston through the spark plug hole and run a compression test.
Look for signs of damage on the spark plug, this can also be a cause.
In the case of old bikes sometimes you have to tear them down in order to see what is going on.
If you have to go to that trouble I would suggest getting the cylinder bore checked for proper tolerances and plan on a new piston and rings or whatever is necessary if you are committed to bringing the bike back to life completly.
Gears Not Lining Up
So basically, when the engine is started up the engine revolution is cut at the one way clutch and it does not rotate the kick idle gear.
To solve this you have to make sure your cable that connects them is adjusted properly.
Here is an image that will help you get a better understanding and solve this problem.
While this looks complicated at first, it’s actually quite simple. You just have to push the gears towards the clutch, until they make contact again.
If you are not sure that you can do this on your own, you can always take your scooter to a mechanic, he shouldn’t charge you too much for this simple job.
Broken Clutch Assembly
If when you try to kick start your scooter, the kidk csart slips and gets stuck in the down position, then the problem might be a broken clutch assembly.
If this is the case, then unfortunately there is no way of fixing it. You will have to get a new one.
The good part is that it’s not that expensive. It should cost around $50 or even less.
The Spring Came Off
This is one of the easiest things to fix. The only problem is that you have to take a few steps before being able to check.
To check if the spring came off you first have to drain the oil first. Then you can lay the scooter on the side, take the cover off, and see if the spring comes off.
If this is the problem just put the spring back on. If the problem persists then you should probably have to change the spring.
Conclusion
Those are the most common reasons why the kick start isn’t working properly. I hope you were able to find your problem on the list, and you managed to solve it.
If your kick start still gives you trouble, feel free to leave me a comment with your problem and I will answer you as soon as possible.