X10 Starting Problems

[otisaardvark]

Hi Guys,

I bought an X10 a few weeks ago and love it to bits, great engine, brilliant weather protection and great to ride, even in this weather.

I've now done about 750 miles on her and she's had her first service but I wondered if any of you had had problems starting X10s?

Mine lives outdoors under an Oxford Stormex. The last few mornings I've had to have several goes at pushing the start button for anything to happen. Sometimes the engine turns once but then all goes dead. Eventually, she decides she does want to go for a run and springs into life but I was wondering:
- is this just part of the character of a Piaggio, it's difficult to get out of bed on a cold morning? I can sympathise with that?
- is there anything I should be checking or doing to try to help her get going in the morning? An espresso in bed perhaps??

Once she get's going she is brilliant and there are no further problems.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks guys.

Otis

[Bombus Terrestris]

HI, Ive read somewhere, that the fuse box is open to spray from the back wheel. If you take the fuse holder out you can see there is a hole thro the bottom where salty water can get in and cause problems. Ive attempted to shield mine with plastic, and soak the fuses in Acf50.Hopefully this will prevent any problems. Also If you use any throttle when starting, it wont! B

[otisaardvark]

Thanks Bombus!

I read this too but was surprised this can happen so quickly! I'll get the ACF out tonight.

Thanks

[michaelphillips]

HI, Ive read somewhere, that the fuse box is open to spray from the back wheel. If you take the fuse holder out you can see there is a hole thro the bottom where salty water can get in and cause problems. Ive attempted to shield mine with plastic, and soak the fuses in Acf50.Hopefully this will prevent any problems. Also If you use any throttle when starting, it wont! B

if you look at things logically, there is normally a logical explanation when you buy a new scoot it would depend on whether the dealer actually charged the battery once acid was put in it...if the problem is the starting, then a good charge would probably sort it out, as it might not have enough amps to crank the starter... as once been running for a while and then you stop start it probably starts straight away.... as the scoot has put energy back into battery..i would say charge it as the first methodical thing to do,then see the next morning what happens, if his does not cure it after a good charge, take back to dealer as could be a loose power cable from the battery to the starter, if comes loose on starter side (held on with a couple of nuts) then it gives indication of nowt happening when you press the start, so charge the battery up first

[otisaardvark]

Thanks for this. That does make sense as I think my bike had been in the showroom for a while.

When I had the bike in for its first service last week, I noticed that the demo X10 was showing 14V and my is usually sitting at 12v.

I'll put the battery on charge tonight.

Thanks again.

[frankiej1949]

Hi Otis, my X10 500 lives under a Stormex cover too never had problems starting. I agree with MJP i bet they have not charged the battery correctly. When mine starts it shows roughly 13 volts and within seconds jumps to 14 +.

[MrGrumpy]

I've the Bev 350 ST (same engine). There is an oddity that if the engine doesn't start, then everything switches itself off and resets itself, and this takes some considerable time. When its resetting you press the starter button and nothing happens. However, the starter normally operates (and starts the engine) first time without any problems. If nothing happens when you press the starter first time, then thats odd. Maybe the electronics is being slow to boot itself up for some reason. Also, I suspect that you have to pull quite hard on the brake lever to enable the starter interlock to work.

Curiously I had a starting issue with mine as well this morning. It started but would only run for a second or 2. This happened several times - With it resetting itself this all took some time! Finally, once it did start, I gave it a bit of throttle which seemed to solve its problem. Its been OK since then.

[otisaardvark]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for this.

When I tried to start her this evening it took ages to get her to do anything! Thankfully, she stirred after a several goes.

I spoke to the dealer and have booked her in for next week. They also think the battery may be suspect. In the mean time, I'll pop her on charge over the weekend and hopefully that will get her through the week.

Has anyone else had problems with the fuse box? I read one report but haven't actually heard much more about this actually causing a failure.

Thanks again.

[MrGrumpy]

Hi They also think the battery may be suspect.

I'm not so sure. If the battery was causing your initial prod to get nothing at all, then your battery would be totally dead - and it wouldn't recover, especially with the lights an instruments etc on wasting what little current you had while you tried. The fact that you do eventually get power (at the very power hungry starter) indicates that the battery has juice. I think its an electronics or interlock problem.

[otisaardvark]

Thanks MrGrumpy.

Curiously enough I gave her a go this morning and she started first time on three consecutive goes. I'm wondering if this may just be me getting used to pulling hard enough on the brake lever. This morning when I started her up I wasn't wearing my gloves! This could be down to me I guess....doh!!!!

Thanks for all of your help guys, I really appreciate it