Oops. I got a bit excited about the fact that my moped was running again and I think I seized it but good this time. There wasn't any quick stop, but it just decided to start going slower and slower when I was giving it gas. Then it would mostly just idle. It wouldn't go any faster than ten miles an hour all the way home. I'm hoping that like other two times it did this, it'll unseize when it cools down, but I am worried about it. If i give it any gas, it kills the engine. Any advice?
-Carrie.
Carrie,
you soft seized. No biggie, but you should have really stopped the bike, let it cool, and then ride it home slowly. Something is obviously wrong with the engine (i.e. it's jetted too lean, you have a too hot plug, the air filter is off, etc) so you should figure out before riding again. You should check the piston and cylinder though. You will probably have these four polished stripes in the side of the piston. Also, check the under side of the piston. Is this brown, black, flaking, etc.? Also, what do the polished marks on the piston look like. A common soft seize will cause the four striped lines, which mean there is a problem with your rings, piston, the profiling on your head, or carb. problems (The good kind of soft seize). Other, single stripe marks mean worse problems. If you line up the marks with their prospective port, you will be able to find where the problem is. For example, if it lines up with the exhaust port, something is wrong with the exhaust gasket, or your pipe. I'm sure you got the idea. Best place to look for info on reading a seize is in moto-cross articles. I don't want to type it all right now but it's important to read a seize correctly to solve the real problem form happening. If after the bike cools you have a large loss of power, you can replace the rings and hone the cylinder (auto shops carry hones that attach to electric drills). You should do through two sets of rings per piston but it's not worth boring out the cylinder on a soft seize. Hope it helps. Bye.
Good advice Roberto, but don`t rule out the crank bearings, just fixed one with the crank bearings were gaulded, it looked like cheap 2-stoke oil was used, Thats why I prefer a synthetic oil.... Doug D
Thanks for the advice, guys, I'm going to try to take it apart tomorrow probably. I was using cheap oil this time because I ran out of the good synthetic racing oil I'd been using.
I'll let you know the results.
Carrie,
Sorry, I just read your post. If your ped will still idle at a stop, you are not seizing the engine, hard, soft or otherwise.
Look for some other problem like dirt in the carb or a loose throttle cable, before pulling the cylinder.
The problem could be in the engine but if it still idles, it is unlikely.
Ron
I had that same problem with my Moto Guzzi, and it turned out it was the carberator. I had just cleaned it out twice after being in deep storage, but there was still some shit left inside that was givin the engine too much air by blocking the choke. you might try that
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