Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

chris ryan /

May 25, 2020 01:03PM

Back in the fall I had my Puch Maxi Newport refurbished by the Detroit Moped Works. Then it managed to sit pretty much unused until spring. With the arrival of nice weather this Memorial Day Weekend I got it out, and checked the tires and sparkplug, put some new gas in it and sprayed down the chains with chain lube. Two days ago it started OK and I rode it about 100 miles in a day. Great.

Then the problem surfaced yesterday morning.

After I started the bike it acted "weak" If I opened up the throttle to full it would start to die. I had to run the motor at about 1/4 to 1/2 throttle to get the motor to run, and it would not power up the way it ought to and the motor was slow and weak. Then when I gave the motor some assist by pedaling, it decided to come to life and power up all the way. Very strange. When the folks at DMW rebuilt the bike they put a 70 cc "Top End Kit" on the bike, with a new carb, (15 mm dellorto) pipe, and cylinder head. (This has made it possible to actually keep up with urban 35 MPH traffic a lot better.) But after this strange start event yesterday I consulted my friend rebel moby about it and he recommended that I ask "One of the Puch Experts at Moped Army about it". So here I am and I am asking about it.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Jeff Parr /

bigbadbrother

May 25, 2020 01:22PM

Clean the carb

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Papa _ /

honkycat

May 25, 2020 01:24PM

You said you pedal assisted the take off and it came to life.

So, it’s all good again and you just want to know why it did that?

Or is it doing that every time you start it?

Did you shut your fuel off the day before?

Cause a leaky float valve could let fuel dribble into the engine. That would have it run like garbage until the excess fuel burned off.

Just my first wild guess.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

pat splat /

ggspeed

May 25, 2020 01:47PM

did u put fresh gas in?

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

chris ryan /

oldjacktar OP

May 25, 2020 04:58PM

yes

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

chris ryan /

oldjacktar OP

May 25, 2020 05:06PM

This after noon I had trouble getting it to start. I adjusted the idle at the carb, and the kid down the street from me who is a motorhead got it to fire right up. I rode it to the end of the block and while I was waiting at idle for the traffic to pass, the motor died. I cursed, turned around, and pedal started it and it started right back up, I went about a mile or so and stopped at a NAPA shop to buy some premix 2 stroke gas. When I stopped the bike to go into the store, it had trouble shutting off and continued to idle after the kill switch was applied. This lasted maybe 3-4 seconds. When I came out of the store, I could not get it to start. I had to call a buddy with a truck to come and take me home.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Dirty30 Dillon /

hydra

May 25, 2020 08:10PM

Sounds like you stored your bike over the winter and never prepped it for riding season. Fresh gas, carb clean, new plug, and check the points.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Mike Boyd /

Go to branch

boyd

May 25, 2020 08:55PM

Check the wiring on your kill switch, if it’s not functioning properly you could have a short there that is cutting out your spark intermittently

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Trudy Fair /

titaniumtrudy

Aug 15, 2020 12:05PM

1978 Puck Maxi Luxe

I took it to a motorcycle shop and they got it running- pretty sloppy though. Left the partially broken but still functioning ON switch dangling from the handlebars, etc. When I went to pick it up after 5 months, the throttle won’t return to idle. Like there’s no spring. He treated me like a dumb girl and wasn’t interested in it anymore so I took it and left. I can turn a wrench a little- I work on my

‘46 and ‘51 tractors. It’s my first bike but isn’t the throttle supposed to go back after you move the grip ???????

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Moped Lar (OFMC) /

mopedlar

Aug 15, 2020 01:30PM

Sounds like he didn’t hook up the throttle cable correctly at the carb. Motorcycle shops don’t know didley squat about mopeds.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Papa _ /

honkycat

Aug 15, 2020 01:33PM

Trudy,

Definitely the throttle should snap shut. Sorry to hear about you getting lame service from a shop.

Is that pic of your Puch? Or just one that looks like it? Because that looks like a bone stock maxi. No cylinder kit or aftermarket exhaust.

Re-reading your original post, I think maybe after the heat cycle of riding maybe something came a little loose. Could be a small air leak.

I think you should take the carb apart, clean it a little (never hurts) and put it back together making sure everything moved freely. Then re-torque everything. Intake, exhaust, head, case bolts even. Not crazy tight, just to spec if anything is easy to turn.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Trudy Fair /

titaniumtrudy

Aug 16, 2020 10:19AM

Yes - that's my Puch. The shop guy said he had one EXACTLY like it when he was a kid and ooooh suuuurrrreeeee he can get it running. I got the new exhaust system from Treatland. I am new to this so I will be asking some pretty basic questions. He said he did all the carb and engine stuff and it did start right up and run. * See post in Dumbest Thing I Ever Did on a moped. Last fall I put a new radiator and water pump on my '51 Ford 8N tractor, so I can wrench a little, and am determined to learn about the eggplant Puch. You guys are so nice to help me with this. I thin kew.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Trudy Fair /

titaniumtrudy

Aug 16, 2020 10:23AM

I actually do have a torque wrench.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Trudy Fair /

titaniumtrudy

Aug 16, 2020 10:38AM

I will go out now before it hits 100 outside and see about the connection to the carb. And it never did snap back to begin with when I bought it for $100.( Love at first sight. Oh hells yes I'll buy it rat now !!!!!! Isn't it swell ???????? ) How do you lube the cable through this little dealio ? I very gently tried to get a thumbnail under that little cap and it's pretty fragile and crumbly. Thought I would ask BEFORE I fucked it up.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Papa _ /

honkycat

Aug 16, 2020 11:08AM

You’re right to lube the cable to get the throttle moving better.

I didn’t realize yesterday that you posted onto a thread from someone else’s problems. Sorry if my first comments made no sense since I was reading their backstory.

I have never had the little oil hole on a cable before. If it was me, and I really wanted to use that port, I’d just go for it. If the thing breaks, get creative to cover it back up. Even a piece of tape could do. That’s up to you though. If you want to maintain the original parts perfectly or just get it working.

Re: Something strange happened on the way to the forum last night.

Trudy Fair /

titaniumtrudy

Aug 16, 2020 11:29AM

That's exactly what I'll do. Everything on this farm is ancient and creative is how I live, man. I bet I can micro-mist the cap up and work on it till I make something happen. At this point is when I say, "What's it gonna do ? Not work MORE ?" Also my Genius Without A Job motto: Never put 2 nails if there's room for 6. Thank you so much. You're kind and good.

MOPED ARMY

Login or Create Account