ClareQuilty

Visited the mechanic shop today and he sent round a boy with a battery and cables, which did nothing to start the car, so he and I and a tuk-tuk driver push-started it (always works). So, now he has it for the next day or two, we'll see what he makes of it.

The fact that the car wouldn't start on the 'fresh' battery the boy brought round seems to me to indicate that it isn't a battery problem, but probably a starter/solenoid problem, or maybe ignition, as some have suggested here.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I hope I made clear the starter doesn't turn at all when this problem occurs - nothing happens, just silence.

I did have the hood open the other day when it would start, with the intention of hitting the starter with a hammer or rock, but I realized - I don't know where the starter is or what it looks like!

1. Oil $60, caused by US fracking and the rock-solid control of Saudi Arabia

That's an interesting interpretation. Many pundits think that Saudi are deliberately keeping the price low to force the more leveraged US frackers, ones with tight margins, out of business.

Russia is sat on $450 billion of reserves so they aren't exactly going bust yet.

Don't believe it - the fracking can be restarted with great ease if and when the price goes up again. The Saudis know this, and know that over the long haul $60-80/barrel is a lot more realistic than $100+.

Russia's reserves (only maybe 170 billion are actually left, the 450 billion is out of date and mostly Russian puffery) give Putin a few months to gracefully exit, that's all. If you want to see immediate bankruptcy take a look at Venezuela.

Guys, its hardly fair to criticize Obama for things he would never be allowed to change: the ever-present and inevitable ills of capitalism! The servile classes have always been, and ever shall be fodder to be consumed by those who own them. I was just pointing out that within the context of our miserable and iniquitous system, Obama's done a 'good job'.

Its a bit odd, but I've had about 3 bikes develop the same problem all at once, to varying degrees - basically the problem that, though the bike would idle fairly normally at start up, it began 'racing' at idle once the bike had been driven 'at speed' for a while. One old Honda Nova had this problem VERY severely, basically revving flat-out when stopped, and another old Nova and a Honda Smile had the problem less severely.

I'm wondering what causes this sudden change? Is it the floats in the carburetor? Or the idle setting screw? When I stopped by a bike-shop with the flat-out revving Nova they just set the idle down, but I'm not sure this has really fixed the problem, and I'm just curious what caused these to all develop the same problem at once - the return of 'cool weather' in Isaan (about 58-60 for a low at night), or maybe bad (gasohol) gas? I try to always put 'real benzine' in, but never feel 100% sure the stations sell honestly.

My 30 year old Corolla has been experiencing a problem for a few months - it would very intermittently - that is less than half the time - fail to start. When this happens it doesn't turn over at all, just turn the key and nothing happens.

I had it checked out several times by several different shops, all said the 'battery was good'. One did 'clean up the connections' as he vaguely put it, for 300 baht, and it didn't experience the problem for a month or two after that.

Finally these last few days it will not turn over at all, that is the problem is no longer intermittent, so I have had to push-start it every time. (luckily the car is very light, and Thai folks are very cheerfully helpful, so that hasn't been a major problem, but its a little dangerous).

I'm wondering what could be causing this, and what might be advisable to try replacing. The car has points, not 'electronic ignition'.

Obama's done a superb job (in context) both domestically and internationally. These moderate center-right leaders (that is, Democrats) always get bad press and the ire of the 'angry white males'.

The idea that the USA isn't 'winning the game' at present (and as always) is bizarre, though, even for people who know very little background. Here are the simple facts found by reading headlines, not even news stories:

1. Oil $60, caused by US fracking and the rock-solid control of Saudi Arabia

2. Russia bankrupt

3. US growth around 4%

4. Chinese economy frightfully stalled

5. Abe in Japan, Modi in India - perfect for US plans

The observer needn't even need to know that Chinese economic reporting is so dubious as to be nearly meaningless, or that its long term demographic situation is disastrous, or that the main order of business for maintaining US hegemony throughout the 21st century is encirclement of China (destruction of Putin regime, build up of Japan-India-US-EU alliance) - the obvious trend of headlines is apparent: The US is winning big..

Thanks Obama.

Well, I bought a Kawa 150 stroker for less than 10 k. Then endless trouble began. The seller had been grinning like a maniac at the time.

I'vecome across such bikes and personally, wouldn't bother even for half the asking price. New piston and rings, new wheel and some other bearings. Brakes, ..., ... Forget it! Buy a decent Yamaha Spark or a Wave and you can get almost what you are paying now when you sell it a few years down the road.

Apples and oranges, really. While old two strokes are in general better than four strokes, the key to what he's looking at is that it is a Honda Nova.

While far from my favorite old two stroke, the Honda Nova/Tena was probably the height of reliability and practicality for this technology, the Tena in particular being pretty much the last two stroke Honda made before the sad day when it was outlawed in Thailand.

Tenas still have lots of parts readily available, unlike your extremely rare Kawasaki. Replacing or rebuilding almost anything on either a Tena or the older Nova model (which can use mostly the same parts) is astonishingly cheap and easy.

Thus, while there is a high chance the old bike the OP is looking just needs to be driven hard every day to 'fix it', he really can't 'go wrong' since rebuilding every mechanical part of the bike to a functional standard would cost about 2,000 baht. And to my eye, in the pic he provided, the bike looked to be in very good shape for a 5,000 baht bike.

$1,500! Stefan, not everyone is rich.

Guys my Tenas never break, they never - I'm serious never die at traffic lights or any of that other stuff. They are absolutely sterling reliable after in some cases spending nothing and in other cases spending up to (in the very worst case) 1,500 baht fixing them up. The idea that four strokes are more reliable or 'better running' than two strokes is absolutely not reality.

You all mention tires and brakes - brake pads are I believe less than 100 baht - change them, what's the big deal? Tires are a little more but I always keep good tires on bikes.

And by the way what are you fellows talking about 'changing the oil' or complaining about smoking? Its a two-stroke fellows, it is supposed to smoke. If it isn't smoking there is something wrong. Just keep the oil reservoir full and these old Tenas will last you many, many years.

I do recall mentioning on here one Nova (before the Tena model) which did have a brief spell of 'vapor lock' or whatever you call it - but I was driving it around at 110 kph for 20-30 minutes. The idea of old two strokes is relaxed put-putting around town at 60-80 kph at most. Don't go crazy with these bikes, just enjoy almost-free transportation.

Enclosed find a photo of my Honda Smile and a Honda Tena of mine which have run for over half a decade since I bought them and made me thousand of baht with minimal repair, and also the Nova which had the vapor lock - a one time event, I still drive it every week and it never needs any further repairs. All bought for 3,500-8,000 baht.

Just got the bike back - turns out the engine rebuild was exactly 2,000 as he promised, but he went ahead and replaced several parts in the transmission (kind of metal rollers which he showed me - worn out) which cost another 300. So, for 2,300 the bike is for the moment running and driving very well. We'll see over the next few months if it was worth it or not...

Yeah I know. 'Education personnel' or 'teachers', same same = Thai staff. Point being, if you have money you want real teachers, and having to hire 90% filler to do so is more than worth it.

I don't know which point are you trying to make. Education personnel is not teachers.

2.7 Educational Personnel is: Person performing librarian, guidance, educational technology, registration and evaluation, general administration, supporter of education as specified by the Private Education Commission.

These jobs have a limit of 1 to 10 for Thai nationals. Not teachers.

That's precisely my point - Thai nationals are not teachers. Just a bit of a facetious joke, but not far from the truth if you've ever worked in a Thai educational institution.

Private schools can only have 10% foreigners. Am I reading that correctly?

Language schools? International Schools?

I know it seems a pretty rough deal, but I think people education in this country are used to it - 10% of the teachers actually teaching is better than none, right?

Again as above: educational personnel. Not teachers.

Yeah I know. 'Education personnel' or 'teachers', same same = Thai staff. Point being, if you have money you want real teachers, and having to hire 90% filler to do so is more than worth it.

Well guys I broke down and let the mechanic take the bike away for a rebuild. He says he'll not exceed a budget of 2,000 for the job, and assures me that if I subsequently change the oil once a month, the bike will last for a fairly long while. He did remark however that the ancient Nova two-stroke I was riding would outlast it!

Private schools can only have 10% foreigners. Am I reading that correctly?

Language schools? International Schools?

I know it seems a pretty rough deal, but I think people education in this country are used to it - 10% of the teachers actually teaching is better than none, right?

Haven't been able to start the bike for a week now, though I do try every day in various weathers. Finally confirmed by the mechanic that the reason for not starting is 'no compression'. I need to sell this bike for salvage.. anybody want it? If not sellable perhaps I'll give it away to a mechanic.

Well I've always thought of the bike - the Click - as water-cooled. It has a little idiot light, indicating overheating, on the dashboard. which to my mind suggests some water must be present in which to put the thermometer. I just thought the 110 engine might be the exact same one as the one in my Wave, but with water-cooling added to make up for its being encapsulated in a hot plastic box on the Click (as engines are in automatics).

I didn't know they'd changed the 110cc engine. I have an old 110cc Wave from around 10+ years ago - that 110 seems strong.

The "original" Wave configuration is still going strong albeit with small changes. The new Honda MSX uses the same engine as the new Wave 125i.

So the 110cc engine in my Wave isn't the same as the 110 engine in my Click? (I'm hoping for an answer in the affirmative because I'm hoping the Wave's going to last, unlike the Click).

^ Maybe this is why Click now has a 125 engine and the 110's like Scoopy, Spacy and Zoomer also have a different engine.

I didn't know they'd changed the 110cc engine. I have an old 110cc Wave from around 10+ years ago - that 110 seems strong.

Yepp everything is possible in life, but he told us, he got two of them (2 Clicks and each 5000 Baht?) from a dealer.

No, I got one Honda Click at 5,000, but have been offered two at that price (and several more at the 7-8k level). I certainly will never buy another at any price.

Just go talk to any Thai mechanic and you'll find out about Clicks and their unreliability, Turkel

Your reply is as useful and ridiculous as "google it"

If it's so well known, that the Clicks are unreliable, it should be easy to provide a serious source or at least facts, instead "ask Somchai"

You have to ask the mechanics, Turkleton, because there are no 'serious sources' in English for Thai bikes on the internet. These are just local products, so you have to ask local people about them.

Third: Compare the real prices for a, lets say three/four years old Click and a Yamaha Mio.

You get easily ~4-5K more for a Click in equal condition. (Spoken from own experience)

Actually old Yamaha automatics, while they are still inferior to non-automatics, do have slightly less problems than old Honda automatics. I'm usually offered old Mios for about the same price range - 5-8k - as old Clicks. Last one I bought was 8,000, and it never had any serious engine or electrical problems at all.

Just go talk to any Thai mechanic and you'll find out about Clicks and their unreliability, Turkel.

Yamaha shop in KK has a few new old Yamaha mate 100s..Basically the Yamaha version of that Suzuki two stroke.

Yes I've looked at those a few times. I actually do have one old Yamaha Alpha, lovely little bike I picked up for 6,000 - hasn't needed a single repair in the year or two I've owned it. I've a special interest in Suzukis because they're so rare, and because the sole Suzuki I own (an old Akira I got for 4,500) runs so darn well.

^^ BS.

Nobody, especially no dealer, sells a running Honda Click for 5K Baht, independent on age and condition.

You might be able to get some 20y old, crappy 2stroke non runner for that price, but never a "running 4stroke".

Even completely worn out Clicks with +50000 KM, or similar bikes, reach easily 8-10k Baht (+fees) at each auction.

You're a bit out of date Turkleton - the Honda Click has a terrible reputation in the used market for bad engines and many other reliability/durability issues, particularly in the earlier iterations. 5,000 is the low end for these bikes, but I've been offered several at that price.

Regarding the 'crappy 2 stroke non-runner' comment - for 5,000 I have generally gotten excellent old Tenas, Yamaha Alphas, etc, and for just a thousand more have gotten perfectly preserved like-new low-kilometer two strokes. And, it so happens I've never run across a 'non runner' old two-stroke - they're far superior to the four strokes. I have old two strokes I bought for 3,000-3,500 baht, which, while a bit rough looking, start every time, even after sitting for weeks, and run and drive well.