Yamaha Nuovo

[janverbeem]

Hi,I have a Yamaha nuovo I bought when it was 1 year old and has now 8000 Km on the clock.I drive it on gasohol 95.

From the first day I got it it has the problem that it doesn't start if I don't use it for 3 days or more.Normally it will start from the first click but after 3 days it looks as if the carburator gets drained.That means it will start with the first press on the starter but runs only for a second or so.I assume that is only the gasohol that was left in the cylinder from before.After that I will have to keep it starting for an extended time untill it fires up again,but even then it will stop running when I open the throttle until I have restarted it a few times.

Been to several dealers in the area already but have you ever tried to explain something to somebody who doesn't want to understand?

They check the battery,which doesn't have a problem,change the spark plug and airfilter but the result is ofcourse the same.

It is clear that there is no fuel available in the carburator but there is no leak under the bike.Have tried to fill it up with gasoline but it doesn't make a difference.

Any idea what will be the source of the problem?

[challenger99]

It seem we have similar Yamaha nuovo, mine sometimes want run if weather is cold so I have to use the "choke" very carefully never more then half otherwise he drown. Hope it helps

[jackcorbett]

I have the same thing. If I don't drive my Nouvo for a few days it simply doesn't want to fire. So I have to play with it for possibly as long as 30 seconds. It will catch hold then immediately die until this has occurred several or more times. But it always winds up starting. This is every bit as true for my 135 c.c. Elegance as it was for its predecessor, the 115 c.c. MX. So I'd say this is common for the breed. In fact a couple of years ago a friend of mine left his Air Blade with me while he left for the U.S. for a month or so. Same thing happened with the Air Blade.

[janverbeem]

I have the same thing. If I don't drive my Nouvo for a few days it simply doesn't want to fire. So I have to play with it for possibly as long as 30 seconds. It will catch hold then immediately die until this has occurred several or more times. But it always winds up starting. This is every bit as true for my 135 c.c. Elegance as it was for its predecessor, the 115 c.c. MX. So I'd say this is common for the breed. In fact a couple of years ago a friend of mine left his Air Blade with me while he left for the U.S. for a month or so. Same thing happened with the Air Blade.

Jack,what you describe is a similar problem as mine with that difference that it catches up from the first time but drops out again after a second. Then it takes maybe 30 seconds of running the starter before it catches up again to die as soon as I try to open the throttle.Almost to the point that I think my battery gonna die soon.

My bike is also the elegance so there is no choke to play with and also I think that can not be the problem as after 24 hours it should be as much cooled down as it is after 72 hours.

There must be a reason that the gasoline dissapears from he carburator.Cant also be evaporation from the heat since I have a big bike also and that starts even after 3 weeks of no use.

[nikster]

One thing fuel injected bikes have going for them... the Wave-i can be sitting for month, then starts up first try.... from all I read on the internet, there's nothing you can do, it's normal for carbureted bikes. The fuel in the carburetor evaporates, and then it takes a little bit to get going again...

[H2oDunc]

I have the 135cc Elegance and never had a problem with it starting. The one time it was rough was when I filled it up at a gas station I don't normally use and it was crap. Non injection bikes don't like the gasohol fuel. It tends to rot the rubber pipes and seals in the carb. Mine has 91 on the filler cap. If you have been using gasohol for a while I would suggest that is your problem. Take it to a garage and get them to replace the rubber in the carb and see how it goes then.

[Gary A]

My Elegance has no choke but starting cold or after several days is not a problem. Try opening the throttle just a little before pressing the starter button. I recently returned home after a week long trip and it started immediately.

You are correct that it will start and stop without opening the throttle a bit. My village doesn't sell gasohol so I use the regular 91. I do use gasohol whenever a gas station has it. I can't tell any difference between regular and gasohol.

[surayu]

Did you try to recharge the battery? you can also get it started by "foot" if the manual ignition doesn't get it to start.

[jackcorbett]

I have the 135cc Elegance and never had a problem with it starting. The one time it was rough was when I filled it up at a gas station I don't normally use and it was crap. Non injection bikes don't like the gasohol fuel. It tends to rot the rubber pipes and seals in the carb. Mine has 91 on the filler cap. If you have been using gasohol for a while I would suggest that is your problem. Take it to a garage and get them to replace the rubber in the carb and see how it goes then.

It's not an issue for me as I'm never off my bike for more than two weeks as I never leave Thailand for more than two weeks, or my condo. So I will put up with once in awhile having to baby my Nouvo Elegance while starting it and the first thirty seconds or so while heading up the street as the fuel system settles in. I personally feel it's all due to the limitations of carburetors in general as opposed to fuel injection The evaporation of fuel from the carburetor makes a lot of sense to me. Looking back on my experiences with carbureted versus fuel injected engines in the U.S. I remember on cold winter mornings how first my dad and later myself had to use a lot of care getting cars to start and how my first fuel injected car, a 1978 Volkswagen Dasher, would simply start seamlessly regardless of how cold it got. (Well almost). So running gasohol wasn't the problem, it was the basic finickiness of carburetors versus fuel injection. But back to the motorbikes. My Nouvo Elegance normally starts instantly and flawlessly until several days go by. My previous bike, the Nouvo MX behaved exactly the same way and so did David's Air Blade.

Edited February 3, 2011 by jackcorbett

[challenger99]

My Elegance has no choke but starting cold or after several days is not a problem. Try opening the throttle just a little before pressing the starter button. I recently returned home after a week long trip and it started immediately.

You are correct that it will start and stop without opening the throttle a bit. My village doesn't sell gasohol so I use the regular 91. I do use gasohol whenever a gas station has it. I can't tell any difference between regular and gasohol.

We spoke about Yamaha nuovo which have a choke. maybe yours have an automatic one? Beside I like tank by ESSO and they have a perfomance gasoline additive .... also by this I believe my problem is gone longtime ago

[janverbeem]

Did you try to recharge the battery? you can also get it started by "foot" if the manual ignition doesn't get it to start.

There is no problem with the battery,it is a clear sign that the engine doesn't get any fuel.The question is why it doesn't get fuel.

[surayu]

There is no problem with the battery,it is a clear sign that the engine doesn't get any fuel.The question is why it doesn't get fuel.

I see, i got a Nouvo too and some time ago i had a major problem to starting it, in my particular case it was the battery, anyway i also noticed that after a few days of not using it, becomes difficult get it started, the longer the wait, the more difficult it gets, so i'd like to find a solution for this too, if any

[yankee99]

My nuovo was also having problems starting stalling and cutting out while driving. Although sometimes it would run perfect! In the morning sometimes it would start on the first click but then idle bad until warmed up. Sometimes I would need to choke and throttle to get it to start etc etc! Went to the shop new plug and disassemble and clean carb. Left shop same problem. Back to shop after 2 tanks of 95. Disassemble and clean carb again. Left shop and stalled out while going 50km. OK i was sure i needed a rebuilt or new carb. I was convinced this was a carb problem. Went to new shop and asked about a new carb. 3000baht this bike is only worth 10-14k, The mechanic says let me look at it. I am skeptical but why not. 2 hours later i pick up my bike. He says all fixed. I asked what the problem was although he does not speak english. He showed me a part that looked like a engine valve. About a 3" rod and flat round bottom. I was still skeptical. I paid him 150baht and left. I am now a believer in this guy as my 2005 nuovo runs perfect!!!

[janverbeem]

Thank you for the replies so far but I guess I made myself not clear enough about what the problem really is,may be because I'm no English native writer.

So let's give it another try.

Scenario 1 : Bike has not been used for 24 hours.I push the start button,engine starts running from the first click and no problems all day.

Scenario 2 : Bike has been parked for for 48 hours.I push the starter button,engine starts running from the first click and might stop when I open the throttle but if this happens I just push the starter button once more and it will run as normal.I found out that I'm able to prevent it from dropping out if I open the throttle a few times before pushing the starter button.

Scenario 3 : Bike has been parked for 72 hours or longer.I push the starter button and the engine starts running right away but will stop after just 1 or 2 seconds.I will have to push the starter button for an extended time,probably more than 30 seconds with intervals to save the battery,before the engine will start again.Then the engine will run stationary but if I dare to touch the throttle it will stop.After that I can restart it right away as many times as I want but I will need to let it run stationary for about 30 seconds before I can touch the throttle and even then I have to handle it carefully for the next minute or so otherwise it will stop running.I think the latter is normal because of the automatic choke.

I have been to several Mityon shops already,biggest dealer in Pattaya and surroundings,but they seem to have no idea what I'm talking about.I think if this was such a comon problem they would know already,or they don't want to know as the bike is still under warranty.

Thank you for your future comments.

[ttakata]

I have the NE135 and same for me.

If it sits a few days, it has a hard time starting.

One time I had a real hard time starting it so I released the gastank cap and it started soon after.

Maybe when it sits a long time the gastank creates a vacuum and has a hard time flowing?

Try releasing the gascap and let us know if that helps.

My incident could be a one time fluke.

[CMX]

Both my MX (benzine 91) and my Elegance (gasahol 91) behave the same way. After about (I've not done a careful study) three days, they do not start right away and are touchy with the throttle after they do. But it is good practice anyway to let an engine run a bit before shooting off, so I've just become accustomed to the experience.

The bikes of course require a sound battery, unless you enjoy kick starting quite a bit, as driving down-hill does no good, of course. Happily, once "warmed up," neither of mine gives any trouble at all. There's a fellow, mbox, who maintains that Yamaha automatics with carbs are nearly always like this - and he's seen/had a lotta bikes.

[TheVinylMan]

Had this problem with a couple of bikes and my present car out here........... Solved the problem quite easily............ undo the petrol tank cap and let the pressure from the tank escape.......... get on the bike 2 throttle twists BEFORE starting and then hold the throttle open just a little bit and she will fire up straight away............ exactly the same with the car............ now have no problems.

[yankee99]

Go back to post number 13. If you are in pattaya you can go to the shop that fixed my nuovo and it wasnt mityon. Take tappraya to theppasit when on teppasit it will be the first shop on your right. There is a pet shop on the corner also a electric light shop and a mini market/liquor store on the other side of the shop. It is very close to tappraya so as soon as you turn on theppasit you need to look on the right hand side as it is easy to pass.....If you cant speak english or thai bring your gf/translator. Only talk with the boss not the oil changers....

Thank you for the replies so far but I guess I made myself not clear enough about what the problem really is,may be because I'm no English native writer.

So let's give it another try.

Scenario 1 : Bike has not been used for 24 hours.I push the start button,engine starts running from the first click and no problems all day.

Scenario 2 : Bike has been parked for for 48 hours.I push the starter button,engine starts running from the first click and might stop when I open the throttle but if this happens I just push the starter button once more and it will run as normal.I found out that I'm able to prevent it from dropping out if I open the throttle a few times before pushing the starter button.

Scenario 3 : Bike has been parked for 72 hours or longer.I push the starter button and the engine starts running right away but will stop after just 1 or 2 seconds.I will have to push the starter button for an extended time,probably more than 30 seconds with intervals to save the battery,before the engine will start again.Then the engine will run stationary but if I dare to touch the throttle it will stop.After that I can restart it right away as many times as I want but I will need to let it run stationary for about 30 seconds before I can touch the throttle and even then I have to handle it carefully for the next minute or so otherwise it will stop running.I think the latter is normal because of the automatic choke.

I have been to several Mityon shops already,biggest dealer in Pattaya and surroundings,but they seem to have no idea what I'm talking about.I think if this was such a comon problem they would know already,or they don't want to know as the bike is still under warranty.

Thank you for your future comments.

[yankee99]

Had this problem with a couple of bikes and my present car out here........... Solved the problem quite easily............ undo the petrol tank cap and let the pressure from the tank escape.......... get on the bike 2 throttle twists BEFORE starting and then hold the throttle open just a little bit and she will fire up straight away............ exactly the same with the car............ now have no problems.

All though that may work it doesnt solve the problem. It is a work around. He should be able to press the start button and drive away. He should not have to twist this and open that....

[jackcorbett]

Had this problem with a couple of bikes and my present car out here........... Solved the problem quite easily............ undo the petrol tank cap and let the pressure from the tank escape.......... get on the bike 2 throttle twists BEFORE starting and then hold the throttle open just a little bit and she will fire up straight away............ exactly the same with the car............ now have no problems.

All though that may work it doesnt solve the problem. It is a work around. He should be able to press the start button and drive away. He should not have to twist this and open that....

I'd bet Yamaha is aware of the problem and decided for now the problem is minor and the fix is more expensive than living with it. From my own personal experience and the large number of people reporting the same problem apparently it's the nature of the beast just as cold winters go with living in the northern portions of the U.S. When I look back on my living there and having to deal with having to start all my cars and pickup trucks, tractors (I lived on a farm), getting stuck in snow drifts, blizzards, etc I have to view my present "hard starting" experiences with my Nouvo Elegance" with a grain of salt. If this is a viable work around.....popping open the fuel tank cap, twisting the throttle twice and starting easily after a few short seconds, I'd say this whole thing is a laughable matter compared to all my wonderful cold weather experiences I had on the farm in the U.S. And most of the time due to my using my bike nearly every day, I never would have to use the work around. Fuel injection would seem to be the obvious cure. But from what I've read, the main reason Honda went fuel injection on all its bikes is it could not pass Thailand's emissions standards with their lineup of bikes with carburetors. Yamaha could.

Edited February 4, 2011 by jackcorbett

[TheVinylMan]

Had this problem with a couple of bikes and my present car out here........... Solved the problem quite easily............ undo the petrol tank cap and let the pressure from the tank escape.......... get on the bike 2 throttle twists BEFORE starting and then hold the throttle open just a little bit and she will fire up straight away............ exactly the same with the car............ now have no problems.

All though that may work it doesnt solve the problem. It is a work around. He should be able to press the start button and drive away. He should not have to twist this and open that....

In thailand there are alot of things you shouldnt have to do to make things work or happen..... but this is thailand and you learn to adapt overcome and improvise :jap:

[janverbeem]

THanks for the replies,this weekend the bike will not be used so on Monday I will check out if the vacuum theory is what causes my problem.I hope it is because their should be a simple workaround for this problem.

Will report back on Monday.

[smileplur]

Yes, #13 is spot on. I had the same problem not too long ago. I even posted here about it. They kept doing all of the usual crap, changing spark plugs, testing the battery, etc. Finally, I had enough. I went back to the shop and explained that it isn't the battery, and I don't need another freaking spark plug. After that, my experience is exactly the same as #13. Now, she runs beautifully.

[Familyonthemove]

I've had the same problem with my Nouvo Elegance from new .... it's now 2 years old. I think they are bad starters and my guess is that the auto-choke has a design problem.

Severel times, when it refused to start (just kept spluttering and firing then dying) I remove the plastics and then by squeezing the hose from the air cleaner to the carb managed to create an extra 'choke' and it starts on one push and settles to a steady idle.

I know you want a solution and not a work around .... but I've found that when it's been left without use for a few days I can start it OK if I kick it over 3 or 4 times with the ignition off before touching the starter button (this was a hint from another poster in response to a similar query last year). But I still have to let it warm up at idle or it will stall under load. I also find it starts better if I use the 91 'Red' fuel (I still get confused over what's what at the pumps)

After being left for more than 2 weeks I need to strangle the air cleaner to get it going. Charging the battery will help to spin the motor faster, but mine still wont start without either the kicking or the strangling (cue 'sounds like an old girlfirend of mine' joke)

[janverbeem]

Update : Tested the "remove petrol tank cap" option after having the bike parked for 3 days and the result was negative,so still looking into the issue.

[yankee99]

Update : Tested the "remove petrol tank cap" option after having the bike parked for 3 days and the result was negative,so still looking into the issue.

I have given you a possible solution. I gave you directions to a shop. It is free if they dont fix it. Not sure why you are playing with a gas cap..

[janverbeem]

Update : Tested the "remove petrol tank cap" option after having the bike parked for 3 days and the result was negative,so still looking into the issue.

I have given you a possible solution. I gave you directions to a shop. It is free if they dont fix it. Not sure why you are playing with a gas cap..

Because your problem is completely different from mine.Ones my bike has been started it doesn't have any problem as long as I use at least ones in 24 hours.Never stalls during driving or anything,the only issue is that it doesn't start if parked for over 48 hours.Once started it works perfectly.

[MaiChai]

Have you tried stripping the carb down and inspecting its components? If you find nothing wrong; just give it a clean.

When fuel is left in a carb it turns to lacquer. This should not happen over a couple of days, but if you go abroad for a period, its not good leaving fuel in the carb. The laquer gets hard, making jets smaller, preventing things like the float valve from moving freely, etc. To winterize a bike, I always drain the carb, and remove water (if its water cooled). If its a 2 stroke, disconnect the 2 stroke oil pipe from the oil pump and plug it. Remove the battery and use a trickle charge charger. These steps stop fluids mixing together and prevent the battery from dieing, and all the problems you get of leaving a bike for a long period. Some of this is not relevant to a Nouvo; just general guidance.

You don't see any cars with carbs; they are all fuel injected. The reason the smaller/cheaper bikes have taken so long to go fuel injection is cost (and partly the rising cost of fuel). Carbs always need alot of maintenance (in my opinion); they get crap in them, float valves stick, jets get blocked, fuel delivery across the range is not consistent. Fuel injection is the way to go, for alot of good reasons (economy, reliability, better control, fuel mapping). Sounds like your carb needs a service? A cheap and easy job for your average Thai mechanic. An alternative is to buy a copy carb, and swap it out for testing; should not cost more than 500 baht if you shop around. I am a fan of copy carbs; typically it gives a better fix than replacing parts in a worn carb.

[Stefanix]

Hi guys, I also own a Nouva Elegance, bought it second hand a couple of month ago. The motor is also difficult to start, if cold, and dies sometimes when driving cold.

I found that the spark plug looks quite bad and I want to replace it. The dealer seemed to be a bit clueless in finding the right spark plug for me. The one I found in my bike is a NGK CR7E. The dealer finally gave me a CR8E. The bike came without manual, so I don't know what is the officially recommended plug.

Anyone here with a Nouva Elegence manual who can tell me the official Yamaha plug for this bike?

Thanks!

Stefanix

[JusMe]

If you do a search for Nouvo manual, you'll find links to download or view the pdf version of the full owner's manual. Sorry, don't have the link handy right now.