Mio Wont Start In The Morning

[rideswings]

I bought a bike from a farang a few days ago who swore to me and my gf that it needed nothing and was problem free. The morning after I bought it, the bike would not start with the electric start button, it would barely turn over. It sounded like the battery was dead but the battery looked new. When I tried to kick start it, it was almost impossible to do because I couldnt push hard enough on the kick starter to get the engine to move. I called the old owner and he said that was a problem with many Mios and that I should try to kick start it. I told him it wouldnt start, and that I was unhappy with it and I wanted my money back. He told me that what ever it cost to fix he will pay for it. I came back later in the day to take it to a local mechanic and got it to start using the start button. It turned over slowly then started without the choke. The mechanic told us that all we had to do was keep holding the start button till it started. I told him it would nt even turn over in the morning, and only started with the kick starter, and he just shrugged his shoulders.

The next morning same story. Wouldnt start with the button, and I could not get it to start with the kicker so I called the old owner and told him again I wanted my money back. He assured me that we will take it to a Yamaha dealer and he will pay whatever it cost to fix. We took i to t dealer and left it overnight. The dealer called the next morning and told us that the engine had been modified by someone and that Yamaha could not fix it or put in a new starter, it would not help. The only alternative was to rebuild the engine for around 10,000 baht.

The good news is that when its warm it starts ok but I cant get it to start by myself in the morning. I tried calling the buy I bought it from for the past 2 days and he doesnt answer his phone.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. I would keep it if I could get it to start, but its not worth putting another 10,000 into it. I would sell it, but I would have to tell the person I sell it to about the problem, and Im not sure how much I can get for it the condition that its in.

[martindavies]

The dealer called the next morning and told us that the engine had been modified by someone

Any more info on that? Has it had a big bore kit or something?

[Orac]

I have had similar problems with my Mio - for some reason the battery doesn't seem to recharge sufficiently. I tried changing the battery but the same problem happenned a month or two later. Now, when it starts to struggle starting occasionally once every month or so I stick a battery charger on it for a few hours and it is fine again.

[rideswings]

Thanks for your response. Yes the service manager said it had a big bore kit or a bigger cylinder installed which is why it was hard to turn over. He said he would have to start from scratch and replace everything in the engine to make it reliable again.

[guzzi850m2]

The dealer called the next morning and told us that the engine had been modified by someone

Any more info on that? Has it had a big bore kit or something?

How can the new owner (OP) know and now the seller is not picking up his phone?

I don't believe it's 10.000 to rebuild the engine, try different shops maybe a small shop you know and get a quote (Cyl + piston is cheap).

It's risky to buy a used small Thai bike and is not worth it in my opinion.

I can start our 4 year old Fino on the kick starter, no problem.

[rideswings]

Orac is your starting problem only in the morning? If you have driven the bike, will it start after its warm?

Mine wont start in the morning, maybe the engine is too tight when its cold. Im going to try the start button now thats its 29c outside. Maybe when its under 25c its too cold and the engine is too tight.

I might go out and get some prices on chargers. Are you happy with your charger?

[Orac]

Orac is your starting problem only in the morning? If you have driven the bike, will it start after its warm?

Mine wont start in the morning, maybe the engine is too tight when its cold. Im going to try the start button now thats its 29c outside. Maybe when its under 25c its too cold and the engine is too tight.

I might go out and get some prices on chargers. Are you happy with your charger?

I don't use my Mio that much but the problem only happenned when the engine was 'cold' - if used before in the day it was not a problem.

I can't remember how much the charger was but it wasn't that much and I got it from Homepro. No problems at all after charging battery for a few hours - it would start up straight away. I had the same problem as you had with the kick start and couldn't get it to work.

In case you don't already know the battery is on the front of the bike over the headlight - three screws hold the front panel on and it is under that.

[rideswings]

It's risky to buy a used small Thai bike and is not worth it in my opinion.

Im finding this out the hard way I guess.

[rideswings]

Many thanks for the responses. I might go out and buy a charger or borrow one from someone to see if it helps. If it doesnt help, I will probably sell the bike as it sits and let the new buyer know about the problem. I wish the seller had told me...

I should have listened to my gf when she told me to buy a new Honda Click!

[martindavies]

The dealer called the next morning and told us that the engine had been modified by someone

Any more info on that? Has it had a big bore kit or something?

How can the new owner (OP) know and now the seller is not picking up his phone?

I don't believe it's 10.000 to rebuild the engine, try different shops maybe a small shop you know and get a quote (Cyl + piston is cheap).

It's risky to buy a used small Thai bike and is not worth it in my opinion.

I can start our 4 year old Fino on the kick starter, no problem.

Well the OP did know the answer. And telling him you can kick start your Fino helps how exactly?

Hopefully a fully charged battery may make a difference, if not your best bet is to try and return the engine to stock. New cylinder and piston kit.

The 10,000b price seems way OTT. I would have guessed a piston to cost no more than 500b. A cylinder I'm not sure and labour is dirt cheap. Guessing, but I think approx 3- 5000 baht sounds right.

Edited October 12, 2012 by martindavies

[rideswings]

Thanks again for the responses.

I will try getting some quotes for just a piston and cylinder kit plus labor if charging doesnt work. Does it sound like a job for a sidewalk mechanic or should i try taking it to another dealer? I tried kicking it this afternoon to no avail.

[martindavies]

Thanks again for the responses.

I will try getting some quotes for just a piston and cylinder kit plus labor if charging doesnt work. Does it sound like a job for a sidewalk mechanic or should i try taking it to another dealer? I tried kicking it this afternoon to no avail.

It's not that difficult of a job. I have done it myself to a older Nouvo but if your not familiar with the mechanics of a bike then the sidewalk guys certainly should be up to the job.

[Semper]

Thanks again for the responses.

I will try getting some quotes for just a piston and cylinder kit plus labor if charging doesnt work. Does it sound like a job for a sidewalk mechanic or should i try taking it to another dealer? I tried kicking it this afternoon to no avail.

Maybe you could trade your "big bore" kit for the original cylider and piston. Thai's seem to like them.

[geoffphuket]

Just fit a bigger battery. The original 5A/Hr battery can cope with the extra load. A 9A/Hr one should do the job. If you want to test the theory first, put some jump leads from a car batery and see how easy it turns over.

[guzzi850m2]

Just fit a bigger battery. The original 5A/Hr battery can cope with the extra load. A 9A/Hr one should do the job. If you want to test the theory first, put some jump leads from a car batery and see how easy it turns over.

That sounds like the best advise so far and if it works you can keep the big bore kit and smoke most other small bikes.

[poanoi]

For all your current & future needs

http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B001D2V4ZE

[BSJ]

I had a Mio RR and it was the battery. Charged it for a few hours each month and it was goodbye cold starting problems. As the battery runs down it turns the engine over slower and slower.

[rideswings]

Thanks again for all the advice. I guess I should have checked this thread again but I decided to sell it and sold it today. I was totally honest with the new buyer about the starting problem, and I even bought a brand new charger for him to try.

[willemburger]

My earlier Yamaha Fino Mio also struggled to start when cold and you had to wind it up till it sounds if the selfstarter is giving up and with luck you would succeed in getting it to run.

What I found and which was a success was to make sure the inlet manifold vacuum nozzle and the rubber pipe is open. If you got any blockage it will not let the fuel reach the carburator.

My problem solved and start with the first click over. I am still riding my Mio in Thailand.

[cali4995]

there is a long , long list of variables as to why one of these 1st gen step thrus ( we're talking 15 yrs old now) won't fire or difficult to start when cold or hot . 

as for 10k quote, blatant rip-off. so much for " take it to dealer" just absurd

i'm just going to touch on the kick start mechanism. these get crusty & bind. little more than a large watch spring in there. a pawl and ratchet. the cover must be removed and it hosed down with oil. or they don't work at all. emergency or not. you certainly can't gauge engine compression or how much force/ torque is required to spin engine. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by cali4995

[papa al]

4 hours ago, cali4995 said:

certainly can't gauge engine compression or how much force/ torque is required to spin engine. 

can

[cali4995]

can't . on these little scoots it's a self-contained mechanism bolted to cvt belt cover.

 

you can remove the cover from bike , and the kick-start lever is still nearly impossible to move . frozen from non-use

lots of people unload/sell these things because they need a 400฿ battery and the kick/ emergency start useless

it more closely resembles a pull- start on a lawnmower , than a conventional motocy kick-start. literally. that's a good example

 

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by cali4995

[canthai55]

First rule of troubleshooting - KISS

16 year old bike - battery cable corrosion will increase resistance a lot. So will varnish buildup on the commutator of the starter.

At 16 YO the starter may be on its way out due to old age.

These are the first things to check, if battery is in good shape.

Big bore kit in an otherwise stock engine will only increase compression ratio marginally if a stock style piston is used. 10,000 THB for a rebuild ? The bike worth not much more than that.

You did well to dump it.

 

[treetops]

9 hours ago, cali4995 said:

( we're talking 15 yrs old now)

The problem arose over 8 years ago so not quite as old and crusty back then. ????

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by treetops

[cali4995]

as always , the quality of responses is dictated by accuracy and framing of the

original post question . and , everyone who responded contributed bits of truth. 

the OP stated in was a carbureted model. that immediately dates it as 2006-2011

the electrical system on nearly all these early scoots is barely adequate to light bulbs& charge battery

some talk of a big bore kit. well, very common& inexpensive 'thai modify ' . increases displacment, not necessarily compression ratio. what? 115cc to 140cc ?

because any more than that, you're going to need different camshaft, carb, other bits. it's going to become immediately apparent it has been altered

stuck fuel valves, electric chokes, failing aged relays, starter motors, dirty carburetor

all things mentioned by members incl change battery. i'm just saying you might of dumped a perfectly good bike, with a minor problem over all this mysterious hocus-pokus - piston & cylinder kit talk

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by cali4995