(PT.8) The most HATED scooter on the internet breaks down on me AGAIN! (living with a tao tao)
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- In my experience working as a technician in independent motorcycle shops I worked on everything from CVO Harley Davidsons to Honda CT90s. But there was one bike that always stood out with exceptionally poor quality. The Tao Tao 50cc GY6 (139QMB) scooter. And now I'm going to put this scooter to the test and find out if they really are little money pits, or if the issues with the bike are a result of the people who buy these kinds of scooters.
So I purchased a Tao Tao "Pony" ATM 50 and my plan is to make it my main means of transportation for 6 months. Yes from June 1st to January 1st this little scooter is going to be my daily driver. I'll be logging all of the miles, issues and expenses of keeping this scooter running in a log. Doing this will allow me to present a true cost of ownership at the end of this experiment.
The Tao Tao Pony 50 is based on the generic GY6 139QMB platform. They were sold under many different "Brand" names like Wolf, Bintelli, Fly, Rocketa, MotoBravo, Italica, and Dongfang just to name a few. You may be riding one and not even know it!
This breakdown occurred on my way home from work one very rainy evening. I was about 7 or 8 miles into my commute home (about 1660 total kilometers on the scooter) when the engine shut down. The power shut off like a light switch. I was able to coast into a parking lot where I used the provided tool kit to remove the seat bucket and check for spark. There was no spark. I wondered if the CDI had gotten too wet and shorted out, but as I removed the connectors I found that the green ground wire did not look correct. In fact I believe it was installed in the connector backwards, making it easier to back out.
After re-installing the green wire into the connector I plugged the connector back into the CDI and re-tested for spark. Just like that the ignition system was functioning properly again and I was on my way home!
The parts I've used in this experiment are so far are:
Bel-Ray 10w40: amzn.to/3d623vR
Bel-Ray 80/90 Hypoid gear oil: amzn.to/2N3yFft
NGK CR7HSA spark plug: scooter911.com...
Brake line: www.scooterwor...
I haven't had to replace my drive belt YET but when I do I'll be replacing it with this: amzn.to/3hC3rt2
Here is the carburetor jet kit I've ordered for my scooter: amzn.to/32UtBTu
I set the idle using this Digi Synch Manometer/Synchronizer: amzn.to/37B81nl
Follow my experiment in real time! Here is a link to my Tao Tao log/Health Report!
docs.google.co...
If you want to keep up with this project between videos be sure to follow me on social media!
Instagram: / garretseesingofficial
Twitter: @SeesingGarret
Facebook: garretseesingofficial
#TaoTao #Gy6 #Scooter
lol you're a strong man dealing with that thing. hats off to you my good sir
Well mine is 13 years old 😅
I agree,, dedicated to the cause for sure 👍
@@ragehd2002 but has it ran for all 13yrs. and how much has it costed you!!!
@@joehahn8817 it was sitting for 2 years and i had no big repairs!!!!
@@ragehd2002 are we talking about a tao tao, or just a brand scooter?
Alot of things I have found on my wife's tao tao are usually simple and stupid build quality issues. Thankfully it was a simple fix for you! Great tao tao series!
From personal experience, I'd say that soon you'll be calling this series, "Walking with a Tao Tao."
Hahaha exactly!
@@Scooter_911 end it, Garret, or after the next issue. You made the point clearly.
We should see it as a scooter kid for self-assembly. Anyway, the nature of the problems you found reflects exactly my experience from working in China. They just don't care.
LOL!!
On my Chinese scoot, it broke down and left me stranded twice. Both were wires that had become disconnected - one going into the coil and one into the CDI. Both wires missed by the AA recovery guy (UK breakdown service)
Maybe this poor quality control on the harness causes the unreliability of both cdi and coil on these machines.
In the UK all 125’s registered after 2018/2019 by law have to run fuel injection. This is a real sore point for me as these bikes now have lambda sensors and electronic fuel pumps and a whole host of other things to go wrong.
I’m so happy you are continuing with this as last video I thought you were done 😂 keep it up mate this is science and I’m hopeful you now get a few K’s in trouble free 👍
Got mine strapped a new carb and a good plug. Good oil and I'm going just a hair under 40 mph. It's all thanks to this man's step by step help.
If you're NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED just stay away from old motorcycles or Chinese bikes. That's pretty much the jist of it. If you are Mechanically Inclined then You'll have no real issues anytime stuff like this happens. I have 5 motorcycles all in running condition and NONE OF THEM initially cost me over $1000Usd to obtain. They have Cost me however, Hundreds of hours of my labor which once again, I don't mind because I enjoy it. Pick and choose what you want to do....
GY6 are great to learn how to wrench on. They are incredibly simple engines. But in my experience there's a rather large difference in quality and reliability between a GY6 and a 139QMB. An actual GY6 from Kymco or Honda is pretty much bulletproof. With a bit of maintenance, they will run pretty much for ever. A 139QMB however, that's a crap shoot if there ever was one.
@@fermitupoupon1754 My 150cc Lance Moped Gy6 Developed a Rod Knock at 8000 miles. I took it apart and noticed that theres no replacing the piston rod separately from the crankshaft. It was cheaper just buying a complete new motor than replacing the shaft and rod assembly. A brand new Gy6 150cc short case cost 300 US dollars.
@@fermitupoupon1754 139QM is the best part of Chinese scooters. Except for the back end of the variator sometimes. The wiring harness and variator belt are really stops in the journey.
Yep. I had an atm50 as my daily driver for a year. It took some effort and minor repairs but overall, it was reliable and never stranded me. Paid $380 for it in basically new condition, less than 400km on it then and I rode it for about 7000km before it was stolen.. I upgraded to a rebel250 9 months ago, from another taotao (was also fine) which has been a much better bike though.
@@fermitupoupon1754 never had an real problems with 139qmb mopeds. I find most of the time people neglect servicing their transportation than actual bad built quality. In my eyes an gy6 even from Kymco always needs some if not complete adjustment from valve to timing and carb. When all that's done any gy6 will run for a good 50k with valve and oil replacement done ever 5ks ish.
Rain and Chinese scooters do have a good relationship AT ALL! On my Tao Tao scooter I got caught in heavy rain and ended up getting my carburator drenched! I had to walk my 220 lb scooter up steep hills home but luckily my local scooter mechanic was able to tow me home, for $20.
Here's more updates in my experience with a Tao Tao, for a while my horn sounded very low, which turned out the wiring was loose, so I taped it, sounds nice and loud again. However, as fragile as the parts are, by taking the front cover off I accidentally broke off the plug that controls the head lights! Had to spend $100 on a whole new assembly!😩 I mean I kinda fixed it by using electrical tape but don't know how long it'll last, so I spent the money just in case! Then a few days ago my scooter kept on shutting off on idle which turned out that my spark plug went bad, spent another $15 replacing that! Gee I wonder what's gonna happen next?!
@Anthony Callahan Not everyone does their own repairs or can find the exact part right away. If it was your daily you can’t wait for eBay or whatever auto parts store to order in that 2$ lawnmower NGK plug they might not even carry in store.
It is a fuel mixture screw on the side of the carb! Turn that so the ideal goes down far, after that turn up the ideal. That worked for me, now the spark plug it is chocolate brown 😊😊
The ONLY motorcycle I have had anything to do with that had a decent toolkit on it, was a Russian 250 whose name escapes me. Just using the supplied tool kit I was able change a broken spring in the gear box with a length of clock spring.
With the toolkit of my BMW R90/6 I can do almost a full mantenace schedule.
I didn't even get a toolkit with my Baodiao Gator-50 S3.
That why UAZ in Mongolia still have a hand crank. You can choose to spend 2 days fixing car/bike or take a 3 days hike to nearest human settlement.
Ural?
I own two Tao Tao Thunder 50s. One I ordered brand new, the other I built from parts. Together they have over 6000 miles on them. This is not counting the miles on the parts bike before I started riding it. I have broke down one time, three miles from home. The belt broke on my parts bike, and I have no ideal how old it was or how many miles was on it. I LOVE THESE THINGS!!! Ride On.
That's the thing about breakdowns. Like losing your wallet, a breakdown can quickly lead to countless unexpected risks. Losing an engine in heavy traffic or in a gang infested area can have a terrible outcome, but so can missing a job interview or a date in court. Every year police officers are injured and killed when their cars, flashing lights and all, are hit while parked on the shoulder of the road. Somebody bent over working on a scooter is much more exposed.
That is an exceptional point dude.
This was probably not due to the water, this was likely the wiring being ... chinesium. I had a Jonway YY250T, all of the power distribution on the front panel was by twising 12-15 wires together, applying a single blob of solder to the top of the wire bundle (ZERO wetting), then wrapping it up in electrical tape. From the factory. The lights / some panel meters would flicker every once in a while until I installed a bus bar and did it correctly.
In any event, weatherpack-style connectors are sealed at the back of the connector (as well as the mating interface). It's hilarious that they put a seal on the interface and not on the back side, but then again... Chinese bike.
Ouch, losing my wallet sure can give quite a headache to me. Nice one, luckily I never had such a breakdown, the worst was my main fuse somehow managed to wiggle itself out of the plug, which made not a single electrical system on my scooter work, not even the fuel gauge or lights, and panicked me.
If you look at the black plastic front fairing. The lower portion looks like a screaming/frightened face. This thing was scared of the rain when it left the factory!
Can't wait for your high mileage review on this. Keep it up man!
My first scooter was a Tao Tao, got it for 300$ started
Looking at mods and went for it ! Cvt washer gone new coil, Cdi box, pod filter, moved the ring on the stem in the carburetor to allow more gas in. It was fun building it up. Graduated to a 150 cc Rocketa love this thing.
I've been buying cheap baotian clones that won't start or are hard to get to run and it tends to be 100% valve adjustment issues. Suprises me that people won't do such a fast and easy task as adjust the valves. I have 6km to work and I do get quicker to work with the scooter than with the car, at a fraction of the cost. With the cheap China clones you might have to live with some rattling and breaksensor issues, but man, it's a cheap way to get to and back from work. And yes, I recommend having a small wrench with 10 mm and 8mm with you.
I do really enjoy your videos " living with a Tao Tao. Just remember folks, if you have snow during winter, use studded winter tiers. Last winter I crashed in the snow 4 times on the way to work. Still got there..
been running gy6 chinese scooters for more than 10yrs without valve adjustment. i even run down wheels and gear bearing and have them replaced.
Myself, i got a 2019 Tao Tao Evo50 "Huragen" in dark red. I was NOT the 1st buyer/driver but the 3rd. I bought from my neighbor back in May 2020 a few months ago with about 1400 miles on it. Since then I've upgraded the 50cc stock carb, upgraded to a stronger performance cdi, a stronger performance ignition cord and new gas/fuel hose. I did this all on my own and not because I had to due to any issues. All with adding a 150cc engine to it, in mind. Haven't purchased the larger engine yet but plan on the next few weeks. I havent had any real issues with mine yet except 1 time it didn't start due to loose ignition cord. I can maintain a high between 40-48 mph so far. My highest speedometer speed registered, was 54 😳🔥😂. Takeoff is shit though when accelerating from a stop sigm or red light. Will return with more info once I put in 150cc engine with new clutch rollers as well 💪💪😎😎. Thanks for all your helpful info and knowledge 💯👍
You can fit a 150cc engine in that particular model? I'm only asking because I have the same scooter lol.
6:12 Spot on! Wire harness is bad. That CDI location is bad too. The cable tie next to the connectors prevents this wire escaping.
I saw a video back in the day where a guy with that same scooter waterproofed all of the electric connectors before he put it on the street. I think he filled the back of them with some kind of glue but I'm not sure it was a while ago.
You might want to look up "Thousand Dollar Car" by the Bottle Rockets. Although not about a Tao Tao, I think you'll find the song fits the situation you find yourself in perfectly.
I have had one of these since 2016 and the only couple times it broke down on me was during heavy down pours, same exact issues.
I suggest relocating the cdi into the battery compartment.
Thats when it never broke down on me again.
With all the vehicles you have, yet living like you all you have is Tao Tao is all about us, your subscribers. So thank you my brother for making such a major sacrifice bc although I do no have a Tao Tao, this info is helping me IMMENSELY in my journey as a new scooter owner!!
Young man I love all your videos you are by far one of the most comprehensive with us being your customers in mind. I own the scooter shop and I would buy 30 Chinese scooters at a time brand new at the box you beep the horn in the blinkers would come on I would put 50 miles on every scooter before I sold it every scooter came equipped with a CDI box spark plug extra fuel pump as well as a headlight bulb with instructions change your oil every 500 miles change your gear oil every 400 MI if it was a rainy season type if you driven it several times in downpour rain change it every 300 miles motor oil 500 Miles Euro 300 miles adjust your valves every 700 MI I had customers getting 4,500 to 7,500 MI before any issues. Cost on them or $430 I would add $100 for assembly I would sell them for $999
The tao tao experiment and lessons learned apply to many aspects of current society..well done !
Just checking in to make sure you’re still alive driving that thing. It’s been a few days. Lol
Still good! Took a breif vacation to do a little camping but should have a new video up Saturday morning!
Garret Seesing awesome! I look forward to it! I hope your trip was fun!
Its monday already cant waiiit for the new video!
I'm not sure I'd count that as a "breakdown". The way I look at it, that is something which could be uncovered before startup. You must expect to find these types of things. It's not a turn key bike, all bolts need rehearsed, all electrical connections need inspected, all adjustable components need set and clearance of all moving parts need verified.
These are perfect for people with a little mechanical aptitude and a willingness to learn. The price point of these things gives me the confidence to tear them apart myself knowing it will usually be something stupid simple as well as cheap. My troublshooting confidence won't be as high if I was looking at a name brand bike which requires computerized equipment and specialized tooling which the everyday bike owner won't typically have.
Mr. Rocket Sciene the way how I look at it, the story was to simulate the average Joe owner.
Thanks so much for this channel. I've learned a lot by watching. I'm getting a used scooter soon and your videos will help me a lot.
the cdi is notorious for dying. ive replaced those the most on mine.
Regulators too; If your battery eventually doesn't charge, that's the likely culprit. Just in case, so you don't end up replacing the stator when you don't need to.
@@BigEpinstriping i only had a regulator fail once and only halfway. I can only guess the regulator half failed, but the doide pack mustve survived. Exploded the battery. It was putting out about 20vdc at idle and upwards of 60vdc around half throttle.😅😅😅😅😅😅
Which is why I keep 2 extras in my trunk lol!
change the spark plug. faulty plug kill the cdi
I don't know if you've seen it, but CZcams channel Mustie1 just posted a video where he is fixing a 1961 Centaur 49cc scooter that folds into a suitcase. Thought you might find it interesting.
Oh I definitely saw it!
That thing is dope! Can't wait to see it finished!
I don't gotta Tao Tao, but I do have an 08 Taizhou 50 that's given me problems since I got it... So I can understand the frustration here... Since I got mine I've replaced everything ignition related: stator, CDI, ignition coil, reg/rec, and sparkplug... Found that both valves weren't seating properly and piston rings were shot, so I'm in the middle of 100cc BBK engine rebuild... Hell I'mma have a new scooter before it's all said and done, but I paid $300 for scooter and have almost $200 in parts, so if it makes it more reliable... I've only got like $500 in it, not too bad I guess... Anyways, good luck with your bike man and happy riding! Much love from SC
I pushed my tao more than I rode it. Now I have an Ice bear and love it
Ice bear and tao tao is the same lol
Nice work figuring out your roadside repair. That loss ground looked like an easy fix although it was very inconvenient at the time.
When a motorhead struggles with a vehicle, that's your sign to not buy it. I thought about a Tao Tao and looked at the Chinese scooter forums... I just laughed at what they did to keep them on the road. I'm a Honda guy who enjoys using the vehicle, not fixing it.
Oh C'mon, you know how to use the included spark plug socket and screwdriver. Lol. That style has been included in all manner of powersports for well over 30 years.
Onne thing I have learnt over the years is to check every plug, earth, etc., on any Chinese transport device. Most Chinese bikes, quads or whatever have suffered the same problem. Another to watch out for is having the crimped connectors severing the internal wire.
Me and my friend have been taking care of a chinese scooter for a few years now. It had the same type of cdi connector and the ground fell out of the connector housing multiple times to the point of us relocating it so you could plug the cable back in without removing any fasteners.
Our "improvement" was to change the connector(s) to a single square style one and changing the cdi to suit. Never had a problem after that.
Make sure to get a CDI that fits the electrical system if you do this mod. The CDI on yours should be a five pin with AC power from the stator? DC/battery powered CDIs also exist with a single square connector but they are less common, at least from what i have seen.
When I was younger didn't mind the rain. If you wait a little itr usually lets up. Two points of contact on wet oily asphalt is dangerous. Felt bad about you losing your wallet though. Very entertaining& keep up the good work.
Been missing this series. Hope all is well!
this is about as real as it gets. Limping your transportation into a parking lot, tinker a bit with limited tools and praying you dont have to call a tow truck.
Kinda happy my IceBear Vision 50 has the CDI up high under the seat bucket. Think that may reduce this from happening to me. Fingers crossed. Only 263km on mine so far.
Wifes tao tao took a dump last night . I think the belt broke haven't looked yet. Always something!
Favourite show on the yous of tubes!
Glad you got it sorted and made it home safe.
Hey Garrett I know you have been busy and congrats on the new shop... Hopefully all is going well! I just broke my 2021 tao tao out now with 3400km on it... Your videos have helped me so much and I've kinda ran with them ... There's very few shops in my area (NW Pennsylvania) and I'm becoming the guy to bring the Chinese scooters to around here and I have you to thank for the knowledge on these as I'm a automotive mechanic and a lot of those skills transfer pretty good...I ended up doing a big bore kit 100cc and it really made a world of difference on the commute across town as now it will maintain 40-45 on flat pavement but in the next month or so I'll be pulling mine down to do the high compression 105cc big bore kit with a cylinder head that I've ported and polished and lapped the valves in with a A9 racing cam and a nibbi 24mm carb and a regear kit and fresh tires ( I did manage to wear a rear tire out... Mostly due to long straight stretches of riding) but the front is 50% and I'm replacing both to have matching tread and rubber compounds....I ride mine like it's a motorcycle and it's not unusual for me to put 60-70 miles in a day on it when I take it on a long trip and mostly the suspension has gotten better as things have broken in.... Just wanted to share my info to you and all that may read this.... Keep up the good content man!
Great video man! How about packing a little dielectric grease in the connectors? Way to hang in there!😁
GY6 based scooters are awesome and the most reliable when you actually do the proper adjustment before running it. In terms of some of the skip costs like weather proofing and such use some silicon paste for electronics. It will keep water out for years to come.
Super enjoy the channel. Many of us newer scooter owners rely on the internet to buy parts. I bought a couple of starters for my Buddy 125. Of course they didn’t fit. But for 18.00 I wasn’t really that worried. I cut the back off my original one, and welded it to my new one. Works pretty good. Those cheap ones must b for a smaller engine. Their diameter is slightly smaller, so less torque. It would b nice if u could do a vid on the differences in gaskets and parts. The gaskets I ordered were wrong so I had to make one for the starter clutch cover. I was going to just use grey silicon. Do ever just use silicon. Anyhow, have not had to use kick starter anymore!! New starter clutch fit and works great!!
If you're a mechanic and you can't get this thing to run right, then what could I possibly do with it. I would probably try to strip it down so it's most basic components. Get rid of everything that possibly could break, so basically you're left with an engine and a chassis. Then go from there. But that might not even be enough.
I find it tragically funny that the weather pack connector itself was fine but it was manufacturing error that caused that issue. You have to be in a real hurry, or else not really care, to not slide those pins in correctly.
COLEMAN QMB139 has 1500 on it and no problems.
Once you hit your goal you should do a video on properly maintaining a Chinese scooter with a big bore kit.
Big Bore kits are very popular among TaoTao owners to add more power but they say it reduces reliability even further.
What I have learned is to buy another one as cheap as possible and get use to carrying a few spare parts. They are cheap for them anyway but very cheap if you know how to do these things on your own and learn how not to be at the mercy of your machine. I had a belt break on mine when I first got it and thats Avery valuable lesson. Not an easy job to begin with but if you can do that on the roadside then thats a deal breaker because everything else ( besides a major motor malfunction) you should be able to handle yourself when owning one.
I’d love to see you do a series in the future with a RPS HAWK 250 Or a TaoTao TBR7, they are Chinese dual sports. The CG motors are bulletproof almost. For $1400 they are an amazing bargain. 2000 miles on my tao tbr7 and it is doing amazing! I can do about 70-72 on mine. Would be much more fun and entertaining for you to ride instead of the pony 🤣
Running mine right out the box here. I just use it for my small lil town to go to Piggly Wiggly, or dollar store for grocery shopping. No other vehicle and it's cheap, and no licence or insurance etc needed here.
Professional videos. New to your channel since I just inherited a Taotao ATM50.
@3:30 - Yes, i can confirm - no problems with japanese scooter, when ridding wet english weather. Even pouring rain in high speed cannot stop it ;)
My previous italian 2 stroke doing i'ts job in same conditions without issues as well.
Thing I noticed about the CDI plug was the lack of rubber boot on the wiring harness to keep water off the plug, common reason chinese copies of products can undercut prices of competitors.
I hate chinese scooters, I used to try to fix them but after working on them and then having something break everytime u ride them, I just got fed up and dont understand why people buy these hunks of junk, they are around $500-$800 new but if you look around you can find used japanese scooters like Honda elites and yamaha Zuma's and Honda ruckuses for just a around the same money or a little bit more money, but for those few extra bucks you spend you will actually get a dependable vehicle that is fixable and will always be worth something, these Chinese bikes are only worth $200-300 used in mint shape, I personally think they are complete junk and try to tell everyone who wants one to not waste their money and spend their hard earned money on something worth it like a honda, yamaha,etc..., I really appreciate you doing an honest review on this piece of junk to let people see how bad these things really are, I hate to say it but a Walmart mountain bike would be a better means of transportation than one of these scooters, I have always been a motorcycle guy and do like scooters, I have 2 honda elite 80s myself, but I will NEVER own one of these things, these scooters give real japanese scooters a bad name and people dont understand that just because you dont have a lot of money doesn't mean you have to settle for one of these scooters, if you're patient and save your money and look around you can find a good japanese scooter and actually have something to rely on and be proud of, even if you baby and give these chines bikes extreme love and care they will always find away to screw you at the worst time and if you ever have to push these thing more than a couple hundred feet you will never want to do it again. Sorry for the rant but I really thank you for doing an honest review, I have been following this whole series to see how much of a lemon this thing will be, these bike dont get enough hate and honestly should be banned and not be sold ever, they are a danger to the rider and the traffic they ride in because even if they are running right they are literally slow as dirt.
From Providence, Rhode Island-Give us a video update on the Pinto!
If i was me in that situation it will end it up pushing the scooter all the way to my house .
3 miles with $70 worth of groceries including melting ice cream. When mine broke down last. I had to push it.
@@PaulHollandWheels I'd have eaten the ice cream first..
@@Blurredman Go home face the wife with no ice cream you're not married are you
@@PaulHollandWheels our vices are ice lollies 😝
,,,or even off a bridge...lol!
Love it brother, keep it up. Still want one maybe I'm just out for punishment
It looked like the ground wire was coming out before you touched the connector. Im thinking the rain was a coincidence.
Thats what I was thinking too!
Keep fuel tank full. Use anti moisture additive in fuel tank . Carry an extra belt ,17mm socket and or variator removal tool . Or impact .
Replace restricted carburetor with an adjustable carburetor. Do not let a chinese scooter sit for long periods of time . The biggest problem I've seen with these Chinese scooters are fuel contamination.
Clean variator and weights every couple of weeks . Inspect belt . Variator weights wear out over time . Never use lubrication of any kind in variator transmission. More to it than cleaning or replacing air filter and changing oil. I've bought a many a Chinese scooter due to fact owners almost wanting to junk them. I replace or clean carburetor and make sure fuel tank isn't rust or moisture contamination.
🎵 Living With A Tao Tao 🎵
Omg this is where I'm at now. I was riding home in the rain the other night and it just shut off at a red light and wouldn't start. I have a 2022 Tao Tao lancer 150cc. It's not getting any spart so I order the CDI, coil and stator and they are coming tomorrow. It's 2 am and as soon as the sun comes up I'm going out to check the wiring. I really wish I seen these videos 2 months ago before I bought my tao tao. I didn't know anything about scooters but very mechanically inclined. Now that I know what I know I wish I got a yuma or a Honda ruckus.
well at least you're learning a lot with your tao tao!
@@Scooter_911 Bro I've learned so much about that scooter. So I got all the parts and installed each one and it was the stator.
You have the patience of a saint my friend.
In my country the same scooter has its CDI within the Batteriecase. Dry and clean.
That CDI is normally located in the battery compartment on nearly all the variants of this scooter so better protected
Hey Garrett seesing there is one way you can keep the cdi protected can you cover it in some seranwrap over it wrap it around the cdi connected twice before you put it back in to the rubber boot holder and it will keep water from going in the connections it will actually keep it dry and yes you can still ride it in the rain lol
Very good series. Makes me appreciate my Vespa. Although i have to say that shortly after i bought it , the spark plug screw end came off in the suppressor cap. That took some finding.
You say that this particular breakdown was an easy fix - yes, I'm sure that as a motor mechanic it probably was. The point is that probably 99.9% of people likely to buy this as their only form of transport would not have a clue and would be stuck at the side of the road until rescued.
This is the whole reason why these cannot be bought as sole transportation by people with no mechanical experience.
Yet they sell by the bucket load to people who should have bought 2nd hand Japanese instead.
With the influx of these turds, manufacturers of properly designed scooters have had to switch countries for manufacturing and now we all have cheapened products...
What the Chinese/Amazon have done to the small capacity motorcycle market is terrible.
@@davespooney8472 Agreed - but with a small caveat. What the Chinese/Amazon have done is to fill a gap in the market. The only reason these scooters are made and sold is because there are people willing to buy them, and the reason they buy them is because they are cheap.
Nobody would buy a TaoTao if they could buy the Honda or Yamaha equivalent for similar money. A brand new scooter delivered to your door at about a third of the price of a Japanese equivalent does on the face of it seem like a really good deal. It's not until you have owned one for a while that you realise why they are so cheap.
It would be interesting to know how many people would buy a second one or how many people who own one now regret their purchase.
andy stokes 👍
This used to be common knowledge to every 15 year old boy saving up for his first car: fuel, spark, air. It is also simple deduction. The problem is that a lot of people aren't interested in providing their own transportation, and the ones that do, buy a Tao Tao. How do you think that we learned so much about fixing cars? It's because the first ones that we bought were a piece of crap and we did everything we could/ had to to keep them running. We did this decades before CZcams. If you're going to buy a crappy moped, you should start watching CZcams to learn how to fix it. With channels like this one and others, there's no reason why you can't use simple knowledge to fix them. There are some out there that will say "Well, not everyone has the tools to fix it". Neither did we. We bought them one at a time as we needed them. Theodore Roosevelt once said "Complaining without a solution is just whining."
Isn't part of the PDI for a Chinese scooter inspecting and sealing all the harness connectors with silicone? if you did that on your initial inspection, this probably wouldn't have happened. I own a Kymco Agility, bought it new in 2017 (was a 2012 model) a year after purchase, the Regulator went out on it; otherwise, it's been very reliable. Technically it's a Taiwanese scooter, but Kymco started as an OEM for Honda, so their build quality is quite good. I've replaced other things over the years, more for reliability and tuning; Keihin carb with upjetting, Pollini Variator, 2000 RPM torque spring, 6g Dr. Pulley rollers, aftermarket de-restricted CDI and performance coil, NGK plug wire and iridium plug; Runs like a top. Never had a breakdown and I follow the service calendar.
I love how everyone is digging this scooter lol. Mine is great 100+ mpg going almost 40 can't beat it. Only thing I don't like is the steering is loosey goosey for real.
Thanks for the videos they help a lot.
Dunno if you remember my previous comment about the loose ground plugs in the connectors, but yeah the CDI one was the other one I always had problems with on my taotao.
thanks a lot for this video i had a vespa et2 50cc which i converter to an et4 125 was running and then just had issues starting was doing my head in and as i saw this video could relate to me and then i did just what you did and its running thanks a lot your videos help me a lot in fixing my moped
When my Wolf RX-50 Scooter does this and makes this sound. I squeeze the left brake over and over and it eventually gets mine to start.
The lesson that everyone should take away from this is to pack some useful tools no matter the vehicle, it will save you a headache later on. Also, maybe this is just me personally, since a CDI and plug are small items (size wise) I would carry a spare of each in the bucket in a bag along with zip ties, this should make some emergency repairs in the field easier to solve and faster to get you going again. In an old truck I had in high school I kept a cap, rotor, and plug wires behind the seat in case the set under the hood got too wet, I just zip tied the plastic bag around the cap as a sort of raincoat and replaced the bag when I got home.
Great that you bring up that anything can happen and what you do when you are on the side of the street. Like my friend he used to have on his old cars double igintion coil beside the original one. Think basic tools is voltage-meter small one, sockets small, Cable with crocodile clips etc and into a box. I do have in my car and this is useful. Try to find out from the factory what is the weak spot if they tell you :) or search forums. Great work !..
Yamaha cp250 has a recall on a line that can guide water to a connection, the repair is to pin the line up.
Have had a phony 50 for a year no problems did upgrade the carb runs great
Haha my lexmoto does this in the rain! Soon as it gets damp slightest just cuts out and doesn't start 😂😂
Me and a friend of mine we have the same problem with ours and I didn't figure out the main reason for it not sparking. But it's got to do with the moisture in the air or water getting the coil or something. However you can kick start it still and it will start right away. Both of these have that same flaw though.
The lesson is when you pay $450 for a unit like that it is wise to tighten all the bolts especially the exhaust bolts with loctite and check all your electricals the headlights a lot of times they don't plug them in all the way and put tape around your CDI as well as your other connections remember less than $500 you can't even buy a damn bicycle at Walmart for that opposed to a Honda or Yamaha you spending $3,000 so you can buy six of the ones you driving or one Honda I think I would go with telltale it's an excellent machine so is John way Zen excellent you're the man for the job
A 2002 E-Ton Beamer I found (its Taiwan, so not even Japanese) starts up, runs, and rides better than my sisters boyfriends new Taotao 50. They're a basket case I guess. I don't remember having problems from mine, but I guess its hit or miss. My 150 isnt too bad, but then again, its completely custom. I'm starting to see honestly just how iffy Chinese scoots are. My Honda Helix has been sitting for 2 weeks and fired right up. If you're truly looking for good transportation, buy a used Ruckus, Buddy, an E-Ton, an old Elite, something. Chinese scoots are a mega hobby man 😂
Bought a kymco super 9 last weekend, probably the best taiwanese scooter ever made, the things liquid cooled and can do 45 mph uphill stock.
Lmao......always the ground wire. The electrical on these things man. Im hopping on mine now.
Just part of the shakedown. I want to see how long it takes to grenade the engine.
Dielectric grease may help if water was an issue
When filming on a cellphone, turn the phone sideways to film horizontal (16:9).
I don't think that was his main concern. He lost his wallet through this ordeal. He's just a mechanic not a photographer. Give him a break.
@@PaulHollandWheels He did not revealed he had lost his wallet until after the cell phone footage.
Even Harrison Ford did the same thing!
czcams.com/video/kj_V_SxXy2U/video.html
Just be glad he filmed it ☺️
All I did was constructive criticism. I wasn’t trying to be a troll.
I have tao tao quantum’s, they’re new and all work awesome. Haven’t had any issues with them at all.
Your mechanical ability came in real handy to make short work of this repair!
Great little video.....glad you got sorted
Thanks 👍
It's not technically sorted until he gets rid of it.
I think it’s time you finish this experiment. Especially if people are throwing stuff at you for not going fast enough. That part actually made me sad and angry!
I know you think you've fixed the issue with the ground wire, but would you move the cdi, or try and waterproof it more?, it seems to be in a stupid place.
On my scooter which has a 125cc GY6, the cdi is up and to the right of the under seat bucket and attached to the frame in a waterproof bag / shroud, never had an issue with it and I ride it in all kinds of weather.
But great video showing the roadside fix, and I'm with you on the crappy toolkit and the need for a decent 10mm socket and T-handle.
I've got the Retro version of the TaoTao, which is basically the same scooter, just with "vintage style" fairings, 50cc as well. The CDI on mine is up high as well and attached to the frame. This video was helpful though, because I have a separate scooter (Kymco Agility) with the same QMB139 engine and it just randomly died on me the other day and I didn't know why. Maybe I should check the cdi on it! So now I may go ahead and inspect the wiring on both my scoots to ensure this doesn't happen to me.
Yeah I don't know if it's the water the pin had probably just eventually vibrated loose
You've come out of it fairly well, those CDI's in the GY6's are prone to failing, same thing with the rectifier after a certain amount of miles. I've been through 2 GY6's in China and pack a spare spark plug and CDI, rectifiers usully go open and rarely short so that gives abit of time to get home.
yamaha zuma 2015 the only issue i had was the starter switch, cost: cheap no problem.
The biggest question I have is why isn't that CDI in the battery compartment which is actually decently sealed? That thing is just flapping in the breeze sitting in the splash zone of the rear tyre, while there's supposedly a good sealed box not 10cm in front of it. Built down to a price, but at what cost?
Everyone is saying they’ve had CDI issues but I’ve ridden these things like a collective 50k and I’ve never once had the factory CDI fail, only the blue “racing” ones that do nothing but make the bike not cold start as easy due to a constantly advanced timing curve, but, just about every one of those blue CDIs I’ve had on one of these bikes has failed almost immediately lol