Why doesn't my electric start work?

by Jason
(Rolla, MO)

I have a 2008 Chinese 49.5cc scooter. It's a Wildfire, although that doesn't tell you much, I'm sure. Basically, my scooter has been doing great. A few problems here and there, but those are another time.


Right now, my problem is that my electric start doesn't work. I'm guessing this may have something to do with the fact that I leave it outside at all times, in the rain, because I have nowhere to put it inside...

But, usually this has just been a dead battery. I charged my battery last night and it still doesn't work. My kick start works just fine, one or two kicks and it starts right up.

The electric start however, just clicks. I press the button and there is a click, pretty much like a button is being pressed, maybe a tact switch is there, but I can't hear the starter turn at all, and nothing happens.

Everything else works fine, lights, signals, horn, just the starter stopped working.

If you've got any ideas of what to check, I'm going to be taking it apart this weekend and see what I can find, some guiding words of advice would help greatly.

Also, while I'm writing, I have another question. My scooter rides just fine when it's running, but when I start accelerating from a dead stop, if I don't do it incredibly slow, I hear a loud sharp clanking sound coming from my kick start case area, like a chain is falling apart possibly...

Once it is past the first 5-10mph it doesn't make the sound at all, and as long as I roll through a stop sign, it doesn't do it either. Only from a dead stop. If I'm going downhill it won't do it, and it does it every time starting uphill.

Thanks,
Jason

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