Tao Tao 110cc, starts the stalls when trying to accelerate

[Fiend_138]

Just picked up a 2014(?) Chinese quad for my kids to play around on. I can get the quad to start up, but then it dies out when we get ready to take off. Do I just keep playing with the carb, or is there something else I should be looking at?

Also, what kind of amps should I be looking for in a replacement battery?

Thanks

[Mech]

If you buy a battery the same size/dimensions, and with the terminals in the same positions, it will almost certainly be right for the bike. It is possible if you have a defective battery that that is causing your problem. You should fix that first.

It is most commonly just a carby problem, or a fuel tap or filter problem. If you undo the drain screw at the bottom of the carb fuel should run out steadily. If it does, then the next thing is probably to clean the carby jets. You could try a new plug first, which is easier, but probably not under the circumstances the problem.. If it has an auto clutching belt drive, you might find that's playing up, engaging too soon before the revs have got up enough to pull away.. It's a bit hard to tell which often though and so best to eliminate one thing first. You might be able to make an educated guess which is most likely if you have been riding it before, and notice the changed takeoff.. 

If you take the carb off to clean it, you need to take all the fuel jets out, including a long brass tube that goes from the main jet in the bottom, up to the slide needle.. Clean/blow them and look through them all. Check the connection to the engine is sealing. If it's rubber look for splits, if it's solid metal then it will have a gasket or O ring or both. Metal manifolds, or carbs, can warp where they bolt together, so check for that too,

If you do a careful job with the carb and manifold then you can hopefully assume it's not that afterwards, but only if you have been thorough. Then you can move on to the drive system, bad spark-plug or ignition system etc.

[Fiend_138]

Thank you for the detailed response. I will start with the battery. It seems to take a charge, but doesn't put out enough juice to start the machine. 

[Mech]

There might be a defective wire, or the starter might be playing up. Before buying a new battery I'd try using jumper leads from a car and see if the starter works then. If it starts when jumped from a car battery then you will need a new battery.

You should also check the charging system is charging, and regulating.. A faulty charging system can load the engine so much it will struggle to run.

[Fiend_138]

On 1/3/2023 at 3:29 PM, Mech said:

There might be a defective wire, or the starter might be playing up. Before buying a new battery I'd try using jumper leads from a car and see if the starter works then. If it starts when jumped from a car battery then you will need a new battery.

You should also check the charging system is charging, and regulating.. A faulty charging system can load the engine so much it will struggle to run.

It does start when jumped. It then stalls out. The battery will take a charge, but it just doesn't seem like it has a enough oomph to turn the engine over. 

[Mech]

I don't know those things and I doubt there is a manual for it..  I'd have thought though that the ignition would have run straight off the stator and wouldn't need the battery to keep going, but, if it runs with a jump start, and keeps running till you take the jumpers off, then it is presumably running the ignition off the battery. Confirm it keeps running as long as the jumper is attached.. then..

That being the case, it should keep running even with an old battery if the charging was working. So.. it sounds l to me like either the charging isn't working, or it might be working but the battery is defective and drawing all the power.

It might be a combination of both, a dud battery and no charging..

[Fiend_138]

It ran when I picked it up, had to jump it then, so I was anticipating getting a battery. I was playing around with the idle screw on the carb, and it seems better, but there seems to be something else going on. I might need to try to clean the carb this weekend.

[Fiend_138]

I have it running pretty smooth after playing around with carb.The battery won't hold a charge and I have to jump start it, so I'm going to go ahead and grab a battery this week.

[Gwbarm]

New battery will certainly help with diagnosing the problem, I don't play around with batteries when they get weak I replace them, there are so much electronics on them now that needs the correct voltage to run and operate properly.

[MWrider]

I picked up a Uplus EBZ7-3-2, 12v 6ah battery from Amazon for $24 shipped.

Fits our ATA125-D Tao Tao and works good.  Had to charge it before usewith my 1.5A battery tender, as it was low on charge when received.  After charging, shows 233 CCA on my battery tester.  Does not need the battery to run; just to start.  I disconnected the battery after starting to verify.

Edited January 18, 2023 by MWrider

[Mech]

Ok.. that's useful knowing they don't run off the battery.. assuming they are the same..

Cheers.

[MWrider]

From what I read, these Tao Tao 4 stroke 110 / 125 cc motors have a lot of electrical problems.  I bought a whole kit of electrical components, (reg, solenoid, ign switch, coil, cdi box, pickup and coils, wiring harness, etc) for $36, just to have them, (cheap insurance).  Mine is charging at about 13.5V.  Got a 49cc and this one for the Grandkids.  Fair enough designs, just typical Chinese stuff that needs to be gone through.

Edited January 18, 2023 by MWrider
Saved prior to ending

[Mech]

Yeah good buy. It's always good to have a known good component to try when we're having trouble..  but.. we have to know it is good, or it just clouds the issue.

I'd plug the coil, and then the cdi box, one at a time, into the bikes wiring and give it a run to test them.. before I got a problem.. Then I would know I was testing with a good item.

[Parham]

I have tinkered on a Chinese GY6 150cc.  It stalls unless the idle is set high.

[MWrider]

Could also be needing the valves adjusted.  Kind of a PITA to get feeler gauge in there.  Come to find out that the valve adjustment screw pitch was .5 mm, ( checked with a thread pitch gauge).   Easy then, after making a 3 mm end wrench for the screw.  Set to TDC.  Back off lock nuts.  Turn screw until it touches valve.  Back off screw required amount.  Tighten lock nut.  Mine were intake .05mm and exhaust .09mm.  So, for the intake, I backed it off 1/10 turn.  Could not, for the life of me, get my fat fingers and feeler gauge in there to do it.

[Mech]

Parham.. the idle jet(inside the carb) may need cleaning, or the mixture might need adjusting. You should try adjusting the idle mixture screw and see if that cures it. If the adjustment screw doesn't seem to make any difference, or if you have to wind it more than about one turn in either direction to get it adjusted right, it's a sign the jet is dirty.

[Fiend_138]

On 1/18/2023 at 12:00 AM, MWrider said:

I picked up a Uplus EBZ7-3-2, 12v 6ah battery from Amazon for $24 shipped.

Fits our ATA125-D Tao Tao and works good.  Had to charge it before usewith my 1.5A battery tender, as it was low on charge when received.  After charging, shows 233 CCA on my battery tester.  Does not need the battery to run; just to start.  I disconnected the battery after starting to verify.

Yeah, I grab a new battery off Amazon and the it starts fine. After making adjustments to the carb the little thing runs like a raped ape