10 Tips From Mahindra Power Scooters For A Long Lasting Automatic Scooter

Any machine requires maintenance for it to keep running to its optimum performance. Scooters also require timely maintenance for optimum performance. A powerful and sturdy scooter like the Mahindra Duro or Mahindra Rodeo can keep serving you for years together, provided you look into its proper maintenance. Here are 10 Tips from Mahindra Power Scooters that will ensure that your scooter never gives you a problem. There are some things like checking the oil level and checking the tyre pressure that you can easily do on your own, but for most of other maintenances you will have to take your scooter to a trusted mechanic or the authorized service centre. Mahindra recommends that you always take your scooters to their respective Service Centers. It is always safer that ways. Usually a full servicing is scheduled every 2000 to 2500 kms

Tip no. 1

This is the first and foremost and the most important step to a healthy and long lasting scooter. And that is regular Oil change. It is imperative to regularly check oil level and change the oil if it has become dark and viscous or has fallen below the required level. An oil change will not cost you more than Rs. 200 but it ensures the life of the engine. Only use the recommended oil in the owners manual of the scooter.

Tip no. 2

At some point in its life, any vehicle, whether it be a car or a truck or a motortcycle or a scooter, will give starting problems. For a scooter, one of the ways to solve this problem is to prime the carburetor before attempting to start it. A primer pump bowl is located at the bottom of the carburetor. The primer pump needs to be pressed and released several times until petrol can be seen flowing in the bowl through the clear tube attached to the fuel tank. Once the fuel starts flowing freely, the scooter should start. However, it may induce flooding if the activity is done once the scooter has warmed up.

Tip no. 3

The item that takes least inspection time in a scooter is the tyres. Though it is an easy task, it holds a lot of importance. It is very important to maintain the proper tyre pressure in both the tyres for two reasons. Firstly, A low Tyre pressure will make the scooter consume more fuel and secondly, a scooter balances on just two tyres, and incorrect tyre pressure can very easily lead to loss of control and and untoward injuries. Look for cracks and splits at the value stem and see that there is enough tread on the tyres.

Tip no. 4

A scooter will keep running without any jerks if the carburetor is clean of any kind of residue. The carburetor pumps the fuel and mixes it with air at the precise measurement. It uses a setup of small diaphragms, orifices and ports, which easily get clogged by contaminants. That is why it is imperative to use only the best, clean and new fuel in your scooters.

Tip no. 5

No matter how strongly scooters body is built, it is bound to loosen up due to continuous usage. Joints, hinges and other attachments tend to come loose because of the impact of speed breakers and potholes. Check these things to ensure that your scooter is properly assembled. Never continue using the scooter if you feel that any of the joints or hinges has become loose or if there is any disturbance in its balance. Get the looseness problem fixed before resuming the ride.

Tip no. 6

Adjust your carburetor and the idling speed to the optimum level. There is a small Golden colored screw on the side of the carburetor. This is the idle speed screw. This screw should be adjusted so the engine idles at a speed just fast enough to keep running. If the scooter does not idle properly, or idles too fast, you can adjust the idling by turning the screw. Turning this screw clockwise increase the idle speed and turning it counterclockwise decrease the idle speed. Always keep in mind that too fast and idling speed can be dangerous.

Tip no. 7

Spark plug is vulnerable to getting clogged both when the scooter is running too lean of fuel and also when it is running too rich of fuel. Depending on your riding habits and the scooters overall condition, the sparkplugs electrode sometimes becomes white or sometimes becomes black due to gas, oil and carbon deposits. A clean sparkplug is crucial to the proper starting and proper functioning of the scooters motor. Keep the spark plug clean or replace it immediately if signs of wear begin to show. A scooters tool kit is always contains a wrench for the easy removal of the sparkplug. You can clean the deposits on the electrode by rubbing it with sand-paper.

Tip no. 8

The air filter is used to clean the air going into the engine. It protects the engine from the damaging effects of dirt and abrasive particulates. A clogged air filter will restrict the flow of air to the engine. Periodic cleaning of this Air filter is recommended for smooth functioning of the engine. The Air Filter can be located in front of the engine and usually behind a protective cover which can be removed with one screw. Clean the filter in a container of petrol/gasoline. Allow the filter to drive before you put it back on.

Tip no. 9

All automatic Scooters are of the "Twist the Throttle and Go" genre. The usage of the throttle in automatic scooters is very high and very extensive. The throttle tends to become loose and sloppy over a period of time. In such a case, the slack can be adjusted on the cable at the handlebars. Loosening the lock nut and adjusting the adjustment will screw will either loosen or tighten the cable tension. Once the desired tension is achieved re-tighten the lock nut.

Tip no. 10

Automatic scooters have both the rear and the front brakes as handbrakes. The brakes can be adjust at the handbrakes on the handlebars itself. Like the adjustment on the throttle cable you can adjust the tension of the brakes by first loosening the locking nut and then adjusting the adjustment screw in or out. Once the desired tension is achieved re-tighten the locking nut.

These are ten tips that will keep your Scooter running to its optimum performance for a long time. These tips, if regularly followed, will ensure that you will never have a major problem with your scooter throughout its life. Only if you dont pay attention to any of these things, will you face problems like engine seizure.

Nonetheless, Mahindra promises that when you get a Mahindra Power Scooter home, you require the least amount of maintenance for it.

Check out Indias Scooter of the Year for 2009 - Mahindra Duro