Babetta rides, but has unusually low power

Babetta rides, but has unusually low power

In this article we outline possible solutions to reduced engine power.

Solution 1:

Clean the exhaust.
A clogged exhaust is a common cause of power loss.

How to clean the exhaust properly

At the end of the exhaust there’s an M6 nut. After unscrewing it, you can pull out two parts—the exhaust tip and the muffler. These can be cleaned mechanically to remove carbon buildup. Old-timers prefer burning the deposits out in hot coals, but it’s a longer process. Looking into the exhaust, you can see two holes in the baffle—these need to be cleaned as well.

Cleaning the exhaust elbow (header) is often underestimated. Carbon deposits in the bend reduce the flow of exhaust gases and thus the power. Cleaning can be done mechanically by chipping the deposits off the inner surface of the exhaust elbow.

2T oil

Greater carbonization is also caused by using non-synthetic 2T oils (for example, the overpriced M2T in our region) or by incorrect oil mixing ratios. We recommend using a semi-synthetic or fully synthetic 2T oil. The usual ratio is 1:50, or 1:33 during break-in.

Solution 2:

Replace the spark plug.
There’s a reason the song says: “It’s in the spark plugs.” Replacing it is simple and inexpensive (we recommend NGK).

Solution 3:

Set the ignition advance.
Correct ignition timing has a significant effect on engine operation. However, if the power drop happened suddenly without any prior work on the ignition, we do not recommend changing it.

How to set the ignition advance

First, find the piston’s top dead center (TDC)—the point where the piston is highest (closest to the front wheel). The service manual specifies an advance of 1 to 1.5 mm before TDC. Therefore, you need to move the piston down by this amount in the opposite direction of engine rotation—for example, by turning the ignition magneto counterclockwise.

Both the magneto (rotor) and the ignition stator have slots/marks that must be aligned at the chosen point by rotating the stator—it can be turned after loosening the two M4 screws.