Slight burning smell - throttle not as responsive as usual

[iceman]

Hi,

A few weeks into owning my PCX, and some months back, I noticed a burning smell riding home in the wet - the first time I was caught in rain. Today coming home I noticed a slight burning smell from time to time but not that bad, just noticable. As it was there a few times I gather it was my bike and not something I passed (again, mild rain).

What I did notice more than once is that the throttle did not always seem to be as responsive as usual - it never then started racing when given more juice, just pulled away and accelerated slower than I expect. When I got home I could not smell any burning nor could find anything with a burning smell when looking round the scoot and getting up close. The silver 'belt' compartment was quite warm, but that I would imagine is normal.

I'm worried now, especially as I've always felt my PCX is noiser than many others I've heard on youtube vids, that something is wrong - belt, clutch - other?

I'll see how it rides tomorrow when going to work. I may contant the dealer but I do not know how long they will take to check it out or if they charge to investigate when under warranty.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong? I get fabulous mileage, 135-141 mpg and never less, but it does seem something is not quite as it should be.

[iceman]

I'll take the scoot back to the dealer Saturday and get them to check things. Hopefully they will find something and sort whilst still relatively new (almost 4 months) with 1200 on the clock and under warranty.

[gn2]

Burning smell in rain isn't unusual, dirt/dust/general road crap gets washed onto the exhaust and gets burnt.

[iceman]

Thanks! I got worried with the lack of throttle response, esp. at one point when going left at traffic lights and although I picked up speed, I got caught by surprise as it felt very different from normal and at times during the journey home, as if the power was there from the engine but not getting to the wheels.

[iceman]

My PCX sounds more like the one I came by in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA61yD7vjro
Mine sounds like that pulling away slowly before the clutch properly engages or normal driving (20-40mph). Is this the norm or an example of the more noisier ones?

[WhiteNoise]

The scraping/scratching noise I hear in the video increases and decreases with acceleration/deceleration and heard in the rear wheels revolutions. That's my first impression. This is just a shot in the dark and I'm just asking: Could this have anything to do with the rear brake adjustment? Or is it a CVT problem? I'm not that savvy fixing bikes, only light to med stuff.
Sorry you're going through this iceman, I'd be concerned too

Does anyone have more input or an idea of what could be the causing iceman's PCX grief? Unsettling to ride, I'm sure. Dealer appt soon. Good to have an idea of any problem before going. I believe anyway.
Good luck to ya!

[iceman]

I don't have the scratching noise, accelerating or decelerating, just what seems to be a loud belt/clutch/whatever pcx compared to some. It does ride well and I've not had the 'throttle' issue since a week ago, nor the burning smell I've had a few times (and I rode home in heavy rain yesterday).

I've not seen another PCX since spotting one in the distance many months ago, but see loads of 110cc visions. When they pass me or take off they seem really quite in comparison but still reach 30+ mph quickly from take off (so 15cc's less is not the reason).

[iceman]

So, no issue going to work yesterday morning but slight burning smell and another instance of the throttle not behaving as it should on the way home - engine working, not transferring power to rear wheel it seems.

Took it to the dealer this morning but got nowhere - salesman looked under it and checked the oil and took it for a short test ride, but as I told him, it's intermittent - both the burning smell in dry conditions and fives times now the past week, occasions where I turn the throttle, the engine rev's increase, but the scooter does not accelerate but seems to be struggling. They did not want to book it in for a check over

I'll see how it goes, expecting the worse, so probably will have to go back and get them to open the belt chamber. Reading other peoples problems of this type, some have had the same problem with the belt on it's way out, rubbing and occasional burning smell / lack of throttle response.

I do not want to mess with whilst under warranty and four months old - not sure what it could be.

[Sh3p]

Hmm. possibly your CVT belt is burning away... its a long shot but i once had a VR6 that had a serpentine belt glaze in one section, causing it to squeak intermittently and eventually smell like burnt rubber under the hood for a week or so before i discovered it. If your scooter is losing power you should have your powertrain checked immediately, could be a worn trans, loose clutch (primary or secondary), bad belt, who knows. The scoot is so much more friction based than anything else the smell can be anything, and the power loss can come from anywhere.

This sounds like a "i need lvl 2 support plz" kind of situation, friend.

[iceman]

Thanks Sh3p! The dealer would not listen, especially as it's a safety issue in heavy traffic when vehicles behind expect you to carry on accelerating and do not see a brake light. I'll see if and when it does it again and take it back. They just did not accept such a problem could be intermittent - they said a failing belt would be more consistent, and it could not be the clutch as it would be good or bad, not occasionally giving trouble.

[MaLLoc]

a couple things i noticed that make noise , i did a valve job on mine , *(they happen to be tight ) i thought i did them perfect for the feeler gauge , but now they sound loose and i hear more ticking , along with that came new sounds on take off and slow down sorta like the video , so i guess i have to go back in and tighten them some more , also i have heard that CVT Sliders ( in the variator ) can cause some sounds if they are worn .
as for acceleration , one thng happen to me also was i had a take off problem very slow till 20 mph , finaly open the cvt up and found a lot of thick dust inside the variator messing up the fitment and rotation of my rollers/dr pulley sliders

[iceman]

At four months old and 1200 miles I would hope the belt and other bits were ok, but it can be so many things which is why I wanted the dealer to do something.
We had constant heavy rain yesterday through early hours of the morning, and removing the cover the bike was a bit fogged up and a little wet (damp though the cover I guess). Rode it to work 3am this morning on very wet roads, no burning smell and it was fine - no trouble at all.

It seems it's not a 'wet' issue and not something on the exhaust as the dealer kept saying - even though I said it's intermittent and does it in the dry on sunny days too. I'll wait for it to go wrong again and try and get the dealer/mechanic to take a look. I would open it up but don't want the dealer / Honda to say I've been fiddling and to be honest, I'm a little anxious about taking the pcx apart (first time nerves).

Am I right in thinking it's just the floor step rubber and lower panel, then the cover itself? (from video's and postings on the forum). Is there a seal / bearing to worry about by just taking the cover off?

[gn2]

There's a thin papery gasket but no need to worry about it.
The CVT casing is open to the elements to allow cooling air through.

[iceman]

Thanks! It seemed that way from tutorials, but I thought someone mentioned removing the CVT cover and being careful of some bearing - that could not have been a PCX.

[gn2]

The CVT cover bearing was a Forza.

[maddiedog]

At four months old and 1200 miles I would hope the belt and other bits were ok, but it can be so many things which is why I wanted the dealer to do something.
We had constant heavy rain yesterday through early hours of the morning, and removing the cover the bike was a bit fogged up and a little wet (damp though the cover I guess). Rode it to work 3am this morning on very wet roads, no burning smell and it was fine - no trouble at all.

It seems it's not a 'wet' issue and not something on the exhaust as the dealer kept saying - even though I said it's intermittent and does it in the dry on sunny days too. I'll wait for it to go wrong again and try and get the dealer/mechanic to take a look. I would open it up but don't want the dealer / Honda to say I've been fiddling and to be honest, I'm a little anxious about taking the pcx apart (first time nerves).

Am I right in thinking it's just the floor step rubber and lower panel, then the cover itself? (from video's and postings on the forum). Is there a seal / bearing to worry about by just taking the cover off?

Belt and CVT is likely OK. Mel46's transmission bearing went out and made noise like this. It wasn't intermittent though. If you take the PCX and put it on the centerstand, then spin the rear wheel, does it freespin relatively easily?

No worries taking off the CVT cover, here's a how-to for you: http://hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2598

[iceman]

Thanks for that! It's been ok the past week, no burning smell at all compared to a daily occurence. Noise wise, my bike is just noiser than what I can find out from videos of most other pcx's I've checked. My rear wheel spins freely both ways (just to check as per someone elses post about a bad noise going the wrong way) and is not noisy when I rotate it.

What seems to have made the difference is not using the rear brake as much as I did, which was only to supplement the front break anyway when gently slowing down aongside easing off the throttle and using engine braking at first. I've never had to brake hard, just look ahead and judge things, but now mostly use the rear to hold me on slopes (traffic lights/heavy traffic).

No idea what is, or was wrong - it's not like I held the rear in while accelerating, but the burning smell and lack-lustre acceleration would suggest that kind of thing.

Today, as a test, I noticed that slowing from say 10 mph when approaching lights, the front works like a charm, slow and smooth. If I try the rear instead, it does not seem to be as effective - it works, but takes more effort. Is that normal?