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Messages - wentwest

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1
Technical | How To / People 150 front shocks
« on: February 11, 2018, 08:50:41 PM »
The front shocks in the forks on my 2002 People 150 are VERY hard. This is a scooter I have finished rebuilding after an accident, and the prior owner did a fair amount of the work, but sold when he moved back to Bulgaria. Go figure.  Anyway, before I tear the front shocks apart, has anyone had any success doing anything with these shocks?  I'm thinking there might be too much fluid in them, or it's too thick.  And how much fluid should be in there?

2
General Discussion / Re: Wet lateral tar snakes in the pitch dark...
« on: September 24, 2017, 01:16:10 AM »
The story is you can manage side slips and blowouts and the weirdness that happens with crazy road surfaces.  You have to remember to keep going.  Don't use the brakes when this sort of thing happens.  You have to ride through it.  Keep some power on the throttle and, when the immediate thing is over, then you can ease off some, not completely, and use the rear brake gently against the power you are still putting in with the throttle.

3
General Discussion / Re: How To Tell Difference Between Battery and CDI Problems?
« on: September 24, 2017, 01:08:58 AM »
Often scooters spend long periods of time parked, doing nothing and getting no maintenance.  It sounds to me like you should check and clean the ground wire at the battery, and the connections at the starter solenoid, and the ground wire where the engine and the battery are grounded to the frame. 

4
Technical | How To / Re: kymco agility side lights n beam
« on: September 13, 2017, 04:11:31 PM »
I bought LED "clearance" lights that are made for trucks or trailers and wired them in for side lights.  If you want to do it right you use amber at the front and red near the rear.  Just find a circuit thats hot when the key is on.  The lights draw almost nothing and shouldn't do any harm.

5
Technical | How To / Re: Variator tool
« on: September 13, 2017, 04:08:19 PM »
I made a holder out of a rectangle scrap of 3/4 inch plywood (you can use whatever you've got and if it's thin use two layers).  Toward one end, about 4 inches from the end, you cut a hole big enough to allow a socket through to get to the big nut holding the variator.  Then you drill 4 holes through in a square pattern about 3 or 4 inches on each side, centered on the big hole you drilled for the socket, and put through large bolts with a washer under the head and a large washer and nut on the other side (facing the variator) with enough bolt sticking out so that they reach between the vanes on the variator.   The plywood should be shaped so it covers the variator and reaches far enough in one direction to jam against the frame of the scooter or the floor when you rotate the variator with the hole over the variator nut and the 4 bolts stuck between the vanes of the variator.   Then put your socket through the plywood onto the nut and unscrew it.

If the scooter wants to rise up off the floor while you are unscrewing the nut, either sit on it yourself or get your overweight brother-in-law to sit there while you push on the breaker bar.

If this isn't clear, reply and I'll take a photo of the one I made.

6
Technical | How To / Re: How to fix 90% of scooter problems
« on: September 03, 2017, 03:45:22 AM »
Can I add "Do the scheduled maintenance?"

Or "learn how to to the scheduled maintenance?"

Or "Don't just stuff it behind the garage with a partial tank of gas, and leave it there for 6 years, and then tell me it's a crappy scooter because it won't start."


7
Technical | How To / Re: Downtown 125
« on: August 31, 2017, 07:19:07 PM »
If you have trouble unsnapping things and you can get to the tabs, drip a touch of oil in there.  Also, prying them apart with a screw driver is tempting, but often they break.  I use a thing called a "spudger".  People that fix cell phones and tablets use them to pop things apart.  They are made of a hard plastic, and you can buy a dozen real cheap on Ebay.  Anyone who works on their own scooter should have them.

8
Technical | How To / Re: Oil control ring on People 150 2002
« on: August 31, 2017, 07:12:29 PM »
Final update time.  I got it all together, and it started just fine, idles and revs up without any oil smoke and no bad noises.  I rode it around the block, no problems.  Then I rode it in a longer loop I use in my neighborhood, and over 40 mph it cuts out and sputters terrible, but below that it's fine?  WTF?  I took the carb out, rechecked the jets (all clean), reset the float level, examined all the vacuum lines, and checked the fuel petcock.  All normal.  The battery is good and strong, almost 13V, and the reading goes well over 14 when the engine is racing.  The spark plug is new, the wire is tight and solid.  So, WTF? 

Two days of screwing around, and nothing helps.  So I start reviewing everything I did when I replaced the piston, because it ran OK before I did that job.  And, after the required head slap, I knew I put the cam chain on one tooth off.  Every time the spark advance circuit kicked in the intake valve wasn't closed yet when the plug fired.  I just got that straightened out, and it runs great.

The DMV visit yesterday was confusing, but after 2 hours it looks like I am going to get a title.  We'll see.  They got my money. 

9
Technical | How To / Re: Oil control ring on People 150 2002
« on: August 21, 2017, 12:58:46 AM »
I took the top end off, and there it was, a sorry looking piston with a very stuck oil control ring.  I replaced the piston, wrist pin, and of course the rings.  Getting it back together now, and the plastic cooling shells are giving me a hard time, so I decided to walk away for the day.  This is supposed to be fun, right?  It feels like tomorrow it will come together and start and everything will be perfect.  Or not.

10
Technical | How To / Re: Oil control ring on People 150 2002
« on: August 14, 2017, 02:37:24 PM »
Thanks for the tip about the emissions label.  It's things like that that trip you up at the DMV.  A little homework goes a long way. 

11
Technical | How To / Re: Oil control ring on People 150 2002
« on: July 24, 2017, 07:42:55 PM »
Thanks for the speedy replies.  I'll be sure to check the valve settings when I put the head back on after I go in and replace the rings.  And while the cylinder is off maybe I can get to the starter and clean it up inside.  The battery is suspect, too, I guess, but I haven't ridden it enough to really get a sense of whether it's just discharged from sitting or if it's on its last legs.  I've been dancing with the California DMV to get a clear title and registration, and now I have to bring it to an office so they can inspect the VIN.

It's a project bike, not my transportation.

12
Technical | How To / Oil control ring on People 150 2002
« on: July 23, 2017, 08:07:36 PM »
I picked up a 2002 People 150 that had been parked for 8 years, at least.  Got it cleaned up, changed the oil, etc., and got it started.  Now it runs pretty well,  but there are a couple of questions.

1.  The engine burns oil, but the compression is good, it starts easily, and performs pretty well.  There's visible white or blue white smoke.  I figure the oil rings are gummed up and stuck.  Might as well just replace the rings.  The question is, do I use rings for a 157QMJ GY6 engine?

2,  The starter will often just turn the engine to the first compression, then stop.  I let go of the button, push it again and it turns over fine and starts.  The battery shows 12.5 volts.  Cable terminals are clean.  I suspect it's dirty inside and maybe the brushes are worn.  Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance.

13
LIKE 200i / Re: Is my Like 200i normal?
« on: July 16, 2017, 06:53:48 PM »
Check the pressure in your tires.  Small scooters are very sensitive to air pressure changes, and at your weight I think it can really matter.  If it was me I'd put 32 at least in the rear tire and maybe 28 in the front.

14
People 150 / Re: People 150 engine cuts out from high speed
« on: July 16, 2017, 06:38:12 PM »
I like to know if you fixed this problem, and how you did it.


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