Serviced the LIKE200i

[Stig / Major Tom]

Over the past 3 days I performed a service on my LIKE which has covered just under 5000 miles in the past 10 months.
Every part which I removed looked good enough to continue in service - nevertheless I replaced them with new OEM Kymco parts. I figure to do this once a year of ownership.
The CVT cover was removed - mating surfaces cleaned of old gasket. New gasket was not installed as I could not get it to stay in place.
The nuts on variator and clutch were replaced with new ($1 each) and torqued to specs with my new wrench and holding tool.
Variator pulley surfaces refreshed w/600 grit paper
Six 18x14x13gm Dr Pulley sliders installed, with three new Dr Pulley slide pieces.
Clutch contact pads (3) and clutch bell lightly de-glazed with sandpaper
Clutch shaft lubed
New OEM belt installed with "BANDO - KYMCO"  lettering on top, reading L to R (no arrows on belt)
New air filter installed - mind the thread-like gasket in slot the cover fits in!)
Replaced NGK Iridium spark plug with new DENSO Iridium to see what happens.
Valves adjusted on over-night parked cold engine, to .oo4 inches ((Found: ex. V @ .oo4 // intake V. @ .oo5)
Top valve gear oiled lightly w/heavier gear oil before re-assembly of valve cover (gasket renewed w/new)
Hand torqued the new Denso and the 4 valve cover bolts and the 8 CVT cover bolts - because I do not trust any torque wrench for these small parts. (40+ yrs of working on alloy VW engines)
All parts were OEM KYMCO parts.
(that black rubber plug in the fan cover which is removed to see the TDC mark - put it in hot water to make putting it back in easier! And no need to remove battery to do the valves and spark plug - just disconnect neg. term. & cover with a heavy cloth)
A point when checking valve lash: I remove the .oo4 and .oo5 blades from my feeler set. It is easier for me to work with them as single blades. I slide the .oo4 in place, finger tighten the adjuster on to it. Tighten the set nut - and check again . If the .oo5 fits I re-do until only the .oo4 fits - then put them back in the set. This way I know the blade was laying dead flat when I check the 'feel'.


This Denso Iridium is the replacement for the stock NGK CR7HSA
I did find that the Denso gave me a very smooth idle - only 50 RPM or so above stock 1800 RPM -while the NGK CR7HIX Iridium was fully 100+ RPM over stock idle. Both Iridiums gave a smoother idle - but Denso is closer to stock idle speed. DENSO and NGK are both top drawer Japanese plugs IMHO.



Hardest part: Getting the belt cover off - has been on there 2 years since leaving China. And could not get the new cover gasket to stay in place while wrestling that cover with 20" breather hose back in there. Left it off - Ooty, a SYM dealer/mechanic in Calif. says he does not replace it on LIKEs....so, I'm good with that. This would be easy if the engine were in your lap - not in the scooter! And the crash bars presented a bit of hassle getting the slim side panel re-fitted.

Waiting for the new Dr Pulleys, clutch surfaces and belt to settle in. Good so far....
Bestem 929 w/lights install soon and 2 yr brake fluid replace soon.
Stig

[TroutBum]

Stig,

What was the weight of the sliders you used?

I'm thinking if you want to replace the gasket on the CVT cover, maybe tack it on using a glue stick applied at several point around the circumference. Just a thought.

If your not using anti seize grease on your plug you should consider doing so. Sure makes for easier removal of the spark plug.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Stig,

What was the weight of the sliders you used?

I'm thinking if you want to replace the gasket on the CVT cover, maybe tack it on using a glue stick applied at several point around the circumference. Just a thought.

If your not using anti seize grease on your plug you should consider doing so. Sure makes for easier removal of the spark plug.

I used 13 gram Dr Pulleys....have only ridden about 40 miles since - but checking tachometer the cruise RPM speed seems the same as with stock KYMCO rollers, and the heavy accel up a long hill which I freq ride on the way home, returned the same 6400>6600 RPMs (I am not at WOT on this hill - I never WOT the scoot)

I tried holding the gasket in place with the top row of bolts taped in place(you must tape them or they fall out while fiddling with the cover) ....then tried adding some blue tape just over the edges of the gasket (to be pulled away while bolts just started ), added the 2 pins to the cover.

Then tried using the 2 pins and some blue tape to hold the gasket in place on the engine surface.

Everything was undone when I found that repositioning the cover was a very tight fit - knocking the gasket loose repeatedly.
I was not willing to remove the floor and associated panels at the front of the cover area in order to:
1) easily replace the cover
2) do the above and THEN put the breather hose back on - (would be hard to do even if I replaced the clamp with one  which has a screw tightener reached from below.)

These three screws are taken out...


The CVT breather tube runs under here...


A look from below....


A tight fit if tube is still attached to the belt cover....and while trying to keep the floppy gasket in place!


Yes, I used some anti seize on that Denso. This Iridium plug may be in place for the life of the scooter!
 
I would like to see how a KYMCO mechanic puts that cover back on with a new gasket in place. It would have to be very well stuck in place - because you really have to manoeuvre that cover around  with all the panels still in place. I just did not  want to take a few hours on the Dell to source an idea in the middle of my servicing.  They probably DO stick it to the engine face with the pins in place.  I put the gasket back in the KYMCO bag - for another try the next time.
Thanks for your input ~!
Stig

[Dolemite]

The original paper filter is a pretty bad idea. I don't know if other manufactures do that. It leaves a mess behind and doesn't come off clean. The last time I got in there I removed it with a gasket scraper... that took about an hour. I guess it's there to help keep water and maybe oil from seeping in, but there are pretty large intake and exhaust ports on the cvt, it does need air flow. Last time I put it on i used a little liquid gasket which is probably unnecessary. All I can say is paper/glue gaskets suck.

[Vivo]

The original paper filter is a pretty bad idea. I don't know if other manufactures do that. It leaves a mess behind and doesn't come off clean. The last time I got in there I removed it with a gasket scraper... that took about an hour. I guess it's there to help keep water and maybe oil from seeping in, but there are pretty large intake and exhaust ports on the cvt, it does need air flow. Last time I put it on i used a little liquid gasket which is probably unnecessary. All I can say is paper/glue gaskets suck.

I don't know but I have no issues with the paper filter in my Super 8...

[Stig / Major Tom]

I don't know but I have no issues with the paper filter in my Super 8...

I think he mis-spoke Vivo. He meant to say "paper gasket" - which our LIKE has. That stupid thing glues the cover on, falls completely apart once you finally get the cover off....and it is so stuck to the scoot and belt cover it is about an hour's work to clean off of both surfaces. For such a small surface area, it has a wonderfully adhesive capacity! And is so friggin' spindly it is hard to hold in position during reassembly. I googled the writing on the package, see what I discovered!

[NeoGenesisMax]

"Crazy Idea"  How about one of us ring up a Kymco mechanic and ask.  If I remember I'll ask at the shop next time I'm drooling over the People GT 300i.

[Stig / Major Tom]

"Crazy Idea"  How about one of us ring up a Kymco mechanic and ask.  If I remember I'll ask at the shop next time I'm drooling over the People GT 300i.

I asked....my dealer suddenly could not speak English....which I think equals, "Um, never serviced the CVT in a LIKE."
Or, "What gasket?"

[NeoGenesisMax]

I am sorry to hear that. I haven't been by my shop but I do plan on asking. They tend to be helpful guys at Scooter World KC.

[Vivo]

Now I got it!!!   Earlier, I was wondering why Stig was so pissed about the cover... I have no issues with mine on the Super 8 ?!?... Why not? I have a rubber gasket.... Gheeez!! Paper gasket? Why do they have paper on the Like and rubber on others?  Oh, I know... it's part of the retro thing! Lol! How about fabricating a rubber gasket using the original gasket as template?...  then glue the rubber gasket on the cover to make it permanent and easy to install...?