KymcoForum.com
Scooters - 125 to 300 => Yager GT 200i => Topic started by: Yager200i on February 23, 2011, 05:33:53 AM
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I'll be recording my maintenance and other events on my Kymco Yager GT 200i here. This will give me the incentive to ensure that all maintenance is done in a timely manner, and will allow others to glean ideas for maintenance on their own bikes.
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14 Feb 2011:
New 2010 Kymco Yager GT 200i delivered from Rock Ridge Scooters. $400 off listed price for last year's model. Mileage: 1
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16 Feb 2011:
Geico insurance switched from old Tank scooter to new Kymco scooter, $97.00 / year
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20 Feb 2011:
I'll be compiling a toolkit that'll stay with the scooter, and a toolkit that'll stay in the garage. I've already got a large collection of SAE and metric wrenches and sockets, so I need scooter-specific incidentals.
Got the following from O'Reilly (Kragen) Auto Parts:
Feeler gauge
Oil drain pan
Small funnels
Non-permanent, medium strength thread lock
Fuses (20A {x2}, 15A {x4}, 10A {x2})
Tire valve core remover
Oil 15W-40 SM Rated conventional
Antifreeze (O'Reilly Antifreeze and Coolant, Black Bottle)
RedLine Water-Wetter
Tire pressure gauge
Slime tire sealant (12 oz. bottle)
DOT 4 brake fluid
Extra Iridium spark plugs (ordered them, not in stock)
Foot-operated air pump
Got the following from Home Depot:
Snap-lock pliers
Large toolbox
Work light with clamp
Duct tape (small roll)
Multi-screwdriver (long)
Added 5 capfuls (1.25 ounces) of RedLine Water Wetter to coolant system.
First ride. Doing a hard break-in procedure as described here:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm (http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm)
http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm (http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm)
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23 Feb 2011:
Ordered 10 oil filters. HighFlo HF562, part number 304961 ($3.90 each) at DennisKirk.com
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26 Feb 2011:
Got two NGK DPR7Eix-9 Iridium spark plugs from O'Reilly (Kragen) Auto Parts.
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01 Mar 2011:
1 oil filter delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 9 are on back-order.
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07 Mar 2011:
Checked oil condition, looked good. Mileage: 26.8
Decided to forego the 25 mile oil and filter change, and ride instead.
Picked up Westward Flat Beam Torque Wrench from Grainger, Item 4RYK9, $38.95
Stopped in at my local scooter shop (Mini Motors CA), and talked to the owner about aluminum crush washers for the drain plugs, spark plug indexing washers and gapless piston rings.
After the ride, I drained the oil and checked the engine oil screen. The screen was clean with the exception of one aluminum fleck. The drained oil had many small flecks of aluminum, seen in the bottom of the oil drain pan when draining the oil into a waste oil disposal bucket.
ITEMS NEEDED: 17 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new engine oil
I also changed the engine oil filter. It looked slightly dirty, and had a few aluminum flecks. I used a HF562 replacement oil filter.
ITEMS NEEDED: 8 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new oil filter
I put in new engine oil. I used conventional oil (Rotella T 15W-40).
And lastly, I changed the gear oil. I used Lucas 80W-90 gear oil. The drained gear oil had quite a bit of metal in it, so much so that it was 'glittery'. So, I drained the gear oil, filled it, ran the bike on the main stand for a few minutes to spin the gear train, drained it, then filled it again.
ITEMS NEEDED: 12 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new gear oil
THINGS I LEARNED:
1) The 1 gallon Rotella oil jug does not pour very well. The oil tends to want to slide down the outside of the jug, rather than pour into the funnel.
2) The Westward Flat Beam Torque Wrench works well enough for someone who uses torque wrenches every day and already has a 'calibrated hand', but for newbies, the torque increments might be too wide to help keep them from stripping threads. For them, it might be better to splurge for a digital readout torque wrench, so they don't have to get their head under the bike to read the torque wrench, and so they can get the torque values exactly right.
3) The oil filter cap (the aluminum cover with the three bolt-hole tabs) only fits one way, and you've got to get it right. There's a spring that pushes against the filter, so you'll have to figure out which way the cover goes, then hold the cover, spring and filter together and slide it all into place. Then hold it with one hand while you use your other hand to get those three bolts in. Hold the cover tight against the crankcase, if you let it go (or open too much of a gap between the crankcase and the oil filter cover), the spring falls out, and you have to start over.
4) If your garage floor is dirty or your wife tends to nag when you get the slightest bit of dirt or oil on you, lay down a plastic sheet, and wear thin rubber gloves. I don't do this, I just let her nag. :)
5) After filling the engine with oil up to the 'Full' mark, run the engine for a few minutes, then check the oil level again. Add oil to bring it back up to 'Full'.
6) When draining the gear oil, after it's mostly drained, rock the bike to-and-fro on the main stand to get a bit more gear oil out.
7) A dab of oil-impervious, low-strength, non-permanent thread-lock on the oil and gear oil drain plugs gives you more peace of mind.
8) The gear oil drain plug and fill plug may look the same, but they are not. The one with the thick washer is the drain plug. If that washer gets dinged up, use a fine-toothed file to smooth the flat surfaces of the washer. If that washer is unusable, try to find another aluminum washer.
9) The Lucas gear oil has a spout that fits perfectly into the fill hole. Keep the oil drain pan underneath, so when the gear train is full, the excess can run out. Yes, I filled it up to the oil fill hole.
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 49.8 miles
Next oil change: 100 miles
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14 Mar 2011:
3 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 6 are on back-order.
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18 Mar 2011:
4 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 2 are on back-order.
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24 Mar 2011:
2 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. This completes the order.
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29 Mar 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
Engine oil had barely any metal flakes in it. Gear oil was the same. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Rotella T 15W-40
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 100.4 miles
Next oil change: 200 miles
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31 Mar 2011:
My first fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the second tankful).
I filled up with 91 octane fuel. After engine break-in, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 octane.
Miles: 120.3 miles
Fuel: 2.250 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.139
Total Cost: $9.31
Fuel Mileage: 53.02 MPG
Engine's still not broken in, so it's tight, and I've been riding it like I stole it, so the low MPG is to be expected.
Things I learned:
1) DO NOT top off the tank. Once that filler handle clicks off, you've only got about .125 gallons that you can fill before it's full to overflowing.
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11 Apr 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
Engine oil had no metal flakes in it. Gear oil was the same. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Rotella T 15W-40
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 199.6 miles
Next oil change: 400 miles
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12 Apr 2011:
Checked valve clearances. Mileage: 199.6 miles
Exhaust valve was exactly 0.10mm. Intake valve was 0.08mm. I adjusted the intake valve clearance so that it was 0.10mm. I set the intake valve clearance such that the 0.10mm feeler gauge would slide with just slight drag, but the 0.12mm feeler gauge wouldn't fit. So, I'm within about 3/10,000th of an inch of perfect.
Time requirements:
1.0 hour - gathering tools, rags, lights, information (torque values, procedure, etc.)
1.0 hour - wrench work
0.5 hour - test ride
The wrench work would have taken less time if I'd had a valve clearance adjustment tool, or even the right wrench. In fact, I discovered my toolkit is missing the 9mm wrench (needed to tighten the locknut), so I had to make do with a 9mm socket. This meant that I had to make several tries of tightening the locknut, checking clearance, loosening the locknut, adjusting the center post, tightening the locknut, etc., until the clearance was just right.
This is Iker's procedure, broken down into distinct steps, with a bit of additional info:
1) Your engine has to be COLD to do this procedure. I let it sit unused for a day.
2) Remove seat (2 bronze-looking nuts at front of seat).
3) Remove Met-In Box (2 bolts in back above battery compartment, 2 in front bottom, one large flat-head screw in the front (look just below the nuts that hold the seat))
4) When taking out the Met-In Box, be sure to remove the light electrical connection before lifting the Met-In Box fully out.
5) Remove the front panel (the wrap-around panel right below the front of the seat). Start on one upper end, you'll see a small plastic hook that hooks into the adjoining body panel, bend it so that hook is outside the adjoining body panel, then carefully snap each tab of the front panel out of its hole, working your way down. Then do the same for the other side.
6) Remove the two hoses that are connected to the valve cover. Long-nosed pliers are needed to squeeze the hose clamps as you pull the hoses off.
7) Remove the 4 bolts holding the valve cover on, and the two cap nuts (look at the bottom of the valve cover, on the left side, you'll see two chromed nuts).
8) Remove the valve cover. Inspect inside it for dirt, wear material, etc. Clean if needed.
9) On the right-hand side of the bike, below the body panels, you'll see one large and one small cap that require a large flat-head screwdriver to remove. Remove those caps.
10) Now is a good time to check your timing chain. With a 19mm socket and extension in the larger hole on the right-hand side of the bike, turn the engine clockwise slowly and inspect the timing chain closely with a bright light. If you see any worn links or other damage, stop right here and get a new timing chain before proceeding.
11) With a 19mm socket and an extension, turn the engine clockwise until both valves are loose (the rockers are up, away from the valve stems), and the largest hole in the cam gear is pointed toward the top of the cylinder (NOT straight up, more like up at a 45 degree angle).
12) Check intake and exhaust valve clearances by sliding a feeler gauge into the tiny gap just above the round valve spring retainer. Test with several feeler gauges before making any changes, so that you know exactly what the existing clearances are. The clearances should be 0.10mm for both intake and exhaust valves.
13) If adjustments are needed, use a 9mm wrench and needle-nose pliers to adjust. Set it so that you feel the slightest drag on the 0.10mm feeler gauge when the locknut is tightened, and you can't fit the 0.12mm feeler gauge into the gap. You might have to try it several times, as the clearance changes as the locknut is tightened. DO NOT tighten the locknut with the feeler gauge in the gap, you'll ruin the feeler gauge.
14) Once you're satisfied that you've got the valve clearances correct, it's time to put everything back together and test run it.
15) Put the valve cover back on. Put the 4 bolts and two chromed cap nuts on and torque them to proper torque values.
16) Put the two hoses back on. Use long nose pliers to slide the hose clamps down the hose a ways, then slip the hoses onto their connectors, then use the long nose pliers to move the hose clamps back up so they're clamping the hose onto the connectors. Use the pliers to spread the hose clamp tabs apart (make them tighter on the hoses), to be sure they'll clamp properly.
17) Put the two caps on the right-hand side of the bike back in using a large flathead screwdriver. There's no torque value for these, but make sure they're tight enough to compress the o-rings.
18) Start the bike and let it warm up (if you're in a garage, open the garage door or take the bike outside so you don't gas yourself to death). Use a mechanic's stethoscope to listen for valve clatter. If you hear that, you've got your clearances too wide, and you'll need to start over and redo the valve clearance adjustments.
19) Shut down the engine.
20) Put the front wrap-around panel back in, in reverse order of how you took it out (start at the bottom, snapping each tab in, work your way up one side, then the other side), finishing by bending the hooks at the top of each side so they hook into the inside of the adjoining body panel.
21) Push the front wrap-around panel and the adjoining body panel together hard, to be sure all the tabs of the front wrap-around panel are seated (I had several that I thought had seated, but they snapped in after doing this).
22) Connect the electrical connector for the Met-In Box, and drop the Met-In Box into place. Put the 4 bolts and large flathead screw in to hold the Met-In Box.
23) Put the seat back. You might have to wiggle it a bit to get everything aligned just right. Once it's aligned just right, it'll drop onto the two bolts. Put the bronze-colored nuts on and snug them up.
24) Check to be sure the seat latches properly, and that the Met-In Box light works.
25) Start the bike, let it warm up, then take it for a test ride, listening for any noises that you've not heard before. It'd be a good idea to take the bike to its limits, so you can ascertain what changes (if any) the valve adjustment had on performance.
Torque values for various bolts and nuts:
GENERAL BOLTS AND NUTS:
5mm bolt/nut: 0.5 kg-m (43.4 inch pounds)
6mm bolt/nut: 1.0 kg-m (86.8 inch pounds)
8mm bolt/nut: 2.2 kg-m (191.0 inch pounds)
10mm bolt/nut: 3.5 kg-m (303.8 inch pounds)
12mm bolt/nut: 5.5 kg-m (477.4 inch pounds)
5mm screw: 0.4 kg-m (34.7 inch pounds)
6mm screw / SH bolt: 0.9 kg-m (78.1 inch pounds)
6mm flange bolt/nut: 1.2 kg-m (104.2 inch pounds)
8mm flange bolt/nut: 2.7 kg-m (234.3 inch pounds)
10mm flange bolt/nut: 4.0 kg-m (347.2 inch pounds)
SPECIFIC BOLTS AND NUTS:
Valve adjusting lock nut: 0.9 kg-m (78.2 inch pounds)
Cylinder head cover bolt: 1.2 kg-m (104.2 inch pounds)
Next maintenance (at 400 miles):
Replace engine oil & filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
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18 Apr 2011:
My second fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the third tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 244.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 124.3 miles
Fuel: 2.138 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.299
Total Cost: $9.19
Fuel Mileage: 58.14 MPG
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I've created a spreadsheet that shows what maintenance needs to be done at each mile marker, if anyone wants it, let me know. It's in OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet .ODS format, but I can convert it to MS Office .XLS format, if that's what you need.
This schedule exceeds the manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule:
Brake system - inspect at 600 mile intervals.
Engine oil & filter - replace at 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, 400 miles, 800 miles, then at 600 mile intervals.
Engine oil filter screen - clean during each engine oil change.
Gear oil - replace during each engine oil change.
Spark plug - clean at 1500 mile intervals, replace as necessary.
Valve clearance - adjust at 200 miles, 400 miles, 800 miles, 1600 miles, 3200 miles, then at 2000 mile intervals.
Suspension - inspect at 2000 mile intervals.
Tires - inspect at 2000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.
Steering head bearing - first inspect at 500 miles, then inspect at 2000 mile intervals.
Air cleaner - inspect at 500 miles, then replace at 2500 miles intervals.
Fuel filter - replace at 3000 mile intervals.
Brake levers - inspect at 3000 mile intervals.
Brake shoes - inspect at 3000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.
Shock absorbers - inspect at 3000 mile intervals.
Radiator core - inspect at 3500 mile intervals.
Radiator cap - inspect at 3500 mile intervals.
Drive belt/variator - inspect at 4000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.
Nuts/bolts/fasteners - tighten at 4000 mile intervals.
Radiator coolant - replace annually or at 6000 mile intervals, whichever comes first.
Brake fluid - inspect during daily pre-ride inspection, replace at 7000 mile intervals.
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04 May 2011:
My third fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the fourth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 379.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 134.8 miles
Fuel: 2.143 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.379
Total Cost: $9.38
Fuel Mileage: 62.90 MPG
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06 May 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
Engine oil had no metal flakes in it, but looked much darker than when new. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked slightly dirty. Engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Castrol Tection 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel Motor Oil (Kragen was out of Rotella T 15W-40)
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 406.2 miles
Next oil change: 800 miles
THINGS I LEARNED:
If you fill the gear oil housing up to the top bolt, it will indeed suck some of the oil into the air cleaner housing (although it doesn't get into the air filter itself). There is a small plastic bulb on the bottom of the air cleaner housing, with a small hole in it that the oil will drip out of. I'm researching an oil separator that'll remove the oil before it gets to the air cleaner housing. In the meantime, I filled the gear oil up to the top bolt, then jacked the front wheel up about a foot off the ground, and let the excess oil run out of the top bolt hole. Hopefully, that'll mitigate this problem. If not, I'll get the oil separator.
I also checked the air filter (due to the gear oil being pulled into the air filter housing), and cleaned the air filter housing. Not a lot of oil in there, but enough to drip out of that bulb on the bottom of the air cleaner housing. The air filter still looks new.
And, while I had the air cleaner housing off, I pulled the drive belt cover (the air cleaner housing and drive belt cover are bolted together with one bolt, and you have to remove another bolt on the air cleaner housing to move it out of the way so the drive belt cover can come off. Since I was already doing the air filter housing, I decided to check the belt, which was in like-new condition.).
The drive belt has this imprinted on it:
Kymco 23100-LEA6-9000 Bando
I'll be doing some cross-referencing tonight, and will post if I find any common belts that'll fit the Yager GT 200i.
{EDIT}
Refer to this thread for drive belt info:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=4160.0 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=4160.0)
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07 May 2011:
I bought an 11-piece metric combination wrench set, so I've now got the 9mm wrench required to make adjusting the valves easy. Nobody sells just one wrench (I only needed the 9mm), so I had to get the set.
I did the valve adjustment after letting the bike sit overnight (remember, to adjust the valves, the engine must be cold). Both valves were exactly where they should be, although when I slipped the feeler gauge in on the intake valve, it felt a bit tighter than where I'd set it, so that valve may still be wearing itself in a bit. Total time to do the valves: 40 minutes.
Mileage for valve adjustment: 406.2 miles
While I had the Met-In Box out, I also took the opportunity to take up the slack on the throttle cable. The throttle grip had 8 mm of play before, it's now got 3 mm. It's supposed to have 2 to 6 mm of play. Total time to adjust the throttle cable play: 10 minutes.
Took the bike on a test ride to see if anything had changed. Nothing had.
Next maintenance (at 500 miles):
Inspect steering head bearing
Inspect air cleaner
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21 May 2011:
Time for the 500 mile maintenance items:
Inspect steering head bearing
Inspect air cleaner
The air cleaner looked to be at the same level of cleanliness as when I pulled it on 06 May 2011, and there was no gear oil in the air filter housing this time. That tip I gave of filling the gear box with gear oil to the overflow, then raising the front wheel about a foot off the ground to let the excess oil flow out through the gear oil fill hole seems to work to keep gear oil out of the air cleaner housing.
The procedure for inspecting the steering head bearing is as follows:
Raise the front wheel off the ground and check that the steering handlebar rotates freely. Try to move the handlebar vertically.
If the handlebar moves unevenly, binds, or has vertical movement, adjust the steering head bearing.
Fortunately, my handlebars exhibited no uneven movement, binding or vertical movement, so nothing more need be done.
If any of those problems had been discovered, then the front bike covers would have been taken off to expose the steering head bearing, the handlebar assembly disassembled, the steering head bearing removed and inspected (replaced if necessary), then packed with grease, and the whole thing re-assembled.
Mileage for air cleaner and steering head bearing inspection: 505.2 miles
Next maintenance (at 600 miles):
Inspect brake system
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23 May 2011:
My fourth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the fifth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 521.8 miles
Miles Ridden: 142.4 miles
Fuel: 2.322 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.099
Total Cost: $9.52
Fuel Mileage: 61.33 MPG
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11 Jun 2011:
600 mile maintenance items:
Inspect braking system
Been slacking a bit, so this maintenance item was deferred for 20.8 miles over when it was supposed to be completed. I'm doing a somewhat cursory inspection this time around for this maintenance item, since the bike is new. So I'll not be tearing apart the master cylinders and brake calipers to measure clearances. I'll do that when the bike is older.
I inspected the brake system. This consisted of the following:
1) checking the brake pads for wear
front brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
rear brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
Since I generally ride such that I minimize use of my brakes (keeping a good following distance, using engine braking to slow most of the way down, etc.), my brake pads showed nearly zero signs of wear.
2) checking brake disc thickness
front brake new - 3.8 to 4.2 mm, replace 3.0 mm
rear brake new - 3.5 to 3.8 mm, replace 3.0 mm
3) checking brake disc runout
front brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
rear brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
Since I didn't want to remove the front and rear wheels, I simply used a dial runout gauge from work, fastened securely to the bike and riding on the brake discs, as I spun each wheel. Runout on front and rear discs were zero.
4) checking all fasteners for proper torque.
These torque values were taken from the Kymco Dink 200 service manual:
brake assembly mounting bolts: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
fluid tube bolt: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
brake caliper bolt: 19.6 - 29.4 N-m (14.45 - 21.68 foot pounds)
master cylinder mounting bolts: 9.8 - 13.7 N-m (7.23 - 10.10 foot pounds)
Next maintenance items (at 800 miles):
Replace engine oil & oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
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13 Jun 2011:
My fifth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the sixth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 653.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 131.3 miles
Fuel: 2.096 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.049
Total Cost: $8.49
Fuel Mileage: 62.64 MPG
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01 Jul 2011:
My sixth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the seventh tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 788.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 135.3 miles
Fuel: 2.219 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.949
Total Cost: $8.76
Fuel Mileage: 60.97 MPG
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05 Jul 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
Engine oil had some very tiny metal flakes in it, but it wasn't aluminum, it looked gold in color. Not sure what components have gold-colored metal, but it wasn't a lot, so I'll monitor it to make sure the amount of metal doesn't increase.
The engine oil looked a bit darker than when new. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Castrol Tection 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 797.4 miles
I'll adjust the valves this weekend, as I've got to ride to work each day, and my wife's got the car. So, Friday night is the only night it can sit unused overnight in order for the engine to be cold for the valve adjustments.
I've also noticed that the bike isn't idling as smoothly as it did when new, it's got a kind of lumpy, slower-than-normal (1500 RPM vs. a normal 1800 RPM) idle when cold, which smooths out after warming up. I'm going to replace the sparkplug this weekend, and on the next fuel-up, I'll put some SeaFoam (or similar) into the gas tank.
Next maintenance (at 1200 miles):
Inspect brake system
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09 Jul 2011:
I adjusted the valves today (mileage: 830.9), after letting the bike sit unused overnight. The exhaust valve was exactly where I'd set it, the intake valve was just a smidgen tighter clearance than what I'd set. It wasn't a noticeable change, just a bit more drag on the feeler gauge than what had been when I set it. So I reset it back to what I'd had before.
I also replaced the spark plug. The original spark plug looked in good condition, with a light tan color and no burning or buildup. I noticed that it seemed to not have been torqued properly, it took slightly less than 10 foot-pounds of torque to break it loose and turn it. No evidence of exhaust gasses leaking past the spark plug washers, though.
I installed an NGK Iridium IX DPR7EIX-9 spark plug. I noticed a difference right away. The rough idle when it's cold isn't as bad, the throttle response is a bit crisper, and I got 2 mph greater speed on the top end. So now my bike tops out at 79 mph (although I'm way over the redline at that speed).
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19 Jul 2011:
My seventh fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the eighth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.
Mileage: 911.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 123.3 miles
Fuel: 1.942 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.939
Total Cost: $7.65
Fuel Mileage: 63.49 MPG
For this tankful, I added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners. I want to see if that helps the slightly rough cold idle by cleaning the injectors.
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05 Aug 2011:
My eighth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the ninth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1038.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 126.7 miles
Fuel: 1.969 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.739
Total Cost: $7.36
Fuel Mileage: 64.38 MPG
The 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners I added during the last fuel-up seems to have done the trick. It now starts like new (just a slight touch of the starter button gets it fired up, not the 3-4 second grind like before), and the cold idle is smoother (although not as smooth as when new).
I'll alternate adding Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners every other fuel-up, to keep things clean.
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31 Aug 2011:
My ninth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the tenth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1172.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 134.0 miles
Fuel: 2.055 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.779
Total Cost: $7.77
Fuel Mileage: 65.21 MPG
I added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners.
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05 Sep 2011:
NOTE: I'm largely doing a cut-and-paste from the 600 mile maintenance item, as nothing has changed in regards to the braking system. My riding style is very easy on the brakes, so they wear very slowly.
1200 mile maintenance items:
Inspect braking system
This maintenance item was performed at 1201.7 miles. I'm doing a somewhat cursory inspection this time around for this maintenance item, since the bike is fairly new. So I'll not be tearing apart the master cylinders and brake calipers to measure clearances. I'll do that when the bike is older.
I inspected the brake system. This consisted of the following:
1) checking the brake pads for wear
front brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
rear brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
Since I generally ride such that I minimize use of my brakes (keeping a good following distance, using engine braking to slow most of the way down, etc.), my brake pads showed nearly zero signs of wear.
2) checking brake disc thickness
front brake new - 3.8 to 4.2 mm, replace 3.0 mm
rear brake new - 3.5 to 3.8 mm, replace 3.0 mm
3) checking brake disc runout
front brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
rear brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
Since I didn't want to remove the front and rear wheels, I simply used a dial runout gauge from work, fastened securely to the bike and riding on the brake discs, as I spun each wheel. Runout on front and rear discs were zero.
4) checking all fasteners for proper torque.
These torque values were taken from the Kymco Dink 200 service manual:
brake assembly mounting bolts: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
fluid tube bolt: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
brake caliper bolt: 19.6 - 29.4 N-m (14.45 - 21.68 foot pounds)
master cylinder mounting bolts: 9.8 - 13.7 N-m (7.23 - 10.10 foot pounds)
Next maintenance items (at 1400 miles):
Replace engine oil & oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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20 Sep 2011:
My tenth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the eleventh tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1313.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 141.3 miles
Fuel: 2.079 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.849
Total Cost: $8.00
Fuel Mileage: 67.97 MPG
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22 Sep 2011:
I've complained here on KymcoForum.com in the past about the seemingly weak clutch on the Yager GT200i. My clutch was slipping so much that the engine had to hit 5000 RPM before I felt any clutch engagement.
After reading about how some others had a similar problem, I tried their solution. I 'de-glazed' the clutch.
Here's how I did it:
I put the bike on the center stand with the engine running. I locked the rear brake and ran the engine up to full throttle, holding it there for 5 seconds. After a 15 minute cool-down period for the clutch, I did the same procedure again, and let it cool down again for 15 minutes. Then I took it out for a test ride.
The results:
I now feel the clutch starting to engage at 3500 RPM, and at 4000 RPM, it's pulling hard. At about 4250 RPM, it's fully engaged.
So, if you're having a similar clutch-slip problem, this de-glazing procedure appears to fix it.
I'd still like the clutch to start pulling in at 2500 to 2750 RPM and be fully engaged at 3500 RPM, so I'm going to be looking into heavier clutch weights or weaker clutch springs, or perhaps an aftermarket clutch if I can find one.
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29 Sep 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
Still have the very tiny gold or bronze metal flakes in the engine oil (although not as much as last oil change), along with a few small aluminum flakes.
The engine oil looked very dark, which is not surprising, since it's been 600 miles since the last oil change. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked slightly dirty (although no metal flakes). Engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
This is the first time using synthetic engine oil in this scooter. I've use synthetic gear oil since 100.4 miles.
Things I learned:
1) The Royal Purple one gallon jug is the worst design I've ever seen for an oil jug. It's hard to tip it up with one hand because the handle is small and at the top of the jug (some jugs also curve the handle around the back vertical edge of the jug, making it very easy to pour), the jug opening is set back from the edge of the jug such that the oil slides right down the side of the bottle preferentially, rather than going into the funnel, and when first pouring from a full jug, it chugs (making a mess, since the jug doesn't quite fit in the close quarters of our scooters' oil fill). A long funnel and several rags are highly recommended items.
2) Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil is purple. The only other colored oil I've ever seen was the red oil I drained out of the Yager GT 200i at the first oil change. I'm not sure how this will affect me when draining the oil... it's already dark-colored, so how do I gauge how dirty it is? Will I be able to see the metal flakes in the old oil if it's even darker from usage than it is now?
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 1392.6 miles
Next maintenance (at 1500 miles):
Inspect / Clean / Replace spark plug
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07 Oct 2011:
My eleventh fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the twelfth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1455.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 141.3 miles
Fuel: 2.175 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.759
Total Cost: $8.18
Fuel Mileage: 64.96 MPG
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24 Oct 2011:
I've been slacking a bit, what with overtime at work, sick kids at home, catching the kids' cold, etc.
So, the 1500 mile service (Inspect / Clean / Replace spark plug) was delayed until 1548.7 miles.
The spark plug looks great, a light tan color, no deposits, no burnt spots. The spark plug has 717.8 miles on it now.
The spark plug is an NGK Iridium IX DPR7EIX-9. It's one heat range cooler than the OEM spark plug, so I was expecting to see at least a little bit of buildup on the plug, but there's none.
Next maintenance items (at 1600 miles):
Adjust valve clearance
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30 Oct 2011:
Checked the valve clearances this afternoon (mileage: 1608.3), after letting the bike sit unused since Friday evening. Both the exhaust and intake valves were exactly where I had adjusted them to, so no further action was necessary.
I also went around and checked bolt tightness and cleaned the bike up a bit, it seems to accumulate a bit of dust on top of the engine under the Met-In box.
Next maintenance item (at 1800 miles):
Inspect brake system
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31 Oct 2011:
My twelfth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the thirteenth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1614.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 159.0 miles
Fuel: 2.306 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.759
Total Cost: $8.67
Fuel Mileage: 68.95 MPG
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19 Nov 2011:
My 13th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 14th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1754.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 140.9 miles
Fuel: 2.105 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.659
Total Cost: $7.70
Fuel Mileage: 66.94 MPG
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03 Dec 2011:
I inspected the brakes and braking system today for the 1800 mile service interval. Still nothing new to report in this regard, as I generally only use the brakes when the bike is down below the speed at which the clutch disengages (approximately 12 MPH).
Next maintenance items (at 2000 miles):
Replace engine oil & filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Inspect suspension
Inspect/Replace tires
{EDIT: Sorry for the advertising link... apparently a new 'feature' of the forums.}
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13 Dec 2011:
My 14th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 15th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 1903.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 148.6 miles
Fuel: 2.231 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.499
Total Cost: $7.81
Fuel Mileage: 66.61 MPG
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30 Dec 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
The engine oil looked somewhere between brown and purple. It started out new as a very deep purple, and I was concerned that the dark color would prevent me from seeing any metal flakes, but it doesn't, since I put a bright light above the pan as I'm pouring the oil into the waste oil container.
There were NO metal flakes in the pan. None. I looked for a long time trying to find any in the bottom of the pan after I'd poured the oil out, with a bright light, and they just weren't there. So either they were so small that they remained suspended in the oil as it was poured out (although I didn't see any as I was pouring), or the engine didn't wear much with the synthetic oil. With the conventional oil, I could plainly see the flakes in the bottom of the pan, but there's none this time with the synthetic.
There was a small amount of metal flakes in the gear oil, but not a lot.
The engine oil filter looked darkened (probably from the oil color staining it... see below) but otherwise clean. The engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Things I learned:
1) The Royal Purple one gallon jug works ok with one of those long, skinny funnels. I bought one from Kragen for a couple bucks, it's small enough to fit in the dipstick hole, and is oblong at the other end, so pouring into it is easier. I only spilled two drops, total, this time (before, using the old round, short funnel, oil tended to slide down the outside of the jug, rather than going into the funnel).
2) Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil is purple, but it stains the dipstick brown. Before, the dipstick was very clean and white. Now it's a light tan color.
3) I might be mistaken here, but I believe Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil has some sort of additive that dissolves glue. The HighFlo HF562 oil filter has a small rubber bung in the center, and when I took the old filter out, that bung stayed on the little protuding tube inside the motor. The glue on the filter looked like it'd been dissolved. Not a real problem, since getting that rubber bung out was easy, and that additive may be there to keep deposits out of the engine. I just wonder if it's dissolving anything else.
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 2012.4 miles
I also inspected the suspension and tires for this maintenance cycle. The suspension looked fine. I found a cut on the rear tire, across the width of the tire tread contact patch, as though I'd run over something sharp. It wasn't deep, though, and it'll disappear as the tire wears. I'm just wondering what I ran over that would cause that.
Next maintenance (at 2400 miles):
Inspect brake system
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06 Jan 2012:
My 15th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 16th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2053.3 miles
Miles Ridden: 149.8 miles
Fuel: 2.172 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.539
Total Cost: $7.69
Fuel Mileage: 68.97 MPG
Added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners.
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31 Jan 2012:
My 16th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 17th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2202.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 149.1 miles
Fuel: 2.274 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.639
Total Cost: $8.28
Fuel Mileage: 65.57 MPG
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14 Feb 2012:
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Exactly one year with my Yager, and no problems so far. It's a rock solid machine that runs great. By this time with my old Tank scooter, my left-hand mirror had fallen off, the fork downtube weld had broken, the rear brakes went mushy, the blinkers stopped blinking, the headlight burned out, the rear tire developed a slow leak, and the battery only lasted about 8 hours before requiring a charge when the bike sat unused (the alarm system drained it).
So all in all, I'd say the Yager is a HUGE step up for me. It's big enough for me, it's comfortable, it's maneuverable, and it's troublefree.
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24 Feb 2012:
My 17th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 18th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2348.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 146.1 miles
Fuel: 2.143 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.039
Total Cost: $8.66
Fuel Mileage: 68.18 MPG
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14 Mar 2012:
I inspected the brakes for the 2400 mile service. It's a little late at 2492.3 miles, because it's been cold and rainy here, and I've been putting it off, hoping for a sunny day to do the inspection. Alas, the forecast is for rain and more rain. Still no change in the brake pads, since I'm extremely easy on the brakes.
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15 Mar 2012:
My 18th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 19th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2501.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 153.0 miles
Fuel: 2.468 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.249
Total Cost: $10.49
Fuel Mileage: 61.99 MPG
The apparent mileage went down, because I learned something new... as you're filling the tank, just as the fuel fills up the filler neck, if you rock the bike back on the main stand, a bubble of air will come out that was trapped at the top of the tank, allowing you to get more fuel in the tank. The fuel mileage will go up again next fill-up, and this momentary downturn in fuel mileage will eventually be averaged out over many fill-ups.
I also checked the steering head bearing again, per my maintenance schedule. This is accomplished by moving and pulling on the handle bars, to see if there is any binding or free play. There was none, so nothing further need be done. If there had been any, a tear-down to the steering head bearing would have been done, and the bearing inspected, serviced, and replaced if necessary.
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26 May 2012:
My wife and kids have been on vacation overseas for the past couple months, so I've been mostly driving the car to work. So the scooter hasn't gotten much riding time lately. But the wife and kids are coming back in a couple weeks, so it was time to start riding the scooter again.
The first thing I did was add a battery tender. The Deltran Battery Tender Junior, a 12V 750mA smart trickle charger/maintainer.
http://batterytender.com/motorcycle/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html (http://batterytender.com/motorcycle/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html)
This comes with a detachable cord, so you can have a permanent connection at the battery, and plug/unplug the charger as needed. I connected the battery tender line to the battery, and cut a small notch out of the battery compartment cover so the wire could go through. I leave the charger plugged into the line connected to the battery, and just throw the charger into the Met-In box. If I'm storing the scooter for long periods, I plug in. Easy, simple. Also handy if I ever find the battery is flat when I'm out and about. Just find a wall plug, and go get something to eat while I wait for the battery to charge. That's never happened, but it's nice to know I've got a way to get the scooter started if it ever does happen.
I'll eventually put in a cigarette lighter plug next to the Met-In Box light, and connect through that, but for now, it works. Been so busy with work and with researching and purchasing rental property that I don't have a lot of time right now.
Things I learned:
1) If you let the scooter sit unused for a month or more, the battery WILL be weak. A battery tender is a must in these circumstances.
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27 May 2012:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.
The engine oil looked surprisingly clean. It was a darker purple than new, but other than that, it looked good. There were NO metal flakes in the pan.
There was a very small amount of metal flakes in the gear oil, but not a lot.
The engine oil filter looked darkened (probably from the oil color staining it) but otherwise clean. The engine oil strainer was clean.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Things I learned:
1) On my last oil change, I discussed my suspicions that the Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil had some sort of additive that dissolves glue. I might have been incorrect, since the glue on the removed filter this time was intact.
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 2634.9 miles
Next maintenance (at 3000 miles):
Inspect brake system
Clean/Replace spark plug
Replace air cleaner
Replace fuel filter
Inspect brake levers
Inspect/Replace brake shoes
Inspect shocks
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27 May 2012:
My 19th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 20th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2636.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 134.6 miles
Fuel: 2.030 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.179
Total Cost: $8.48
Fuel Mileage: 66.31 MPG
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22 Jun 2012:
My 20th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 21st tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2790.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 154.6 miles
Fuel: 2.375 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.699
Total Cost: $8.79
Fuel Mileage: 65.09 MPG
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19 Jul 2012:
My 21st fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 22nd tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 2944.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 153.4 miles
Fuel: 2.422 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.579
Total Cost: $8.67
Fuel Mileage: 63.34 MPG
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21 Jul 2012:
Ordered 10 oil filters (HiFlo Filtro HF-562, Part #304961, $3.90 each) from DennisKirk.com.
They had 6 in stock, so they should be shipped immediately. The other 4 will be shipped later.
Ordered 2 air filters (Kymco, Part #1721A-KKC3-900, $18.18 each) from StadiumYamaha.com.
Ordered 1 drive belt (Kymco, Part #23100-LEA6-900, $52.99 each) from StadiumYamaha.com.
This is my first order from Stadium Yamaha, so I'll keep you all apprised as to the quality of their service.
After I receive the drive belt, I'll measure it very carefully, and cross-reference to existing aramid-fiber belts and non-aramid-fiber belts, so we know which one to order.
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22 Jul 2012:
Ordered 10 fuel filters (Part #33031, $2.46 each) from FleetFilter.com.
These are Wix 33031 / Napa 3031 filters, with a metal canister body and paper filter element. They have a 12 micron filter rating, a burst pressure of 60psi, and 1/4" hose nipples. In reading a bunch of fuel filter recommendations online, it seems most people recommend just getting the cheap plastic see-through fuel filters. But I've also read where they can crack or burst, causing a fire hazard. So I went with the metal canister body. Since I'll be changing it every year or so, it won't matter if I can see the filter element or not.
This is my first order from FleetFilter.com, so I'll keep you all apprised as to the quality of their service.
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26 Jul 2012:
Received the oil filters from DennisKirk.com. Got 6 of them, the other 4 are on back-order.
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30 Jul 2012:
Received the fuel filters I ordered from FleetFilter.com.
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07 Aug 2012:
Received the two air filters and the drive belt from StadiumYamaha.com. Now to go to Home Depot and buy a caliper and angle gauge to measure the belt exactly.
{Edit: Home Depot had a digital caliper gauge for ~$35.00, and I had a Home Depot gift card, so I got it essentially for free.}
{Edit 2: I found that I could mathematically derive the angle from the measurements, so no angle gauge was needed.}
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08 Aug 2012:
Recieved the last 4 oil filters from DennisKirk.com.
I hope to get to the 3000 mile service this weekend, but I don't know if I can. Got a first birthday party to attend for my youngest, so we're visiting family all weekend.
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10 Aug 2012:
My 22nd fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 23rd tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3097.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 153.8 miles
Fuel: 2.422 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.899
Total Cost: $9.44
Fuel Mileage: 63.50 MPG
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12 Aug 2012:
I finally got around to performing the 3000 mile service, at 3100.1 miles.
I replaced the air cleaner, checked and cleaned the spark plug, installed a fuel filter in the line running from the gas tank, inspected the brake system, brake levers and brake shoes (still not much more than minimal wear on them), and inspected the shocks.
I went to Kragen Auto Parts and bought a package of MasterPro Fuel Injection Hose Clamps (Part #MP131516F), for installing the fuel filter. This package comes with four each of three sizes of hose clamps: 11-12.7mm, 12.7-14.3mm and 14.3-16mm. Turns out, the smallest one (11-12.7mm) works perfectly for this application.
Upon cutting the fuel line to install the fuel filter, I discovered that the OEM fuel line is 5/16", whereas the fuel filter takes a 1/4" fuel line. Not feeling comfortable with how loose the hose was on the fuel filter, even after clamping it, I went back to Kragen Auto Parts and got a Prestone 1/4" x 18" Fuel Injection Hose (Part #FJ0104), and installed it in place of the OEM fuel line, cutting it to the correct length. I had to stretch the end of the hose a bit to get it to slip onto the fuel injector hose fitting, which I did by ramming the hose onto the end of my Leatherman multi-purpose tool pliers. I then wetted the end of my finger with new synthetic oil and put a thin coat of oil on the fuel injector hose fitting, and the new hose slid right on. After clamping the hose down, it's a tight and leak-free fit on all fittings.
The fuel filter fit perfectly in that little space between the fuel tank and the front of the motor, accessible by removing the seat, the Met-In box, and that plastic snap-in piece that covers the area below the front of the seat. So it's relatively easy to get to when it's time to change it, and it's not in the way of anything else. It fit in that area so well, you'd swear it came that way from the factory.
I inspected the brake system, looking for any loose parts, worn or cracked or abraded hoses, etc. All seems to be in order.
I checked the spark plug, it has a nice dark tan color to it, no pitting on the electrodes or bubbling on the ceramic, almost no buildup at all (there was just a bit on the very end of the metal part where the threads are, which came off with a soft, lint-free cloth), so even though this spark plug is one heat range cooler than the OEM plug, it appears to be working well.
I checked the shock absorbers, ensuring all the mounting bolts were torqued to spec, and there was no leakage of the shocks or other damage.
When I first fired up the scooter after doing all the above, it ran for about 10 seconds, then died... air in the fuel filter getting purged out. I restarted the scooter, and it ran fine. The old air cleaner was somewhat dirty, and it had oil in it from the gearbox, so that was probably restricting air flow a bit, which would explain why the scooter had more power and a couple MPH higher top-end speed in after-maintenance testing.
To mitigate the problem of oil in the gearbox migrating to the air filter, I bought one of those MixMizer syringes at WalMart (Walmart No.: 001042459), and will use that to measure the amount of oil I put in the gearbox.
Next maintenance (at 3200 miles):
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
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29 Aug 2012:
My 23rd fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 24rd tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3250.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 152.6 miles
Fuel: 2.454 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.999
Total Cost: $9.81
Fuel Mileage: 62.18 MPG
I'll get to the 3200 mile maintenance this weekend. My oil light came on this morning on the ride to work, so I'm over 600 miles on this oil change. Remember, the engine has to be cold to adjust the valves, so I'll let it sit overnight Friday, and Saturday morning I'll do the maintenance.
Over at my Fuelly.com profile, you'll notice that my fuel mileage has been going down. I'm not sure why. I bought some fuel injector cleaner, and will put it in the next two tankfuls. Hopefully, that'll help.
I still want to get that diagnostic tool that you plug into the data port on the scooter (in the battery box), and fiddle with the settings to lower the idle speed a couple hundred RPM, and lean the mix just a tiny bit.
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02 Sep 2012:
I performed the 3200 mile service today, which consisted of replacing the engine oil, checking the engine oil filter screen, changing the engine oil filter, replacing the gear oil, and adjusting valve clearance.
The engine oil looked dark (but it's already dark purple when new), but showed no metal flakes in it under inspection with a bright light.
The oil filter screen was clean, and the oil filter was dirty but not especially so, considering it'd been in service for 600 miles.
The gear oil looked like new, but it had a small amount of very tiny metal flakes in it. I used the MixMizer giant syringe I'd bought previously to measure the amount of oil I put back into the gearcase. Since I think .18 liters is too little, I put in .25 liters. We'll see if that causes any oil to migrate to the air filter housing.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
The valves were dead on, exactly where they should be, so nothing to report there. Looks like the valves have fully seated.
Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 3276.3 miles
Next scheduled maintenance (at 3500 miles):
Inspect radiator core
Inspect radiator cap
I'm going to use the special camera we've got at work for inspecting boiler tubes to look inside the radiator, and I hope to purchase a radiator cap tester before 3500 miles, if I can find one.
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04 Sep 2012:
Renewed the insurance for the scooter. For some reason, Geico reduced our payment from $97.00/yr to $78.80/yr, possibly because I'm a government employee, and GEICO is the Government Employee Insurance Company (or at least, that's what they started out as), and still give good discounts to government employees. Insurance is valid from 01 Oct 2012 to 01 Oct 2013.
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21 Sep 2012:
My 24th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 25th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3411.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 160.5 miles
Fuel: 2.463 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.999
Total Cost: $9.85
Fuel Mileage: 65.16 MPG
I added one-third of a bottle of fuel-injector cleaner (enough to treat 11 gallons, so it's about 3.5 times stronger than necessary) to the tank. Hopefully, that'll clean the fuel injector and get the fuel mileage back up a bit.
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08 Oct 2012:
I performed the 3500 mile service today (at 3515.7 miles), which consisted of inspecting the cooling system. To do so, I had to remove the front fairing on the scooter. Here is how I did so:
1) Remove 3 hex-head screws on the front of the visor garnish (the black plastic shallow v-shaped strip below the visor, above the headlight) (need 5 mm hex-head wrench)
2) Remove the visor garnish
3) Remove the 2 phillips-head screws at the bottom of the visor (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required)
4) Remove the 2 phillips-head screws from the inner visor cover (one at each side of the instrument panel) (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required)
5) Remove the visor
6) Remove the 3 black plastic fasteners (one on each side of, and one in the center of the inner visor cover) (use the 5mm hex wrench to push the inner post of the fastener in, while pulling out gently on the visor inner cover)
7) Remove two phillip-head screws at the bottom of the visor inner cover, one on each side. (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required)
8) Remove the visor inner cover
9) Pull the center posts of those three black plastic fasteners out a bit, so when you're putting it all back together, it goes together easily.
10) Remove the two nuts just above the headlight (10 mm socket required)
11) Remove the two phillips-head screws in the extreme upper corners of the fairing (looking at the bike from the front, they'd be above the headlight, on each side of the instrument panel (which you can now see from the front, now that the visor inner cover is removed. (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required) (NOTE: these were really tight on my bike... push hard on the screwdriver so it doesn't slip and mess up the screw head)
12) Remove 10 phillips-head screws along the backside of the front fairing (sit on the seat, look along the edge of the front fairing, it's the top 5 screws on the left and right) (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required)
13) Remove 2 phillips-head screws at the bottom of the front fairing, in the wheelwell (one on each side) (#2 phillips-head screwdriver required)
14) Lift up slightly on the bottom of the front fairing, wiggling it back and forth slightly to work it off the two screw posts just above the headlight. Remove the front fairing, but hold onto it! Put down a few thick clothes on the front fender (so you don't scratch the fender), and balance it on there while you do the next step.
15) Unplug the headlight/running lights/turn signals wiring
16) Remove the front fairing
Once that was accomplished, I inspected the radiator and radiator cap (although I wasn't able to purchase a radiator cap tester in time for the maintenance). I used a special camera from work that's used for inspecting boiler tubes to look inside the radiator... if you don't have something like this, you'd have to drain the coolant, undo the fill-neck connection to the radiator, and use a small mirror and bright light to look in. It's a tight bend from the filler neck to the radiator, but fortunately the camera has a long, thin optic cable that can be put into places like this. It's got a bright light on it, as well, allowing me to see the inside of the radiator even though it was filled with coolant. I didn't have much distance that I could see, but by moving the optic fiber close to the walls and inlet ports, I was able to see them clearly. Never having seen the inside of one of these radiators when it was brand new, I have no frame of reference, but the walls of the radiator were clean, the passage inlets didn't look to be blocked, it looked new.
I cleaned the inner and outer seating surfaces of the filler neck and the radiator cap, checked all the hose connections to be sure they were tight and leak-free, and looked at the coolant pump weep-hole to be sure the mechanical seal was intact. The components under the fairing were clean, so I decided against cleaning everything while I had the fairing off.
Now that I know how to get the front fairing plastic off, I'll be looking about for a 12V power plug to put next to the ignition switch (like DaveABQ has done here: http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=7178.msg79554#msg79554 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=7178.msg79554#msg79554)). That'll let me plug in the battery tender more easily, as well as allowing for easy jump-starts should I ever find the battery dead while I'm out and about.
Next maintenance item (at 3600 miles):
Inspect brake system
Inspect / Fill / Replace battery
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12 Oct 2012:
My 25th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 26th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3561.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 150.7 miles
Fuel: 2.370 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.499
Total Cost: $10.66
Fuel Mileage: 63.59 MPG
I added one-third of a bottle of fuel-injector cleaner (enough to treat 11 gallons, so it's about 3.5 times stronger than necessary) to the tank. Hopefully, that'll clean the fuel injector and get the fuel mileage back up a bit.
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31 Oct 2012:
My 26th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 27th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3722.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 161.2 miles
Fuel: 2.418 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.849
Total Cost: $9.31
Fuel Mileage: 66.67 MPG
I added one-third of a bottle of fuel-injector cleaner (enough to treat 11 gallons, so it's about 3.5 times stronger than necessary) to the tank. Hopefully, that'll clean the fuel injector and get the fuel mileage back up a bit.
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05 Nov 2012:
I finally got around to performing the 3600 mile service today... a combination of working too hard, not having the energy to do it, and being occupied with the wife and kids.
Anyway, the maintenance items for today consisted of checking the battery fluid level, and checking the braking system.
I pried off the top sealing strip from the battery. Only two of the cells had liquid above the tops of the cell plates. I went to Walgreens down the block and bought a gallon of distilled water, and very carefully added just enough water to each cell so that when I tipped the battery back and forth, I could see a bit of liquid sloshing across the tops of the plates. The little sealing strip that goes along the top of the battery has these little cups, and I used one of those to pour the water into, then dump it from there into each cell. It took a long time because the cups on the sealing strip are small, but I didn't want to just pour from the gallon jug for fear of overfilling. I installed the battery back into the scooter, fired it up to be sure it still ran alright and I didn't get any error codes from disconnecting the battery, then plugged in the battery tender to let it charge overnight.
The second item was the braking system. Nothing much to report here, as I go very easy on the brakes. I inspected all the components from the brake levers and reservoirs, to the brake lines, to the brake pads and brake discs. The only problem I found is that a bit of paint around the edge of the left-hand brake fluid reservoir cap has come off, probably because it was exposed to brake fluid... so when I change the brake fluid, I may have to get a new o-ring to be sure that cap seals correctly.
These maintenance items were performed at 3762 miles.
Next maintenance (at 3800 miles):
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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12 Nov 2012:
Changed the engine oil, gear oil and oil filter. Same as before, the engine oil was a darker purple but no metal flakes, the oil filter was darkened but no metal flakes, and the gear oil had a slight amount of very tiny silvery metal flakes in it.
I put 0.25 liters of gear oil in using the MixMizer giant syringe, even though we're only supposed to put 0.18 liters. I think that's too little. I didn't have any gear oil pulled into the air cleaner housing since the last oil change at 3276 miles.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
These maintenance items were performed at 3798 miles.
Next maintenance items (at 4000 miles):
Inspect suspension
Inspect/Replace tires
Inspect/Replace drive belt & variator
Tighten all nuts and bolts
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20 Nov 2012:
My 28th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 3894.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 172.0 miles
Fuel: 2.497 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.699
Total Cost: $9.24
Fuel Mileage: 68.88 MPG
The increased fuel mileage could be one of two things:
1) On a hot day, I rode aggressively to warm up the tires, then put exactly 37 PSI in each tire. The added pressure reduces rolling resistance.
2) The fuel-injector cleaner did its job.
I bought some SeaFoam, and I'll be adding that to each tankful (1 oz. SeaFoam per gallon of fuel) after this tank. I didn't add anything to this tank, just to be sure all the fuel injector cleaner is burned before I add anything else.
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15 Dec 2012:
Performed the 4000 mile maintenance item. It consisted of:
Inspect suspension
Inspect/Replace tires
Inspect/Replace drive belt & variator
Tighten all nuts and bolts
Nothing much to report except I found one bolt on the muffler was a bit loose. I used medium strength threadlocker and tightened it down. The belt is just now starting to show signs of wear, just the slightest amount of scuffing on the beveled edges of the belt, and the sides of the belt 'cogs' (the bumps) where they meet the sheave are now worn down a bit. If no other problems arise with the belt before then, I'll probably replace it at 12,000 miles.
These items were performed at 4052 miles. They were delayed due to everyone in the house getting the flu.
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17 Dec 2012:
After work, I noticed my trip odometer at 157 miles, and thought I'd have to fill up soon, but the fuel gage wasn't on the last segment yet, nor was it blinking. Curious as to how far I could ride before it did start blinking, I started riding in a big loop, jumping onto the freeway for a few miles, then backtracking down a side road to the freeway onramp, so that if the bike did run out of gas, at least I'd be within a couple miles of my gas station. So I rode... and rode... and rode... finally, at about 174 miles, the fuel gage started blinking. Of course, I'd just started a new loop so I had to ride to 178.7 miles on the trip odometer to get to the gas station. Still, that's a great deal farther than the 140 to 150 I used to have to fill up at.
My 29th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4073.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 178.7 miles
Fuel: 2.563 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.349
Total Cost: $8.58
Fuel Mileage: 69.72 MPG
I added three ounces of SeaFoam to the fuel tank.
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05 Jan 2013:
I performed the 4200 mile service today, which consisted of checking the braking system. Still nothing much to report in regards to the braking system, as I tend to ride such that the brakes don't get utilized a lot. I keep a good following distance behind other vehicles, and allow the engine to do most of the braking.
Next maintenance (at 4400 miles):
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Check engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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08 Jan 2013:
My 30th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4251.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 177.4 miles
Fuel: 2.552 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.499
Total Cost: $8.93
Fuel Mileage: 69.51 MPG
I added three ounces of SeaFoam to the fuel tank.
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10 Jan 2013:
Someone stole the mirrors off the bike while it was parked in the parking garage at work. I'll have to order replacement mirrors.
{UPDATE}
I ordered new replacement mirrors from Rockridge Scooters, the same place I purchased the scooter from. Total cost with shipping and sales tax: $109.00
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25 Jan 2013:
The replacement mirrors arrived from Rockridge Scooters. I'll put them on this weekend, with threadlock to hopefully prevent this sort of thing happening again.
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27 Jan 2013:
The new mirrors are mounted, and the new 2014 registration tag is on the license plate.
I used medium strength threadlock compound on the mirror mounting bolts, then tightened the locknuts as tight as I dared. Hopefully, no one will be able to steal them this time.
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30 Jan 2013:
My 31st fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4425.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 174.7 miles
Fuel: 2.597 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.559
Total Cost: $9.24
Fuel Mileage: 67.27 MPG
I added three ounces of SeaFoam to the fuel tank.
I'll do the 4400 mile service this weekend.
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04 Feb 2013:
I didn't get to the oil change this weekend, so as soon as I got home from work today, I drained the oil and replaced the oil filter.
In doing so, I discovered that one of the bolts that holds the oil filter cover in place was stripped. Actually, the threads in the tapped hole are stripped, the bolt itself was fine. The bolt had the stripped threads from the tapped hole wrapped around it. Oddly, there were only about 1-1/2 threads worth of mating between the bolt threads and the tapped hole threads, so it's little wonder it stripped out, despite me being cautious to not use excessive torque. So, I'll drill out the hole a bit, and put a threaded insert in. I've also decided to change the configuration of the oil filter cover a bit. Rather than bolts that go through the oil filter cover and into the engine block, I'm going to put threaded posts that stick out from the engine block, and use nylon locknuts on those posts. That'll save the aluminum engine block from further wear and tear on those threads.
So the scooter is down for the time being, until I can get it repaired. I didn't refill it with oil yet.
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08 Feb 2013:
I finally got the oil filter cover fixed. Amazing how few stores (I'm looking at you Home Depot, Home Depot Pro, Lowes, Ace, True Value) carry metric hardware. I had to go around to all the hardware stores, mixing and matching because their metric hardware drawers were usually empty or poorly stocked.
But, I finally got the parts I needed:
$24.97 - Irwin 12 piece Metric 3mm - 7mm tap and die set
$6.47 - Loctite 242 Blue Threadlocker
$2.50 - bag of 1/4" flat washers (I couldn't find any metric washers, so I chose the closest SAE size I could find)
$2.10 - Three 50mm long, 7mm bolts
$1.36 - 2 bags of 7mm hex nuts
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$37.40
First, some background:
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The three 6mm bolts that hold our oil covers on are 16.5mm long. The oil filter cover itself is just under 8mm thick. This leaves approximately 8.5mm of thread for those bolts to grab. That's only a THIRD OF AN INCH.
But the holes themselves are 22mm deep, and with a regular tap, you can get 18mm of threads (about .7 inches). If you have a bottoming tap, you should be able to get all 22mm (.86 inches) threaded, but I wasn't able to find a 7mm metric bottoming tap in any of the stores. So, you could use a 25mm long, 6mm bolt to replace the current ones, and it'd give you a much better grip.
Anyway, with so few threads, it's no wonder those threads stripped out, even with me being careful to use a torque wrench to properly torque the bolts each time. I've changed the oil 10 times already (11 counting today's), and it's an aluminum block. Those threads can't take much wear and tear, being aluminum.
I decided to change things up a bit. Rather than threaded holes that bolts are screwed into, I decided to go with studs sticking out, that nuts are screwed onto. That way, the studs are never removed, so the aluminum block and those threads are spared.
You'll notice in the price / parts list above that I purchased three 50mm long, 7mm bolts. These are Grade 8 bolts, much tougher than the aluminum, so they should last pretty much forever in this application without any problem.
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How I did it:
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The studs:
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What I did was convert those bolts into studs by cutting the heads off, grinding a slight bevel onto the cut end, then using the die to clean up the threads. When I was finished, each was 47 mm long.
At 47 mm long, that would have left me with about 20 or 21 mm of threads outside the filter cover. I had planned to put rubber bushings (with washers on each side) onto the studs and tighten the nuts against that to maintain tension on the oil filter cover without the possibility of over-tightening it.
But, when I did a test fit in the scooter, I found that the bottom front stud was in the way of the main kickstand. So, I was left with no other option than to shorten the studs to 43mm, and not use the rubber bushing.
You'll notice that I'm using double nuts, one backed against another to keep them tight. I was unable to find any store that had 7mm nylon locknuts. After I find them, I'll be able to use the rubber bushings and the nylon locknuts together, as removing one of the nuts currently used frees up 5mm of space.
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The oil filter cover:
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The three holes in the oil filter cover had to be enlarged to accomodate the larger bolts (studs). I used a 19/64th inch drill bit, since that's just a tiny bit bigger than 7mm (7.54mm, to be exact).
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The holes:
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I tapped out the holes to 7mm. I didn't drill them out or anything, just ran the 7mm tap up the existing 6mm threads. I'd make a half-turn on the tap, then back it up to break the metal shard it was creating, then go back in another half-turn deeper, etc. Every two turns of the tap, I took it out and blew out the metal shavings with compressed air. This made for very clean-cut threads.
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Assembly:
==========
Once I got the holes tapped and the studs cut to the proper length, I put some blue Loctite threadlocker on the first 10mm of the studs, screwed them in (I double-nutted the other end of the stud so I had something to wrench on), removed the double-nuts, put the oil filter, spring and oil cover on, and buttoned it up.
One thing that has changed is how to put the filter/spring/cover in place. The old method was to hold all three together as you shoved them into the hole, then held the cover tight to keep the spring compressed as you got your 6mm screws put in and tightened.
With the studs in the way now, it's difficult to do that, so I came up with a different way. I bugged my wife until she let me have one of our refrigerator magnets. I picked the strongest one, it was on a bottle-top opener that we never use, sent to her by some friends. The magnet was really strong. I pried the magnet out (it was glued in to a little indent in the metal, and came out after a bit of bending the bottle top opener and prying beneath the magnet).
Now, I slip the oil filter into place, then put the magnet on the outside of the oil filter cover, and the spring on the inside. Magnetism holds both in place as I slide the oil filter cover onto the studs. If the magnet drops, you know the spring has dropped inside the cover, so pull it apart and start over. Once the spring and oil filter are squashed together, it's pretty much the same as before... just hold them together with one hand while you get the nuts onto the studs.
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Pictures:
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See attachments.
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I also changed the oil, oil filter and gear oil. Mileage: 4480.4
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Next maintenance items (at 4500 miles):
Clean / Replace spark plug
Inspect steering head bearing
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18 Feb 2013:
I performed the 4500 mile service today, which consisted of inspecting the steering head bearing, and cleaning/replacing the spark plug.
The steering head bearing is checked by twisting and pulling on the handlebars. If you feel any slop or play, you have to disassemble the whole front end to get to the steering head bearing, and inspect it / replace it. Fortunately, I experienced no slop or play, so there's no need to do anything further.
The spark plug (an NGK DPR7Eix-9 Iridium) I pulled out and replaced with the second one I'd bought on 26 Feb 2011. This spark plug's been in the bike since 09 Jul 2011 and 830.9 miles, so 3717.7 miles of service. I changed it out for the new one to see if it'd get rid of the occasional cold idle 'lump', but it doesn't seem to have had any effect. The old spark plug, which was a perfect light tan color with no buildup, has been cleaned and will be a backup.
Mileage for maintenance: 4548.6
Next maintenance items (4800 miles):
Inspect brake system
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02 Mar 2013:
My 32nd fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4605.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 179.9 miles
Fuel: 2.728 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.049
Total Cost: $11.05
Fuel Mileage: 65.95 MPG
I added three ounces of SeaFoam to the fuel tank.
The fuel gauge had been blinking since before I began my high-speed run on the freeway. I went about 15 miles at freeway speeds. Just after the exit, there's a long downslope, which I coasted down, then I turned left up a hill, where the engine started sputtering. So I was *really* low on gas. At the top of that hill was a right turn, then a very long downslope, then a right turn onto a flat section of road until I get to Costco. Since I was so close to the fuel pumps, I decided to detour about an eighth of a mile to pick up a Subway sandwich. On the last turn, the engine died. I coasted into the Subway parking lot and got my sandwich, came back out and it started up fine, but sputtered and died when pulling out of the parking lot. I restarted and gingerly coaxed it to the fuel pumps, it died the final time not 100 feet from there, so I just coasted in. So, at least I know I've got a mile or so I can ride after it sputters the first time, should I need to coax it to a gas station. Give it aggressive throttle, and it'll die, but go gingerly, and it'll keep running. Strangely, I thought this was supposed to be a 3 gallon tank. Perhaps my fuel pickup isn't close enough to the tank bottom? Something to investigate at a later date.
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26 Mar 2013:
My 33rd fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4762.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 157.0 miles
Fuel: 2.495 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.939
Total Cost: $9.83
Fuel Mileage: 62.93 MPG
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16 Apr 2013:
My 34th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 4934.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 172.1 miles
Fuel: 2.480 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.859
Total Cost: $9.57
Fuel Mileage: 69.40 MPG
I'm not sure why the fuel mileage bounced from 62.93 MPG all the way back up to 69.40 MPG. I didn't add any fuel injector cleaner to the tank on the last fuel-up or on this one, I didn't change my riding style, amount I ride, or route I take. Weird, but I hope it keeps going up.
I also finally got around to doing the 4800 mile service of inspecting the brake system, but there's nothing new to report.
Next maintenance items (5000 miles):
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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27 Apr 2013:
Time for the 5000 mile service.
I changed the engine oil, oil filter and gear oil. Mileage: 5050.8
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
There were only a very few small silver-colored metal flakes (probably aluminum) in the oil this time, and *no* small gold colored flakes as I'd seen before.
As I was loosening the nuts to take the oil filter cover off, I discovered one of the posts could turn (ie: the threadlocker didn't do its job), so I removed it, put more threadlocker compound on it, and screwed it back in.
Next maintenance item (5200 miles):
Adjust valve clearance
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03 May 2013:
My 35th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 5103.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 169.2 miles
Fuel: 2.463 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.799
Total Cost: $9.36
Fuel Mileage: 68.7 MPG
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12 May 2013:
I performed the 5200 mile service today, which consisted of checking valve clearance. The valves were at exactly 0.1 mm, so no adjustments were needed. Mileage was 5161.4 miles.
As I was taking out the Met-In Box, I noticed a green buildup coming out of the lower right-hand corner of the battery box. "Uh oh", I thought to myself, "My battery's either exploded, or cracked, and is leaking." I'd seen a (relatively new) battery explode recently on a 1500 KW diesel generator at work, and it wasn't pretty, so I was very apprehensive as I opened up that battery box.
I hadn't had it on the battery tender for about a month, so it couldn't have been the battery tender overcharging it... beside, it's what they call an "intelligent" charger, it steps down the charge rate as the battery charges, until it shuts off charging completely and just monitors voltage. And the maximum charge rate is only 8 watts (0.75 amps). Hardly enough to boil the battery.
And I've not filled up the battery since 05 Nov 2012, and the battery acid has certainly not been in the battery box that long, it was mostly still wet. And I just put enough distilled water in each cell so you could see the slightest amount of water above the tops of the plates... there was plenty of room for sloshing and bubbling.
So I pulled out the Met-In Box, disconnected the battery and pulled it out. It was sopping wet with battery acid. I took apart half the rear end of the bike trying to figure out how to get the battery box out... turns out there's just three screws inside the battery box.
I saw the two bottom ones, but the top middle one was so covered by a gray mineral looking substance that I couldn't even see it. It appeared as though the battery acid came out of the battery and deposited mostly on the back wall of the battery box. After I discovered that the back wall of the battery box wasn't supposed to be light gray in color, I scratched around with a screwdriver until I found the head of the third bolt, cleaned it out enough that I could get a socket in there, and removed the battery box. I also removed everything beneath it that had gotten dripped on. I then washed everything clean and scrubbed it until there was no trace of the buildup. The only lasting effect was one of the battery box cover circlips (those little metal clips that the bolts screw into) got its bronze coating stripped off because of the acid. I'll buy a new one eventually (when I find four new ones that are the same size as the old), but for now, it's still usable.
I inspected the battery for cracks and leaks under a bright light, then out in the bright sunshine, but found nothing. I suspect a problem in the charging circuitry of the bike is overcharging the battery, but have no way of knowing how to test it. I don't have any other symptoms... no burned out lights, no erratic gauge readings, no lights brighter than normal, no blown fuses, etc.
If anyone knows how to test the charging system to be sure it's working correctly, please PM me.
I also adjusted my throttle lash a bit. I'd tightened it up just a smidge too much previously (on 07 May 2011, setting it to 3 mm), so low-end throttle control wasn't as fine-grained as I'd like it to be. Now I have about 5 mm of lash in the twist grip, and the low-end throttle control is much better.
I also disconnected the Met-In Box light... permanently. I bought a weather proof power outlet that will go in there, I just have to find a washer or insert that'll fit... the power outlet is a wee bit smaller than the light, so there's some play that I want to get rid of. I'll use that power outlet to plug in the battery tender when the scooter is going to be sitting for a long time, or when the battery is low. I also bought a cool power cord like the old style coiled cord for phones... it'll make storing the cord a snap... just toss it into the Met-In Box, no coiling it up required, as I had to do with the old battery tender cord.
Next maintenance items (at 5400 miles):
Inspect brake system
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23 May 2013:
My 36th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 5257.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 153.5 miles
Fuel: 2.354 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.949
Total Cost: $9.30
Fuel Mileage: 65.21 MPG
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08 Jun 2013:
It's time to improve the lighting on and visibility of the scooter.
I ordered the following items:
1) W5W 501 T10 5W 5 WATT CREE LED Wedge Car Light Bulbs - Xenon White
I ordered two of these. They're very bright. They'll go into the front headlight housing in place of the two positional lamps, which also draw 5 watts. So the net load on the electrical system won't change, but the light being thrown foward will increase.
2) Kisan Tech P75W PathBlazer Headlight Modulator
This is a device to modulate the headlight high beam (ie: make it flash) during the day, then allow full brightness during night riding. I have to cut one wire to install it. The flashing will lower electrical system load a bit, but not much. This is more for increasing awareness of surrounding drivers that I'm there.
3) Kisan Tech T50W TailBlazer brake light flasher
This is a device to flash the brake light when the brakes are first applied. I have to cut one wire to install it.
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14 Jun 2013:
My 37th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 5427.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 170.3 miles
Fuel: 2.466 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.859
Total Cost: $9.52
Fuel Mileage: 69.06 MPG
As I was doing my pre-ride inspection prior to leaving work, I found that the high beam on the headlight had burned out (I always ride with the high beam on during the day, so it gets the majority of the use). So I went to Kragen and bought a Sylvania (Osram) Silverstar Ultra (part number 9003/HB2 H4 SU). This is an ultra-bright headlight that is an H2 bulb that is compatible with our H4 headlight system.
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15 Jun 2013:
I performed the 5400 mile maintenance item today, inspecting the brake system. Since others were discussing new brake pads here:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=9154.0 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=9154.0)
I believe I'll order a set soon and replace them when the next brake shoes maintenance item rolls around, at 6000 miles. The brake pads that are on there still look barely used because my riding style tends to be easy on the brakes, but just to be on the safe side.
I installed the new headlight, but had a bit of trouble figuring out how the little spring clip that holds the bulb goes back on, along with the little bronzed-color flat piece of metal that holds the spring clip. I'd have taken a picture before disassembling it, as a reference, but my wife took all the digital cameras with her to Taiwan. I finally figured it out, though.
I also installed the Kisan Tech P75W PathBlazer Headlight Modulator. I had to cut the blue headlight wire to wire it into the circuit, which I did upstream of the plug, so that I didn't have to worry about unplugging the light sensor cable every time I took the front Tupperware off the bike. I stripped back some of the electrical tape that was on the wires from the factory, then cut the blue wire and took out a section of it about an inch long. I stripped the two ends of the blue wire back about a quarter inch, and tried to put the crimp connectors that Kisan had included onto the wires... they were much too small a diameter to take the wire. So, off to Kragen I went to get new crimp connectors and some electrical tape. After installing the new crimp connectors (which were just a tiny bit wider than the ones Kisan provided, but I squeezed them down in width a bit), I found there was the potential for them to touch the aluminum housing of the flasher unit, thereby creating a circuit that would bypass the flasher, leaving me with a high beam that was always on, rather than flashing when it was supposed to. So, I slid the aluminum housing off the PathBlazer and filed down the ends so the housing was just a bit shorter.
The way it's now assembled, the blue wire provides a bit of a 'push' on the crimp connectors (because it's just a tiny bit longer now than the other wires in the bundle), keeping them firmly in place on the connection lugs of the PathBlazer, so the connections can't wiggle loose over time. I wrapped it all up with electrical tape, leaving the aluminum housing exposed, as I'm assuming it's a heat sink for the electronics inside.
For the light sensor that signals the PathBlazer when to flash the headlight, I drilled a hole in the dashboard on the left side (as you're on the bike, looking forward), on the far outer edge, just next to the Tupperware, and approximately on the same level as the bottom of the instrument cluster. There was an empty area behind that section of dashboard such that I could easily bundle up the extra-long sensor wire there without it getting in the way of anything else, and the headlight connector is on that side anyway. I started with an undersized drill bit, and did a lot of test fitting, drilling out just a tiny bit each time, until the sensor fit in the hole perfectly. The sensor head has threads on it, with a nut on the back, so it's screwed to the dashboard securely now.
I have a drop-light in the garage and I first attempted to test it (because I wanted to be sure it all worked before I put all the Tupperware back) by hooking up my multimeter to the headlight connector without the headlight connected, and shining the drop-light on the sensor, but the drop-light was CFL (flourescent), and wouldn't trigger the flashing, so I went upstairs and pilfered an incandescent bulb from the hallway light (it needed to be replaced with a flourescent anyway, so two birds, one stone) and put that into the drop-light and tried to retest... still no flashing, at least my digital meter wasn't registering any... now I was getting worried. As a last resort, I hooked up the headlight and tested again... it worked, much to my relief. Apparently, either my digital meter wasn't registering the voltage fluctuations, or the Pathblazer needs a load to make the light modulate.
Tomorrow I'll install the TailBlazer brake light flasher, which should be easier than the PathBlazer installation.
Soon, I hope to receive the LEDs in the mail, and that'll necessitate me taking off the front Tupperware again, but at least I got the PathBlazer headlight flasher working for now.
Next maintenance item (at 5500 miles):
Replace air filter
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16 Jun 2013:
I installed the TailBlazer brake light flasher today, and I've got to say, it was *more* difficult than installing the PathBlazer, not because of the TailBlazer itself, but getting the bike apart was almost impossible, since I'd never done it before. In the manual, it says that you can take off four screws and the tail light cover will come off... it doesn't. Come to find out that the Tupperware is in the way a bit, and the gasket around the tail light cover sticks to the tail light cover, making it necessary to take ALL the rear Tupperware off, taking the entire tail light assembly out of the Tupperware, and carefully prying the tail light cover out of the tail light assembly. Even doing all this, I managed to crack the tail light cover, so I have to order another one. When I install the new tail light cover, I'm going to put a bit of white grease on the gasket that keeps water out of the tail light assembly, to prevent it from sticking to the tail light cover, and to lubricate it a bit so it slides out easier next time I need to change the brake light or blinker lights. The tail light cover is supposed to slide straight back to remove it, after removing the four screws.
I got all the screws out, and tried to take the Tupperware off, but it just wouldn't come, until I got mad and jerked it violently from the rear of the bike... and accidentally found the trick to getting it off easily, which I'll talk about soon.
Ok, first you've got to take out the Met-In box, the cover at the front of the seat under the Met-In box, unscrew the two side panel screws (above the passenger footpegs), unscrew the tail light cover screws, take off the backrest and luggage rack, then take off the rear fender (where the license plate is).
Once you've got all that loosened, pull out on the plastic clips on the sides of the body (the sections right below the seat, and above the black parts, on the side of the bike) to free the side Tupperware from the black plastic below it, then go to the rear of the bike, put your hand up inside the plastic, and pull straight back to get it off the two little bolt hole studs there. There's actually two pieces together on those two bolt hole studs... the outer Tupperware, and a silver looking piece of plastic. You need to pull to get both of those free. Once those are free, the entire thing will lift back and up (slide it back a bit, then lift it up off the place where the seat backrest bolts to), and the whole thing (the side Tupperware and the rear Tupperware and the tail light assembly) will lift right off. Before you pull it all the way off, reach in and unplug the tail light assembly wires.
Whew! It was a lot of work the first time. The second time (because I accidentally put the outer Tupperware inside the black plastic part on the right side when putting it together the first time, so I had to take it apart again to fix that) the Tupperware came right off no problem... that one little trick of pulling straight back on the Tupperware at the rear of the bike to get it off those two bolt hole studs that the rear fender bolts to was what did it.
Anyway, I did much the same as I did for the PathBlazer... I cut the wire back a bit, making it so the brake light wire was just a bit longer than the other wires in the bundle so it was always pushing the crimp connectors onto the TailBlazer connection lugs, so they couldn't wiggle loose, then taped it all up, leaving the aluminum housing untaped.
Putting it all back together was *much* easier... it took a few hours to get it apart the first time, only about half an hour to get it all back together.
So now the PathBlazer is installed, and the TailBlazer is installed. The next step is putting in the two LEDs that I ordered for the "daytime running lights" on each side of the headlight. I hope to get them in the mail soon.
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22 Jun 2013:
Today I installed the two LED lights I'd ordered:
W5W 501 T10 5W 5 WATT CREE LED Wedge Car Light Bulbs - Xenon White
I installed the LEDs in the positional lights (ie: the "daytime running lights", those lights on each side of the headlight).
All I can say is "Wow". They're amazingly bright with a very white temperature color, the light is well-directed toward the middle of the road ahead of the bike, and they make the bike much brighter and more conspicuous when viewed from the front.
The headlight is a 4000K temperature color Sylvania (Osram) SilverStar Ultra, so these LEDs are probably 5000K or 6000K.
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06 Jul 2013:
My 38th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 5591.3 miles
Miles Ridden: 163.6 miles
Fuel: 2.375 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.869
Total Cost: $9.19
Fuel Mileage: 68.88 MPG
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08 Jul 2013:
I performed the 5500 mile service today. I changed the air filter. Here's the weird thing... there was oil inside the oil filter, on the downwind side, but none on the upwind side... the oil vapors from the engine crankcase ventilation perhaps condensing in there? I'm not sure. It wasn't a lot of oil, but still.
I also performed the 5600 mile service today.
I changed the engine oil, oil filter and gear oil. Mileage: 5611.4
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
I ordered 4 more Kymco OEM air filters from StadiumYamaha.com, for a grand total of $87.85, including shipping and handling.
I ordered 10 more HF562 oil filters from DennisKirk.com, for a grand total of $51.49, including shipping and handling. They had 5 filters in stock, so 5 are on back order. The price for these filters went up to $4.30 each, from $3.90 each last time I ordered.
I also cleaned the bike up a bit, inside the air filter housing, around the front and rear suspension, both tire rims, and the sides and bottom of the engine.
Next maintenance items (at 6000 miles):
Inspect brake system
Clean/replace spark plug
Inspect suspension
Inspect/replace tires
Replace fuel filter
Inspect brake levers
Inspect/replace brake shoes
Inspect shocks
Replace radiator coolant
Replace variator roller weights
For the 6000 mile maintenance items, the scooter will be down for a time. My wife went to Dr. Pulley in Taiwan, and they told her they don't make custom slider weights any more. So I'll have to order the heaviest they've got, and fill in the center with epoxy or something to increase the weight of each slider a bit.
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12 Jul 2013:
Five of the HiFlo Filtro HF562 oil filters I'd ordered from DennisKirk.com arrived. The other five are on back order and will be shipped later.
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29 Jul 2013:
The last 5 HiFlo Filtro HF562 oil filters arrived from DennisKirk.com.
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31 Jul 2013:
My 39th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 5739.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 148.3 miles
Fuel: 2.223 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.769
Total Cost: $8.38
Fuel Mileage: 66.71 MPG
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05 Aug 2013:
I ordered two sets of brake pads for front and rear:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM503194814P (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM503194814P)
D2Moto, Inc Front & Rear Carbon Kevlar Brake Pads - 2010 Kymco Yager GT200i
Volar Motorsport VMFA197 brake pads
Sold by D2Moto Item # SPM503194814 Mfr. Model #2xVBP0573a
Description:
High Quality Kevlar Carbon Brake Pads
Kevlar brake pads are designed for high performance riding experience
Provide excellent stopping power without noise and rotor galling, even on polished rotors
Fingertip control and strong, predictable brake response
Kevlar brake pads provide exceptional stopping power with great durability under all riding condition
Material: Non-sintered / Organic
Quantity: 4 Pads per package
Position: Front and Rear
Fitment: 2010 Kymco Yager GT200i
Merchandise Subtotal $35.00
Shipping/Handling $5.99
Pre tax Subtotal $40.99
Tax $3.15
Total $44.14
I ordered a replacement battery, an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) type, to replace the lead-acid existing battery. The OEM battery is 2-1/2 years old, and has already burped acid all over, so I'm replacing it. It's due for replacement at the 7200 mile service anyway.
http://www.batterymart.com/c-kymco-gt-200i-sj40ab-scooter-battery.html (http://www.batterymart.com/c-kymco-gt-200i-sj40ab-scooter-battery.html)
YT12A-BS AGM Maintenance Free Battery
BM Part #: YT12A-BS
Unit Price: $59.95
Shipping: Ground Shipping $0.00
Sales Tax $0.00
Total: $59.95
I ordered exhaust pipe wrap and high-temperature black paint:
http://www.thermotec.com/products/11031-generation-ii-copper-exhaust-insulating-header-wrap.html (http://www.thermotec.com/products/11031-generation-ii-copper-exhaust-insulating-header-wrap.html)
http://www.thermotec.com/products/12001-hi-heat-coating.html (http://www.thermotec.com/products/12001-hi-heat-coating.html)
Part # Item Quantity Price
11031 1" x 50' COPPER 1 USD$ 35.68
12001 COATING BLACK 1 USD$ 11.01
Estimated Shipping & Handling USD$ 11.90
Total USD$ 58.59
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08 Aug 2013:
The exhaust pipe wrap and high-temperature black paint arrived in the mail.
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10 Aug 2013:
The Kevlar Carbon brake pads arrived in the mail.
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12 Aug 2013:
I removed the exhaust pipe and muffler assembly from the bike, completely disassembled it, and cleaned up all the parts.
I wrapped the exhaust pipe with a very tight double layer of insulating wrap. I started by making one wrap as tight as I could at the exhaust flange end of the exhaust pipe, and secured that with a hose clamp. I then wrapped all the way down to where the exhaust pipe meets the muffler, being sure to pull it as tight as I possibly could. I then wrapped back the other direction, almost to the point I started. When I was finished, my fingers were coated with copper (the pipe wrap has copper infused in the material), I was pulling so tightly on the pipe wrap.
I loosened the hose clamp, snipped the pipe wrap, slid the hose clamp over the loose end of pipe wrap, and secured the hose clamp. Because of the double-wrap, I only had to use one hose clamp, which is out of sight underneath the engine. I didn't double wrap it all the way back to the exhaust flange, because I figured it'd be too tight a fit to get the nuts back on. I was right, it was already a tight fit with just one layer of pipe wrap on that section. So the pipe clamp and double-layered wrap is about 1 inch from the exhaust flange, just past the nuts that hold the exhaust pipe to the engine. That other 1 inch is single-layer wrapped.
I then painted the pipe wrap and muffler with the high temperature paint, giving the muffler three light coats, and giving the pipe wrap three heavy coats... the first being the heaviest coat since the paint soaked into the pipe wrap, then the other two coats to seal up the first coat after it'd dried.
I also painted that little curved heat shield on the exhaust pipe. I found that I've had the bike leaned over so far that the bottom of that heat shield had been scraped and flattened a bit... yeah, I tend to lean it way over. So to protect the metal from corrosion, I painted it, too.
After the paint had gotten dry enough to handle, I put it all back together. The company that makes the pipe wrap says it'll smoke for a while until the wrap bakes and cures... they weren't joking. I went on a high-speed freeway run on 280 South from Hickey Blvd. onramp to the Woodside Road exit, then stopped to see if it'd finished smoking... apparently it'd just started... there was smoke rolling off the pipe wrap like you can't believe. People probably thought there was something wrong with my bike. So, another high-speed run back up to the Hickey Blvd. exit, and a quick jaunt down El Camino real, and I pulled into a Walgreens parking lot, since they have good parking lot lighting... still smoking. So a run from there down El Camino Real onto the 380/280 interchange, onto 101 South, around the Airport Departures loop road, and back onto 101 North, back onto the 380/280 interchange, jump off at the Tanforan exit and back onto El Camino Real, and back to the Walgreens parking lot... finally, it'd stopped smoking. So I headed home.
When I shut down the bike, I noticed the muffler clicking a *lot* more as it cooled down, so most of that heat that had been lost to air rushing over the exhaust pipe was now being pushed out the tailpipe. I touched the insulation... it was too hot to hold immediately after turning off the engine, but you could touch it without instantly getting burned, as would happen with a naked exhaust pipe. After a couple minutes, you could hold your hand on the insulation, although the muffler was still clicking as it cooled.
Another odd little side effect, the engine now runs into the redline *way* too easily. I had to throttle back to about 3/4 throttle on my high-speed run to keep it at 8000 RPM and about 70 MPH on the flat. Even going up the hills, it maintained 65 MPH, although I had to go WOT. The O2 sensor being beneficially affected by the increased exhaust heat? The increased exhaust heat burning off built up carbon in the exhaust system, and allowing better breathing? The exhaust gasses not having the chance to cool down as much, and thereby maintaining high exit velocity, increasing exhaust scavenging? Not sure.
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13 Aug 2013:
I did more of the 6000 mile service today. I inspected the brake system, suspension, tires, side stand safety switch, secondary air supply (smog) system, spark plug and checked the headlight aim.
The brake system inspection consisted of starting at the brake levers and going hand-over-hand down each brake line to the brake calipers, inspecting everything. Nothing was wrong here.
The suspension inspection consisted of checking the shocks for leakage, cleaning them up a bit, and checking bolt tightness. Nothing was wrong here, either.
The tires still look good. The light cut on the rear tire that I'd reported finding on 30 Dec 2011 has worn away. No other problems found.
The side stand safety switch inspection consisted of starting the bike, and extending the side stand to be sure it kills the engine. No problems here, either.
The secondary air supply system inspection consisted of checking the hoses and AICV (air injection control valve) solenoid for any damage. The AICV itself gets inspected and cleaned every time I take the valve cover off to adjust the valves, which I last did on 12 May 2013, so I know it's OK. Nothing was wrong here, either.
The spark plug still looks good. It's only got about 1500 miles on it, being installed on 18 Feb 2013 at 4548.6 miles.
The headlight aiming is a bit involved. First, you have to measure the height from the ground to the center of the headlight, with your tires fully inflated and you sitting on the bike... usually not something you can do with only one person, unless you get creative. I got a large piece of cardboard, tacked it to the wall, and drew marks on it in 1" increments from the floor up. Then I pushed the scooter until the front wheel was touching the cardboard, then turned on the high beam. Where the center of the beam was, I noted in my mind how many inches were indicated on the cardboard. Then I backed the bike up until the front wheel was a measured 20 feet away from where it was when touching the cardboard, and looked at where the center of the beam was again. It's supposed to be 1" lower for every 10' you back up, and it was ~2" lower, so my headlight is aligned.
Since I'm near 6,000 miles, I decided to replace the brake pads, which I'll do every 6,000 miles.... brake pads are cheap, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
I'd recently purchased 2 sets of Kevlar Carbon brake pads, enough to change the front and rear brake pads twice. The brake pads are made by Volar Motorsport, item number VMFA197.
Replacing the brake pads is ridiculously simple, and it's pretty much the same for front and back wheels... in fact, the front and back brakes use the same exact brake pads.
First, don't be alarmed by the funky fishy smell the new brake pads give off when you open the package... if you don't want your hands to stink for a day or so (even after washing your hands), wear gloves or use the Invisible Glove cream.
Loosen the two brake pad pins (the two hex-head bolts on the brake caliper), but don't remove them yet.... you want to do this first, because it's difficult to apply torque to these after the caliper has been removed from the bike.
Remove the hose clip (it fastens the brake line so it doesn't flop around as you're riding). This lets you move the caliper around more easily as you're changing the brake pads.
Remove the two caliper mounting bolts. Slide the whole caliper assembly off the brake rotor.
Use your hex wrench to completely unscrew the brake pad pins. Keep your thumb on the brake pads, as they might try to jump out as the pins are pulled through them and out.
You'll notice the brake pad pins have blue threadlocker on them to prevent them from coming loose. Clean the old threadlocker off the threads as best you can. Now would be a good time to clean the old threadlocker off the caliper mounting bolts, too.
Remove the old brake pads and inspect them and the rotor. I'll include my inspection report at the end of these instructions.
The brake caliper pistons (two small cylinders that push against the brake pads) will be extended a bit. Clean up the exposed edge of the pistons with a soft nylon brush and blow out any dust before pushing the pistons back in until they're flush with the caliper body. Just get your thumbs in there and push down on the edges of the piston. You'll have to push pretty hard, and they'll go in slowly, but they'll go. This is to give the new brake pads clearance to fit on the rotor.
Now is a good time to do a general cleanup of the caliper, the brake rotor, and any parts that you can't normally reach with the caliper installed on the bike.
Next, install the new brake pads. It's usually easiest to put the outside brake pad in (the one nearest the caliper pistons), then put the brake pad pins in just far enough to lock it in place. You'll have to push down on the brake pad to align the holes so the brake pad pins can slide through the brake pad. Then install the inside brake pad, pushing it down to align the holes as you push the brake pad pins through. Push the brake pad pins in as far as you can without having to thread them in.
Next, put a drop of blue threadlocker on the threads of the brake pad pins and screw them in, torquing them to 13 foot-pounds. Clean up any threadlocker that squishes out as you're screwing the brake pad pins in.
Now slide the whole assembly back onto the rotor, and use the top caliper mounting bolt to hold it in place. You don't have to torque it yet, just thread it in a bit to hold the caliper in place.
Next, put a drop of blue threadlocker on the other caliper mounting bolt, and put it into the bottom hole of the caliper mount. Don't torque it yet, just thread it in and hand snug it, so you can wiggle things a bit to get it all aligned.
Now take out the top caliper mounting bolt, apply a drop of blue threadlocker, put it back in, and hand snug it, as well.
Now torque both caliper mounting bolts to 19 foot-pounds. Clean up any threadlocker that squished out as you were screwing the caliper mounting bolts in.
Put the hose clip bolt back in and tighten it.
You're done with the first brake.
You may notice the first couple of times you pull on the brake lever, it'll have no resistance. That's because you pushed the caliper pistons in to give the new pads clearance to fit on the rotor. Give the brake lever a couple pumps, the caliper pistons will move out a bit, and you'll feel your usual resistance again.
Now do the other wheel, and you're done!
After you've pumped the brakes a few times to move the caliper pistons back out, you'll notice that when you spin the wheels, you can hear a slight dragging of the brakes on the rotor. This is normal. The wheel should still spin freely, it shouldn't bind, but the brake pads will lightly touch the rotor all the time.
As for my inspection report:
----------------------------
----------------------------
For the old brake pads, I measured the following:
=====
The backing plate was 3.35 mm.
The thinnest (most worn) brake pad was 5.01 mm (not including the backing plate).
All the brake pads wore to within .04 mm of the same, so when I brake, I'm using front and rear brakes pretty much equally.
There was still 2.73 mm of wear left on the brake pads (determined by measuring the shallowest cut in the brake pads).
=====
For the new brake pads:
=====
The new brake pads have a slight thinner backing plate, at 3 mm.
The brake pads are 6 mm thick (not including the backing plate).
There is 4 mm of wear left on the brake pads (determined by measuring the shallowest cut in the brake pads).
=====
Both brake rotors were fine. The rear was almost a mirror finish, the front wasn't as polished, but there were no grooves or gouging, and neither one had any discernable wear.
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I took the scooter out for a test ride, testing each brake several times in our parking lot at low speed to be sure they were working properly before I hit the road. I rode to a large empty parking lot, and did ten medium-speed (25 MPH) and ten high-speed (50 MPH) near-stops (slowing to about 2-5 MPH, then riding in a big circle around the parking lot to let the rotors cool down before doing the next braking sequence) to bed the brake pads in. These new brake pads have got a lot of bite, even right out of the box, but it's very smooth and controllable. Time will tell how well they do in the wear department.
I still have to replace the fuel filter, bleed the brakes, replace the coolant, inspect the crankcase breather, and replace the variator rollers, and I'll be done with the 6000 mile service.
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13 Aug 2013 (cont.)
I ordered a set of six 20x15 (16 gram) Dr. Pulley slider weights from Buggy Parts NW.
https://www.buggypartsnw.com/home?page=shop.product_details&product_id=443 (https://www.buggypartsnw.com/home?page=shop.product_details&product_id=443)
Dr. Pulley Slider Weight 20x15 for 125/150cc - 16g UNI-SR-20X15x6-16g
SubTotal: $29.95
S&H: $5.00
Tax Total : $0.00
Total: $34.95
And I ordered the Phoenix Systems Reverse Brake Bleeder Tool, Item #: 91083897
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Phoenix-Systems-Reverse-Brake-Bleeder-Tool,48050.html (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Phoenix-Systems-Reverse-Brake-Bleeder-Tool,48050.html)
Sub Total: $84.99
Shipping: $7.30
Tax: $0.00
Total: $92.29
I also created a nifty little device that makes reverse brake bleeding truly a one-man job. It clamps to the master cylinder, with a tube that dips down into the brake fluid. That tube runs to a glass jar with a sealable lid. Another tube runs out of that jar and into a special aquarium pump that can draw a suction. Now as I'm pumping brake fluid in at the brake caliper, I no longer have to monitor the master cylinder brake fluid level to be sure it doesn't overflow. As the master cylinder brake fluid level rises, the suction will pick up any brake fluid over whatever level I set, and deposit that brake fluid in the glass jar. See the attached picture. Yeah, it's rough-looking, but it'll do the job.
So when I get around to bleeding the brakes, I plan to use my suction device to suck out all the brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir, then pump fresh brake fluid in at the calipers until it completely flushes out the old brake fluid. Then I'll carefully top off the master cylinder, and do a forward bleed by pumping the brake lever (with the bleeder hand pump reversed and hooked up to the caliper to act as a check valve so air can't get back into the brake line). In this way, I reverse bleed to force air up and out, then forward bleed to flush the master cylinder piston.
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14 Aug 2013:
I replaced the fuel filter, and inspected the crankcase breather.
This consisted of removing the seat, Met-In box and front panel under the seat. After those were removed, I put down a rag on top of the gas tank, then unscrewed the hose clamps for the old fuel filter, slipped it off, and dropped it into my oil drain pan while I hooked up the new filter and tightened the hose clamps. A quick wipe with a clean rag to get any spilled fuel, and the fuel filter was done.
Then I disconnected the crankcase breather tube, started the bike, and watched. If white smoke comes out at any time, it means the piston rings are worn, stuck or broken. If nothing comes out, it means the crankcase breather is clogged and needs cleaned. Fortunately, it's working just fine. I also drained the crankcase breather tube drain (that clear tube on the left side just ahead of the oil filter). A lot of water and one large chunk of white snot came out.
As I had already disassembled the Met-In box, I decided to take a peek in the battery compartment, since the battery had previously barfed battery acid all over. And sure enough, it did it again, just not as bad as last time. So I disassembled everything, washed it clean, and reassembled. I'm beginning to think the battery's doing that when I go into the extreme lean angles as I ride. As luck would have it, the new battery arrived later in the day, so I dropped the new battery in. The new battery is just a tiny fraction of an inch wider and taller than the old battery... it fits into the battery box with absolutely no room to spare. It's not so tight that you can't slide it back out, but it's exactly the same size as the inside dimensions of the battery box.
Oddly, the lumpy idle when cold and occasional hard starting (having to crank it for around 3 seconds, instead of instantly starting as it did when new) have gone away. I have a sneaking suspicion the old battery was failing, causing a lower-than-normal voltage, which made the charging circuitry try to charge it, which caused the battery to boil. Or it could be that I lean the bike until it scrapes. :)
I still have to replace the coolant, bleed the brakes, and replace the variator rollers, and I'll be done with the 6000 mile service.
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15 Aug 2013:
I replaced the coolant today. First, I had to figure out how to prevent the coolant from getting all over the insulation I'd just wrapped on the exhaust pipe. I got a plastic bag and tied it around the exhaust pipe, then stuffed the excess in between the engine and exhaust pipe. If you do this, be sure to remove the plastic bag when you're running the engine. You don't want to be scraping melted plastic off your exhaust pipe.
I drained the old coolant, flushed some distilled water through to get out as much of the old coolant as I could, filled with tap water, ran the bike for five minutes to circulate it, drained it, filled with distilled water, ran the bike for five minutes to circulate it, drained it, filled with Valvoline Zerex Asian Vehicle 50/50 Premix, ran the bike for five minutes to circulate it, drained it, then filled it again with Valvoline Zerex Asian Vehicle 50/50 Premix. Following the service manual instructions, I kept the radiator cap off each time and I snapped the throttle open a few times each time I ran the engine, to flush out any air bubbles.
All told, when I was finished, I had a gallon of old coolant, water and new coolant that'd been flushed through the system.
I also removed and washed out the overflow bottle. The hardest part was getting to it... you've got to remove the bottom Tupperware at the front to get to the overflow bottle, and it took me a while to figure out there's two screws, one on each side, hidden beneath the body panels directly behind what I was trying to take off. Bend those body panels out and down a bit, get your screwdriver in there and loosen the screws, and the Tupperware comes right off.
The old coolant had a thicker than water consistency and was a dark green. It was clean, though. The new coolant has the consistency of water, and is pink.
In another thread (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=3649.0 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=3649.0)), I'd done a lot of research to find a coolant that would work with our scooters, and Zerex Asian Vehicle fits the bill.
After running the bike on the main stand long enough that I was satisfied there were no more bubbles in the system, I buttoned everything back up, and took it out for a test ride. I stuck within a couple miles of home on 35, 40 and 55 MPH roads, so if it overheated I could shut down and push it home. After 45 minutes of riding, it was still running fine, so I headed home.
I still have to bleed the brakes and replace the variator rollers, and I'll be done with the 6000 mile service.
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16 Aug 2013:
The Dr. Pulley slider weights arrived in the mail.
The reverse brake bleeder tool arrived in the mail.
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18 Apr 2013:
I bought an 8" strap wrench, a huge Crescent wrench and a 300 ft-lb electric impact driver in preparation for taking apart the variator and clutch, and high-temperature synthetic grease (good for up to 600 F, usually used for greasing brake caliper pistons on disc brakes). My clutch has always had a high-pitched whistle when taking off from a stop under moderate throttle, but the past couple days, it's developed a subsequent "growl", so it goes "whistle, growl", then lockup. So I'm going to tear down the clutch, inspect it (replace if necessary), and take an emory cloth to the clutch pads and bell, clean things up, and lightly lubricate the moving parts with high-temperature synthetic grease.
I created a clutch spring compression tool, based upon the design found here:
http://www.scooterdoc.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=150cc&thread=2558 (http://www.scooterdoc.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=150cc&thread=2558)
GY6 Clutch Torque Spring Device (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-ha6OCTrY#)
I modified the design a bit, using 2" corner brackets instead of 2-1/2", elongating the holes in the Q-clamps so they can adjust to fit on the clutch more easily and so putting the clutch into the device is easier. I also used metal spacers, and put spacers through the holes in the Q-clamps, as well. This let me tighten up the base so it was solid, but it lets the Q-clamps pivot and slide in and out a bit to adjust and get a firm grip on the clutch. For the clear stick-on bumpers that replace the yellow OEM pads, I had to glue them on... the sticky stuff on the clear rubber bumpers wasn't up to the task. I used some silicone caulk/glue that I had left over from my other Q-clamp project, the master cylinder suction device.
I got to the clutch and variator later in the day today. I installed the Dr. Pulley 20x15 16-gram sliders in the variator, being very careful to keep the ramp plate tight against the slider weights as I reassembled, so they couldn't drop out of position... the BuggyPartsNW owner told me that's one of the most common problems of installation, with the symptoms of it being higher than normal revs. I lightly greased the portion of the drive pulley boss that's not exposed to belt, and put a very thin film of high-temperature synthetic grease in the channels where the Dr. Pulley sliders move. This should make them move more easily.
For the clutch, it wasn't glazed. It was greased. Apparently the factory had over-greased the clutch bearings with grease that couldn't stand higher temperatures, it melted and gave the entire inside of the bell (and the clutch shoes) a nice light coat of grease. So I cleaned everything up, greased it with high-temp synthetic grease (guaranteed not to melt up to 600 F, so it's not going to be causing the same problems), took 200 grit emory cloth to the clutch shoes and bell to clean them up, then put everything back together.
To loosen the large nut on the clutch, you don't have to have a special socket or any special tools. First, make a mark with a felt-tip pen across the nut and clutch so you know where the nut was tightened to in the first place. Then all you need is a large enough Crescent wrench. Put the crescent wrench on the large nut, hold it all together in your hand with the large nut to your right and the Crescent wrench sticking out away from you, then bang the end of the Crescent wrench on the floor a couple times. The impact will loosen the nut. Then you compress the spring, and you can spin the nut off by hand. To reassemble, do the opposite... compress the clutch in your spring compression tool, spin the large nut on by hand as tight as you can, release your spring compression tool, then put the Crescent wrench on the large nut, with the nut to your left. Bang the end of the wrench on the floor until the marks line up again, then give it another couple whacks just to be sure. Low tech, but it works. And it's safer than trying to hit it with a 300 ft-lb. impact driver.
EASY Scooter Clutch Nut Removal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEDdglsl9PM#ws)
The belt showed no wear other than the edges of the belt nubs being worn to a round rather than sharp edge. The belt was the same width as the new belt I've got as a standby, and it showed nearly zero signs of wear, so I'll keep running the old belt.
The case interior had a light coating of dirt, dust and belt dust. I hit the motor side with a dry paint brush, and it whisked all of it out. For the cover, I ran water over it as I scrubbed it with a clean paintbrush until it was completely clean.
I took the bike out for a test ride, following the same route I'd taken when I had the exhaust pipe wrap to bake and cure.
The clutch starts engaging at 4500 RPM, pulls strong at 5000, and is fully engaged by 5500. I've been looking around for a different clutch that'll let me get a more solid hook up at a lower RPM. I'll let everyone know when I find it.
There's no more growl, and the whistle is so low it's usually drowned out by the exhaust, but if you start next to a concrete wall, you can still hear a very faint whistle.
The top end I'm not sure how to describe... it's faster, for sure... the hills that it would maintain 65 going up at WOT, it will now maintain 67. The engine seems to be at about the same RPM for any given speed, but I was cruising on the flat at 3/4 throttle doing about 77 MPH, and hit the rev limiter! I think a beefier clutch, lower clutch engagement speed, and slightly higher final gear would make it perfect.
I still have to bleed the brakes, and I'll be done with the 6000 mile service.
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19 Aug 2013:
I went to Gotelli Speed Shop around the corner and bought a 500 mL bottle of Motul DOT 5.1 Non-Silicone Base Low Viscosity Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid (DOT 3 and DOT 4 compatible).
http://www.motul.com/us/en-US/products/77 (http://www.motul.com/us/en-US/products/77)
This brake fluid should be compatible with our DOT 4 brake systems. Although this brake fluid is mixable with DOT 4 brake fluids, I'll be sure to push the brake caliper pistons back to push out all the old fluid, and flush the lines and master cylinders well. I'll keep you apprised of how well this fluid works in our bikes.
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20 Aug 2013:
I got the brake bleeding done. It's as easy as they say it is, and ten times messier. The threads around the bleeder valves leak when they're loosened the 1/4 turn to allow fluid to be pumped... so there was a continual drip as I was reverse bleeding the system, until I got the bleeder valves closed again. Good thing I laid down a large, thick cardboard box to catch any drips. After I reverse bled, forward bled, then ensured the master cylinders were at a proper level, I buttoned it up, wiped up what I could off the bike with clean rags, then rolled it out to the parking lot and washed it down thoroughly. I did the same with the reverse bleeder tool, my master cylinder suction device, the 8mm wrench used to open and close the bleeder valves, and of course, my hands.
My master cylinder suction device has a hose that jams perfectly into the reverse bleeder tool's hose (the hose that has the hard rubber fitting that fits over the bleeder valves)... so when I was doing forward bleeding, the master cylinder suction device was at the caliper, sucking up the fluid that came out. If I'd only done a forward bleed, it would have been pretty clean... because of the suction on the bleeder valves, no brake fluid was able to leak out when forward bleeding. When I was doing reverse bleeding, the master cylinder suction device was sucking any extra brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir. But the pressure of reverse bleeding makes the bleeder valve threads leak.
When I was done, I'd flushed about a quarter liter through each brake system, since I didn't want to save any of the new brake fluid for subsequent bleeds... it'd just sit around, sucking up water out of the air, going bad, for the next two years until the next time I bleed the brakes. So I decided to flush half the new fluid through the front, and half through the rear. I pushed the brake caliper pistons back to ensure as much old fluid as possible was out of them, suctioned the master cylinder reservoir dry using the master cylinder suction device, hooked up the reverse brake bleeder tool at the bleeder valve, pumped about 125 ml through from the caliper end, then 125 ml through using the brake lever to pump and filling the master cylinder by hand. When I was done, the master cylinder suction device had about 500 ml in it, minus the bit that had dripped out around the bleeder valve threads (about 5 ml each valve).
The master cylinder suction device worked beautifully. Exactly as I wanted it to, and there's even a bonus! I wanted to put the brake fluid back into the bottle, then take it to a garage nearby for recycling. Well, I put the hose of the master cylinder suction device into the (now empty) brake fluid bottle, changed the hose on the aquarium pump from the suction port to the discharge port, plugged it in, and it pressurized the master cylinder suction device, pushing the brake fluid into the bottle. The tiny amount left in the master cylinder suction device afterward was cleaned up with a clean rag, then by washing it out.
I didn't fill the master cylinder reservoirs up as full as they'd originally been... when I took the caps off, the master cylinder reservoirs were almost completely full, way above the top of the sight glass. I put just enough in so that there's a tiny bubble at the top of the sight glass when the handlebars are level. If you turn the handlebars full-lock to the right, the right-hand master cylinder reservoir shows mid-level on the sight glass. And same for the left-hand one, turning the handlebars full-lock left. If anyone knows of any problems in my doing this, please message me, but I can't think of any reason the master cylinder reservoirs would be as full as they were.
I didn't have any brake system compatible thread sealant this time around, but next time I bleed the brakes, I'll completely empty the system, take the bleeder valves completely out, and put some thread sealant on the threads to prevent them leaking when refilling the system.
The brake levers feel the same in that it takes the same bit of brake lever travel to initiate any given level of braking. In other words, I think I got all the air out of the system, it doesn't feel any more 'spongy' than before.
I took the bike out for a test ride, first riding on a flat road that was empty early in the morning (I work the night shift, so I'm up in the wee hours, and today's my day off), taking the bike up to 65 MPH, then applying the brakes successively harder each time to be sure the brakes will perform as expected. Then I went up a very long, very steep hill with only one stop sign near the middle of it, so I could coast down without needing the engine, so I could listen as the brakes were applied. The rear brake has no sound whatsoever. The front brake has a slight 'whizzing' sound as it's applied, but the sound doesn't vary as the brake pressure is varied. I believe after these new Carbon-Kevlar brake pads polish the front rotor more, that sound will go away.
Whew! Finally done with the entire 6000 mile service (actually, the battery's not due to be replaced until 7200 miles, and the brake fluid was scheduled for 7000 miles, but I had the time, the tools and the energy to get it done now). The final mileage after I'd done all the test rides was 5900.2, so I was even 100 miles early on this service. It's good to get all that out of the way. Most of the service points I'd never done on this bike, so it was a learning experience for me. I'm sure next time, I'll be able to do it more quickly, and with less mess, given the experience of this first time.
Next maintenance items (at 6200 miles):
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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22 Aug 2013:
My 40th fuel up. I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel. All my other fuel-ups had been at Costco, but this time I pulled into the Brentwood Service Station around the corner from home, since I was *really* low on fuel and wasn't sure if I'd make it to Costco.
Mileage: 5907.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 167.4 miles
Fuel: 2.528 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.839
Total Cost: $9.70
Fuel Mileage: 66.22 MPG
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13 Sep 2013:
My 41st fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 6058.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 151.1 miles
Fuel: 2.307 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.859
Total Cost: $8.90
Fuel Mileage: 65.50 MPG
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24 Sep 2013:
I've heard very good things about LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive, so I ordered a bottle from Amazon.com. The product costs $24.95, and $6.99 S&H.
According to my research, the proper proportion is 6% of total oil capacity, so I'll be adding 60 ml of Ceratec on each oil change. I'll also add 15 ml to the gear oil, since it's also compatible with gear oil. The bottle is 300 ml, so it'll be good for 4 oil changes, or 2400 miles, at my oil change interval. So it should last me about a year or so, at the rate I'm putting on mileage.
I purchased it from the Amazon.com reseller Auto Parts Distributors:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A2NN1TIF4PZ3TS (http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A2NN1TIF4PZ3TS)
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25 Sep 2013:
I went out to the garage to leave for work, and the scooter wouldn't start. The starter wouldn't even kick the engine over. The battery was dead. I wasn't sure why, though, I've removed the Met-In box light, the seat was closed, the key was off, the bike is ridden daily so the battery never gets low, and it started and ran fine just 15 hours earlier.
The battery was down to 10.66 volts. I plugged in the Deltran Battery Tender Junior, and let it charge. After 5 hours, the battery tender indicated that the charge was complete, and my meter read 12.61 volts with the charger removed, so I turned the key on. The headlight was bright, so I thought I was in the clear... but when I tried to start it, I got the same thing, the starter motor ran, caught the Bendix gear, but didn't have the torque to spin the engine. I measured the battery voltage again, and after just two seconds of trying to start the bike, it was back down to 10.72 volts!
I still had the old battery, which had been sitting on a shelf for the 7 weeks or so since I'd swapped in this new battery. I jumpered it in parallel with the new battery, and the scooter started right up. So, it appears a cell in the new battery has failed.
I ordered a new battery of the same type from BatteryMart.com (where I also ordered the first battery), a UPG Adventure Power 42044 UT12A AGM (Advanced Glass Mat) Maintenance Free Battery, and had it shipped overnight. It cost me $59.95 for the battery, and $48.36 for the overnight delivery, but I need it as quickly as possible, since the bike's my daily driver.
BatteryMart.com's sending me a return label for the failed battery, and after testing to be sure it's actually failed, will refund the purchase price. And just in case this battery fails for some reason, I'm recording the email address to report the failure to, for the 1-year warranty: warranty (at) upgi.com
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26 Sep 2013:
The new battery arrived, and is now installed in the scooter.
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30 Sep 2013:
I received the LiquiMoly Ceratec in the mail. I'll add the appropriate amount on the next oil change. I plan to mix it in with the oil manually before putting it in the engine.
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13 Oct 2013:
My 42nd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.
Mileage: 6226.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 168.5 miles
Fuel: 2.500 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.699
Total Cost: $9.25
Fuel Mileage: 67.40 MPG
I'll change the gear oil, engine oil and oil filter tomorrow.
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14 Oct 2013:
I changed the gear oil, engine oil and oil filter today. Mileage: 6229.8
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
The oil that came out was very dark (of course, it starts out a dark purple anyway), but it had almost no metal flakes in it... just a few tiny aluminum flakes. The oil strainer was clean, the oil filter was clean. The gear oil didn't have any metal flakes in it.
I put 60 ml of LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive in the engine oil, and 15 ml in the gear oil. After changing the oil, I took the bike out for a high speed run for 20 miles or so, to be sure the LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive was fully mixed with the oil and evenly distributed throughout the engine. I don't notice any difference yet, it'll take time for the ceramic to coat the engine internal surfaces.
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03 Nov 2013:
My 43rd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from the San Bruno Shell station.
Mileage: 6372.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 145.5 miles
Fuel: 2.372 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.279
Total Cost: $10.15
Fuel Mileage: 61.34 MPG
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28 Nov 2013:
My 44th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from the Westborough Blvd. Kwik Serve station.
Mileage: 6520.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 148.0 miles
Fuel: 2.356 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.559
Total Cost: $8.39
Fuel Mileage: 62.82 MPG
I performed the 6500 mile service when I got home from work today, which is checking the steering head bearing. There's no wobble or looseness, so all is well.
Next maintenance (at 6600 miles):
Inspect brake system
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22 Dec 2013:
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My 45th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 6656.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 136.6 miles
Fuel: 2.322 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.359
Total Cost: $7.80
Fuel Mileage: 58.83 MPG
The cold weather severely affects the fuel mileage of this bike, probably because I make short trips most of the time, and the bike isn't even fully warmed up for about half the trip, so it's still got the auto-enrichment on. I'm thinking of buying a timer and small block heater to warm the engine up before I ride.
I also performed the 6600 mile service today. The brake system is fine, but I notice the left brake fluid reservoir cover's paint is flaking off more and more... if you look closely, there's a tiny notch cut out of the brake fluid reservoir cover, to equalize pressure in the reservoir with ambient. Apparently the left brake fluid reservoir is flaking the paint off more because the handlebars lock to the left, and the brake fluid level in a locked-left handlebar position is nearer to that little vent notch, allowing vapors to escape and chew the paint up.
Next maintenance (at 6800 miles):
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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07 Jan 2014:
I paid the DMV registration today:
Item Name: Vehicle Registration Renewal
Make or Builder: KYMCO
Year: 2010
License Plate or CF Number: 20M9828
Date and Time of Transaction: 01/07/2014 - 11:25:09 AM
Credit Card Authorization Number: 122559
Total Fee Paid: $105.00
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12 Jan 2014:
My 46th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 6800.8 miles
Miles Ridden: 144.1 miles
Fuel: 2.529 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.459
Total Cost: $8.75
Fuel Mileage: 56.98 MPG
We've had a good number of cold days, it was taking the bike about 4 minutes to warm up enough that I noticed the radiator starting to feel warm. But it never really seems like the coolant gets hot. I'm assuming it should reach about 180 to 190 F, but I can hold my hand on the radiator at all times... so perhaps I've got a malfunctioning thermostat, keeping the engine too cool, affecting fuel mileage. I've got some temperature probes on order that'll allow me to monitor coolant temps, so I'll post if I find anything.
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13 Jan 2014:
I performed the 6800 mile service today, which consisted of:
Replace engine oil and oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
The drained engine oil was thicker than normal, and black as usual... the thickness probably a result of the LiquiMoly CeraTec oil additive I put in during the last oil change.
The drained gear oil was a pinkish, orangish color, again due to the LiquiMoly CeraTec I added (it's usually purple), but I didn't notice it being any thicker than the original gear oil.
The engine oil filter screen was clean, as was the oil filter.
There were NO flakes in either the engine oil or gear oil... I checked closely as I poured the drain pan out into the waste oil container... but there just were none. So the thicker gear oil fixed the problem of flakes of metal showing up there, and it appears the engine has fully broken in.
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
I'm trying to find the Royal Purple 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec... apparently the Synerlec oil additive is better for non-roller cams like our bikes have. Kragen didn't have it, and it's not in their computer, so I can't even special order it from them. I'll look in Gotelli Speed Shop next, since they're only a block or so away.
I put 60 ml of LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive in the engine oil, and 15 ml in the gear oil. After changing the oil, I took the bike out for a ride, to be sure the LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive was fully mixed with the oil and evenly distributed throughout the engine. I notice the engine seemed peppier as compared to the drained oil.
When I first started it up to warm up the engine, the rear wheel spun a bit faster (about 2 RPM) (it always spins very slowly because of the friction of the extra-thick synthetic grease I used on the pulley boss of the clutch transmitting just enough power to the wheel drive gears to make the wheel tick over at about 1 RPM), so the friction in the gear train is lower, too.
Next maintenance (at 7000 miles):
Inspect radiator core
Inspect radiator cap
Replace brake fluid (already done at 5900.2 miles on 20 Aug 2013)
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17 Jan 2014:
I got the 2015 DMV sticker for the license plate today, and applied it.
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20 Jan 2014:
The weather was great today, so I washed the bike thoroughly. I removed the Met-In box and seat, used a sudsing cleaner that's designed to lift the dirt off and allow it to be rinsed away, and applied it to the entire bike, inside and out. It wasn't really dirty, but now it's as clean as new. I then applied a coat of wax to the Tupperware and buffed it, so now it's all shiny again.
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21 Jan 2014:
I ordered new tires for the scooter, in preparation for replacing them when needed. The front tire isn't showing much wear, but the rear tire is nearly worn to a slick in the center part of the tire, and you can tell that I've been leaning it a lot, as there's no chicken strip, and it's kind of chewed up at the tire edges.
I did a lot of research, and the Avon AM63 Viper Stryke seemed to be a good, long-wearing, high-grip tire.
I ordered one Avon AM63 Viper Stryke Scooter Rear Tire - 140/70-12 (65P) for $55.06, and one Avon AM63 Viper Stryke Scooter Front Tire - 120/70-13 (53P) for $48.05.
Tax was $8.25.
Total cost was $111.36.
I ordered them from jcmotors.com
JC Motors
16591 Noyes Ave.
Irvine, CA 92606
(800) 706-9476
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22 Jan 2014:
I received the rear tire from JC Motors. The shipper said they'd not put the apartment number on the destination address, so he was pretty much guessing as to where it went. Good thing he guessed right.
Unfortunately, the front tire didn't arrive yet... probably due to the apartment number not being put on the destination address... I'll call JC Motors when they open, and get it figured out.
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26 Jan 2014:
I took apart my helmet today to clean it... come to find out I have a Zeus GJ-803, made in May 2008 by Gao Jin Industrial Company in Taiwan. It was purchased in Taiwan when my wife took one of her trips there.
It looked like an old dog bed, there was so much hair in it. LOL
It had a few scratches and whorls in the face shield because when it rains, I use the thumb of my left glove as a wiper. I used toothpaste to polish out most of the scratches and whorls, so now the visor is much clearer to see through. If you do this, just get plain old white toothpaste with titanium dioxide in it... no colored jels, no flavor crystals, etc.
After I cleaned it thoroughly, used toothpaste to polish it, then rinsed it, I put a coat of wax on it, and buffed it. DO NOT use Rain-X... it'll make your polycarbonate face shield cloudy, and it's almost impossible to rectify after application of Rain-X. The wax works great... any speed above about 25 MPH, and the water rolls right off the face shield.
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28 Jan 2014:
I received the front tire from JC Motors.
I'm experiencing something weird with the bike... every once in a while, when I try to start it, the starter will spin, catch the Bendix gear, then lock up tight, as though the Bendix gear is damaged or the starter is getting worn. Letting off the starter button and trying again starts up as normal. So I'm going to order two new starter motors. One to replace the existing, one as a backup, since they're not making our bikes anymore, and I plan on keeping this bike for as long as I can find parts for it.
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02 Feb 2014:
My 47th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Brentwood Service Station.
Mileage: 6931.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 130.3 miles
Fuel: 2.367 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.739
Total Cost: $8.85
Fuel Mileage: 55.05 MPG
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10 Feb 2014:
I performed the 7000 mile maintenance items today (6983.3 miles):
Inspect radiator core
Inspect radiator cap
Replace brake fluid (already done at 5900.2 miles on 20 Aug 2013)
The brake fluid I didn't mess with, since it'd already been changed recently. I did a cursory inspection of the radiator core by shining a bright spotlight down into the radiator... it still looks clean. The new Zerex Asian Vehicle coolant is much more transparent than the old coolant, making it easier to see in there.
The radiator cap is still in good condition, too. I've still got to find a tester for it.
Once I'm done with my microcontroller for the electric coolant pumps, I'll drain the coolant, pull off the hoses (since I'll be replacing them with new hoses to accommodate the two electric pumps), and do a full inspection of the radiator at that time.
Next maintenance (at 7200 miles):
Inspect brake system
Adjust valve clearance
Inspect battery
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25 Feb 2014:
My 48th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from San Bruno Shell Station.
Mileage: 7079.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 148.0 miles
Fuel: 2.325 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.9999
Total Cost: $9.30
Fuel Mileage: 63.66 MPG
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10 Mar 2014:
I performed the 7200 mile service today:
Inspect brake system
Adjust valve clearance
Inspect battery
The brake system is in fine shape. The new brake pads, installed on 12 Aug 2013, are showing no signs of wear. The brake rotors are polished to a mirror finish. The brakes have amazing grab when it's dry out, but I notice it takes a bit more brake lever force to get the same grab when wet. The old brake pads had no difference between wet and dry.
The battery is in good shape. The battery box and its cover had a bit of dust in it, so I cleaned it out, but otherwise, everything's in order.
I adjusted the valve clearance. The intake valve was at 0.11 mm, the exhaust valve was at 0.1 mm. I wanted to test a theory of mine, so I set each valve to 0.09 mm, a bit tighter clearance than factory recommended. Upon firing it up, I noticed the valve clatter noise was somewhat reduced. On the road test, the engine lept to 9000 RPM and launched me to 75 MPH in short order. I had to throttle back to keep away from the rev limiter, on flat ground. It would have run a bit faster, but I was fighting a cross-wind of about 15 MPH coming at me from the right front at a 45 degree angle. It was also a warm and dry day, about 70 degrees. Generally the engine only wants to sing like this on a very cold and damp day. So it's running great.
I opted to rotate the engine into position for checking valve clearance by taking out the spark plug and using the starter to kick the engine over until the valves were in the correct position. It's easier than taking out that plug on the right side of the engine, and it gives me the chance to clean the spark plug. The plug had a bit of dark brown buildup on the exposed metal lip below its threads, but otherwise was clean. There's no evidence of running rich, or running too hot. The plug was gapped out of the box at 0.35 mm. The Yager service manual says the gap should be 0.9 mm. That seems excessive to me, but I'll open the gap up a bit.
While I had the valve cover off, I took apart and cleaned the AICV (air injection control valve).
I also discovered that I need to use spark plug indexing washers to correctly orient the spark plug so the spark gap is facing toward the intake valve... right now, when it's properly tightened, it's facing directly away from the intake valve, which shields the spark from the incoming fresh air/fuel mixture and makes igniting it more difficult. So I'll find some 12 mm plug indexing washers.
Next Maintenance (at 7400 miles):
Replace engine oil & filter
Clean / Inspect engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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16 Mar 2014:
I finally got around to working on the Dr. Pulley sliders, to increase their weight.
My first stop was The Twilight Zone 'smoke shop' in San Bruno... I don't frequent these types of places, but they had a digital scale that is accurate to 1/100th of a gram, and I couldn't find it anywhere else local, so I bought it there. One interesting thing I learned there... a dollar bill in good condition weighs 1 gram.
My next stop was Kragen to pick up some Liquid Metal. While I was there, I also picked up a spark plug gapping tool, and some spark plug antiseize compound.
I removed the CVT cover and took apart the drive pulley assembly. I found that the two dowel pins on the CVT cover were slightly rusted. If you choose to keep using them, I recommend putting antiseize on them. The rear one came out, but the front one was stuck, necessitating removal with an EZ-Out. I didn't reinstall them, as they're not really needed. I'll need to re-tap the threads for the screw where the front dowel was, and get a longer screw, as those threads are now weak.
After cleaning everything up, I weighed the Dr. Pulley sliders.
1 - 15.96 grams
4 - 16.01 grams
1 - 16.04 grams
I also weighed the original roller weights, just for reference. They're ~17.5 grams.
I squirted Liquid Metal into the centers of the Dr. Pulley slider weights as they sat on the Liquid Metal cardboard display case, then slid each one off the side of the cardboard (to give a nice flat finish) and rotated them to horizontal so the Liquid Metal didn't ooze out, then weighed them and added or subtracted enough Liquid Metal to get them all to weigh 18.65 grams (plus or minus .01 grams).
After letting the Liquid Metal solidify for 5 hours, they were still mushy (normal 'dry time' is 3 hours, according to the Liquid Metal packaging), so I decided to put the sliders into the toaster oven to drive off the acetone. I heated the sliders to 200 F on a sheet of tinfoil, with the toaster oven door cracked open and all the windows in the house open so fumes didn't build up and explode. It worked, the Liquid Metal solidified completely in one hour.
I re-weighed the sliders, just to be sure they were still close in weight:
1 - 18.03 grams
3 - 18.05 grams
2 - 18.06 grams
So each slider had about 0.6 grams of acetone evaporated out of it as the Liquid Metal solidified.
I reapplied grease where it was needed, and reassembled everything.
I then removed the spark plug, gapped it to 0.9 mm, put spark plug antiseize compound on the spark plug threads, and reinstalled the spark plug.
Then I took the bike out for a test ride, which revealed that the bike's still got a lot of oomph in it, even with heavier weights. When I go WOT from a stop, the RPMs go to 7500 RPM and stay there until I reach full speed, but with the heavier weights, I don't go over the red line as easily. When I ride more gently, I'm getting from 5 to 10 MPH more speed for any given RPM, taking into consideration terrain. On uphills, it's about 5 MPH faster for any given RPM, for flats and downhills, it's about 10 MPH faster for any given RPM. So now I can cruise around town at 5000 to 6000 RPM, instead of 6000 to 7000 RPM.
I'm hoping this will increase my fuel mileage a bit. I believe I'll be ordering 20 gram slider weights, if I can find them. And I'll be looking into re-gearing the rear gears to give a slightly higher gear ratio. It'd be nice to cruise at 65 MPH at 6500 RPM, the torque peak for our engine, and hence the most fuel efficient RPM.
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18 Mar 2014:
Being essentially lazy, I got tired of pulling the plug on the crankcase breather hose and letting it drain every week. So, I rigged up a small plastic bottle to catch the drippings coming out of the tube.
The parts are scavenged from various household items... the bottle was cold medicine, it has mL gradations along the side, so I can track how much gunk comes out the crankcase breather over time. To get the label off, I soaked it in water for a few days, then ran the bottle under very hot water as I used my thumb to roll the gummy adhesive off. The entire pad of my thumb turned into a giant blister because I had to use so much force, but I got all the adhesive off.
The clear plastic part that's stuffed into the bottle was from an Envie de Neuf Clearlight Night Essence 0.2 Ounce cosmetics bottle my wife had... I had to work hard to get it into the bottle, but once in there, it locks in and provides an air-tight seal. I cut the tip off.
I cut back the crankcase air breather hose a bit so the bottle didn't hang so low. The tip of the clear plastic part fits tightly into the crankcase breather hose, plastic against plastic gives a lot of grip. I couldn't pull it apart without a lot of force and twisting.
I'll eventually get new crankcase breather hose, and a better bottle with an integrated top that plugs into the hose, and reroute the whole setup so it's near that little drip bowl at the back of the air cleaner. That way, I can check it, if it needs to be emptied, I'll just unscrew the bottle, dump it, screw it back on, and be done.
But the existing setup is good for a test run, just to be sure it works.
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19 Mar 2014:
Weird... suddenly, my fuel mileage shot up to the best it's ever been. All I did was start draining the crankcase breather on a regular basis, before I put the catch bottle on there. It might have been the valve adjustment, but I doubt .01 mm tighter valve lash would have that much of an effect.
The heavier variator weights couldn't have made much of an impact, given that I just changed them on the 16th of March. It has been warmer here lately, but I didn't think air temperature had *that* much of an effect.
I'm currently drawing up plans for an exhaust heat scavenging system that'll dump the exhaust heat into the coolant to warm the bike up quickly, and provide a warm-air intake. It'll have a Nitinol-actuated butterfly valve that opens if air temp is too high, to let in cool outside air, and a linkage that goes to a twist-grip on the left handlebar, so the rider can override the warm-air intake for maximum power. Since the air is pulled through the device because it's being sucked into the engine intake, there's no power required there. Because I'll be using Nitinol to actuate the butterfly valve, no power is required there, either. So it'll add a few pounds to the weight of the bike, but won't have any power drain on mechanical or electrical systems.
It'll provide a relatively constant temperature for the incoming air, will warm up the bike more quickly, and on really hot days, will act as a second radiator to get rid of coolant heat. It'll also have an integrated fuel preheater, to help with fuel vaporization to get a better burn and thereby increase fuel mileage.
It should provide a nice boost to fuel mileage.
My 49th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Brentwood Service Station.
Mileage: 7252.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 172.9 miles
Fuel: 2.445 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.899
Total Cost: $9.53
Fuel Mileage: 70.72 MPG
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28 Mar 2014:
I *finally* found where to order the Kymco Diagnostic Tool for our scooters! Come to find out, I'd been using the wrong part number...
The Chinese language version of the handheld diagnostic tool is 3620A-LEB2-900. This is almost impossible for US citizens to find (and I wouldn't have been able to read it anyway... although my wife would have).
But the English version of the tool is 3620A-LEB2-E00.
Once I found that, I found one right away on eBay, and ordered it. It was $136.57, including shipping, currency exchange, and currency exchange fee. The shipper is in South Africa. The shipment should arrive around 15 April 2014.
Order number: 2244-2100-2272-0889
Seller: umlungo (Alan R. Grace)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/umlungo (http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/umlungo)
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07 Apr 2014:
I performed the 7400 mile service today (mileage: 7366):
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
I put 60 ml of LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive in the engine oil, and 15 ml in the gear oil. After changing the oil, I took the bike out for a ride (25 miles), to be sure the LiquiMoly Ceratec oil additive was fully mixed with the oil and evenly distributed throughout the engine.
Actually, I think I've been underestimating the amount of LiquiMoly Ceratec I've put in the engine oil and gear oil. It was supposed to last for 4 oil changes, and only lasted for 3. So I've actually been putting something like 75 ml in the engine oil, and 25 ml in the gear oil each time, instead of 60 ml and 15 ml.
The drained oil had 5 very small aluminum flecks in it, which I noticed as I poured the oil into the waste oil container.
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10 Apr 2014:
I received the handheld diagnostic tool that I'd ordered on the 28th of March, 2014.
So it took only 13 days to get here, 5 days sooner than expected... not bad, coming from Durban, South Africa.
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11 Apr 2014:
My 50th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 7427.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 175.4 miles
Fuel: 2.527 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.839
Total Cost: $9.70
Fuel Mileage: 69.41 MPG
The Kymco Handheld Diagnostic tool doesn't come with a power supply, and I'm unsure what voltage it's supposed to run at. I tried 6 volts, and it didn't turn on. I tried 7.5 volts, and it turned on, but the screen was faint. I tried 9 volts, and it turns on, the screen is bright, and you can navigate the menus, but it doesn't connect to the ECU. I've sent an email to the eBay seller, asking if I should try 12 volts, or if that would damage the unit.
{EDIT 1}
Upon reading further, I found the service manual for the Kymco Xciting 400i... on page 7-48 it says this Handheld Diagnostic tool is supposed to be powered from the bike when it's plugged in... so I'll break out the voltmeter and test my ECU data connection plug for power.
{EDIT 2}
Upon testing the plug, I found it'd been affected by the battery acid leakage I'd experienced on 12 May 2013. I never realized it because I had no reason to take the cover off that plug, but the little connectors were eaten away and covered with dried battery acid.
So, I pulled the plug apart and went to Radio Shack to find replacement parts. I found a 9-pin serial port plug that had little metal pieces that were pretty close to what's in the Kymco plug.
I had to trim and shape the little metal pieces a bit, but after soldering everything up, putting the plug back together, and soldering the whole shebang to the wires on the bike, the Kymco Diagnostic Tool fired right up.
Unfortunately, you can't change any settings like fuel:air mixture or idle speed with this tool, but it's good for making sure the various sensors are working. One thing I noticed is that even after the engine reaches operating temperature, the O2 sensor heater stays on... not sure if it turns off once you're on the road, I just ran it on the stand.
I also found the DTC List had previous entries of 16 and 13... not sure what those are, I'll have to research it.
See attached pictures.
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18 Apr 2014:
Here's the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) list (thanks goes to MotoRandy123 for posting this), for future reference:
1 P0217 Engine overheating
2 P0335 Encoder fault
3 P1120 TPI adaption fault
4 P1121 TPI range fault
5 P1122 TPI velocity fault
6 P0560 Battery voltage range fault
7 P0110 Air temperature sensor fault
8 P0410 Idle air bypass valve fault
9 P0505 Idle speed adaption fault
10 P0251 Fuel injector fault
11 P0350 Ignition fault
12 P0230 Fuel-pump relay fault
13 P0219 Engine max over-speed fault
14 P1560 Transducer power supply fault
15 P0700 CVT threshold exceeded fault
16 P0115 Engine temperature sensor fault
17 P1561 Temperature gauge fault
18 P0650 Check engine lamp fault
19 P1410 CO potentiometer fault
20 ?
21 P0105 Manifold pressure fault
22 P1110 Angle detect sensor fault
23 P0136 O2 sensor circuit malfunction
24 P0141 O2 heater/O2 sensor circuit malfunction
25 P0171 Close loop fault
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28 Apr 2014:
I performed the 7500 mile service today, which is cleaning and inspecting the spark plug. The bike seems to be running a tiny bit rich (at least when cold), as there's a bit of black or dark brown buildup on the flat part below the plug threads each time I clean it, and when I first start the bike, it just smells rich. I'll plug in my handheld diagnostic tool and check out the air to fuel ratio to see what's going on.
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07 May 2014:
My 51st fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 7598.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 170.6 miles
Fuel: 2.527 gallons
Price/Gal: $4.069
Total Cost: $10.28
Fuel Mileage: 67.51 MPG
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07 Jun 2014:
My 52nd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 7770.8 miles
Miles Ridden: 172.8 miles
Fuel: 2.543 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.979
Total Cost: $10.12
Fuel Mileage: 67.95 MPG
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09 Jun 2014:
I performed the 7800 mile service today, which was inspecting the brake system. Nothing much to report here, except that the paint continues to peel off little by little from the left-hand brake master cylinder cover, and there was a bit of gunk on the rubber boots where the hand-operated brake levers meet the master cylinder... most likely road grime. I'll order new master cylinder reservoirs, wheel caliper assemblies, brake discs, hand levers and brake lines (basically the entire brake system) at 25,000 miles just to be on the safe side (if they're still available, that is... if not, I'll figure out something), so the paint peeling isn't a big deal.
I went to Kragen and bought a mild degreaser and a vinyl restorer / protector. The degreaser is for cleaning up the tougher grime that gets on the bike that the regular wash liquid (ZipWax cleaner and wax) can't remove. The vinyl restorer / protector is to try to get the seat back to its original black color. It was coated with a thin film of hazy stuff, probably more road grime from riding in the rain.
I cleaned the bike for about 2-1/2 hours, top to bottom, front to back, inside and out. It's cleaner now than it's ever been.
I ordered an 1157 High Power 5630 Chip Cree LED Red Turn Signal Brake Tail Lights Bulb from the same eBay seller that az_slynch recommended here:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=11926.0 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=11926.0)
Item number: 231028588922
Order number: 0608-7720-7571-0988
Cost: $22.88 (including sales tax)
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10 Jun 2014:
I ordered a new brake light lens. In trying to remove the brake light cover to figure out what the bulbs were, I cracked it.
For future reference, there are 4 screws on the brake light cover. Remove those, and the cover slides straight back. It might take a bit of prying backwards, because there's an o-ring type seal along the edge of the cover, and mine was stuck together. DO NOT twist, lift or push down on the brake light cover... slide it straight back.
Ordered from:
Sloan's Motorcycles
2233 NW Broad St
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
United States
http://www.sloansfastandcheap.com/ (http://www.sloansfastandcheap.com/)
800-342-1681
Order Number: 3778428
Lens Comp Tail Light: $35.14
Shipping: $11.75
Total: $46.89
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18 Jun 2014:
In preparation for ordering LED turn signals, I ordered a new turn signal flasher module.
NO LOAD LED TURN SIGNAL FLASHER 2 WIRE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NO-LOAD-LED-TURN-SIGNAL-FLASHER-2-WIRE-Cures-the-issue-of-no-load-LED-lamps-/201097255283?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed2549973 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NO-LOAD-LED-TURN-SIGNAL-FLASHER-2-WIRE-Cures-the-issue-of-no-load-LED-lamps-/201097255283?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ed2549973)
Price: $15.95
S&H: $3.86
Total: $19.81
Seller: superdealsfastshipping
Seller: Vintage Impressions
Seller: Jeff Molstrom
Receipt ID: 4322-4013-9929-1163
This is a 2 wire flasher module, but it'll work with our 3-wire system because one of the wires on our OEM flasher module is a ground wire, which isn't needed for an electronic flasher module.
According to the seller, this flasher module will work from 0.02 - 10 amps load, flashes 90 times per minute, and the flash rate isn't load dependent.
The brake light (1157 High Power 5630 Chip Cree LED Red Turn Signal Brake Tail Lights Bulb) ordered on 09 Jun 2014 arrived in the mail.
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19 Jun 2014:
I purchased two LED bulbs for the front blinkers.
For the record, the OEM front blinkers are marked on the bulb base:
12V10W CD12V RY10W 37R E13 2F6 9A
So it's an RY10W bulb, which has the same BAU15S bulb base as the rear PY21W blinker bulbs.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/s-series-bulbs/led-product/527/ (http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/s-series-bulbs/led-product/527/)
BAU15S-x18-T:18HP-LED 7507 (PY21W) LED Tower bulb - BAU15S-A18-T:Amber
$17.95 each
$2.99 shipping
$38.89 total
Invoice Number: 1403198449-65844
And I ordered a T10 wedge LED for the license plate light.
T10 Wedge 5 Ultra Bright SMD LED Bulb
http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx (http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx)
$3.69 each
$6.06 shipping
$9.75 total
Order Number 63586
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21 Jun 2014:
I ordered the LED lights for the rear blinkers.
For the record, the OEM rear blinkers are:
PY21W 581 BAU15S 7507 (21W)
http://www.amazon.com/Jtech-BAU15S-Power-Yellow-Signal/dp/B00C16FS1C (http://www.amazon.com/Jtech-BAU15S-Power-Yellow-Signal/dp/B00C16FS1C)
Jtech 2x 1156 BAU15S 13W High Power LED Yellow Signal Light
Items: $19.99
Shipping & handling: $5.29
Total before tax: $25.28
Order total: $25.28
Order Number: 116-7740688-0642642
Ordered from Amazon.com reseller JTECHnow.
I also think I've come up with a way of upgrading the electrical generating capacity of our bikes, while at the same time lowering the power waste that we experience with the existing ground-shunt voltage regulator.
I plan on buying a small (20, 25 or 30 amp) brushless alternator, and mounting it outside where the existing generator stator resides. I'll remove the existing stator, and fasten a disc with magnets in it onto the alternator shaft. The alternator shaft will go through a hole drilled in the case in the exact center of where the existing stator resides.
The magnetic disc affixed to the alternator shaft will be turned by the magnets in the existing flywheel, allowing power to be generated without any physical connection between engine and alternator. This also allows for a small amount of misalignment, and it should act as an additional flywheel weight / vibration dampener, suppressing engine vibration a bit.
Because it will be an alternator with a proper regulator, when current draw is minimal, power drawn from the engine is minimal, as well. At full tilt, the existing generator requires about 1/4 HP. With all LED lights and a proper regulator, I should be able to cut that in half. Not much, but every little bit helps. And the extra generating capacity will allow for heated clothing and other accessories.
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21 Jun 2014:
The bulbs for the Kymco Yager GT 200i (incandescent and LED):
Headlight (white):
Incandescent: H4 (60/55W)
LED: H4 9003 High Power COB LED Light 3200lm High Low HeadLight 40W Bulb Xenon White
http://www.vleds.com/headlights/led/h4-9003-hb2/h4-mtg2-moto.html (http://www.vleds.com/headlights/led/h4-9003-hb2/h4-mtg2-moto.html)
http://www.vleds.com/shop-bulb-numbers/h-series/h4-9003-hb2/h4-mtg2.html (http://www.vleds.com/shop-bulb-numbers/h-series/h4-9003-hb2/h4-mtg2.html)
NOTE: VLEDs.com says they're not sure if a headlight modulator will burn out their LED driver.
http://www.lifetimeledlights.com/H49003-LED-headlights-_p_59.html (http://www.lifetimeledlights.com/H49003-LED-headlights-_p_59.html)
http://www.lifetimeledlights.com/H4M-motorcycle-headlight_p_76.html (http://www.lifetimeledlights.com/H4M-motorcycle-headlight_p_76.html)
NOTE: Kisan Tech says my headlight modulator *will* work with a 30 or 40 watt LED headlight.
NOTE: LifeTimeLEDLights says the headlight modulator will burn out the LED driver.
http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3600-Lumen-H4-H6M-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html (http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3600-Lumen-H4-H6M-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Universal-Car-Truck-H4-1800LM-50W-Cree-LED-HeadLight-Head-lamp-H-L-Beam-W/371030888877 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Universal-Car-Truck-H4-1800LM-50W-Cree-LED-HeadLight-Head-lamp-H-L-Beam-W/371030888877)
Position Lights (white):
Incandescent: T10 501 (5W)
LED: W5W 501 T10 5W 5 WATT CREE LED (white)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-W5W-501-T10-5W-5-WATT-CREE-LED-Wedge-Car-Light-Bulbs-Xenon-White-6000K-/181212193050 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-W5W-501-T10-5W-5-WATT-CREE-LED-Wedge-Car-Light-Bulbs-Xenon-White-6000K-/181212193050)
License light (white):
Incandescent: T10 501 194? (5W)
LED: T10 Wedge 5 Ultra Bright SMD LED Bulb
http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx (http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx)
Brake light (red):
Incandescent: P21/5W-12V 380 / 1157 (21/5W)
LED: CREE LED Q9 1157 Red
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1157-High-Power-5630-Chip-Cree-LED-Red-Turn-Signal-Brake-Tail-Lights-Bulbs-/231028588922 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1157-High-Power-5630-Chip-Cree-LED-Red-Turn-Signal-Brake-Tail-Lights-Bulbs-/231028588922)
Turn signals (orange):
Incandescent:
F - 12V10W CD12V RY10W 37R E13 2F6 9A
R - PY21W 581 BAU15S 7507 (21W)
LED:
F - AMBER 7507 BAU15s
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/filter/Cross_Reference_Number,BAU15S,21,196: (http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/filter/Cross_Reference_Number,BAU15S,21,196:)
R - Jtech 2x 1156 BAU15S 13W High Power LED Yellow Signal Light
http://www.amazon.com/Jtech-BAU15S-Power-Yellow-Signal/dp/B00C16FS1C (http://www.amazon.com/Jtech-BAU15S-Power-Yellow-Signal/dp/B00C16FS1C)
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23 Jun 2014:
The NO LOAD LED TURN SIGNAL FLASHER 2 WIRE ordered on 18 Jun 2014 arrived in the mail. So, only 5 days shipping. That's pretty good.
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24 Jun 2014:
The Jtech 2x 1156 BAU15S 13W High Power LED Yellow Signal Lights ordered on 21 Jun 2014 for the rear blinkers arrived in the mail.
The T10 Wedge 5 Ultra Bright SMD LED Bulb license plate light ordered on 19 Jun 2014 arrived in the mail.
The new brake light lens ordered on 10 Jun 2014 arrived via FedEx.
So I'm just waiting on the front blinkers now.
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27 Jun 2014:
The front blinkers ordered on 19 Jun 2014 arrived in the mail.
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29 Jun 2014:
I installed all the LED lights and the new blinker module today. Everything works! Even the Kisan Tech T50W TailBlazer brake light flasher still works.
What I learned:
1) The LED lights I'd ordered for the front blinkers were too long to fit in the front blinker housing, but they fit in the rear blinker housing. Just barely... there's about 1/4 inch between the LED heat sink housing and the clear plastic lens.
2) The LED lights I'd ordered for the rear blinkers fit in the front blinker housing.
{NOTE: I've corrected the posts above regarding front and rear blinker LEDs, to reflect what I learned.}
3) The OEM blinker module is at the front of the bike, just behind and above the radiator, right in the center. It's the only black and round module with wires coming out of it. The rest of them are square.
4) There are 3 wires for the OEM blinker module, gray, green and black.
Green = ground. You don't need this wire if you use an electronic blinker module.
Black = hot. This wire comes from the battery via the keyswitch.
Gray = blinkers. This wire goes to the turn signal switch on the handlebars, which then goes out to the blinkers.
5) The turn signal module has the following printed on it:
CF12ANL-01 Flasher for LED, 12V 0.02A-10A, Made In Taiwan
6) Save yourself the trouble of taking off the rear brake light / blinker housing cover (the red and clear cover over the bulbs) with all the Tupperware on the bike... you'll have to take the Tupperware off the entire back of the bike just to get to the license plate light anyway, and once you've got the Tupperware off, it's *much* easier to change the brake light and turn signal lights.
7) The blinker module comes with a couple of wires just in case you need to jumper from a fuse block to the blinker module. I cut the male spade connector off each and stripped back the wire. I left the OEM plug for the OEM blinker module intact, and just cut off a short section of insulation on the black and gray wires, then soldered the jumper wires to the black and gray wires. Thus, if I want to go back to the OEM blinker module, I can.
8) On those two jumper wires, I scavenged a couple of rubber insulating boots off some small test lead alligator clips I had. The boots fit perfectly over the spade connectors so they can't touch any metal on the bike or get wet.
9) After I'd soldered the jumper wires onto the existing gray and black wires and hooked it up to test that the blinkers still worked, I gave it a couple coats of liquid electrical tape, waited for it to get tacky, then wrapped regular electrical tape, then dabbed a bit more liquid electrical tape to ensure the regular tape never came loose.
10) If you do like I did and solder those jumper leads onto the existing black and gray wires, it helps to unscrew the radiator mounting nuts and swing the radiator to one side a bit. It gives you enough room to get a soldering iron and both hands in there.
11) The electronic blinker module has some double-stick tape on the side of it. I stuck it to the same place where the OEM blinker module used to be.
12) The electronic blinker module doesn't have the "TOC TOC TOC TOC" sound that the OEM blinker module made when you turned on your turn signals. I don't really miss the sound all that much, but some people rely upon it as an indication that they've left their blinker on.
13) The LEDs put in the front blinkers are just a bit brighter than the OEM bulbs. The LEDs put in the back blinkers are ungodly bright, as is the tail/brake light. The brake light and rear blinkers can easily be seen even when the sun is shining directly on it... especially if you've got the Kisan Tech T50W TailBlazer brake light flasher. The license plate light is much brighter than OEM.
14) A Leatherman is invaluable for getting the covers off the front blinker assembly. The front blinker assemblies have got the plastic snap-together tabs *and* screws, *and* you've got to slide it off in one specific direction (the same direction the screws point) after popping those tabs out, to get it off. It's not easy to do.
15) J-B Weld is useless for fixing screw holes in plastic that are worn out. It dries rock hard, but doesn't really bond to the plastic very well, so it just screws out like a screw does when you try to drill a pilot hole through it.
16) For that o-ring type seal around the tail light / brake light / blinker cover (the red and clear cover), I put a very thin film of white grease on the edge of the cover before putting it back in. Hopefully, that'll keep it from sticking to that o-ring type seal next time I want to remove it.
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01 Jul 2014:
My 53rd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 7953.3 miles
Miles Ridden: 182.5 miles
Fuel: 2.534 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.979
Total Cost: $10.08
Fuel Mileage: 72.02 MPG
My best fuel mileage ever! Somewhat strange, considering that I hit the last bar on the fuel gauge at only 150.1 miles. When it dipped to that last bar, I was thinking to myself, "Oh great, I've only got about 15 miles before I have to fill up. Another tankful that didn't get very good mileage."... but it was a warm day and I wasn't doing anything, so I went for a joyride to test a few things out.
I found that this scooter must have phenomenal fuel mileage if you take long trips (so the engine is warmed up, I think mine runs rich when it's cold, so the many short trips (~8 minutes) I take to go back and forth to work must be affecting the fuel economy) on warm days, and keep the engine speed below 6000 RPM, because I rode for 32.4 miles before that last bar on the fuel gauge went away. I ended up putting just about the same amount of fuel in as last fillup (2.543 gallons on 07 Jun, 2.534 gallons this time).
So I think once I swap in taller rear gears, my fuel mileage should increase a good bit. The exhaust heat recovery unit should bump it up a good bit more. I'm trying to design it so it all fits in the muffler, so it all looks pretty much stock.
I'm researching the Dr. Pulley HiT clutch as a swap-in. The part for the Yager GT 200i is the Dr. Pulley HiT Clutch 201502+Bell 130R. But I'm going to set mine so it's got an engagement speed of about 2750 RPM, to make low speed riding more controllable. With the 4000 to 5000 RPM engagement speed of the OEM clutch, at speeds below 20 MPH I have to get on and off the throttle to regulate speed, rather than holding one set RPM. The takeoff is almost too harsh with the OEM clutch... today I lifted the front wheel for a split second on a hard takeoff from a stoplight to get ahead of the impatient driver of a large pickup truck who got mad because I lane-split to the front. I was through the intersection before he even fully entered it.
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08 Jul 2014:
I received the final part I'd ordered from KymcoPartsOnline.com on 01 Oct 2013, a cooling fan motor. That makes my transaction with them complete after 281 days.
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10 Jul 2014:
I performed the 8000 mile service on the bike today, which consisted of:
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Inspect suspension
Inspect tires
Replace air cleaner
Inspect drive belt / variator
Tighten nuts / bolts
Clean crankcase breather
Inspect clutch shoe wear
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
So the treatment with LiquiMoly Ceratec is finished, now I'll be treating the oil with ZDDP to protect the cam and lifters.
The old engine oil came out a light brown, instead of the very dark brown it usually comes out as. There were no metal flakes of any size in the oil. I checked with a bright light as I slowly poured the oil into the waste oil container, and there was no metal at all. Nor was there any in the gear oil.
I added a small amount of STP Oil treatment with ZDDP to the engine oil. The result is that the lifters are so quiet that the click of the fuel injector is now louder in a mechanic's stethoscope. It's very thick stuff, so I only added a little (an amount approximately equivalent to four tablespoons), but apparently that's all that was needed.
And I added an ounce of Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment to the gas tank. It apparently counteracts the effects of ethanol in the fuel. I want to see if it'll clean up the fuel injector to get rid of the slightly lumpy idle when the engine is cold.
The suspension is fine, no problems whatsoever.
The tires are really starting to show wear, and both the front and back have cupping almost all the way over to the edge of the tread. They'll be changed at 10,000 miles.
The air cleaner was still clean, it only had 2500 miles on it, but I changed it anyway. I might start changing them every 4000 miles, instead. We'll see how the new one looks in 2500 miles.
The drive belt is starting to show signs of wear, as well. It's not much thinner than new, but the edge of the nubs are fully rounded now. It'll be changed at 10,000 miles, as well. When I buy the next replacement belt, it'll be a Kevlar reinforced belt.
I went through the whole bike and checked all the nuts and bolts for tightness. Nothing was out of sorts here.
The crankcase breather is doing its job. It's much easier to keep it clean now that the collection bottle has been put on the drain tube so that gunk can't back up in the tube. I drained a total of 12 cc of gunk out of it since it's been installed. When I pulled the crankcase breather tube and started the engine, no white smoke came out, and air moved, so my rings are in good shape, and the crankcase breather is working properly.
The clutch shoes aren't showing much wear... probably because the clutch had grease on it for a long time that was saving the shoes from wearing much (but also causing high clutch engagement RPMs). I'm thinking that might not be such a bad thing, if I could find a rheopectic grease that thickens when the clutch shoes hit it, thus locking the shoes solid. It doesn't matter much anyway, as the clutch will be changed out for a Dr. Pulley HiT clutch as soon as I can find a vendor selling the one that fits our scooter (Dr. Pulley HiT Clutch 201502+Bell 130R).
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20 Jul 2014:
My 54th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 8135.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 182.6 miles
Fuel: 2.570 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.839
Total Cost: $9.87
Fuel Mileage: 71.05 MPG
I added an ounce of Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment to the gas tank. I'm not sure if it's simply because the weather has been warmer around here lately, or if the Startron is working, but the bike now starts again with just a touch of the starter button, and the idle is much smoother.
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21 Jul 2014:
Today I took apart the clutch and variator. I cleaned everything, then took fine-grit emory cloth to the clutch shoes to remove a bit of glazing on them, and scrubbed the clutch bell where the shoes engage, then roughened it up a bit with some rough-grit emory cloth.
For the variator, I put emory cloth on the garage floor, held it in place, then scrubbed the variator pulley faces against it (rotating the pulley sheaves every minute or so, to make the metal removal as flat and even as possible) until I'd removed about .25mm off the inside faces of each pulley sheave. It took a long time, and my arms are tired.
I did this because during my 10 Jul 2014 inspection, I noticed that my belt isn't riding all the way up on the variator pulley... there's a tiny strip along the outside diameter of the variator pulley sheaves that you can tell there's been no belt wear on (it's not shined like the rest of the pulley sheave face). So I was hoping to get the pulley sheaves to push closer together and push the belt up a bit higher.
I found a new grease that's advertised for high speed, high temperature lubrication requirements. They say it won't melt or fling off up to 525 F, and it's very thick, very viscous, like a thick paste. I applied a very light coat of it on the slider weights, inside the slider weight tracks, on the variator ramp where the slider weights travel, inside and outside the variator boss, on the engine and rear gearset shafts, and inside the hole where the shaft goes through the clutch.
I buttoned everything up and took it out for a test ride. The clutch at first slipped quite a bit more... engine speed was 5000 RPM before it'd even start pulling. After 20 miles or so, the clutch shoes started bedding in, and by the end, it was starting to engage at about 3800 RPM, and was pulling hard by 4500 RPM. And there's no whistle or hard engagement now... it's buttery smooth.
I noticed that at highway speeds, my engine RPMs are about 200 RPM lower now. So the next time I have it apart, I'll take a bit more off the variator sheave faces to see if it'll drop the engine RPM even more.
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11 Aug 2014:
My 55th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 8321.9 miles
Miles Ridden: 186.0 miles
Fuel: 2.545 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.679
Total Cost: $9.36
Fuel Mileage: 73.08 MPG
I added an ounce of Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment to the gas tank. Yet again the bike hits an all-time fuel mileage high. I can't say for sure, but that Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment must be cleaning up the fuel injector or otherwise having a beneficial effect. Either that, or the tiny amount I shaved off the variator sheaves is what did it, or the warmer weather... I've been charting fuel mileage with average temperature over the period for each tank, there's a definite correlation. Either way, it's a step in the right direction.
I just passed $500 in total fuel costs since the bike was new.
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17 Aug 2014:
I ordered wheel rim reflective tape to increase nighttime conspicuity. This is supposedly the brightest tape out there.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624)
I ordered yellow for the 13" front rim, and red for the 12" rear rim. I wanted to order white, but I think California law dictates that all reflectors be amber or yellow for front and red for rear. The various statutes don't make it really clear.
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18 Aug 2014:
I paid the Geico insurance for the scooter for the period 01 Oct 2014 to 01 Oct 2015.
Cost: $78.75
Confirmation Number: 20BA-IFF03B0-328330
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20 Aug 2014:
I received in the mail the wheel rim reflective tape. I'll apply it tomorrow and take some pictures.
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22 Aug 2014:
I applied the wheel rim reflective tape. Unfortunately, the wimpy flash on my camera and the camera automatically damping down ultra-bright parts of the picture doesn't do the reflection from the tape justice.
When I was in the garage, I closed the garage door and shut off all the lights, then took the dark pictures. The reflection is much brighter than it appears in the picture.
Then I rolled out into the parking lot to take the bright pictures. The yellow tape on the front wheel is much brighter than the red tape, but that may be due to fact that the rear wheel is shaded by the muffler on one side and the air filter housing on the other.
See attached pictures.
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24 Aug 2014:
In preparation for converting FrankenYager to a rolling experimental platform, I'm upgrading some of the components.
I found a manufacturer who'll fabricate roller lifters to replace the sliding lifters in our scooters.
Baisley Hi-Performance
www.baisley.com (http://www.baisley.com)
5511 N. Interstate Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
(503) 289-1251
I ordered two OEM lifters for the fabricator to use as templates for the new roller lifters, along with the rocker shafts. It's not a certainty that they can make a working roller lifter for this bike yet, they've got to get a look at the OEM lifters first... but either way is good. If they can, this'll make the engine a bit quieter and it should last longer. If they can't, I've got spares for a rebuild in the future.
I also ordered a new O2 sensor... I'm going to change it out to see if the rich exhaust smell when the bike is cold is due to a faulty O2 sensor... hopefully that's the problem, as that fix will increase my fuel mileage a bit.
Valve rocker arms (Part number 14431-KKC1-900) $76.50 for two.
Rocker arm shaft (Part number 14450-KEBE-900, aka 14450-KBE-9000) $11.74
Rocker arm shaft (Part number 14461-KEBE-900) $7.66
O2 Sensor (Part number 39450-LEA6-800) $106.44
Subtotal: $202.34 at kymcopartsmonster.com
Shipping: $21.63
Total: $223.97
Order Number: 33903
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More pictures.
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01 Sep 2014:
I performed the 8400 mile service, which is inspecting the brake system. Nothing much to report here. I plan on ordering new brake fluid reservoir covers, or finding some paint that can stand up to brake fluid... now the paint's starting to peel a bit on the right-hand brake fluid reservoir cover, too.
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05 Sep 2014:
I received the valve rocker arms, rocker arm shafts and O2 sensor I ordered from KymcoPartsMonster.com. I'll ship the rocker arms and rocker arm shafts to Baisley Hi-Performance first chance I get.
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07 Sep 2014:
My 56th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 8512.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 190.6 miles
Fuel: 2.555 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.579
Total Cost: $9.14
Fuel Mileage: 74.60 MPG
Yet again I hit a new all-time high on fuel mileage. No idea why, it's been relatively cool here recently, and usually my fuel mileage goes down when the temperature is low.
I added an ounce of Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment to the gas tank.
I performed the 8500 mile service as soon as I got home, which is inspecting the steering head bearing. It involves twisting, prying and lifting on the front end and handlebars to see if it sticks, wobbles or can move where it's not supposed to. Nothing to report here, although when I have the Tupperware off for retrofitting the experimental devices to the engine, I'll take the steering head bearing out, do a visual inspection, and grease it.
I replaced the O2 sensor and took the bike out for a 30 mile test ride. Other than it having a bit more power, nothing changed... now I have to be extremely careful not to hit the rev limiter... I pegged the tachometer three times on the test ride. It resets after 30 seconds or so of less-than-rev-limiter riding, but it's disconcerting when it happens to see the tach pegged at 10,000 RPM. But pulling up those long hills on Interstate 280 near Half Moon Bay at 70 MPH was fun... the engine's got more in it if I can figure out a way to gear it a bit taller and get it nearer its torque peak.
So the old O2 sensor is still working, the heater still works, etc., so I cleaned it up and stored it in my spare parts box.
The rough idle persisted, so the O2 sensor wasn't the culprit. In doing research, I found it may be the Idle Air Bypass Valve that is sticky, so I cleaned it with some throttle cleaner I bought at Kragen that's supposed to be safe to use in cleaning throttle plates, O2 sensors, fuel injectors and air bypass valves. And I plugged in my Kymco Diagnostic Tool to be sure everything was kosher. Aside from a Diagnostic Trouble Code of 13 (engine overspeed), there were no errors.
I noticed that the engine Idle Speed Setpoint was at 1716 RPM instead of 1660 (factory setpoint), so I reset the APC (Air Per Cycle) valve in the Kymco Diagnostic Tool settings, and that dropped the idle speed back to its factory setpoint. I've got to let the engine cool before I know if the changes fixed the cold rough idle. If not, I'll be changing out the spark coil, spark plug, spark plug wire, and the fuel injector next. I think I'll go with a higher-power spark coil. If none of that works, I'll order a new idle air bypass valve. It can't be a vacuum leak, as it only happens when the engine is cold... when it's warmed up, it idles smooth as silk.
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08 Sep 2014:
In chasing down this lumpy cold idle gremlin, I was watching YouTube about motorcycles with lumpy cold idle. One of the guys said it was due to his valves being misadjusted. So I checked the valve clearance, the secondary air injection control valve, the spark plug and the timing chain today.
Nothing out of the ordinary to report.
I cleaned the spark plug, using an emory board to shine up the J-hook, just in case the spark was having trouble jumping the gap due to carbon buildup on its landing zone. Then I made sure it was gapped to 0.9 mm. I put a dab of copper antiseize on the threads, and torqued it to 10 ft-lb. I know the manual says 6.5 ft-lb, but that seems awfully loose... it barely crushes the crush washer at that torque. The good news is I started the spark plug threads 180 degrees from where it'd been put in last time, so the J-hook isn't shrouding the spark from the intake valve anymore, the plug's open gap is pointing almost directly at the intake valve now. No indexing washers needed.
The secondary air injection control valve was a bit carboned, but not bad. I cleaned it up and put it back together.
The valves were at exactly 0.09 mm, just as I'd set them. I know they're supposed to be set to 0.1 mm, but that ever-so-slightly tighter valve clearance gives me just a tad more valve lift, which gives the engine a tiny boost in power, without unduly risking slamming the valves into the piston.
The timing chain and chain tensioner look practically new. No wear, no problems.
I also went through and tightened all the clamps on the intake manifold and the various tubes, just to be sure there wasn't a leak on one of them.
Unfortunately, the problem persists.
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09 Sep 2014:
I tore into the bike pretty deeply today. I took apart the entire intake from the air filter to the engine, cleaned up all the parts, ensured everything was in good condition, and put it back together. I did the same for the fuel system from the fuel hose to the fuel injector.
I found some very, very fine grit covering everything from the fuel hose, the fuel injector, the intake, etc. It was pretty apparent it came in via the fuel, you could see in the throttle body where it'd been sprayed on the walls by the fuel injector. So a bad batch of gas is the culprit. That means I'll have to replace the fuel injector, as it's partially clogged with the stuff and no amount of cleaning will fix that.
And I'll have to find better fuel filters. The ones I'm using are Wix 33031 / Napa 3031 filters, with a metal canister body and paper filter element. They have a 12 micron filter rating. So the fine grit getting through the fuel filter was finer than 12 micron. But it clumped up everywhere.
I pulled the old fuel filter out and put a new one in. It's getting near to the time when it needs to be changed anyway. It was put in at 6000 miles, and is due for a change at 9000 miles. It'll get swapped for a more efficient filter as soon as I find one. The old fuel filter, when looking down the tube, had the grit built up on its filter media, so Costco must have given me quite a large dose of the gunk.
I stripped every part down as far as it'd go... the fuel injector actually comes completely apart. But I nicked the O-ring when I was taking it apart (it was really stuck together), and that tiny, tiny nick caused it to leak fuel when I'd gotten it all back together. So I went to Kragen and got a Viton O-ring of the same size and put it in. Leak fixed, problem solved.
I found the Throttle Position Sensor can actually be pivoted back and forth to adjust the sensed throttle position. I got the bright idea that if I slid it all the way toward the forward position, the ECU would think the butterfly valve wasn't fully open, even though it would be, and hence it'd feed the engine less fuel, improving fuel economy.
It works, but there's a side effect. At a certain RPM, the engine just cuts out. The closer you are to adjusting the TPS so it reads 100% when the throttle is 100% open, the lower that RPM will be right off of idle. I started with the TPS all the way forward. The Kymco Diagnostic Tool showed the throttle position sensor as reporting the throttle only open 91%.
"A 9% fuel savings!", I think to myself, "Great!". I buttoned it up and took it for a test ride, whereupon I discovered the flaw in my brilliant plan. The engine was cutting out at around 4500 RPM, which is right where the RPMs are when I'm taking off from a stop with light throttle.
Apparently the ECU switches between "open throttle" and "closed throttle" modes, and there can be no gap in throttle position between the two, or the ECU just shuts off the fuel injector in that gap.
So, I went back home, and adjusted the TPS so it was showing 96% open when the throttle was actually 100% open. Another test ride revealed the engine would cut out if I just barely cracked the throttle. I kind of like it like that... it allows me to coast in traffic without using fuel, and the engine cuts out at 3000 RPM, an RPM that isn't even usable given that the clutch doesn't start engaging until 4500 RPM. Cracking it just a slight bit more makes the engine jump to 4500 RPM.
But, knowing that it ought to be seamless between idle and open throttle, I carefully adjusted the TPS position until it was exactly correlated with the actual throttle position, then I did the TPS reset procedure. Just can't win. Heh.
See attached pictures.
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10 Sep 2014:
I went out to the garage last night to go to work, started the bike, and it only did the lumpy idle thing for about 10 seconds before it smoothed out. I thought, "Great, it's improved, but I'll still need to change out the fuel injector."
This morning, when the engine was at 56 degrees because it'd been sitting in the parking garage at work all night, when I fired it up, it only gave two slight "rum-dum-rum-dum" lumpy idle things, then smoothed right out. No rich exhaust smell, either.
EFI is a strange beast. Apparently it's relearning the sensors and setting things up so it runs well.
So I may not have to replace the fuel injector after all... time will tell.
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13 Sep 2014:
I performed the 8600 mile service on the bike today, which consisted of:
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
There were no metal flakes of any size in the oil. Nor was there any in the gear oil.
I added a small amount of STP Oil treatment with ZDDP to the engine oil.
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16 Sep 2014:
I ordered 2 new air filters (Part Number: 1721A-KKC3-900) from KymcoPartsMonster.com.
Each: $17.10
Subtotal: $34.20
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $20.62
Order Total: $54.82
Order number: 33957
According to my tally, I *should* have 4 OEM air filters on the parts shelf... but my wife, being ever-so-efficient, decided to move everything in the garage around, and now the filters have gone missing. Heh.
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17 Sep 2014:
I want to try something new for air filtering, so I went to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store and purchased a 2 inch thick, 2 foot by 2 foot square of synthetic woven pillow stuffing made of polyester, called NuFoam... it's almost like an open-cell foam. The stuff is sort of melted together so it can't come apart, and it'll make a great oiled pre-filter when it's compressed to 1 inch thick. I'll build a semi-circular holder from perforated metal for it that'll bolt in front of the existing filter. For the oil, I'm thinking of using Motor Honey oil or other similar thick oil substance... it's very thick and tacky, and thus should catch and hold dust.
For the built-in filter, while I've got the two OEM filters on the way, I also want to try out an oiled filter... the gear oil vent is putting oil vapor into the air cleaner housing anyway, which eventually leads to the air filter having oil on it anyway, so why not just have an oiled filter that'll catch more dirt and allow easier breathing? At least then the oil vapor coming from the gear oil vent will keep the air filter oiled and working well, whereas now it just tends to plug the paper filter element. And an oiled filter is cleanable and reusable, so it'll save money in the long term.
Here's what I purchased:
http://www.e-dnafilters.com/Product.asp?ID=1550 (http://www.e-dnafilters.com/Product.asp?ID=1550)
DNA Filter P-KY1SC09-01
You'll note it says it's for the Dink 125i, but the Dink 125i and the Yager GT 200i share the same air filter part number.
I also ordered the DNA Filter Service Kit (the filter cleaning solution and filter oil).
Total: $112.90
Order Number: 2285.224254648
Tracking Number: RE334476171GR
So that's approximately equivalent to the cost of 6 OEM filters.
An alternative oiled air filter is the BMC FM700/04.
http://www.bmcairfilters.com/filtri-moto-standard/fm700-04_d1133_10.aspx (http://www.bmcairfilters.com/filtri-moto-standard/fm700-04_d1133_10.aspx)
$59.00 from speedmob.com
It's been confirmed by BMC that it fits the Yager GT 200i, as well.
I may order this one, as well, to compare the two.
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20 Sep 2014:
Curiosity got the better of me today, so while I had the Met-In Box off for measuring free space for a new 5 micron fuel filter (my current fuel filter is 12 micron), I popped the little rubber plug out to access the adjusting screw on the intake plenum, as discussed here:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=12666.0 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=12666.0)
I turned it all the way in, just so I knew how far to turn it back out when I was done playing. It was exactly two turns out.
Turning it all the way in gives that rough, stumbling idle *all* *the* *time*... so that gave me a clue that this might be the last little bit that needed cleaning to completely smooth out the idle. I'd already cleaned the fuel line, fuel injector, intake plenum and put a new 12 micron fuel filter on previously.
So, I screwed the screw all the way out while the bike was idling, and removed the screw. It's a needle screw, obviously for adjusting the idle fuel:air mixture... even though we've got an Idle Air Bypass Valve, I guess this is the fine adjustment.
I sprayed some throttle cleaner into the hole, cleaned the needle, then popped the upstream hose off the Idle Air Bypass Valve and sprayed a bit of throttle cleaner through it as the bike idled. It died a couple times, but started right back up.
Taking the engine's response from when I'd turned the needle screw in all the way, I gauged where the rough idle started, then backed it out until it was idling smoothly. It's now only 1 turn out, instead of 2, and the idle is smooth as butter.
I'll adjust as necessary in the future if I find it's necessary.
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21 Sep 2014:
My 57th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco.
Mileage: 8689.8 miles
Miles Ridden: 177.3 miles
Fuel: 2.548 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.499
Total Cost: $8.92
Fuel Mileage: 69.584 MPG
Not bad, considering that I had the fuel leak from the nicked fuel injector o-ring, and I also lost a bit when I changed out the fuel filter.
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22 Sep 2014:
I finally got around to mailing the OEM rocker arms and rocker arm shafts to Baisley Hi-Performance today. I'd put them up on my parts shelf, and every time I went to the garage, I reminded myself to mail them, but never got around to it.
Well, I was tweaking that little adjustment screw on the intake and spraying some more throttle cleaner through there and through the Idle Bypass Valve, when I spied the package on the shelf, and thought, "Yeah, I'd better get that mailed out before they forget who I am." Heh.
For the record, that little adjustment screw under the rubber cap on the intake plenum is now three turns out. The cold idle is almost completely "lump" free. I suspect there's still a bit of gunk somewhere that needs to be cleaned out. I'll get the opportunity to tear it all apart and do a deep cleaning when I install the experimental components on the engine.
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29 Sep 2014:
I ordered a Fitch Fuel Catalyst.
http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/ (http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/)
It's a metal alloy that apparently acts as a catalyst to "unwind" longer-chain hydrocarbons, thereby allowing them to more easily burn in the combustion chamber, rather than being thrown out the tailpipe unburned or only partially burned.
I found a military document:
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA429975 (http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA429975)
where they'd tested the Fitch Fuel Catalyst and found it actually worked, so I'm going to try it out.
{NOTE: The PDF file from the link above has a lot of "INDUSTRIAL PROPRIETARY" labeled blacked-out text. You can copy/paste the blacked out section into Notepad or similar to read the hidden text, though.}
My "technobabble explanation", the best I can come up with from reading the military document, is that it apparently catalyses dehydrogenation followed by reduction of some oxidized molecules. Essentially, hydrogen ions are being converted to bonded hydrogen atoms, thereby buffering fuel acidity. The hydrogen is transferred to the protons in the aliphatic regions of the spectrum along with the acidic protons in the aromatic and olefinic regions. This allows fuel to be stored and remain fresh for longer periods, and increases the number of aromatic compounds in the fuel, which should give a boost in octane and fuel mileage. Heh. And if you fully understand that, you're one step ahead of me.
It's also apparently EPA and CARB certified... and been on the market for 10+ years. If it didn't do as it claimed, the EPA and CARB would have shut them down long ago and not certified the product.
Here's the CARB certification report:
http://www.fitchfuelcatalyst.com/docs/perf_gas_ChevyFTPA75.pdf (http://www.fitchfuelcatalyst.com/docs/perf_gas_ChevyFTPA75.pdf)
Baseline MPG: 13.121
1000 mile MPG: 17.650
After 1000 miles of running the Fitch Fuel Catalyst for the CARB certification report:
THC: -8.11%
CO: -25.47%
NOx: -23.96%
CO2: -25.90%
MPG: +34.517186%
I got one that's designed for larger motorcycles instead of scooters, the F5T.
http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/details.php?prodId=44&category=30 (http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/details.php?prodId=44&category=30)
I'm going to take out the fuel pump, clean the tank, then drop the FFC in before I button it all up again.
Order Number: 1378588
Cost: $51.25
shipping: $13.60
Total: $64.85
So I'll test it and see if it gives any improvement. Gotta get FrankenYager smog tested as a baseline first.
I also received in the mail the DNA air filter I'd ordered on 17 Sep 2014. Pretty good shipping time, considering it came all the way from Greece via Hellenic Post... quicker delivery than the OEM filters from KymcoPartsMonster, which I'd ordered a day earlier and still haven't received. The filter came with a mini-magazine describing their entire production process... they sure go to a lot of trouble to make things right, which I guess is why they've got an advanced filter for a scooter like ours, why it fit perfectly, and why it works so well. I installed the DNA filter later in the day since I had to take the oldest kid to swim class after school.
The air filter has got a flexible frame, with a groove that kind of snaps onto the little ridge in the filter box, then you tighten the six provided screws until the spacer bushings on the screws bottom out. I put the six OEM screws in my toolbox to save just in case I needed them in the future. I also saved the dirty filter... I'm going to be buying a manometer to measure intake vacuum with a clean OEM, dirty OEM and clean and dirty DNA filter. This is in preparation for buying a filter minder switch that'll automatically blink an LED to tell me when differential pressure across the filter is getting too high and the filter needs to be changed (OEM) or cleaned (DNA Filter).
Out of the box, the DNA filter is pre-oiled, but only lightly. Using the DNA Filter Service Kit, I put a light bead of oil on each ridge of the filter. It spread pretty quickly, until the filter was a nice, uniform, deep red. None ran out, I just wanted to be sure I had *enough*. Any excess would get pulled into the engine anyway, so you can't really mess up by putting too much.
It's kind of a pain to get the filter's groove to snap onto that little ridge in the filter box, but that was my fault. I put white grease in the slot of the filter, just to be absolutely sure no air could be pulled around the edge, and that grease didn't want to push out of the way for anything. But once the filter groove is on that ridge, you can hear the grease give a kind of squish noise, and you know the ridge is bottomed in the filter's groove.
It's a very nicely built filter, came with all the documentation on how to clean and oil it, and it fit perfectly.
Anyway, I started up... the bike idles nicely, no lumpy idle now, and it sounds more 'throaty' with the new filter. I let it warm up for about 30 seconds like I always do, then twisted the throttle my usual amount to get 4000 RPM for a soft launch as I always do when the engine's not fully warmed up... and the engine went to 5000 RPM.
I backed off the throttle, ran at 4000 RPM out to the road with the throttle just barely cracked, took it nice and easy until I hit El Camino Real, then to the 380/280 interchange onramp near Tan Foran. Once on the ramp, with the engine now fully warmed up, I did an acceleration test... I hit 65 MPH about 60 feet before I normally do, and the bike ran to 75 MPH at only 3/4 throttle. Once out on Highway 101 South, it clipped right along with less throttle than I normally give it, but I ran into heavy traffic, so my high speed run was cut short. I turned around at the Millbrae exit and headed up Highway 101 North back toward home.
There's a long downslope right before I turn into our parking lot. What I usually do is cut off the engine and let it coast in, while opening the throttle fully to cool the engine internally a bit, to prevent heat soak. Usually, it'll continue down the slope with the engine slowly climbing in RPM... the engine braking means I don't have to use my brakes much to be at the right speed to turn into our parking lot and coast to our garage at 8 MPH.
Today, when I did the same, the engine started slowing down quite a bit, you could tell there was more engine braking. I had to close the throttle early to keep my speed up so I could coast into our parking lot.
All in all, the new filter gives a bit of a boost in power, which means it's flowing more air, but it seems to have more of an effect at lower engine speeds than at higher... it's possible that the air flow is limited elsewhere at higher engine speeds... my bet would be that tiny tube going into the airbox is the limiting point. When I get my prefilter finished, I'll look into creating a larger intake tube going into the airbox.
If the DNA filter also cleans the intake air more effectively, as DNA Filters claims, then I'd say it's well worth it. Once I get my prefilter done, the intake air should effectively be perfectly clean. And the design of the prefilter will give it so much surface area that there shouldn't be much, if any, additional restriction.
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More pictures...
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More pictures...
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03 Oct 2014:
I received the two OEM air filters I'd ordered on 16 Sep 2014 from KymcoPartsMonster.com.
Now, whenever I have to clean the DNA oiled air filter, I've got some OEM paper filters I can slap in there if I need to ride right away while the DNA oiled filter is either drying out after being washed, or waiting for the applied oil to be dispersed throughout the filter material.
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08 Oct 2014:
I received the Fitch Fuel Catalyst I'd ordered on 29 Sep 2014. I'll put it in the fuel tank on the next fuel up.
It looks like the fuel injector has been fully cleaned by my taking it apart and cleaning it, combined with running the Startron Enzyme Fuel Treatment in each tank. My fuel mileage appears to have dropped again to around 65 MPG or so, judging by the gas gauge level and current mileage. The next fill-up will tell. Makes me wonder why the engine can't be leaned out a bit for better fuel mileage, as I noticed no loss of power or other effects when it was running leaner. It may be the fuel injector is worn, and thus injecting too much fuel. I'll order a new one and install it to verify.
The fuel mileage likely would have dropped anyway, we finally finished the Indian Summer here, where we had temperatures in the 70s even at night. Now temperatures are back down in the 50s at night (when the scooter is ridden the most). The scooter gets worse fuel mileage when it's cold. So the warm air intake I'll be building should help fuel mileage.
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09 Oct 2014:
I ordered a Magnetizer Motorcycle fuel line magnet. I'm not sure if they work or not, but their customer testimonials and other info on their site, along with some research papers I found on the subject is compelling enough that I'm going to give it a try. If it works, I'll keep it on, if not, it's easy to remove.
ORDER NUM: 8
ORDER DATE: October 10, 2014 00:08
TRANSACTION: MF0027806956 (Paid)
Magnetizer® Motorcycle Engine Energizer "MFE"
SUBTOTAL $90.00
SHIPPING $11.85
TOTAL $101.85
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10 Oct 2014:
I went to Gotelli Speed Shop around the corner in search of Royal Purple 10W-40 with Synerlec. They didn't have it in stock, but another store did and my shop ordered it inter-store from them, so I picked up 4 quarts later in the afternoon. This Synerlec stuff is supposed to be the best stuff out there, so I'm going to give it a try on the next oil change.
I also did a bit of internet searching, and found that Total Seal makes gapless rings that will fit our pistons. So at some point in the future, I'll be installing gapless rings as part of improving the engine to handle the rigors of water mist injection and lean burn. That'll be the same time I have Swain Tech Coatings put ceramic heat shield coating on the head, valves and piston face. So I'll be installing a new piston, new gapless rings, new head, higher strength lower weight titanium or composite connecting rod, and roller lifters when they're all ready. Eventually, a new cam that can take advantage of the roller lifters to provide faster valve opening, longer open duration, and faster valve closing will also be installed.
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13 Oct 2014:
My 58th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is now installed.
Mileage: 8,884.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 194.6 miles
Fuel: 2.590 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.399
Total Cost: $8.81
Fuel Mileage: 75.135 MPG
Yet another all-time high on fuel mileage, which is surprising, because the fuel injector is now clean, the bike is idling smoothly when cold, and it's got just as much power as before.
I took almost all the Tupperware off the bike today... you have to take it all off from the back of the bike forward to the floorboard just to get the floor above the gas tank off to get to the gas tank, which is a bit of a pain.
Anyway, I rode the bike until there were no bars on the fuel gage showing, then rode it for about 10 miles after that, so I could get the tank as empty as possible. It was so close to completely empty that there was only about 3/8" of fuel in the lower rear section of the tank when I opened it. I drained the fuel out with my suction device that I'd previously used for the brake fluid changeout, storing the fuel in the glass jar of the suction device. Then I got some lint-free rags and went to work making sure the inside of the tank was spotless. My hand would just barely fit in there, so I used a wrench extension to swipe the tank walls and bottom until I could see no more grit under a bright light. I also checked the fuel pump and filter sock, they were both in good condition and clean. There was only a tiny bit of that particulate matter from the bad gas I'd gotten, and I got it all out. Most of it must have run through and either gotten caught in the fuel filter or made it past the filter to go through the engine.
Then, I reversed the suction device and pushed the gasoline out of the glass container back into the tank, filtering it through a doubled-over coffee filter to be sure no particles got back into the tank. Since the suction device had sat for about an hour with the gas in it, most of the gunk in it had settled to the bottom, and that last little bit didn't get pushed back out of the glass jar. There was only a tiny bit of the gunk in the glass jar.
Then I dropped the Fitch Fuel Catalyst F5T modules into the gas tank, buttoned it back up, and rode to Costco to fill up. It's a good thing I live close to Costco... any farther and the bike wouldn't have made it.
So now I get to see if there are any fuel mileage improvements (on top of what the bike seems to be achieving on its own) due to the Fitch Fuel Catalyst. Time will tell, and if it doesn't work, I'll pull them out of the fuel tank.
Part of removing the Tupperware to get to the fuel tank involved removing the rear luggage rack. Just for S&G, I weighed it... the luggage rack, little support brace and bolts weigh 8.4 pounds. So based upon the combined curb weight of the bike and my own weight, leaving that off removes 1.63% of the weight. I left it off, since I never use it. I'll fabricate a special mount when I buy a top-case that'll be much lighter and stronger.
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20 Oct 2014:
I finally found a local place that has the equipment to do 5-gas smog checks on motorcycles and scooters. So, I'll pull the Fitch Fuel Catalyst modules out of the gas tank, run it for a tank or two, then get a baseline emissions test. After that, I'll drop the Fitch Fuel Catalyst modules back in, run it for a tank or two, and get another emissions test. Then I'll put the Magnetizer on, run it for a tank or two, and get a third emissions test. That'll give me a good baseline prior to the changes I'll be making.
I also found someone to cut a new rear gear set for the scooter. His name is Jan Vos, he's from Belgium, and he's got his own gear cutting machine. He's the guy who cut new gears for Craig Vetter's scooter (the one that got 214 MPG).
And finally, the Magnetizer Motorcycle fuel line magnet I'd ordered on 09 Oct 2014 was delivered.
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27 Oct 2014:
In preparation for making modifications to the engine, I ordered a bunch of parts:
Tag Part # Description Price Qty TOTAL:
12200 12200-LEA6-900 HEAD COMP CYLN 151.03 1 151.03
12205 12205-KHE8-301 ! BOLT SEALING 12MM 4.89 1 4.89
12209-GDB4-68A 12209-GDB4-682 ! 12209-GB4-6820-M1 SEAL VALVE STEM 7.9 2 15.8
12209-GDB4-68A 12209-GDB4-682 ! 12209-GB4-6820-M1 SEAL VALVE STEM 7.9 2 15.8
12209-GDB4-68B 12209-GDB4-68A ! SEAL VALVE STEM 6.82 2 13.64
12209-GDB4-68B 12209-GDB4-68A ! SEAL VALVE STEM 6.82 2 13.64
1221A 1221A-KEBE-900 HOLDER CAM SHAFT COMP **K 27.22 1 27.22
12251 12251-LEA6-900 GASKET CYLINDER HEAD 32.38 1 32.38
12310 12310-KEBE-900 HEAD COVER COMP **KBE-900 27.22 1 27.22
12391 12391-KEBE-900 GASKET HEAD COVER **KBE-9 6.52 1 6.52
13406 13406-LEA6-900 PLATE FUEL INJECTOR 8.03 1 8.03
14100 14100-LEA6-910 SHAFT COMP CAM 50.85 1 50.85
14431 14431-KKC1-900 ARM VALVE ROCKER **9000 C 36.34 2 72.68
14450 14450-KEBE-900 ! SHAFT COMP IN ROCKER ARM 11.15 1 11.15
14461 14461-KEBE-900 SHAF TEXH ROCKER ARM **KB 7.28 1 7.28
14711 14711-KEBE-900 VALVE INLET **KBE-9000 C. 21.84 1 21.84
14721 14721-KAAA-900 VALVE EXHAUST **KAA-9000 32.25 1 32.25
14751 14751-KJ9-0030 ! SPG VALVE OUTER 6.62 2 13.24
14761 14761-KJ9-0030 ! SPG VALVE INNER **KJ9-0030 C.2005.03.25 3.68 2 7.36
14771 14771-GB4-6800 RETAINER VALVE SPRING 6.29 2 12.58
14775 14775-MA6-0000 ! SEAT VALVE SPG OUTER 2.21 2 4.42
14781 14781-MA6-0000-M1 ! COTTER VALVE 3.85 4 15.4
16201 16201-GFY6-910 GASKET CARB INSULATOR 2.23 1 2.23
16211 16211-GFY6-901 ! INSULATOR CARB 6.29 1 6.29
17256 17256-KKE3-900 BAND INSULATOR 10 1 10
18601 18601-MAJ1-791 ! REED VALVE COMP 24.88 1 24.88
18612 18612-KEBE-900 COVER REED VALVE 10.87 1 10.87
18645 18645-GY6-9400 ! GASKET A/I PIPE 1.91 1 1.91
18646 18646-GY6-9400 ! GASKET A/I PIPE 1.91 1 1.91
18647 18647-KEBE-900 PIPE COMP AIR 25.51 1 25.51
39300 39300-LEA6-800 FUEL INJECTOR 71.19 1 71.19
39302 39302-KKE3-900 CLIP SPRING FUEL INJECTOR 8.03 1 8.03
39303 39303-LEA6-900 SEAL HIGH TENSION FUEL 3.21 1 3.21
39500 39500-KKE3-800 SENSOR T-MAP 66.21 1 66.21
90012 90012-3C33-001 ! SCREW TAPPET ADJUSTING 4.61 2 9.22
90033-GFY6-941 90033-GFY6-941 ! BOLT STUD 6*16 1.73 2 3.46
90033-GY6-900 90033-GY6-9000 BOLT STUD 8*32 1.47 2 2.94
90206 90206-001-0010 ! NUT TAPPET ADJG 1.4 2 2.8
90304 90304-4H38-001 ! NUT HEX CAP 6MM 2.52 2 5.04
90465 90465-MDC4-001 ! WASHER 8MM 1.4 4 5.6
93500 93500-04014-06 SCREW PAN 4*14 1.4 2 2.8
94050-08080 94050-08080 NUT FLANGE 8MM 1 4 4
94301 94301-10160 PIN DOWEL 10*16 1.12 4 4.48
95701 95701-06025-08 BOLT FLANGE 6*25 1 4 4
96001-06014 96001-06014-08 BOLT FLANGE SH 6*14 1 1 1
96001-06016 96001-06016-08 BOLT FLANGE SH 6*16 1 1 1
96001-06025 96001-06025-08 BOLT FLANGE SH 6*25 1 2 2
96001-06032 96001-06032-08 BOLT FLANGE SH 6*32 1 2 2
96001-06050 96001-06050-08 BOLT FLANGE SH 6*50 1 2 2
96001-GFY6 96001-GFY6-900 BOLT SPECIAL 5*10 **(0) C.2005.11.28 1 1 1
13101 13101-LEA6-900 PISTON 37.18 1 37.18
14401-KUDU-90C 14401-KUDU-90C CHAIN CAM 30.54 1 30.54
21395 21395-LEA5-E00 GASKET MISSION CASE 15.08 1 15.08
23411 23411-LEA6-E00 SHAFT DRIVE 39 1 39
23420 23420-LEA6-E00 SHAFT COMP COUNTER 53.39 1 53.39
23431 23431-KFC8-900 SHAFT FINAL **9000 C.2005 36.84 1 36.84
23432 23432-LEA6-E00 GEAR FINAL 40.6 1 40.6
90411 90411-KAM1-001 WASHER THRUST 14*32*1 2.65 2 5.3
90446 90446-3G57-001 WASHER THRUST 17.2MM 2.23 1 2.23
90474 90474-3C33-001 WASHER 8MM 1 1 1
91003 91003-KDS4-004 BRG BALL RADIAL 6301 21.72 1 21.72
91009 91009-GLE0-004 BRG BALL RADIAL 6004 UU 25.61 1 25.61
91105 91105-KGN7-672 BRG NEEDLE/HK1412V5 **KN7 20.35 1 20.35
91255 91255-GLE0-0060 OIL SEAL 27x42x7 2.94 1 2.94
94301 94301-08140 PIN DOWEL 8*14 1.12 2 2.24
94510 94510-20000 CIR CLIP EX 20 2.38 1 2.38
TOTAL: 1187.2
TOTAL FROM KYMCOPARTSMONSTER.COM: 1166.14
That's the entire head setup (parts grouping E02 in the parts list), a new piston, and new rear gears (with the washers, gaskets, shafts, etc.)
The head setup will be assembled by me, then sent to Baisley Hi-Performance so they can fabricate new roller rockers.
Then, the head will come back to me, be stripped down, and the valves and head proper will go to Swain Tech Coatings along with the piston to receive ceramic thermal barrier coating.
The gears will be sent to Jan Vos in Belgium so he can use them as a template to cut new gears with a 7.33:1 ratio, to replace the OEM 8.48:1 ratio rear gears.
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15 Nov 2014:
I received all the parts I'd ordered on 27 Oct 2014. So I've got a lot of assembling and shipping to do. Fortunately, my wife and kids are going to Taiwan for a month and a half in just a couple days, so I'll have plenty of time to get it all done.
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23 Nov 2014:
My 59th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst was installed for the previous tankful, but has now been taken out in preparation for getting the bike's emissions tested.
Mileage: 9083.2 miles
Miles Ridden: 198.8 miles
Fuel: 2.641 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.899
Total Cost: $7.66
Fuel Mileage: 75.275 MPG
Gas under $3 a gallon! Wow!
And the bike maintains good fuel efficiency. That's especially amazing given that the last tankful was during an abnormally warm period, when the average temperature over the course of that tankful was 71F. The temperature over the course of this tankful was 64F, and lately it's been in the 50s.
So, while I'm not going to say for certain that the Fitch Fuel Catalyst has had a beneficial effect (which will require more monitoring of the fuel efficiency with it in, as well as emissions tests before and after it's installed), every other time the temperature has gone down, so has fuel efficiency.
While I had the bike apart, I also did the 9000 mile service, which consisted of:
Inspect brake system
Clean spark plug
Replace fuel filter (it was replaced on 09 Sep 2014, so I didn't do this item)
Inspect brake levers
Inspect brake shoes
Inspect shocks
Inspect radiator coolant
Inspect secondary air supply system
Inspect side stand
Inspect headlight aim
Nothing to report on any of the above items except that the spark plug was clean, which is strange... it usually has a very tiny bit of brown crust on the exposed metal edge below the threads. Of course, I'd cleaned it on 08 Sep 2014, so it may just be that it's not had much time to build up yet. But it's been more than 2 months.
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25 Nov 2014:
I've been reading up on Molybdenum Disulfide and vacclaisocryptene (aka QX).
Apparently, the CAS numbers for it are:
1317-33-5 = Molybdenum sulfide, (MoS2)
108-88-3 = methyl-Benzene aka toluene
60-29-7 = 1,1-oxybis-Ethane aka ether
108-38-3 = 1,3-dimethyl-Benzene aka xylene
106-42-3 = 1,4-dimethyl-Benzene aka xylene
78-59-1 = 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one aka Isoacetophorone
91-20-3 = naphthalene
So essentially it's a mix of sludge, varnish and carbon removers (solvents), combined with molybdenum sulfide.
The working hypothesis is that the solvents remove the sludge, varnish and carbon from the engine, which allows the molybdenum sulfide to attach to the metal, where it provides a slick surface in the event of metal-to-metal contact.
There are two places from which to order the 'moly and solvents' combo known as vacclaisocryptene or QX:
http://www.championq-x.com/page/product.php?product=2001 (http://www.championq-x.com/page/product.php?product=2001)
http://www.nitronine.com/nitro-retail/shop/zp-700-moly-oil-treatment/ (http://www.nitronine.com/nitro-retail/shop/zp-700-moly-oil-treatment/)
But since the Royal Purple 10W-40 with Synerlec that I ordered already has moly in it, I'm not going to order any of this.
But I'll archive the info here for potential future use.
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01 Dec 2014:
I finally got around to getting the rear gear set shipped to Jan Vos in Belgium.
FedEx Tracking Number: 805442454080
I'd received them on the 15th of November, but my attention was directed toward other things, so I never got around to getting them shipped.
Anyway, now they're shipped, and I'm starting to put the head together so I can get it shipped to Baisley HiPerformance.
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05 Dec 2014:
Jan Vos informed me via email that he'd received the gears I'd FedEx'd him. I also calculated the ideal vs. actual gear ratio required.
For instance, with the current gearing, at 6500 RPM, it should attain a speed of 56.25 MPH. It actually attains 55 MPH.
So, for the new gears, I want 65 MPH at 6500 RPM. The ideal gear ratio would be 7.33:1. The actual gear ratio required is 7.15:1.
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16 Dec 2014:
I finally got around to assembling the head I'd ordered on 27 Oct 2014, and almost immediately ran into a problem... I was missing 3 parts. Well, all the same part number, but three of them.
Old part number: 14781-MA6-0000-M1
New part number: 14781-MA6-0000-M1 COTTER VALVE
$3.85 each
Strange, because I'd specified a quantity of 4 in the parts list I'd sent to KymcoPartsMonster, but it was a rather large order with a lot of small parts, so a mistake or two is to be expected.
So, I called up KymcoPartsMonster.com and ordered them. The assembly will be delayed until I receive them.
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01 Jan 2015:
I performed the 9200 mile service on the bike today, which consisted of:
Replace engine oil and filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
Engine oil - Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Gear Oil - Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
There were no metal flakes of any size in the oil. Nor was there any in the gear oil. Both engine oil and gear oil came out looking practically new.
The valve clearances were exactly where I'd previously set them, at 0.09 mm.
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02 Jan 2015:
My headlight high beam burned out. The headlight was installed 15 Jun 2013, so 567 days was a pretty good run for an ultrabright bulb.
I'll search for an LED headlight that will fit in the tight behind-the-bulb clearances this scooter has. Meanwhile, I'll continue to run the low beam.
My 60th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. Now I can get the bike emissions tested, since it's been two tankfuls since the FFC was removed.
Mileage: 9255.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 172.3 miles
Fuel: 2.629 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.359
Total Cost: $6.20
Fuel Mileage: 65.538 MPG
The average temperature during the last fuel-up period dropped from 64 to 57, and lately it's been in the 40s on the ride to and from work. There's a very clear correlation between temperature and fuel mileage seen on the chart I'm keeping due to this.
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03 Jan 2015:
I received the parts I'd ordered to complete the head assembly. Now I just have to find the free time to do so.
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11 Jan 2015:
I received the DMV registration tag for the scooter, good from 02/16/2015 to 02/16/2016. I'll put it on when a get a round tuit.
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14 Jan 2015:
Jan Vos from Belgium informed me via email that he'd finished cutting and hardening the rear gear set for the scooter.
Total cost: 235 Euros, or about $206.79
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31 Jan 2015:
My 61st fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed.
Mileage: 9407.3 miles
Miles Ridden: 151.8 miles
Fuel: 2.445 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.239
Total Cost: $5.47
Fuel Mileage: 62.086 MPG
The average temperature during the last fuel-up period dropped from 57 to 54, which affected the fuel mileage. I've got to get to work on that warm air intake.
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4 years on and the scooter is still in great shape, still running well, and so far hasn't given me any problems that necessitated a trip to the dealer... it's too bad Kymco discontinued this model, because it's one hell of a great little bike.
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01 Feb 2015:
I ordered a valve spring compressor from KymcoPartsMonster.com for putting the new head together, after figuring out the hard way that there's not really any other way of getting the valve assemblies put together. I'll work on putting the other stuff on the head while I wait for the valve spring compressor to arrive.
Kymco - VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR (All size)
Order Number: 34289
Item: A120E00040
Subtotal: $81.41
Shipping: $21.32
Total: $102.73
BettingANDLosing also informs me there's another way:
Install: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CM0g2TXxbw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CM0g2TXxbw)
Remove: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Dta1Na-pQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Dta1Na-pQ)
I tried the valve spring installation in accordance with the YouTube video above, but those springs are *strong*, I was pushing with all my strength, and I couldn't get the springs pushed down enough to slip the retainers in. And I'm no weakling.
Must look into a Desmodromic valve setup for this head, that'd save a lot of work that the engine is wasting just popping those valves open.
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02 Feb 2015:
I ordered a Polaroid XS100 camera with helmet mount, a 32 GB SD card and the silicone protective cover for the camera, from Amazon.
Order #: 103-4928373-6237822
Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition HD 1080p 16MP Waterproof Sports Action Video Camera With Full Mounting Kit Included
$129.99
SanDisk Ultra UHI-I/Class 10 Micro SDHC Memory Card, 32GB
$15.99
Polaroid Action Camera Protective Silicone Skin For The Polaroid XS100, XS100i Action Cameras (Black)
$11.99
Shipping & Handling: $9.45
Promotion Applied: -$9.45
Total Before Tax: $145.98
Estimated Tax: $1.44
Order Total: $147.42
I also ordered Counteract tire balancing beads, which will be installed when the new tires are put on at 10,000 miles. I'll statically balance the wheel assemblies first to get them as balanced as possible, then put the beads in.
http://www.tirebalancingbeads.com/products/regular-size-tube-and-tire-kit.html (http://www.tirebalancingbeads.com/products/regular-size-tube-and-tire-kit.html)
Order #: 6000491
1 x Regular size tube and tire kit $26.95
Subtotal: $26.95
Shipping: $5.00
Grand Total: $31.95
I also ordered a chrome 1-1/2" solid metal ball. I plan on using this to statically balance the tires... since the tire will be sitting above a perfectly round ball, which is sitting on a perfectly flat metal surface, the tires will have to be statically balanced pretty much perfectly, or they'll tend to tip to one side. No need to spend upwards of $70 for a bubble-type balancer when this will be much more sensitive and accurate.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M358R2 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M358R2)
Order Number: 103-1280269-6512200
One 1-1/2" Chrome steel bearing ball
Item Subtotal: $9.00
Shipping & Handling: $5.37
Total Before Tax: $14.37
Estimated Tax: $0.00
Order Total: $14.37
I also picked up from Amazon the following. I'll use the bullseye level to ensure the metal surface the metal ball is sitting on is perfectly level when I'm balancing the tires. The other items are pretty self-explanatory:
Irwin Industrial 1794487 Bullseye Level $11.39
Order Number: 103-1644160-7589054
1/4 OZ STEEL STICK-ON WHEEL WEIGHTS 50 STRIPS TOTAL $19.99
Order Number: 103-4903469-6625056
MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm) $15.00
Order Number: 103-3514436-5410611
Motion Pro 08-0049 Tire Iron Set $22.05
Order Number: 103-9764876-1270607
I've been worried that the tire might not last until 10,000 miles, so I've been watching to see if any cords start showing... and today the first cords were visible... looks like I'm going to have to change it as soon as I get all the tools. The bike will be down for a while, since I'll also be putting the new rear gears in, as well as new bearings in the gear casing and on the rear axle.
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03 Feb 2015:
In piecing together the head, I discovered that I'm missing two of the valve springs, and a valve retainer... so I've got to order them from KymcoPartsMonster.com. More delays.
Outer Spring: $6.62
Inner Spring: $3.68
Retainer: $6.99
Shipping: $10.00
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06 Feb 2015:
The bullseye level I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
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07 Feb 2015:
The 1-1/2" chrome steel bearing ball I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
The wheel weights I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
The SanDisk Ultra UHI-I/Class 10 Micro SDHC Memory Card, 32GB I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
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08 Feb 2015:
The Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition HD 1080p 16MP Waterproof Sports Action Video Camera I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
If you buy one of these cameras, and as you're testing it out, you notice that there's no audio to the recorded videos, that's probably because you're playing the videos back with Windows Media Player... for some reason Windows Media Player doesn't play back the audio in the Polaroid XS100 camera. Download and install VLC Media Player, and the sound works fine.
That leaves the following to be delivered yet:
Polaroid Action Camera Protective Silicone Skin For The Polaroid XS100, XS100i Action Cameras (Black)
Counteract tire balancing beads
MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm)
Motion Pro 08-0049 Tire Iron Set
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09 Feb 2015:
The Motion Pro 08-0049 Tire Iron Set I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015 arrived.
That leaves the following to be delivered yet:
Polaroid Action Camera Protective Silicone Skin For The Polaroid XS100, XS100i Action Cameras (Black)
Counteract tire balancing beads
MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm)
-----
10 Feb 2015:
I ordered a new LED headlight from Amazon seller Anzio.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PRW2KJK/ (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PRW2KJK/)
2x High Low Beam H4 9003 HB2 720LM Xenon White 6000K XBD CREE 6-LED Headlight For Car
Item: $24.98
S&H: $0.00
Tax: $2.31
Total: $27.29
It's only rated at 720 lumens, but from everything I've read about it, it's brighter than that. If it turns out to not be bright enough, I'll try a different LED. The reason I bought this one is that it's the latest LEDs which create less heat, so there's no heat sink and fan on the bulb. It's plug-and-play, which means it should work with my headlight modulator.
I got a phone call at 5:48 PM from a guy in Denver, Colorado. He says the valve spring compressor I'd ordered from Interstate Cycle (InterstateCycle.com, KymcoPartsMonster.com) on 01 Feb 2015 was delivered to him by mistake. Apparently a mix-up in Interstate Cycle's shipping department. I called them and left a message, and the guy said he'd do the same... hopefully it'll get straightened out in the next few days.
I mounted the camera mount to my helmet. I put the mount against the helmet, drew an outline of it, then very carefully used a small bit of drywall sandpaper to abrade away the paint and rough up the surface. Then I used the double-sided tape to stick the camera mount to the helmet, on the lower-right-hand side... just low enough and far enough forward that I could just see the camera out the bottom of the right side of the visor. Then I used my Irwin Quick-Grip clamps to clamp the thing down tight to ensure the glue in the double-sided 3M tape got a good firm hold. I also bought a length of 1/16th" wire cable, and I'll drill a small hole through the shell of the helmet right at the point where the hole for the camera mount is, and secure it with the cable, as well. This will also give me an anchor point for the camera tether.
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11 Feb 2015:
I called KymcoPartsMonster.com / InterstateCycle.com this morning at 7:20 AM to get this shipping error with the valve spring compressor I'd ordered straightened out. I talked to Brian. He said he'd figure out what happened, and give me a call back in a few minutes.
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13 Feb 2015:
I called KymcoPartsMonster.com / InterstateCycle.com this morning at 8:12 AM to inquire as to the status of the misdirected shipment of the valve spring compressor I'd ordered to a guy in Denver. I talked to Brian again.
They said they mailed out a shipping invoice to the guy in Denver, and he'd mail it directly to me.
I received in the mail the rear gears that Jan Vos had cut.
I received in the mail the Counteract tire balancing beads.
I received in the mail the Polaroid Action Camera Protective Silicone Skin For The Polaroid XS100, XS100i Action Cameras (Black)
I received in the mail the MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm).
So it looks like I'm ready to change out the tires and put the new rear gears in. I'll likely get started on that on my days off, or next week if the wife has stuff planned for us.
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15 Feb 2015:
I tore into the scooter today, since I have everything I need to put on the new tires, put the new bearings in the rear end, and put the new rear gears in.
I found that the battery acid leak I'd had on 12 May 2013 had leaked into the bearing on the rear fork, which caused corrosion, welding the bearing to the rear fork. I had to hammer it out using quite a bit of force. I wire-brushed everything until it was clean, and I'll put in a new bearing anyway, so I didn't care if I ruined that bearing. It was pretty corroded anyway. Strangely, the service manual shows a dust cap over that bearing, but my bike didn't have one.
I got the rear wheel off, put the new tire on, and put the MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stem (11.3mm) on the rear rim. The tire went on pretty easily using the three tire irons included in the Motion Pro 08-0049 Tire Iron Set I'd ordered on 02 Feb 2015, and the MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stem (11.3mm) was a perfect fit. I took the tire to Costco to fill it with air to seat it.
I took the variator and clutch apart in preparation for putting lower engagement speed clutch springs in. I found that the Liquid Metal I'd put in on 16 Mar 2014 had shattered into a million little pieces on three of the Dr. Pulley sliders. Fortunately, all the bits fell to the bottom of the case and didn't cause problems. I hammered and drilled out the remaining Liquid Metal, and will create metal cores with the necessary weight on a lathe instead.
On the driven pulley, I used my Dremel tool to extend the torque cam grooves just a tiny bit, in the hopes that'll allow the belt to travel all the way in on the driven pulley... I noticed it's not, which may be why the belt's not traveling to the outer edge of the variator pulley, too.
I cleaned up and regreased the variator and clutch, using Royal Purple Ultra-Performance Grease Multi-Purpose NGLI No. 2 with Synslide. If I can figure out how to get the OEM grease out of the new bearings, I'll use the Royal Purple grease in the new bearings, too.
I ordered some 1000 RPM 150cc Gy6 Street Scooter Performance Racing Clutch Springs Tank Lance, sold by Scooter Parts Palace, on Amazon.com:
Order #002-0999593-9445057
Item Subtotal: $13.99
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Total Before Tax: $13.99
Estimated Tax: $1.29
Order Total: $15.28
The 1000 RPM clutch springs should lower the point at which the clutch starts engaging to about 2700 engine RPM, which is about where I want it. The stock clutch springs are 1500 RPM, which gives ~4050 engine RPM for clutch engagement. The lower clutch engagement speed will give me a low-end speed of ~8.25 MPH, which will enhance low-speed controllability and be easier on the drivetrain.
I've gone about as far as I can go for today on the scooter. I'll resume working on the bike when I get the chance. Got other obligations tomorrow, but Tuesday I should get some more work done on it.
I tried balancing the tire on the 1-1/2" chrome ball I'd bought. I got the table perfectly leveled so the ball didn't roll at all, then put the tire on top of it... but the tire is wider than I thought and there's a gap between the axle hole of the wheel and the chrome ball... so I'll have to get a small round, flat piece of metal to act as a spacer. I should have ordered a 3 or 4 inch chrome ball, instead, but those are very expensive.
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17 Feb 2015:
The valve springs and valve spring retainer I ordered from KymcoPartsMonster.com / InterstateCycle.com on 16 Dec 2014 arrived.
I've gone through the parts list for this scooter, and found all the part numbers and dimensions for all the bearings. I'll be ordering hybrid ceramic bearings to replace all the bearings on the bike. That should reduce friction a good bit. I'll be ordering them from microbluebearings.com. The only question mark remaining is the two needle bearings... since there doesn't seem to be any ceramic alternatives to those two bearings, I'll just buy two new bearings and have them microsurfaced and coated with their MicroBlue coating.
-----
19 Feb 2015:
The 2x High Low Beam H4 9003 HB2 720LM Xenon White 6000K XBD CREE 6-LED Headlight I'd ordered on 10 Feb 2015 arrived in the mail. It's a different design than any other LED lights I've seen... it uses three 5 watt LEDs facing rearward, and bounces the light from those LEDs off a round reflective surface to simulate the light coming off the filament of an incandescent bulb. Then it's got three 5 watt LEDs facing forward that go through a focusing lens. So it may just work pretty well in a reflector designed for incandescent bulbs. We'll see once the bike is back on the road.
The valve spring compressor I'd ordered on 01 Feb 2015, and which was shipped accidentally to a guy in Denver, arrived in the mail.
I discovered that there had only been one valve seal shipped with the big order I'd made on 27 Oct 2014 for all the cylinder head parts. So, I ordered 4 more from KymcoPartsMonster.com, just to be sure I had extras in the future.
Order Number: 34333
12209-GB4-6820-M1 SEAL VALVE STEM
Item: 12209-GDB4-682 4 $7.90 $31.60
Subtotal: $31.60
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $21.32
Order Total: $52.92
It was a bit confusing finding the correct part number... apparently the valve seals have been superceded a couple times by newer part numbers.
-----
24 Feb 2015:
The 1000 RPM clutch springs I'd ordered on 15 Feb 2015 arrived in the mail.
-----
26 Feb 2015:
I put the new 1000 RPM springs in the clutch.
As I was disassembling the clutch, I noticed the anti-rattle dots (P/N: 22804-GBB2-001, Rubber Clutch Bumper) didn't go fully into their slots in the clutch swing arms... and if they were forced in there, they made the clutch swing arms stick.
(http://s10.postimg.org/inphngfx1/Rattle_Dot_Landing_Zone.jpg)
So, I broke out the Dremel tool and enlarged the anti-rattle dot landing slots so the clutch swing arms would go all the way down without the anti-rattle dots sticking at the entrance to their landing slots, and without the clutch swing arms sticking if the anti-rattle dots did seat fully.
Then, I put a very light coating of grease on the anti-rattle dot center shafts, on the anti-rattle dots themselves, in the clutch swing arm anti-rattle dot landing slots, and on the clutch swing arm center posts. Now the whole thing moves very smoothly. No sticking at all.
I took some sandpaper to the clutch pads to get rid of the burnished surface.
I also measured the Dr. Pulley slider weight cores... they're 16 mm OD, 11 mm ID and 14 mm width. So after I get my mini-lathe, I'll be able to order round brass stock as close to the finished size as possible, and turn it down a bit to the proper size.
So the closest would be 3/4" round brass stock, and given the width, I can get about 18 weights from each foot of round brass stock. A foot of 3/4" round brass stock goes for about $16.50, and it gets cheaper as you order longer lengths.
I found that the estimated weight of the cores if they were not drilled out (maximum weight possible) is about 41 grams. So it may be easier just to keep the centers of the weights solid, and cut them to the length that corresponds to the proper weight... I'm not sure how well shorter weights would sit in the sliders, though.
-----
-
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01 Mar 2015:
In researching the rear brake rotor as I'm attempting to CAD up the rear gearbox / axle / rim / brake in preparation for getting a new rim with a sprag clutch in it, I found that the Yager GT 200i shares the same rear brake rotor as the Kymco Bet&Win 150 (2002-2008), Kymco Bet&Win 250 (2002-2008) and Kymco Grand Vista 250 (2004-2010). If I ever need to order a replacement, that info may come in handy.
Another archival-bit... ebcbrakes.com says the part numbers for the Kymco Yager GT 200i for brake pads is SFA197 and SFA197HH, and the rear brake rotor is MD974D.
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05 Mar 2015:
I wanted to put a ball bearing base under the torque (contra) spring, to allow it to twist freely as it is compressed. Like these:
http://www.amazon.com/Hoca-Performance-QMB139-Torque-Spring/dp/B00J4ZCNYI/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t (http://www.amazon.com/Hoca-Performance-QMB139-Torque-Spring/dp/B00J4ZCNYI/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t)
http://www.pedparts.co.uk/product/1260/aerox-jog-torque-driver-spring-seat-race (http://www.pedparts.co.uk/product/1260/aerox-jog-torque-driver-spring-seat-race)
http://www.racing-planet.de/xanario_search.php?language=en&query=torque+spring+base&first=0 (http://www.racing-planet.de/xanario_search.php?language=en&query=torque+spring+base&first=0)
http://www.koso.com.tw/products-detail.php?id=250&lang=en (http://www.koso.com.tw/products-detail.php?id=250&lang=en)
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any that fit our size clutch. So I made my own. I found a spring cup for a different spring off of an industrial chiller that would work for the outer diameter, but the inner diameter was about 1mm too small. No problem, I broke out the Dremel tool and took enough metal out of the inner diameter until it fit perfectly. Now I just have to buy some 5mm ball bearings, and I'll have what I want. The good thing is, the spring cup is very thin metal, but made of strong steel, so it'll hold up to the high RPMs well, but it won't cause the contra spring to compress much more than stock. That little bit of extra compression will cause the RPMs at which the transmission starts shifting to increase, which I'll counter by using slightly heavier weights, since I'll be able to custom-manufacture my own slider weight cores for about $1 each once I order the mini-lathe.
I ordered the ball bearings from Amazon:
Order Number: 002-4702249-9750639
5mm Diameter Chrome Steel Ball Bearing G10 Ball Bearings VXB Brand (Set of 100)
Item Subtotal: $6.37
Shipping & Handling: $1.48
Total Before Tax: $7.85
Estimated Tax: $0.63
Order Total: $8.48
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06 Mar 2015:
I ordered a license plate carrier that has 12 red LEDs in it. It sits behind the license plate and puts a halo of red light around the license plate. I'm going to wire it into my brake lights, so when I hit the brakes, my brake light modulator will flash the LEDs.
Because I had Customer Loyalty Points at Interstate Cycle, it only cost me $7.98, shipping included. Normal price is $59.95.
http://www.interstatecycle.com/oemcatalogs/p/all/aftermarket_street-electrical/51635d4e7841550e64e018d4/l-e-d-license-plate-carrier (http://www.interstatecycle.com/oemcatalogs/p/all/aftermarket_street-electrical/51635d4e7841550e64e018d4/l-e-d-license-plate-carrier)
I ordered hybrid ceramic roller bearings for the bike from microbluebearings.com.
ORDER NUMBER: 1257
16002 Ceramic Ball Bearing $55.00 USD
6002 Ceramic Ball Bearing $55.00 USD
6004 Ceramic Ball Bearing $75.00 USD
6201 Ceramic Ball Bearing $48.00 USD
6201 Ceramic Ball Bearing $48.00 USD
6203 Ceramic Ball Bearing $65.00 USD
6204 Ceramic Ball Bearing $85.00 USD
6301 Ceramic Ball Bearing $55.00 USD
6902 Ceramic Ball Bearing $55.00 USD
Subtotal: $541.00 USD
Shipping: $0.00 USD
Grand Total: $541.00 USD
I also ordered two 20x29x18 needle bearings that go on a Moto Guzzi motorcycle, in the hopes it'll be of a higher quality than what comes stock on our bikes, but I'm betting it's exactly the same.
I ordered two so I have a spare for the future. I ordered from store.proitalia.com.
Order #: 100027891.
SKU: 82518R
Moto Guzzi OEM DRAWN CUP ROLLER BEARING (20X29x18) $6.00
Moto Guzzi OEM DRAWN CUP ROLLER BEARING (20X29x18) $6.00
Subtotal $12.00
Shipping - Standard $8.55
Tax $1.08
Grand Total $21.63
I also ordered two 14x20x12 needle bearings from bocabearings.com. I ordered two so I have a spare for the future. I ordered the heavier-duty needle bearings instead of the drawn cup needle bearings.
Order Number : 3505732
Order Review
TLA1412Z IKO $7.95
TLA1412Z IKO $7.95
Subtotal: $15.90
Handling Charge: $2.00
Total: $17.90
I'll ship the rear gears off to MicroBlue Racing soon to get them micropolished and tungsten sulfide coated.
In addition to getting the top of the piston coated with ceramic (along with the underside of the head and the exposed parts of the valves except for the seat area) by Swain Tech Coatings, I'm going to get the piston skirt WPC treated (micro-shotpeened), then ship it off to MicroBlue to get the tungsten sulfide treatment on the piston skirt. I'll order a new cylinder and have the same done to it, as well as the Total Seal gapless rings. I won't get the MicroBlue micro-polishing on these parts, the WPC treatment appears to be superior for sliding friction components such as rings, piston skirts and cylinder bores that don't receive a steady supply of oil, due to the dimpled surface holding more oil than a finely polished surface. The tungsten sulfide treatment after the micro-shotpeening process will ensure that friction at the piston ring/cylinder bore interface (where most of the friction in an engine occurs) is as low as possible. The reason for treating the piston skirt is so if there is any piston slap, the cylinder wall doesn't get scored. For parts that have a steady supply of oil, it appears the MicroBlue micro-polishing process is superior in that it reduces friction more, especially with the tungsten sulfide treatment.
For those who aren't familiar with micro-shotpeening, there's a good rundown of it here:
http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/additional-tech/turp-0902-shot-peening-wpc-treatment/ (http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/additional-tech/turp-0902-shot-peening-wpc-treatment/)
The ceramic treatment will lock as much heat as possible into the cylinder on the power stroke, increasing the amount of heat that is converted to engine HP. The metal treatments will reduce friction, especially important in lower-power bikes. The same for the bearings.
-----
9 Mar 2015:
As regards the 1-1/2" chrome ball I bought to statically balance the scooter's tires, I'd found that the chrome ball wasn't large enough, leaving a gap between the ball and the center of the tire. I found the perfect solution, however. It's a round 4" disc of aluminum, about 3" high. One side has a conical hole in it from a drill bit drilled part way in, such that the ball sits in that hole, the other side is perfectly smooth.
So to do rough balancing, I'd put the chrome ball into the conical hole and balance the tire on the ball. The conical hole ensures the ball can't rotate as freely as if it was just sitting on a flat surface, so I can get a rough approximation of where weights need to be added, tape the weights in place, then flip the hunk of aluminum over once I've got the balance nearly perfect in order to allow the chrome ball to rotate (and thus the tire to tip) freely, so I can use a Dremel tool to shave weight off the wheel weights until it's perfectly balanced.
It's very sensitive, much more sensitive than using a bubble balance. You've got to get the balance exactly perfect to get the tire to balance on the chrome ball. I've played with it a bit, but I've not permanently affixed any weights to the rim yet.
I find that the tape I'm using to temporarily affix the wheel weights to the rim is enough to throw off the balance. It's *that* sensitive. I think I'm going to use a thin film of contact cement on each weight as a temporary glue while I'm getting the balance right, that's less weight than the tape. When I peel off the backing of the wheel weight's adhesive, the contact cement goes with it.
-----
10 Mar 2015:
I finally got around to assembling the head. I got it almost all the way together, but found that I was missing 3 bolts to fasten the head cover, part number 95701-06025-06. So I'll order them. Since those bolts aren't really needed to get the head over to Baisley Hi-Performance so they can fabricate roller lifters, I'll send the head on to them while I wait for the 3 bolts to arrive.
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16 Mar 2015:
The new rear gears are boxed up and ready to be FedEx'd to MicroBlue Racing to be micro-polished and tungsten-sulfide coated.
The new head is boxed up and ready to be FedEx'd to Baisley Hi-Performance to be used as a template for fabricating the new roller lifters.
I'll ship them both out tomorrow morning.
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17 Mar 2015:
The two packages are on their way.
It was $17.94 to ship the head, and $16.16 to ship the rear gears via FedEx.
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18 Mar 2015:
The LED license plate carrier I'd ordered from Interstate Cycle on 06 Mar 2015 arrived.
I'll mount it and wire it up on my next day off.
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19 Mar 2015:
The hybrid ceramic bearings arrived today from MicroBlue Bearings. Now I'm just waiting on the needle bearings and the rear gears.
The head arrived at Baisley HiPerformance, according to FedEx.
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20 Mar 2015:
The 14x20x12 needle bearings arrived today from BocaBearings.
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22 Mar 2015:
I ordered six 3-watt white bolt-through LEDs. They sit nearly flush with the bike's body. I plan on drilling holes in the front of the headlight fairing, mounting them there, and wiring them into my headlight high-beam. They'll be powered through my headlight modulator, and thus will flash with the headlight.
I got the higher-powered 3-watt units, to increase my forward and side conspicuity. These don't come with a focusing lens, giving a wider light dispersal.
6 x Flush Mount LED Bolt - Cool White, Stainless Steel (3W), 11 mm, No Lens, Silver = $71.94
http://www.oznium.com/led-bolt (http://www.oznium.com/led-bolt)
Order number: 154109
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23 Mar 2015:
The LED license plate carrier consists of a transparent license-plate-sized piece of plastic, in which are embedded 12 LEDs in a circle, throwing their light out toward the perimeter of the plastic. To reflect more of that light to the outer edges of the plastic (where it'll be visible), I taped off and painted the inner portions of the transparent plastic with red glossy paint, leaving about a 3/4" strip of the outer perimeter of the plastic unpainted. Since red reflects red most efficiently, I used red paint. The outer edge of the transparent plastic is now much brighter. I'll mount it and wire it in tomorrow.
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24 Mar 2015:
The LED license plate carrier is mounted and hooked up. It works great, flashing at the same time my brake light flashes. The bolt holes for the LED license plate carrier were just a tiny bit narrower than the bolt holes in the license plate, but a quick bit of Dremel tool work fixed that. I used carriage bolts and Dremel'd off the square shoulders, so it'll be more difficult to take the license plate off, thus making it harder to steal the plate. I used NyLock nuts, so it was a bit of a pain getting it all tightened up, but now it'll also be a pain getting it off. I painted the heads of the carriage bolts bright glossy red.
The license plate LED light that I'd ordered on 19 Jun 2014 and installed on 29 Jun 2014 is having problems. I noticed that one of the LEDs is flashing on and off as it heats up and cools down. The other LEDs on the bulb work fine.
License light (white):
Incandescent: T10 501 194 (5W)
LED: T10 Wedge 5 Ultra Bright SMD LED Bulb
http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx (http://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-5-ultra-bright-smt-led-light.aspx)
I upgraded the license plate LED a bit. The old one was 75 lumens, the new one is 106 lumens. The old one didn't have a heatsink, the new one does.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-6-smd-led-wedge-base-tower/1728/4112/ (https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-6-smd-led-wedge-base-tower/1728/4112/)
WLED-WHP6:6 SMD LED Wedge Base Tower Cool White
Cost: $7.95
Shipping: $2.99
INVOICE NUMBER: 1427240164-85100
The rear gears arrived at MicroBlue Racing, according to FedEx.
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25 Mar 2015:
I called MicroBlue Racing and paid for the micro-polishing and tungsten-sulfide treatment of the gears.
I'd been assuming that since there are 4 gears (input gear, idler gear with two gears on one shaft, output gear), the cost would be $120 ($30/gear).
MicroBlue considers the two gears on one shaft to be one gear, so the total cost is only $90.
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26 Mar 2015:
MicroBlue got the rear gears micro-polished and coated with tungsten sulfide (WS2) and shipped them out today via UPS. I got the notification from UPS. They've not been delivered yet.
Tracking Number: 1Z26AT440340710681
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27 Mar 2015:
I received in the mail the six flush-mount bolt LEDs from Oznium.com that I'd ordered on 22 Mar 2015.
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31 Mar 2015:
I received in the mail the LED license plate light I'd ordered on 24 Mar 2015.
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-
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02 Apr 2015:
The rear gears were delivered from MicroBlue Racing.
Now all I'm waiting on is the one needle bearing I ordered from store.proitalia.com on 06 Mar 2015. Apparently, they didn't have them in stock, and had to get them shipped from Italy.
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15 Apr 2015:
I called Baisley HiPerformance and asked about the status of the head and the roller lifter fabrication.
Dan Baisley says the head's too small to put the roller lifters on that he has to work with, and his rollers would add too much weight.
But he referred me to:
Jim Dour
MegaCycle Cams
http://www.megacyclecams.com/ (http://www.megacyclecams.com/)
90 Mitchell Blvd.
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-472-3195
Hopefully Jim can help me figure something out. Perhaps I'll jump right to using Desmodromic valve actuation.
I also found a fabrication company that's done Desmodromic valve actuation fabrication before:
Exact Engineering in Needham, MA
460 Hillside Ave
Needham, MA 02494
Telephone: 781-431-7663
email: info@exactengineering.net
I've put in a query to them, but haven't received a reply back yet.
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30 Apr 2015;
I got email notification that the needle bearing I ordered from store.proitalia.com on 06 Mar 2015 has been shipped.
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-
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04 May 2015:
The needle bearings I ordered from store.proitalia.com on 06 Mar 2015 arrived in the mail.
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05 May 2015:
I finally got around to working on the bike. I got the new bearings in the clutch. I washed out all the grease from the needle bearing and put in Royal Purple Ultra-Performance Grease Multi-Purpose NGLI No. 2 with Synslide.
I ran into a problem, though... how to get the bearings out of the blind holes in the rear gear casing... I ordered a puller designed for doing just that, from Harbor Freight. I had a 20% off coupon from a magazine someone had brought to work, so that saved me a bit of money.
http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-hole-bearing-puller-95987.html (http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-hole-bearing-puller-95987.html)
Order #4197058
Slide Hammer And Bearing Puller Set 5 Pc
PITTSBURGH AUTOMOTIVE
ITEM #:95987
Discount -$14.00
SUBTOTAL $55.99
SHIPPING & HANDLING (STANDARD GROUND) $6.99
TAX $4.20
GRAND TOTAL $67.18
This will handle bearings from 3/8" to 1-1/4" ID.
I also ordered 3 Gates 9802-31706 Boost+ Kevlar belts. This is a direct cross-reference for the 23100-LEA6-9000 Kymco belt, according to Gates Belts in their cross-reference PDF file.
I had to order them all the way from Germany via eBay, as I couldn't find any US distributors.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Keilriehmen-Gates-Boost-f-Aprilia-Leonardo-125-9802-31706-Motorrad-/231540045101 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Keilriehmen-Gates-Boost-f-Aprilia-Leonardo-125-9802-31706-Motorrad-/231540045101)
Purchased From:
International BIKE T&D UG (lxs-bike.de)
Manager: Jens Gopel
Sternstrabe 14 / 01139 Dresden
Item ID: 231540045101
Transaction ID: 1178159388013
3x 34.90 EUR: 104.70 EUR
Shipping & Handling: 36.90 EUR
Total: 141.60 EUR
Total: $162.55 US
Gates makes two belts with Kevlar that fit our scooters, the Boost and the Boost+. The Boost has Kevlar for longer wear, the Boost+ has the same, along with Kevlar bands around the length of the belt to prevent belt stretching. My OEM belt has stretched by 11mm since new.
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06 May 2015:
I got email notification that the 3 Gates 9802-31706 Boost+ Kevlar belts I'd ordered from International Bike T&D UG on 05 May 2015 have been shipped.
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07 May 2015:
I got email notification that the Slide Hammer Bearing Puller I'd ordered from Harbor Freight on 05 May 2015 has been shipped.
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08 May 2015:
The Slide Hammer And Bearing Puller Set I'd ordered from Harbor Freight on 05 May 2015 arrived. I'll finish putting in the new rear gears and bearings on my next days off and hopefully get some road testing in.
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11 May 2015:
I finally got some free time to work on the scooter. I worked on it for about 14 hours straight.
First, I drained the gear oil, removed the gear cover and pulled the old bearings. In the process, I discovered that there are *two* needle bearings in the rear gear housing, so it's a good thing I ordered two when I did.
I learned that the smallest attachment for the slide hammer bearing puller tends to distort and pull out of the bearing unless you've got the pin that spreads the gripper arms super tight.
I also learned that putting the rear gear cover in a toaster oven makes the bearings practically fall out. And using a combination of heat and cold to expand and contract the different parts as you're installing the new bearings means they will literally drop right in. I used my wife's freezer and toaster oven, which she wasn't happy about, but...
For the aluminum parts that needed heating, I took the temperature up to 250F. For the bearings that needed heating, I took them up to 300F. The parts that needed freezing were taken to -6F in plastic bags (partly because my wife didn't want me putting metal parts in with the food, partly to prevent condensation on the metal).
For the input shaft bearing (the one with Gear #1), I had to heat the bearing and freeze the shaft, slide the bearing on, let it cool down to room temperature, pop on the outer bearing seal (which acts as a secondary oil seal to the OEM oil seal), then freeze the whole thing and slide it into the bearing hole in the gear housing.
So now new needle bearings, hybrid ceramic bearings and shims are in the rear gears, and it's got a new gasket. I reused the oil seals, since they were in good condition.
I discovered that I'd forgotten to order a 6203 hybrid ceramic bearing for the right-hand side of the rear wheel, inside the swing arm. I'll order one tonight.
After I got all the new bearings in, I put in the new rear gears and hand-turned the wheel axle without the gear cover in place, just to be sure everything worked the way it should. It did.
But, when I put the cover on and tried to hand-turn the rear gears from the wheel axle, they'd turn a bit, and lock up! Thinking I'd messed something up, I pulled the cover, checked the diagram in the service manual, made sure the bearings weren't seizing up, and checked the runout on the gear shafts. It was all good.
So, I tried again... and the same thing happened. Going around to the left-hand side of the bike, I slowly turned the Gear #1 shaft (the shaft that the clutch mounts on)... I could distinctly hear and feel three teeth on the input gear shaft (Gear #1) lightly scraping against the gear teeth on Gear #2.
Confused, I tried again. I pulled the gear cover off, and turned the wheel's axle and the input shaft. All was smooth, turned very easily. Put the cover back on... three gear teeth scraping.
The cover off again, I turned the wheel axle as I squeezed Gear #1 and Gear #2 together with my fingers... ah, that was the problem... three teeth on Gear #1 had been ground just a tiny, tiny bit thicker at their bases than the rest of the teeth when the gear was fabricated. With conventional bearings, you'd likely not even notice since the bearing play would allow the Gear #1 and Gear #2 shafts to move a tiny bit. But the hybrid ceramic bearings don't have much play at all.
So, I buttoned up the rear gears, filled it with 200 ml of Royal Purple 70W-140 Synthetic Gear Oil with Synerlec, and spent the next 8 hours using a ratchet wrench and an electric impact driver, spinning the rear gears in both directions from the input shaft and the wheel axle in an attempt to wear-in those three teeth.
By the end of the 8 hours, I could turn the wheel axle by hand and it wouldn't lock up anymore, but I could still feel a slight "cogging" as those three teeth in Gear #1 engaged with Gear #2. The gear oil had a lot of "glitter" in it when I drained it.
I opened the gear cover again, and I could clearly see the three offending teeth... all the other teeth had minor polishing on the outer ~70% of the teeth face, but those three were polished all the way into the crevice between the teeth. The three teeth sit next to each other, so Jan Vos may have made a mistake when he began cutting the gear, or when he was finishing.
Again, with regular bearings, I likely wouldn't even have noticed... if you'll remember, when the bike was new, there was a lot of "glitter" in the drained gear oil, as well, as the gear teeth got intimate with each other... but there was no gear "cogging" likely because of the bearing play.
If I had a 1/2 HP or so motor, I'd rig it to the wheel axle and let it run to wear in the three teeth, but the motors I've got are too small. Once I get the bike finished, I'll take it out for a long, easy ride to finish wearing in the gear teeth. I expect once those three teeth are fully worn in, there won't be any further problems in that regard.
But I gotta say, the rear gears do turn so much more easily than they did with the old bearings (which were in great shape, BTW, except for the needle bearing in the clutch, which was shot. It was replaced by a bearing that goes in a Ducati or Aprilia bike, rated to 20,000 RPM). Once the "cogging" problem is over with, it'll spin even easier.
I also put the new Avon AM63 Viper Stryke tire on the front wheel, along with the new Moto-D angled valve stem. It was a bear to get the tire on, almost as though the tire were too small for the rim. When I finally got it on, I took it to Costco's auto shop to seat the bead, but it wouldn't seat, it just kept blowing air. I took it home and tried to pry the bead up onto the raised ridge so the air wouldn't blow out, but as I pried, the tire kept collapsing away from the raised edge on the other side of the tire! Again, almost as though the tire were too small for the rim. I took it to a Shell station that has a high-capacity air compressor... I pumped it to 40 psi (which took all of about 4 seconds), and the bead just sat there. It wouldn't seat. I pumped it to 60 psi, and one side popped out and seated, but the other side sat there for the longest time not moving... and it had soapy water on the tire and rim.
Finally, in frustration, I kicked the tire and the last bit of bead popped and seated. Heh. I lowered the pressure to 40 psi, and took it home to balance it. I'll monitor the tires to make sure they're holding pressure.
The new hybrid ceramic bearings are in the front wheel now, too. I filled the new bearings with Royal Purple All-Purpose Grease with Synerlec, snapped on the seals, and since I couldn't fit the entire wheel in the oven (and I wouldn't have been able to heat it up much anyway, with the tire on it), I froze the bearings then lightly tapped the outer race of each bearing to seat them.
I also cleaned out and re-greased the speedometer hub and shoved some grease up into the speedo cable, and I thoroughly coated the rim hub, the spacer and the axle with grease to prevent any corrosion or water incursion.
The front wheel now spins very easily, as well.
I haven't found a good deal on a mini-lathe yet to make my own slider cores, so I'm going to go ahead and order 20 gram Dr. Pulley slider weights from PartsForScooters.com to use, since the ones I've got (18 gram) are too light.
169-259-20g Dr. Pulley 20x15 Sliding Roller Weights - 20g
Roller Weight Size: 20 Grams
Item Total $29.99
Shipping & Handling $6.51
Total $36.50
I also ordered the 6203 hybrid ceramic bearing from MicroBlueBearings.com:
Order number: 1361
6203 Ceramic Ball Bearing
17mm Bore, 40mm OD, 12mm Width (Side Seals Included)
Shipping: $0.00 USD
Grand Total: $65.00 USD
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12 May 2015:
I got email notifications that the 20g Dr. Pulley 20x15 Sliding Roller Weights and the 6203 hybrid ceramic bearing were shipped.
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14 May 2015:
The Dr. Pulley 20 gram 20x15 Sliding Roller Weights were delivered to me.
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17 May 2015:
I decided to try out the Pulstar spark plugs, to see if they have any effect. I ordered two of them from pulstar.com, after using their cross-reference guide to determine the proper plug.
Order #100546
Pulstar HE1HT9 Plug $17.50 x 2 = $35.00
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18 May 2015:
I balanced the rear wheel today. I was thinking that I wouldn't get the bearing and belts until tomorrow, so I decided to work on other parts of the bike. As I was working on balancing the wheel, the three Gates 9802-31706 Boost+ Kevlar belts and the 6203 hybrid ceramic bearing were delivered.
I froze the 6203 bearing and heated the right-hand swing-arm to 275 F in the oven, and the bearing slipped in with only very light tapping on the outer race to get it fully seated.
Then I let the swing-arm metal cool as I mounted the rear wheel. Then I put the bike all back together, using Blue Locktite on most of the fasteners. I put the new Gates 9802-31706 Boost+ Kevlar belt on it, and took it out for a very gentle test ride. I noticed as soon as I took it off the main stand and started rolling the bike backwards out of the garage that it rolls way easier than it used to.
Now the clutch starts engaging at around 3000 RPM, and is fully engaged by 4000 RPM, which makes it nice for low-speed riding. When coasting, the clutch disengages at ~2500 RPM. I only rode slowly, never going over 35 MPH.
The rear gears, with those three teeth still wearing in, sound like a Roots blower, but not very loud. They'll wear in eventually, and the sound will go away.
All I have left for this phase is putting the Counteract tire balancing beads in the tires, putting the new license plate LED light in, putting the new headlight in, and figuring out where I'm going to mount the six flush-mount bolt LEDs from Oznium.com.
As for the Gates 9802-31706 Boost+ Kevlar belt, I measured the new one I put into the bike:
The top width is 17.85 mm.
The bottom width is 13.85 mm.
The belt thickness is 10.75 mm.
The belt length is 825.5 mm.
This compares to my used belt, which is showing almost no signs of wear other than the nubs being rounded off and a bit of stretch:
The top width is 18.65 mm.
The bottom width is 14.15 mm.
The belt thickness is 9.8 mm.
The belt length is 828.1 mm.
The service manual says a new OEM belt should be 19 mm wide, and the belt should be taken out of service when it reaches 17.5 mm width.
Given that the new belt is Kevlar (and thus will wear slowly and won't stretch much at all), it should last for quite a while.
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20 May 2015:
The Pulstar HE1HT9 Spark Plugs I'd ordered on 17 May 2015 arrived. This entry is actually being entered on the 23rd, because on the 20th, my wife retrieved our mail and thought the container with the two spark plugs was a camera battery, and thus packed it away for her upcoming trip to Taiwan. After I checked USPS.com's website and found the package had been delivered, we went through everything she'd packed until we found the plugs. Heh.
I'll install one of the new plugs first chance I get. Most likely at the same time, I'll install the new LED headlight and flush-mount bolt LEDs.
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23 May 2015:
My 62nd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. This tank was about halfway done when the bike was taken off-line to put the new taller rear gears in, the new hybrid ceramic bearings in the wheels and rear gears, and the new tires on.
Mileage: 9574.6 miles
Miles Ridden: 167.3 miles
Fuel: 2.573 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.299
Total Cost: $8.49
Fuel Mileage: 65.021 MPG
As regards the performance of the scooter... wow... I took it out for a 30 mile ride today after refueling, just to get the new rear gears to wear in faster. It's still got the get-up-and-go to jump out ahead of traffic when needed, and I had it up to 85 MPH today. The engine was at 8300 RPM at that speed. There's a slight imbalance somewhere starting at about 83 MPH, I can feel it shaking a bit. I'll rebalance the wheels and add the balancing beads, it should take care of that.
The new rear gears are wearing in just fine... I can only feel one tooth on the #1 gear now "cogging", and the rear tire spins almost effortlessly now. Once they're fully worn in, the friction should be even lower, allowing a bit more in top speed. I'll change the gear oil tomorrow, and we'll see how much "glitter" is in the gear oil.
Once I've finished with all my other projects on FrankenYager and get the new aerodynamic body fitted, it should easily hit its new top speed of 94 MPH at 9200 RPM. I'll have to get a better helmet, though... wind noise at 85 MPH is deafening, even when fully tucked.
The clutch, I find, is a bit weak for the taller gearing. If I want to take off slowly, it'll start engaging at about 3000 RPM (with a lot of slippage), and start locking up around 4000 RPM. To take off fast, 5000 RPM or higher is required. So I'll look into buying the Dr. Pulley HiT clutch for this bike. The larger clutch engagement surface area and the positive engagement mechanism of that clutch should make it lock up with less slippage than the OEM clutch.
At least until I can find a toroidal Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) to retrofit to the bike, the Dr. Pulley clutch will be an improvement over the OEM clutch.
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25 May 2015:
I ordered one pound of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2), for adding to the engine and gear oil, from lowerfriction.com (MK Impex Corp.). This will not only reduce friction, but will help to alleviate some of the spur gear whine, which at 85 MPH is louder than the engine. That spur gear whine sounds cool, but that noise is wasted energy and hence wasted fuel. Despite the fact that spur gears are more efficient than helical gears due to there being no axial force generated on the gear shaft, they can be further improved by making them run quieter.
MK Impex Canada
6382 Lisgar Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L5N 6X1
Canada
Phone: 416-509-4462
Fax: 905-824-1259
E-mail: sales@lowerfriction.com
WS2 can be added in ratios of from 1% to 15% by weight of the oil, according to lowerfriction.com.
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For 200 ml of gear oil, that would be from 1.7 grams (1% dosage) to 25.51 grams (15% dosage) of WS2.
For 1000 ml of engine oil, that would be 8.5 grams (1% dosage) to 127.57 grams (15% dosage) of WS2.
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I'm going to the low side (1% dosage), since 1 gram of WS2 can coat approximately 413 square inches of metal. So 1.7 grams in the gear oil and 8.5 grams in the engine oil should be plenty to coat all the metal surfaces.
Keep in mind, if you decide to use WS2, that you'll need to drain your old oil, add the WS2 to the new oil in the bottle, shake it vigorously to mix it up, add it to the engine (and / or rear gearset), get your oil level to the correct level, then take the bike out for a long ride to evenly distribute the WS2 throughout the engine (and / or rear gearset). Don't let it sit after adding the new oil, or the WS2 can come out of suspension. You want it coating the engine parts, not the oil sump floor.
Ken Katakia of MK Impex Canada says:
"You can mix: 25 grams (1 Oz.) WS2 powder to 1 liter (1 quart) of engine oil. Therefore if your engine requires 5 liter oil, you will need 125 grams. Assuming that you need 125 grams, mix 125 grams in small quantity of oil and then add it to engine along with regular oil. Continue this for next 5 oil changes, and by that time the entire inside of your engine will get coated with WS2. You can then switch back to regular oil changes."
Keep in mind that you should add new WS2 to the oil with every oil change (although it can be a small amount, 0.5% dosage) just to be sure that the metal parts remain coated. I'll continue with the 1% dosage level each oil change, since the amount of WS2 per oil change with our tiny engines and rear gears is very small, and that 1 pound of WS2 will last a long time.
Receipt Number: 1473-3124-0934-0606.
Tungsten Disulfide (WS2) Powder: WS2, 99.9% Pure, 0.6 micron APS (MK-WS2-06/01)
Package: 1 lb in Plastic Bag $54.00 USD
Shipping Method: USA Ground
Shipping and handling: $25.00 USD
Total: $79.00 USD
I got email notification that the WS2 I ordered had been shipped via DHL.
Waybill Number: 1971358502
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25 May 2015 (continued):
Later in the afternoon, I decided to get some more work done on the bike while the wife and kids were at a banquet with friends.
So, I drained the gear oil and put in 200 ml more of Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140. The old gear oil had a *lot* of glitter... all of a very tiny size. So the gears are slowly getting worn-in. After the "glitter" stops, I'll put the tungsten sulfide (WS2) in the gear oil.
I put in the High Low Beam H4 9003 HB2 720LM Xenon White 6000K XBD CREE 6-LED Headlight I'd ordered on 10 Feb 2015.
And I put in one of the new Pulstar HE1HT9 Spark Plugs I'd ordered on 17 May 2015.
Upon initial startup, the engine ran fast... and there was *no* rough idle. I let it idle for a couple minutes, then shut it down when I realized I'd forgotten to reconnect the front blinkers. So, I fiddled with that for about a half hour, having to take the front Tupperware off the bike again to get to the blinker connectors.
I started it up again... the same thing, a fast idle of about 2500 RPM and *no* roughness. The idle slowed down to normal after about 5 minutes. The ECU controls idle speed on this bike, so it must have adjusted things to get the idle speed down. I attribute the higher idle and smoother idle to the new Pulstar plug.
I took the bike out for another long high-speed blast just as the sun was setting... with the new gear oil in the rear gears and the gears not warmed up yet, they're actually pretty quiet. But once you start blasting down the highway at 80 MPH for 15 to 20 miles, the gears heat up, expand a little, and you can hear them quite plainly. Not a big deal, they'll wear in.
The bike pulled up the very long hill on I-280 South about 2 MPH faster than it had the other day, and I got 1 MPH more top end out of the bike. So the Pulstar spark plug has a small effect at high speed, and a much more pronounced effect at idle. I expect with a hotter ignition coil, it'd have a more pronounced effect at high speed, so I'll be looking for a hotter coil and use it, at least until I can get my electronics guy to build the corona discharge ignition system.
A few things I noticed about the Pulstar HE1HT9 spark plug...
1) It extends just a tiny bit more into the combustion chamber than the plug I'd been using.
2) The old plug had an 18 mm hex. The Pulstar has a 16 mm hex.
3) The top cap on the Pulstar screws off. They put blue Locktite on the threads, but it comes off pretty easily with just your fingernail. I had to remove the top cap so my spark plug boot could fit down over the spark plug threaded top.
The new headlight is pretty bright. Not as bright as my SilverStar Ultra, but since it's got a higher color temperature, it's much more noticeable. Riding at night at anything over about 75 MPH would likely be riding beyond your headlights.
The headlight throws a pattern that makes a very bright arc of light to about 40 feet out in front of the bike, then everything else out to about 200 feet is flood-lit.
My headlight modulator works with this headlight, and makes the bike very noticeable.
The two "driving lights" (those two lights on either side of the headlight) on my bike are LED, and are pretty bright, so they help to throw a good pattern of light. In addition, I'll be putting 6 flush-mount bolt LEDs in, aimed in various ways to enhance visibility and conspicuity.
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26 May 2015:
The tungsten disulfide (WS2) I ordered on 25 May 2015 arrived via DHL. Wow, one day from order to delivery, all the way from Canada.
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28 May 2015:
For a background on this topic, see this thread:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=14030 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=14030)
It pertains to intentionally putting water in the fuel.
Today I went to Daiso and bought six quart jars with metal lids that are often used for canning. I'll use them as the containers for testing various fuel concoctions.
I also purchased four smaller 1/2 pint jars. I'll use those for measuring out and weighing the amount of each additive.
So on my next days off, I'll get started experimenting with fuel. I believe I'll also tear into the bike to replace the malfunctioning license plate LED light.
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29 May 2015:
I performed the 9600 mile service today, which was inspecting the brake system. Nothing to report in this regard.
The new rear gears are almost completely worn in... the gears are largely silent until the gears warm up and expand a little, and the oil warms up and thins out. The cogging is becoming less. The spur gear whine has gone from unsettlingly loud to a background noise. So I expect within the next 600 miles, they should be fully worn in, and I can add tungsten disulfide to the gear oil. I'll add it to the engine oil on the next oil change.
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31 May 2015:
I ordered a 50 ml glass syringe on Amazon.com to measure out the liquids during my testing of fuels.
Order Summary
Order Number: 111-1214214-1864233
50 Ml/cc Glass Syringe, Non-sterile
Items: $11.99
Shipping & handling: $4.99
Total before tax: $16.98
Estimated tax to be collected: $1.08
Order total: $18.06
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01 Jun 2015:
I took the bike out for another long high speed run of about 40 miles. The fuel gauge started blinking after the high speed run, so I restricted my riding to streets within a few miles of the gas station. At 5000 RPM and 40 to 45 MPH, this bike really sips the fuel now.
My 63rd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed.
Mileage: 9776.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 201.4 miles
Fuel: 2.687 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.279
Total Cost: $8.81
Fuel Mileage: 74.953 MPG
That's pretty amazing, considering that it's been cooler around here (this scooter's fuel efficiency drops as the temperature drops) and there were several long high speed (70 - 85 MPH) blasts which surely sucked down fuel like crazy. When I resume my normal riding pattern, fuel efficiency should rise a bit. This is the first time I've been able to go more than 200 miles on a tank of gas.
As soon as I got home, I pulled the drain plug on the rear gears. There's still a lot of very tiny glitter in the gear oil.
I also drained the engine oil and replaced it. Nothing unusual to report regarding the engine oil.
Engine oil - 1000 ml Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Engine oil additive - 8.5 grams Tungsten disulfide (WS2)
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear oil additive - none
I put 8.5 grams of tungsten disulfide (WS2) in the engine oil. This stuff looks like graphite, but it's very dense... I thought when I opened the bag, that 0.6 micron stuff would fly all over the place like dust, but it didn't.
I used my digital scale and a 1/2 Tablespoon measuring spoon I stole from my wife. I covered the scale with a paper towel to keep any WS2 off it (the stuff doesn't really ever wipe off, it smears in... my wife's never gonna want that measuring spoon back now), then put the clean spoon on the scale, too. I zeroed the scale, then got a nearly full-to-level spoonful of WS2 and weighed it. I had to grab just a tiny bit more and it was dead on at 8.6 grams. I added .1 gram just to be sure the right amount was getting into the engine.
Then, I dumped the WS2 into the new oil bottle, closed the lid tight and shook it hard for about 10 minutes. Then I poured it into the engine. As I said, the stuff is heavy and settles pretty quickly, but because it's so small, the slightest flow in the oil will pick it up. The last little dribble out of the bottle looked like liquid graphite pouring out as what had settled ran out with the last few drops of oil. The inside of the oil bottle had a nice uniform coating of WS2.
I then buttoned everything back up and took it out for another long ride to coat the engine parts with WS2. I can't say for certain it's having any effect... today was warmer and when it's warm this engine really wants to run hard, so I was pulling 70 MPH up those long hills on I-280, which is about 5 MPH faster than it can usually do. But man was it windy! I was getting pushed back and forth like crazy.
I do notice two things now, though... I just have to barely crack the throttle and the engine now goes to 5000 RPM, and ever since I put in the Pulstar spark plug, there's been an intermittent stumble at 6200 RPM. I wrote it off the first time it did it a couple days ago as just bad gas or a random glitch, but it did it for a couple seconds today as I was pulling up the on-ramp onto I-280, and that gave me the chance to figure out what it is... either my ignition coil or my ignition wire is starting to break down, giving a weak spark. That it's intermittent tells me it's likely the coil, as it happened both times when it was warm outside, the bike was warmed up, and the bike was pulling hard up an up-sloped on-ramp. Oddly, once you're up above 6200 RPM, there's no problems, nor are there any below it, and it doesn't happen all the time. The Pulstar spark plug stresses the coil harder, which exposed the problem.
So, I'll be upgrading to a FlameThrower HV 60,000 volt 1.5 Ohm coil (or similar) and MagneCor R-100 CN 10mm ignition wire. That'll be a good stopgap coil until I can get my corona discharge unit built, and I'll be able to use the same ignition wire with that.
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02 Jun 2015:
I ordered two E3 3.36 spark plugs. It's an interesting design. Theoretically, the ground electrode shape forces a more chaotic flame front, rather than the slower-burning laminar donut-shaped flame front that traditional spark plugs create. They've got research to back it up, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSgrof0vIfg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSgrof0vIfg)
https://youtu.be/9A0N-67TI4w?t=497 (https://youtu.be/9A0N-67TI4w?t=497)
The E3 3.36 spark plug cross-references to the NGK DPR6EA-9 specified in the service manual for this scooter.
Items (2): $11.98
Shipping & handling: $6.55
Total before tax: $18.53
Estimated tax to be collected: $1.67
Order total: $20.20
Order Number: 111-7329098-7850600
I also bought a new spark plug wire:
MagneCor R-100 CN ignition wire (10 mm), R-21 lead style, 21" long: $24.63
Shipping: $8.00
Total: $32.63
The spark plug wire will be for the new ignition coil I bought:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Pertronix/751/60115/10002/-1?parentProductId= (http://www.jegs.com/i/Pertronix/751/60115/10002/-1?parentProductId=)
Pertronix 60115 - Pertronix Flame-Thrower HV Coil 60,000 Volt 1.5 Ohm
751-60115 $69.99
Confirmation Number: 19643380
While I'm impressed with the Pulstar HE1HT9 plug in that it cured my rough idle, I want to check out the E3 plug, as well. It's too bad we can't combine the two technologies together.
Hmmm... maybe we can. If I hack off the DiamondFire ground electrode from one of the E3 3.36 plugs and shot weld it to the Pulstar HE1HT9 plug, I could create a Frankenplug for the FrankenYager... a Pulstar DiamondFire.
I bought 10 feet of 1/4" braided teflon fuel hose. This is resistant to ethanol, acetone, methanol and pretty much everything I'll try adding to fuel.
I also bought a pack of 25 Herbie clips. These are much better than hose clamps to fasten the fuel hose.
And finally I bought a 250 ml HDPE measuring bottle. This is immune to the chemicals I'll be adding to the fuel, and allows me to carry the acetone/water mix with me to add to the tank prior to filling up with gas.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331366976114 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/331366976114)
Summit 220982 Hose Teflon Braided Stainless Steel -4 AN 10 ft Length: $26.99
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400310828544 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/400310828544)
Herbie clips, 1/4": $7.99
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321724393495 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/321724393495)
NEW Bettix Twin-Neck Measure & Pour Alcohol Fuel Dispensing Bottle 8oz: $5.99
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4 Jun 2015:
I got to thinking about the intermittent stumble at 6200 RPM ever since I put the Pulstar plug in... and I believe it might be a blessing in disguise, as it gives me information that I wouldn't have the ability to otherwise figure out without spending money on a dyno test.
Here's my thinking:
The bike stumbles a tiny bit at 6200 RPM on a warm day, after the bike's been running for awhile and is warmed up, and only when pulling up a long slope at full throttle from a stop, such as when going up an up-sloped freeway on-ramp.
The engine pulling hard increases cylinder pressure, which makes it harder for the spark to ignite the fuel:air mix because higher pressure increases the breakdown voltage at the spark plug gap. This heats up the ignition coil. The warm day contributes to this coil heating.
At lower speeds, cylinder pressure is low enough that the coil can develop the voltage to light the fire reliably, and thus the coil isn't working as hard, and is cooler. At higher speeds, the air rushing over the coil cools it off. So it's a coil overheating problem brought to light because the Pulstar plug works the coil harder, and the coil was borderline to begin with.
But that stumble tells me where maximum engine torque is, that's where the coil is working hardest, and it's right on the verge of failing at that point.
It'll be fixed when I put the new coil and wire in.
The 50 ml glass syringe, MagneCor R-100 CN ignition wire and Teflon Braided Stainless Steel fuel hose arrived in the mail.
I ordered 4 small HDPE bottles, 4 ounces each. These I'll use to measure out and weigh the fuel and other liquids that I'll be experimenting with.
Order Number 100900412
Item 3814B03
Nalgene® 4 oz Natural HDPE Plastic Square Bottles (Screw Top Cap)
$2.30 x 4 = $9.20
Merchandise Total $9.20
Tax $0.83
Shipping $13.66
Total $23.69
-----
7 Jun 2015:
The E3 3.36 spark plugs I ordered on 02 Jun 2014 were delivered.
-----
09 Jun 2015:
I went through the ignition system from top to bottom to figure out why the engine was stumbling at about 6000 RPM when pulling hard.
I measured the ignition coil primary: 0.6 Ohms
I measured the spark plug resistance: 5.03 KOhms
I measured the spark plug wire resistance: 13.15 KOhms
All that is normal. Come to find out, the insulation on the spark plug wire was worn a bit where it went through the frame, and the high voltage had punched a tiny, tiny hole in the insulation. I almost didn't catch it, but as I was sitting there turning the spark plug wire over in my hand trying to figure out how I was going to feed it back through the frame without tearing up the backside of my hand, I spied the worn spot. Upon much closer inspection, I found the pinhole.
I wrapped the entire length of the spark plug wire with 5 layers of closely-wrapped electrical tape... so it's like 10 layers total, since each layer overlaps itself by half... the wire now looks like a 10 mm wire.
I took it out for a ride, and the problem is gone. I'm still not sure why it was stumbling at that specific engine speed. Perhaps I got it right when I discussed cylinder pressure dictating spark gap voltage, but that's just a guess.
And wouldn't you know it, just as I found the problem, my new Pertronix FlameThrower HV 60,000 volt 1.5 Ohm coil was delivered. I'm going to ship it, the new spark plug wire and a Pulstar plug to my electronics guy so he can create an ignitor to isolate the ECU and tachometer from the ignition coil.
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11 Jun 2015:
The 4 ounce Nalgene HDPE bottles I ordered on 04 Jun 2015 were delivered. Now I can get started experimenting with fuel. They're actually graduated in milliliters, so that'll work pretty well.
-----
12 Jun 2015:
I took the bike out for another long high-speed run to get the rear gears worn-in. The engine loafs along when cruising at 65 MPH... very nice. The rear gears are getting quieter and quieter, especially when the bike is coasting with the clutch disengaged. Before, you'd hear the spur gear whine as the bike decelerated, then when the clutch disengaged, the whine would disappear, and you could hear those three teeth cogging. Now that's nearly gone. After the ride, I very slowly turned the rear wheel, trying to feel those three teeth... I couldn't locate them. You can still hear the cogging slightly if you spin the wheel, but turning it slowly now doesn't give any resistance as those teeth pass by. So it's almost fully worn-in now.
The rear tire spins amazingly easily. With the old gears and bearings, you'd be lucky if it coasted for a full turn no matter how hard you spun it. Now it'll coast after a good push for a few turns. After the gears are fully worn in and I put the tungsten disulfide in the gear oil, it'll spin even easier.
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13 Jun 2015:
My 64th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed.
Mileage: 9981.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 205.4 miles
Fuel: 2.715 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.139
Total Cost: $8.52
Fuel Mileage: 75.654 MPG
This represents the farthest on a single tank I've ever gone, and the highest MPG the bike has ever achieved.
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16 Jun 2015:
I started experimenting with alternative fuels today.
The Sir Harry Ricardo Racing Discol 1 (RD1) fuel consisted of 80% ethanol, 10% acetone and 10% water. The reason it became popular with racers in 1921 was because it gave ~20% better power and fuel efficiency over straight gasoline of the day.
My plan is to convert the ethanol in E10 gasoline to RD1 to see if it causes an increase in fuel efficiency.
This means ~38 ml of water and ~38 ml of acetone needs to be added to each gallon of gasoline, a 1:100 ratio.
One gallon is 3785.41178 ml. 10% of that (the 10% ethanol in E10 gasoline) is 378.541 ml. 10% of that (the 10% of acetone and 10% of water) would be 37.854 ml each of water and acetone.
I put each solution into new, clean glass jars and sealed them tightly, marking the total level and in the case of Test #1, the level of the water that settled out.
****
TEST #1:
300 ml gasoline
3 ml acetone
3 ml water
The 6 ml acetone / water 50:50 mixture was perfectly mixed with no separation. But when added to the gasoline, it almost immediately turned slightly cloudy, and some water / ethanol mixture (~50% of the amount of acetone / water added) settled out in the bottom of the jar.
BUT, the acetone / water mixture that remained in solution with the gasoline can be considered "saturated" with water. So just add more gasoline, then add the appropriate proportion of acetone in accordance with the amount of extra gasoline added, and that extra water / ethanol should become miscible in the gasoline. So I'll have to do some calculations to get the ratios just right for E10 gasoline.
I've ordered some graduated pipettes and I'll do more exact measurements to get the ratios exact.
TEST #2:
100 ml acetone
100 ml water
This mixed together perfectly, with no separation or cloudiness, which is to be expected, since acetone is 100% miscible in water.
TEST #3:
400 ml gasoline
4 ml acetone
This mixed together perfectly, with no separation or cloudiness, which is to be expected, since acetone is 100% miscible in gasoline.
I'll let the three jars sit for a week or so, to see if anything settles out.
****
I ordered from eBay 3 graduated 5 ml pipettes so I can more accurately meter out the water and acetone:
3pcs 5ml glass graduated dropper with belt rubber suction bulb 020131
Item price $12.99
Quantity 1
Item number 171191313216
Payment To Qiu Yongchao (passionsolar, ericpassion (at) foxmail.com)
Transaction Id 1407551424007
Unique Transaction ID #5BF76771FS390573J
****
I changed the gear oil again today. It still has a lot of very tiny metal flakes in it.
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear oil additive - none
I then took the bike out for another high speed run. In an attempt at getting a feel for how the bike would feel with the new aerodynamic body on it, for a few miles I tucked in behind a huge bus that was tooling down the freeway at 75 MPH. I found that sitting about 100 feet back from the bus is where the maximum suction is. I could actually feel the bus pulling the bike forward, and could feel the variation in suction as I varied my following distance. The throttle was only about halfway open at 75 MPH.
I performed the 10,000 mile service today, which consists of:
Inspect suspension
Inspect / Replace tires
Clean crankcase breather
Nothing to report on any of those.
-----
23 Jun 2015:
I rode over to the Oakland hills to visit some friends yesterday, stayed overnight at their place, then came back today. Traffic was moderate, which limited my top-end speed. That's probably a good thing, it showed me that ridden sanely (ie: not WOT all the time), the bike's fuel efficiency can go higher. It also showed me the importance (again) of aerodynamics... the bike's capable of hitting 86 MPH now, but I was drafting about 100 feet behind a truck (it makes for very quiet riding), and I attempted to pull ahead of it in the right-hand lane. I did so slowly, since I wasn't looking to go as fast as I could. As I drew nearer to the front of the truck, the wind blast rolling off that big, blunt hood slowed the bike. I had to keep opening the throttle to maintain speed, and when I was exactly even with the front of the truck, I had the throttle all the way open, in full tuck, leaned to the left, and the bike could only do 63 MPH! The bike was doing maybe a quarter mile per hour faster than the truck, and as the bike finally pushed its way through the blast of air, it jumped up to 70 MPH with the same throttle. I also learned that the bike has absolutely no problem climbing those steep Oakland hills, even with the taller rear gearing.
My 65th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed.
Mileage: 10,188.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 206.7 miles
Fuel: 2.580 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.159
Total Cost: $8.15
Fuel Mileage: 80.116 MPG
This is yet another all-time high fuel efficiency and miles-per-tank record.
I performed the 10,200 mile service when I got home, which consisted of:
Inspect brake system
The Carbon-Kevlar fiber pads are starting to show signs of wear, but they're nowhere near what would be considered "worn"... the brake discs are polished to a mirror finish now, so the brake pads don't get much wear.
-----
28 Jun 2015:
I changed the gear oil again, since its been almost two weeks. The amount of glitter was about the same as last time. Some of the metal flakes were so tiny they floated on the surface tension of the oil as it drained out, making a thin hazy line of floating glitter that eventually sunk.
I ordered a block heater from Wolverine Heaters. I want to test whether preheating the engine close to operating temperature before starting it up will result in better fuel efficiency.
Model 9.0 - 110V
3 in. round diameter with 6' cord
Wattage: 125
Voltage: 110V
Order # 2452
Subtotal: $59.95
Tax: $0.00
Shipping Cost: $10.95
Grand Total: $70.90
I also ordered a timer. This timer has individual programs for each day, and a battery backup that lasts for months if the power is unplugged, and recharges once the timer is plugged in.
Westek TE06WHB 2 Outlet Digital Timer with 2 Grounded Outlet
Order Number: 104-9123312-1681812
Items: $12.98
Shipping & handling: $6.65
Order total: $19.63
I also ordered a male electrical outlet:
Marinco 150BBI Marine On-Board Charger Inlet
Order Number: 104-4422825-5556213
Items: $18.74
Shipping & handling: $6.75
Total before tax: $25.49
Estimated tax to be collected: $2.30
Order total: $27.79
I'll mount the marine charger inlet in the hole where the light usually goes in the Met-In box. Then I'll wire it to the timer, and plug the heater into the timer. I'll wire the battery trickle charger into the marine charger plug. In this way, I can plug the bike in, it'll be on trickle charge all the time, and twice a day on my work days, the heater will come on (right before I go to work, and right before I leave work). And I can clamp the extension cord under the seat, so it won't get stolen.
I'll drill a second hole in the Met-In box and mount the battery power outlet, so I can plug in 12V accessories like GPS.
-----
30 Jun 2015:
The Westek TE06WHB 2 Outlet Digital Timer and Marinco 150BBI Marine On-Board Charger Inlet were delivered.
-----
-
-----
03 Jul 2015:
The 3 graduated 5 ml pipettes I'd ordered on 16 Jun 2015 were delivered.
The block heater I'd ordered on 28 Jun 2015 was delivered.
-----
06 Jul 2015:
I rode over to see friends in Oakland again today. As soon as I got home, I drained the gear oil and put new in. The metal shavings are getting smaller and smaller... it's almost like metal dust now, so small you can't see the individual pieces of metal. You only notice them when the light shines on a bunch of them and they reflect the light. I think at the next gear oil change, I'll start putting tungsten disulfide (WS2) in the gear oil, as I do for the engine oil.
-----
10 Jul 2015:
My 66th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil.
Mileage: 10,408.2 miles
Miles Ridden: 220.1 miles
Fuel: 2.570 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.099
Total Cost: $7.96
Fuel Mileage: 85.642 MPG
This is yet another all-time high fuel efficiency and miles-per-tank record.
I changed the engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil, then took the bike out for a high speed run to evenly distribute the WS2 in the engine and gearbox.
Engine Oil - 1000 ml Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Engine Oil Additive - 8.5 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear Oil Additive - 1.75 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
-----
12 Jul 2015:
I put the block heater on today. There's just enough room to put a 3" diameter block heater on the underside of the block.
I cleaned the underside of the engine with acetone twice, then roughed up the metal with sandpaper, then cleaned it again twice.
Then I warmed up the engine until the underside of the block was too hot to touch, peeled off the adhesive backing paper on the block heater, plugged it in for 5 seconds, then applied it to the engine, squeegeeing any air bubbles out.
Then, after I was sure it was firmly affixed, I plugged in the heater for 15 seconds, squeegeed it again, then did it again a second time.
After the block had cooled enough that I could touch it, I applied silicone sealant around the edges of the block heater. After that was tacky, I applied a second coat that covered the entire block heater to seal it all up.
I have to wait 24 hours before I can plug it in to test it.
Meanwhile, I programmed the Westek TE06WHB timer to turn on an hour before and off right before I leave for work and leave work to go home.
While I had the bike apart, I performed the 10,500 mile service, which consisted of:
Clean / Replace spark plug
Inspect steering head bearing
Clean / Replace air cleaner
Inspect radiator core
Inspect radiator cap
The spark plug only has 1000 miles on it, so it's still clean.
The air cleaner was installed on 29 Sep 2014 at 8800 miles, so it's only got 1700 miles on it, and is still clean.
Nothing to report on any of the other items.
-----
13 Jul 2015:
I shipped the Pertronix FlameThrower HV 60,000 volt ignition coil, the MagneCor R-100 CN 10mm ignition wire and an E3 3.36 spark plug to my electonics guy.
He's going to create an isolator / ignitor circuit that will isolate any back-EMF from the coil so the ECU and tachometer are protected, but the tach can still function.
With this circuitry, we'll be able to run any coil we want, without worry of blowing out our ECU or losing tachometer functionality.
-----
18 Jul 2015:
My 67th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 10,638.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 230.3 miles
Fuel: 2.526 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.259
Total Cost: $8.23
Fuel Mileage: 91.172 MPG
The trip odometer was at 204.9 when the gas tank gauge finally went down to the last segment and started flashing. It took another 25.4 miles of riding to remove that last segment on the gas gauge.
I filled the tank right up to the lip, any more and it would have run over. I couldn't believe it when I looked at the pump and saw only 2.526 gallons, so I closed the gas cap and tilted the bike to be sure there were no air bubbles. I'd already burped it twice like I usually do when filling, but I wanted to be sure.
This is yet another all-time high fuel efficiency and miles-per-tank record. I attribute the fuel mileage increase this tankful to the Wolverine block heater putting the engine near its most efficient operating temperature before it's even started up.
-----
28 Jul 2015:
I noticed the left position light was acting up. That's the light on either side of the headlight. When starting up, it'd be dim like a fluorescent that was too cold, then it'd slowly increase in brightness a bit, then flash to full brightness, then go out again and repeat the cycle.
So I ordered new position lights. I got the newer Cree R5 7 watt LED lights, rather than the old Q5 LEDs that I have in there now. They should be a bit brighter.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-T10-Wedge-CREE-R5-Emitter-7W-Super-Bright-Led-Reverse-Back-up-Lights-/250976187067 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-T10-Wedge-CREE-R5-Emitter-7W-Super-Bright-Led-Reverse-Back-up-Lights-/250976187067)
2pcs T10 Wedge CREE R5 Emitter 7W Super Bright Led Reverse Back up Lights
Seller: xbrightsidex (Chang Kam Wah - prodao at hotmail.com)
$19.54
Receipt Number: 2585-1023-2521-0899
-----
29 Jul 2015:
The position lights I ordered yesterday shipped.
Tracking Number : 9400109699937780698028
Shipping service : USPS First Class Package
Item # : 250976187067
Transaction id : 1692307000015
-----
-
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02 Aug 2015:
My 68th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 10,876.3 miles
Miles Ridden: 237.8 miles
Fuel: 2.517 gallons
Price/Gal: $3.199
Total Cost: $8.05
Fuel Mileage: 94.478 MPG
The trip odometer was at 214.8 when the gas tank gauge finally went down to the last segment and started flashing. It took another 23.0 miles of riding to remove that last segment on the gas gauge. I was just approaching Costco when the last segment disappeared on the gas gauge, so I didn't need to ride far to the pumps. I could have ridden maybe another 10 miles or so.
This is yet another all-time high fuel efficiency and miles-per-tank record. I really didn't think it'd do this well this tank... I rode over to Oakland to visit friends again, and the weather was just right, the wind was just right, the engine wanted to run strong, so I couldn't resist opening her up. There's about 20 miles on this tank at WOT.
I ordered an En-Valve:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/260466425018 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/260466425018)
http://www.envalve.com/index.html (http://www.envalve.com/index.html)
En-Ovation Technology Inc.
envalve at aol.com
Item number 260466425018
Subtotal $45.00
Shipping $10.00
Total $55.00
The En-Valve is a CARB-approved PCV valve replacement that draws a constant 6 inches Hg of vacuum on the crankcase. This has several benefits.
First, it sucks blowby gasses out of the crankcase before they can contaminate the oil.
Second, by lowering the crankcase pressure, the effective differential pressure between the top of the piston and the bottom of the piston is greater on the power stroke, delivering more power. It's not a lot, but every little bit helps.
Third, it lowers windage losses from the crank and connecting rod whirring around in the crankcase air.
Fourth, it prevents oil seal leakage.
Fifth, the lower pressure helps any water and unburnt blow-by fuel in the engine oil to boil off more rapidly.
I'll be using it in a slightly different way that will hopefully provide a sixth benefit... that of radically increased fuel efficiency... more details to come.
[EDIT]
Go here for the explanation of what I'm planning to do:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=14466 (http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=14466)
-----
03 Aug 2015:
The En-Valve I ordered yesterday has shipped.
Shipped Via: USPS First Class Package
Tracking Number: 9114999944238683531802
-----
04 Aug 2015:
The position lights I'd ordered on 28 Jul 2015 arrived in the mail.
-----
05 Aug 2015:
I finally got around to putting in the license plate LED I'd ordered on 24 Mar 2015. And I put in the position lights I'd ordered on 28 Jul 2015.
The new license plate LED is a bit brighter than the old one. The new position lights are a bit shorter than the old ones, the LED inside is much larger diameter than the old lights (the old lights had a tiny LED inside, whereas the new ones the LED takes up nearly the entire diameter of the bulb), and they're a good bit brighter. The two position lights together are as bright as the headlight.
-----
06 Aug 2015:
I ordered a couple gauges from Summit Racing / Genuine Hotrod / Powersports Place to fit to the bike for testing:
VDO Cockpit Series Analog Vacuum Gauge 150042
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/vdo-150042/overview/ (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/vdo-150042/overview/)
$56.24
Longacre Water Temperature Gauge 46515
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-46515/overview/ (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-46515/overview/)
$46.97
Since I'd ordered previously from SummitRacing.com, I had a $20 off certificate number for any order over $100.
Total: $83.21
Order #5000782
Customer Number: 16558568
The order shipped out to me later the same day.
Tracking Number: C11406705559389
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07 Aug 2015:
I performed the 10,800 mile service today:
Inspect brake system
Inspect / Fill / Replace battery
Nothing to report on either service item.
-----
08 Aug 2015:
The gauges I ordered on 06 Aug 2015 were delivered to me.
-----
10 Aug 2015:
The En-Valve I ordered on 02 Aug 2015 was delivered to me.
-----
18 Aug 2015:
I paid the Geico insurance for the scooter for the period 01 Oct 2015 to 01 Oct 2016.
Cost: $78.76
Confirmation Number: 231A-97J1653H-328330
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-
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13 Sep 2015:
My 69th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 11,114.2 miles
Miles Ridden: 237.9 miles
Fuel: 2.562 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.699
Total Cost: $6.91
Fuel Mileage: 92.857 MPG
-----
14 Sep 2015:
I finally got around to catching up on my maintenance items.
11,000 mile service:
Replace engine oil
Replace engine oil filter
Replace gear oil
Engine Oil - 1000 ml Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Engine Oil Additive - 8.5 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear Oil Additive - 1.75 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
11,200 mile service:
Adjust valve lash
11,400 mile service:
Inspect brake system
Nothing to report on any of these maintenance items. I took the bike out for a high speed run to get the tungsten disulphide mixed into the oil well. I noticed the stumble when the engine is pulling hard has returned, so the electrical tape on the spark plug wire must have deteriorated enough to allow the spark to jump to ground again. I'll fix that first chance I get.
Considering that the oil comes out looking just as good as when it went in, I'm considering extending the oil change interval from 600 miles to 1000 miles. I'll get an oil analysis done on the next oil change.
-----
-
-----
02 Oct 2015:
I finally got confirmation from PartsForScooters.com that Dr. Pulley has my new clutch ready to ship. The Dr. Pulley HiT clutch I ordered has a custom pillow block angle to give a quicker lockup. The HiT clutch for scooters normally comes with a 35 degree angle pillow, mine will have a 50 degree angle. You can get them with pillows of from 35 to 60 degrees. A pillow with a higher angle gives a stronger clamping force to reduce or eliminate clutch slippage. I'll leave the pillow springs off, and put the weakest springs available on the clutch arms, so it engages at a low speed with minimal slippage. I'm hoping to get it to engage at around 2800 engine RPM, which will be about 8.5 MPH. If it engages too harshly, I'll put the weakest pillow springs on so it slips a bit more before engaging, although at the low speed it'll be engaging, that shouldn't be a problem.
This clutch will be a good interrim measure until I can find an IVT (Infinitely Variable Transmission) to mount to the bike.
Part Number Dr. Pulley Kymco HiT Clutch (169-455)
Description Dr. Pulley HiT Clutch - B201502 - 130R 175 (50 degree)
Total $324.99
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06 Oct 2015:
PartsForScooters.com called me today so I could pay for the clutch I'd ordered. It'll be shipped out today and should be delivered to me in about a week.
-----
13 Oct 2015:
The Dr. Pulley HiT clutch was delivered to me today. It came with all the clutch arm springs and pillow block springs, along with a torque spring washer to minimize torque spring binding, and a locknut holder to prevent the clutch nut from spinning loose.
I'll put it on the bike first chance I get.
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14 Oct 2015:
My 70th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 11,340.4 miles
Miles Ridden: 226.2 miles
Fuel: 2.561 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.619
Total Cost: $6.71
Fuel Mileage: 88.325 MPG
Fuel efficiency dipped a bit this tank. Likely because the temperature is starting to drop, but also because I took the bike out for a high speed run after the last oil change.
-----
18 Oct 2015:
As I was riding back home from work, I kept hearing a metallic rattling noise. Come to find out, the heat shield on the exhaust pipe has lost a screw. Not sure how that happened, as I cranked them down pretty tight. So I went around to the various hardware stores and pieced together what I needed to ensure that never happens again. I got two hex-head bolts, two fender washers, and some really thick exhaust gasket material (because when the screw fell off, so did the phenolic insulator washers, so I had to make my own). I used a socket and hammer to cut the gasket material to the right diameter, then a drill bit turned slowly by hand to punch the hole through the center. Then I cleaned up the threads with my thread tap, put it all together and cranked it down tight with a hex wrench. That's a good deal tighter than I could ever get the old bolts with a Phillips head screwdriver, so hopefully they'll not loosen again.
-----
19 Oct 2015:
I took apart the clutch and CVT today, cleaned it up, lightly greased all the moving parts and installed the Dr. Pulley HiT clutch I'd purchased.
I took off the clutch arm and pillow block springs that had been installed at the factory, very lightly greased the areas where the anti-rattle dots slide, used a file to round off a few sharp edges to ensure the clutch arms swung without any friction, and installed the lightest clutch arm and pillow block springs Dr. Pulley had provided along with the clutch.
When I took it out for a test ride, the clutch would start engaging at about 3750 RPM and lock up at about 5000 RPM... more slippage than the old clutch, so I went back to the garage, and tore it down again.
I then removed the pillow block springs and stretched the clutch arm springs a tiny bit to loosen them up. When I started the bike on the main stand, the rear wheel immediately started turning, but as the clutch pads wore in to the clutch bell a bit, it slowed way down to maybe a few RPM.
Taking it out for a test ride, it got even smoother as I rode it a few miles. When the engine is idling, there's no pulling at all. I crack the throttle just a tiny bit and the clutch starts pulling. Engine RPM about 3000. A few hundred more RPM and I can feel the pillow blocks engage and lock the clutch. The clutch disengages at 10 MPH. Very smooth and very controllable.
I think I'll try to find some 8 or 8.5 kg clutch arm springs. Those should be just about perfect. I'm worried that the 10 kg clutch arm springs will come loose, since I stretched them a bit, so lighter springs that aren't stretched should be perfect.
I also want the variator to gear up at a lower engine speed. Right now, it starts variating at about 4750 RPM, which is right below the engine speed that I use now when I'm riding around town. I twist the throttle to get 5000 RPM, and it'll eventually (over the length of a couple blocks or so) get up to 40 MPH. Slightly heavier weights will get me up to speed a bit sooner. So I ordered the 20x15 21 gram Dr. Pulley sliders. They're 1 gram heavier than the Dr. Pulley sliders I'm using now, which should shift the speed at which variation happens a bit lower.
169-259-21g Dr. Pulley 20x15 Sliding Roller Weights - 21g
Roller Weight Size: 21 Grams
Subtotal: $29.99
Shipping & Handling: $3.35
Total: $33.34
Confirmation Number: 298-497506
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20 Oct 2015:
I got notification via email that the Dr. Pulley sliders I ordered yesterday have been shipped.
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27 Oct 2015:
I received the Dr. Pulley 21 gram sliders in the mail. I'll put them in first chance I get.
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31 Oct 2015:
I ordered some very thick rheopectic grease for a clutch experiment I want to try. The clutch has a slight judder to it as it's engaging, so I'm going to put a thin film of rheopectic (shear thickening) grease on the clutch bell where the clutch pads engage. That should allow the clutch pads to touch down without grabbing, then the grease will thicken up with the shear stress and provide a smooth engagement. It should make the clutch work smoothly and not heat up much at all. If it doesn't work, I can use brake cleaner and degreaser to remove it. This is the same stuff small plane owners use to prevent front wheel shimmy on take-off and landing, so it's some pretty thick stuff, and gets thicker when it's sheared.
Non-Newtonian fluids, a modern technological marvel. Heh.
Ordered from:
Newgate Simms Limited
Unit 6, Broughton Mills Road,
Bretton, Chester CH4 0BY
Nye Lubricants Extra Heavy PGÂ44A, 50gram jar NL1182 22.50 BP
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17 Nov 2015:
My 71st fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 11,555.5 miles
Miles Ridden: 215.1 miles
Fuel: 2.397 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.499
Total Cost: $5.99
Fuel Mileage: 89.737 MPG
The rheopectic grease I ordered on 31 Oct 2015 was delivered.
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18 Dec 2015:
My 72nd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 11,758.2 miles
Miles Ridden: 202.7 miles
Fuel: 2.398 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.359
Total Cost: $5.66
Fuel Mileage: 84.529 MPG
Not too bad, considering that it's been in the 40 to 50 F temperature range here lately, and fuel efficiency usually plummets to ~55 MPG when it gets that cold.
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28 Dec 2015:
I finally got around to doing the 11,600 mile oil change.
Replace engine oil
Replace engine oil filter
Replace gear oil
Engine Oil - 1000 ml Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Engine Oil Additive - 8.5 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear Oil Additive - 1.75 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
I also took apart the clutch and applied the rheopectic grease I'd ordered on 31 Oct 2015.
The grease is very thick. Imagine smearing thick melted motzarella cheese on your clutch pads and clutch bell. Yeah, it's *that* thick, and it gets thicker when it's sheared. But it being so thick makes it easy to squish it around to get a thin layer... and it's so thick there's no way it'll fling off.
The test ride showed that the clutch is engaging a bit *earlier* than usual... about 2500 engine RPM, and when the clutch pads hit that rheopectic grease, it slides a bit, then apparently becomes nearly solid. There's a very slight judder just as the clutch engages, but nowhere near what it was. Overall, it makes riding much nicer.
So now the clutch engages at about 2500 RPM, and it engages solidly, there's very little slippage, and it disengages at about 8 MPH. I was afraid that the grease would be so thick that it'd keep the clutch pads stuck to the clutch bell, but apparently that's not happening.
There's no evidence of clutch engagement when the bike is idling on the main stand, the rear wheel doesn't even turn (and remember, I've got hybrid ceramic bearings in there, so the rear wheel turns *really* easily). Although it does pull a bit when the engine is started up cold, since it fast-idles for a bit. But since I have the engine heater, the engine only does that for a few seconds before idle speed settles down.
I expect that now that the rheopectic grease is the medium through which engagement is made, rather than via friction between the clutch pads and clutch bell, the clutch pads shouldn't wear much at all.
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28 Jan 2016:
My 73rd fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 11,974.7 miles
Miles Ridden: 216.5 miles
Fuel: 2.537 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.239
Total Cost: $5.68
Fuel Mileage: 85.337 MPG
Surprising, since the average temperature since the last tank dropped by 2 degrees F. I've got to replace the spark plug wire, it's arcing at lower and lower engine loads, and my high-voltage coil setup isn't complete yet.
The clutch continues to operate very well. There's still a bit of a judder just off idle as the clutch engages, but it's not bad. I should have gone with a slightly less viscous rheopectic grease, I guess.
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07 Apr 2016:
I've been out with a foot injury... if you'll remember, this is where I came in when the scooter was first purchased, too. The bad thing about it is that I couldn't even do the 12,000 mile maintenance items, even though I was off work for a month. I'll get to them as soon as I can.
My 74th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 12,185.1 miles
Miles Ridden: 210.4 miles
Fuel: 2.560 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.539
Total Cost: $6.50
Fuel Mileage: 82.188 MPG
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29 Apr 2016:
My 75th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 12,377.2 miles
Miles Ridden: 192.1 miles
Fuel: 2.313 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.549
Total Cost: $5.90
Fuel Mileage: 83.052 MPG
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02 Jun 2016:
My 76th fuel up, I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel from Costco. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not installed. 8.5 grams of 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2) added to engine oil and 1.75 grams WS2 added to gear oil. Wolverine block heater in use.
Mileage: 12,568.0 miles
Miles Ridden: 190.8 miles
Fuel: 2.328 gallons
Price/Gal: $2.579
Total Cost: $6.00
Fuel Mileage: 81.959 MPG
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06 Jul 2016:
I finally got my feet healed up enough that I can get around without much pain, so I'm playing catch-up on the maintenance.
Inspect brake system
Clean/Replace spark plug
Inspect suspension
Inspect tires
Replace engine oil
Replace engine oil filter
Replace gear oil
Engine Oil - 1000 ml Royal Purple 10W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil with Synerlec
Engine Oil Additive - 8.5 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562
Gear Oil - 200 ml Royal Purple MaxGear With Synerlec 75W-140
Gear Oil Additive - 1.75 grams 0.6 micron tungsten disulfide (WS2)
That's ~1000 miles on the engine oil and gear oil, and it still came out looking good.
The tires are holding up really well. They've got ~3000 miles on them, with negligible wear.
The brakes are still in great condition, showing very little wear. Now that the clutch disengages at ~9 MPH, the brakes are used even less, so they won't wear much.
The spark plug looks good, no blistering, no great amount of buildup, just a small amount of light brown cruft on the bottom of the barrel.
The suspension is in good condition. I went through and torqued the bolts to be sure everything was tight.
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07 Jul 2016:
Well, it was bound to happen eventually. I'm just glad it happened at low speed. I crashed the bike today on the way to work. It was a low-side crash.
Going around the on-ramp to the freeway at 37 MPH, hit a patch of something slick, and down went the bike.
As I felt the bike slipping out from under me (which at this point was beyond the tilt angle where it scrapes, right-side, so I knew there was no way I was going to recover), I kicked away from it... I didn't want to get tangled up in a tumbling bike.
My first instinct as I hit the ground was to try to catch my fall, and that's what I did, jarring my shoulder, scraping my right forearm and right knee... if I'd just rolled it out, I don't think I would have been scraped up as much. As it is, I have a 5" long by 1/2" wide scrape on my right forearm; two silver dollar sized scrapes on my right knee, one above and one below the knee; a quarter sized scrape on my left knee; a slightly sore right shoulder; and for some reason, some skin got peeled back on a couple toes of my left foot... I suspect my foot twisted weirdly as I was rolling, and the toenails dug into flesh.
After I was off the bike, it slid into the weeds and flipped over onto its left side, digging the left handlebar into the dirt, bending the left handlebar and breaking off the left mirror.
The bike started back up and was rideable. The left handlebar is bent, the left mirror is broken off, the windshield has a broken mount on the left side, and there's some scrapes on the right-side lower bodywork and muffler. But all in all, it wasn't bad.
My jacket and jeans took the brunt of the abuse. If my jacket hadn't torn the entire length of the right forearm, I doubt I'd have a scrape on my arm.
I went home, put hydrogen peroxide on the scrapes, then used my wife's hair dryer (which has an infrared light on it to speed drying) to dry the wounds. I'll be back at work tomorrow.
I'll order the parts necessary to get FrankenYager back on the road in the next few days. I think I'll go with an aftermarket windshield this time. Perhaps like the one MotoRandy put on his Yager.
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15 Jul 2016:
I tried to order the following parts from KymcoPartsMonster.com:
Number: Tag: Part #: Description: Price:
(1) 90106-KFC2 90106-KFC2-900 BOLT WASH 8MM $3.65
(1) 53105 53105-LEA5-E00-NES END R HANDLE $19.62
(1) 53102 53102-LEA5-E00-NES END L HANDLE $19.62
(1) 53205 53205-LEA5-E00-N1R COVER HNDL UP (Black) $21.87
(1) 53206 53206-LEA5-E00-N1R COVER R HANDLE LOW (Black) $21.33
(1) 53100 53100-LEA5-E00 HANDLE COMP STRG $57.82
(1) 90106-GEN5 90106-GEN5-901 BOLT FLANGE 10*50 $5.88
(1) 53125 53125-GEN5-901 COLLAR HANDLE SET $6.32
(1) 1830A 1830A-LEA6-M30-HJP MUFFLER ASSY EXH $294.38
(1) 64301 64301-LEA6-M30-NZP FR COVER (Red) $70.08
(2) 90105 90105-KHB4-900 BOLT WASH M8*60 **9000 C.2005.03.01 $7.75
(1) 53175 53175-LEA5-E00 LEVER R STRG HNDL $23.40
(1) 53178 53178-LEA5-E00 LEVER L STRG HNDL $23.40
(1) 3051A 3051A-LEA6-900 COIL COMP IGN 61.32
(1) 14510 14510-KEBE-900 TENSIONER CAM CHAIN 24.69
(1) 14610 14610-KKJ9-001 GUIDE COMP CAM CHAIN 14.65
(1) 88120 88120-LEA6-900-NEP MIRROR ASSY L BACK 39.16
The last item is the left mirror, which wasn't listed on the KymcoPartsMonster.com website (I got the part number from my parts list), so I contacted them about it via email. I'll order the parts as soon as I get a reply.
UNABLE TO ORDER - I'll reuse the existing one:
(1) 90304 90304-GHE8-004-SY NUT U 10MM $3.97
From epfguzzi.com (powersportsoutlet.com), I ordered:
Windscreen - Puig - yager
Quantity: 1
Item number: YGFPCT
Item price: $162.99
Shipping: $32.00
Total: $194.99
Transaction ID: 7N700606VC8398057
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01 Aug 2016:
The windscreen was delivered today. I still haven't ordered the other parts, but I'll do so soon.
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27 Aug 2016:
I finally got around to ordering the parts for the scooter:
Number: Tag: Part #: Description: Price:
(1) 90106-KFC2 90106-KFC2-900 BOLT WASH 8MM $3.65
(1) 53105 53105-LEA5-E00-NES END R HANDLE $19.62
(1) 53102 53102-LEA5-E00-NES END L HANDLE $19.62
(1) 53205 53205-LEA5-E00-N1R COVER HNDL UP (Black) $21.87
(1) 53206 53206-LEA5-E00-N1R COVER R HANDLE LOW (Black) $21.33
(1) 53100 53100-LEA5-E00 HANDLE COMP STRG $57.82
(1) 90106-GEN5 90106-GEN5-901 BOLT FLANGE 10*50 $5.88
(1) 53125 53125-GEN5-901 COLLAR HANDLE SET $6.32
(1) 1830A 1830A-LEA6-M30-HJP MUFFLER ASSY EXH $294.38
(1) 64301 64301-LEA6-M30-NZP FR COVER (Red) $70.08
(2) 90105 90105-KHB4-900 BOLT WASH M8*60 **9000 C.2005.03.01 $7.75
(1) 53175 53175-LEA5-E00 LEVER R STRG HNDL $23.40
(1) 53178 53178-LEA5-E00 LEVER L STRG HNDL $23.40
(1) 3051A 3051A-LEA6-900 COIL COMP IGN 61.32
(1) 14510 14510-KEBE-900 TENSIONER CAM CHAIN 24.69
(1) 14610 14610-KKJ9-001 GUIDE COMP CAM CHAIN 14.65
(1) 88120 88120-LEA6-900-NEP MIRROR ASSY L BACK 39.16
Subtotal: $725.08
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $28.46
Order Total: $753.54
Order Number: 36675
I also ordered the cam chain tensioner and guide, and a backup ignition coil in case the one I'm having built doesn't work, since the one on the bike is already showing signs of failing.
The 12000 mile service requires that I replace the valvetrain chain, which I've already got, so I figured it's best to replace the chain tensioner and guide, too.
The only part I wasn't able to order was the nut that holds the bolt that holds the handlebar on. I'll reuse the existing one. I mainly wanted to get a new bolt in there since the bike had been laid down.
(1) 90304 90304-GHE8-004-SY NUT U 10MM $3.97
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05 Sep 2016:
I paid the insurance on the scooter. The new insurance is effective from 01 Oct 2016 through 01 Oct 2017.
$78.76
Confirmation Number: 25C9-CA8F47GJ-328330
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07 Sep 2016:
I received the parts I'd ordered on 27 Aug 2016.
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01 Oct 2016:
I finally got around to doing some work on the scooter. I pulled the front end apart, inspected everything, and put the new handlebars on. This includes new brake levers, new mirrors, new handlebar end weights and a new plastic cover over the handlebars.
I noticed as I was pulling everything apart that a mounting tab on the headlight assembly was broken. The wind screen fastens to that, so I'll need to order a new headlight assembly, as well.
The bike is rideable now, but I'm going to hold off on doing that until I get all the work done.
I ordered the headlight assembly, part number 33100-LEA6-M30, from KymcoPartsMonster.com.
Subtotal: $99.93
UPS Ground Shipping: $21.87
Order Total: $121.80
Order Number: 36851
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