2022 Kymco AK550 anti-freeze leak

[Iahawk]

Bummer.
Just found out that Sun & Fun Motorsports in Iowa City,IA is no longer a Kymco dealer. Will have to go elsewhere for parts or order from TBSS.

Nooo! My local shop quit selling Kymco? That's disappointing. Sad to see them give up on Kymco.

(edit - just checked their inventory, no Kymco models in stock..)

[rjs987]

Nooo! My local shop quit selling Kymco? That's disappointing. Sad to see them give up on Kymco.

(edit - just checked their inventory, no Kymco models in stock..)

Your next nearest dealer is over in Bettendorf... Brenny's Motorsports. Or maybe Dr Powersports in Cedar Falls. I stopped by Dr once a few years ago and they did have some smaller Kymco scooters on the floor but they told me they won't touch the AK... which a violation of their contract with Kymco actually.

[Ruffus]

Yes, this 12.7mm might work IF you can get inderneath with the pullers legs.
Should work if you heat the piece up properly. Its destroyed anyway.
The ceramic seal is a vulnerable part and to replaced together with its counterpart.
I always take the whole kit, which range from € 50,- to 150,- depending on model.

[rjs987]

Yes, this 12.7mm might work IF you can get inderneath with the pullers legs.
Should work if you heat the piece up properly. Its destroyed anyway.
The ceramic seal is a vulnerable part and to replaced together with its counterpart.
I always take the whole kit, which range from € 50,- to 150,- depending on model.

I didn't find a "whole kit" but just individual parts. TBSS did email me a few days ago telling me the parts have shipped with a tracking number. As is normal there is no ETA until it arrives in the USA and USPS (which is completing the shipping) receives it. But it does show as left Taiwan.

I figure that if the puller won't "catch" with the puller legs then I'll just break it out since that part is toast anyway. I've done something like that before without any damage to the seat. Heating it up will make it easier either way I do it.

[Ruffus]

f....igure that if the puller won't "catch" with the puller legs then I'll just break it out since that part is toast anyway. I've...

Yes,
 can be done in this way, just not to demage the seat.

[rjs987]

Just checked... Parts are now being processed by USA customs in Chicago. I will likely have the parts by the end of the week... maybe.

[rjs987]

Just checked... Parts are now being processed by USA customs in Chicago. I will likely have the parts by the end of the week... maybe.

FINALLY!!! Today, as is common with USPS coming out of Chicago, the parts are shown to have left the USA customs department and suddenly showed up in my local area distribution center. That means it will be another 3-4 business days before they'll finally be delivered. Assuming the local area distribution center knows how to read the label from Taiwan (and it IS in English).

[rjs987]

Parts arrived yesterday! A few days earlier than I was expecting. Now waiting on the bearing puller to arrive (Thursday) and work will commence.

[rjs987]

The bearing puller I ordered arrived today. Test fit it with the new bearing part I have for the repair... didn't fit. The size given in the description is the right size IF I could get the legs into the bearing. That's what doesn't fit. So this one is being returned to Amazon.

So I've ordered this one that should work. It's a collet type of motorcycle blind bearing puller kit.
https://a.co/d/9n3AKle

This one has a bit as small as 8mm and also a 10mm, 12mm, up to  25mm.
Should be here tomorrow.

[rjs987]

The new puller set I linked to in my last post arrived today. I tested the fit and the 12mm collet works great for pulling the bearing and seals out. At least it fits great in the new ones. Now to get past the next few days that will be colder weather for working in the garage to flush the cooling system and take it apart.

I figure I'd flush it first so it will be cleaner when I get it apart.

[rjs987]

Finally a nice day that I also had time to use it...

First thing I did was remove the panels on the right side. I already removed the panels on the left side.
Here are a few photos of that.
Left side: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iCnBDWW83wgGnvwF7
Right side: https://photos.app.goo.gl/61y8ZJhNgaUa6EZi6
No need to remove more than these panels.

edit: I did remove the front inner 2 screws of the lower foot board to make it easier to remove the slanted foot board. In one photo I am pointing to one screw and one large plastic rivet that needs to be removed to take off the front panel. They are kind of hidden.

I then pulled the radiator fill tube from the holders so it hangs out as shown. This now looks the same as I see in the service manual.

I removed the radiator cap, then the drain bolts at the water pump to drain the coolant into a container. I am using a wide mouth container to catch the coolant as it drains and then pouring that into a half gallon milk jug to take to recycling. I also pulled the bottom hose at the coolant recovery tank to drain that as well.

Then I put the recovery tank hose and drain bolt back on and filled the system with 1/2 distilled vinegar and 1/2 distilled water. The system only holds a total of 1500 cc or 50.5 oz so not a lot of fluid. 1200 cc in the cooling system (radiator and engine) and 300 cc in the recovery tank. This step took a long time to pour in a little "flush mix" and wait for it to move into the radiator. I'd pour a little and then shake the bike side to side, pour a little more, repeat. Still didn't take anywhere close to 1200 cc since the engine doesn't fill this way. The recovery tank filled easily.

Then I ran the engine until the fan turned on and continued running for a few minutes more. I checked the recovery tank and refilled it as needed. I let the system cool a little while before opening the radiator cap SLOWLY and still has a little blow out. After shaking the bike some more I was able to open the cap and add more flush mix until the radiator was full again. Then I ran the engine past when the fan turned on again. I repeated this a few more times until I wasn't able to add any more to the system. Still didn't take all the measured flush mix I had ready. Maybe 900 cc at the most.

Then I drained the system as before and there was still a lot of green coolant but it was very diluted. I then repeated the flush sequence but using ONLY distilled water this time. I repeated all the steps I did before. This time when I finally drained it out it was still a little green but very diluted. I am letting it sit with the drain bolts out and the bottom radiator hose removed at the water pump to let it all drain out. Sometimes it seems to have stopped draining and then another dribble comes out as air bubbles through. I'll let it sit overnight like this and then take apart the water pump and alternator cover tomorrow.

It takes time to get all the fluid in... or as much as I can get in... and then heat it up to flow through the engine... and then wait for it to cool before touching anything to prevent burns.

[rjs987]

Wow!
That left side cover is a bear to get off. Still working on it. Since there is oil in that space I needed to pull the front oil drain plug directly below the cover. The cover also seems to have a liquid gasket glue like seal that is holding it on. There are 3 pry or pull tabs around the cover but I can only get the bottom unsealed and the top and sides don't want to break free. I know there is a bearing for the stater/flywheel so I'm trying my best to pull it straight out but that's proving to be really hard. The stater stays on the cover.

Anyone have any hints to make it easier?

[rjs987]

Please ignore that last post...
BIG HINT: triple and quadruple check that ALL the bolts are removed!!!
Yeah, there was one bolt hiding at the very top up under some cables and a part of the panels I didn't remove. Took that bolt out and the cover sides off easily. Figured it just had to be something simple that I was missing.

[rjs987]

Parts replaced. Everything is now reassembled and waiting for the gasket sealant to cure before I can refill coolant and oil. About half the oil needed to be drained in removing the left cover.

A few cautions for doing this. When removing and installing the left cover care must be taken since there is a pin that fits into the starter gear. Also, when removing the cover I discovered that the starter gear shifted on the teeth of the flywheel gear so was offset from where it should be. I aligned the starter gear and inserted the pin into it. The pin is loose. I knew the gear was in the right alignment when the cover was able to be reinstalled since one end of the pin fits into a hole in the cover. Adding the gasket maker/sealant was a mess. Putting the cover on required the bolts be only finger tight... enough that the silicone gasket sealant oozed out around the edges. That sits for an hour and then tighten the bolts to torque.

Then I replaced the lower radiator hose and installed the water pump cover. I reattached the hoses to the water pump housing. Tomorrow night or Monday morning I'll refill oil and coolant and test for leaks.

The gear puller worked with some finesse after heating the mechanical seal/bearing. The old seal came out in parts. The inner part with the spring fell out without effort, then the metal part is what needed extra effort to break free. After that the sealing gasket/bearing had to be wedged out since the bearing puller just slipped off because that one is mostly rubber/silicone. The third seal is in the impeller itself. I took pictures of the removed parts. I used correctly sized sockets to seat the new bearings. The one I used for the mechanical seal/bearing can be seen in one of the photos. I cleaned up the cover surfaces before reinstalling and replacing the water pump gasket.

Here are photos of the parts:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZJt7EBy6WP19VSAo8

[Ruffus]

Well done! 👍