Scootin' Across the Carpet like a Dog with Worms

[tysmagic]

I really try to come up with catchy titles, how'd I do?

Anyway, on to the scooter! It runs like a champ!

Refresher: scooter was purchased from a "no start/compression issues" listing for super cheaper.

Upon first inspection, I noticed a lot of half disassembled stuff and some aftermarket looking parts. Not having much experience with Scooters, the blue box (green circle) brought immediate questions for me. Turns out that's a rectifier (converts ac to dc and keeps things regulated electrics wise in case you're like me and didn't know). Looks like some haphazard wiring around it, but it looks wired and for now I'll assume it works. Next I checked the electric start, nothing happened. Checked the starter and learned why, there's no power wire to the starter motor (within the red circle).

Found that wire, hooked it up, and now the starter spins! But it doesn't engage. From a little bit of forum reading, could be the starter or could be the stuff after the starter in the casing. Parts are silly cheap so I ordered a new starter just to see what happens with the easier solution.
Also within the red circle, there should be a rubber hose going to the factory airbox. There was, but it wasn't mated up to the carb. After some tinkering, it appears the aftermarket carb has a bigger intake tube so it won't fit the stock box. Circling back to cheap parts, ordered a cone filter for it! It's arriving today, it'll clearly suck in some hot air. While trying to fit the stock air hose I realized the carb is just kind of floating there. I can't find any info on if or where it might should mount to something. As is, it works, but it doesn't seem right.

Now to what I think was actually causing the no start issue. I gave it a few kicks to see if it wanted to start or at least felt like it was puttering out something from the exhaust - and it was! I started exploring under all of the rubber caps and found in the blue circle what looks to be the power lines that convert to the spark plug wire, one side was unplugged. I felt like this wasn't intentional because some of the engine was clearly touched and not as dirty, but some was just dirty. This rubber cap was dirty, so most likely not touched by the prior owner's weird attempts at fixing this thing. With that connected, I gave it another go!

Enter the horseman of magic car sauces

Once things were reassembled enough, I gave it a few good kicks and it eventually sputtered to life. However it wasn't wanting to take much throttle. I added some oil, sprayed some starting fluid, and it came to life a little better. Now it could take a little throttle and didn't seem quite so willing to sputter out on me. At that point, I felt like I was on to something! I said to myself, what would Enzo do?

All the throttle!
I let it warm up and just gave it the absolute beans. Started hitting it with some carb cleaner and after a little forum browsing decided to dump some seafoam in the tank. That was the ticket!

I got brave and did a trip around the driveway then decided to go to the post box (about a mile away). Figured if it died out, I could mostly coast back home. Well it did it without hesitation!

Here's a picture from our maiden voyage

It is very much not fast, but it is only a 50cc scooter so I don't expect much. Idle is smooth and no smoke from the exhaust. Everything but the horn works - sadly the small air horn I have doesn't fit on it.

Last night I cleaned it up some and started taking notes on missing screws/broken bits. It's clearly been laid down on the right side at least once with some nice scratches going from front to back.

Since it's a very bland flat black, I am hoping plastidip will match it pretty close. It nothing else, I can paint both rear fender bits so that they match.

I've been really happy with the results so far, but most of the improvement has happened with a warm/warmer motor. I was very excited for this morning. I wanted to let it sit as long as possible so I could give it a go on a fully cold start. Not that I want problems, but I wanted to make sure it would be consistent. I got the best result I could imagine!

Check it:

Full start on ONE kick. Color me impressed little scoot scoot.

[BJ]

Great success! It's fun to see something come together relatively easily. If it's been laid down, double-check that the bars are straight. It's a pretty light machine, so I wouldn't expect damage but... A crooked/uneven bar could cause you shoulder or back issues. You can probably ignore this for trips that last less than 15 or 20 minutes.

For the paint, I would be tempted to go bright colours for visibility, like a Harlequin VW but with neon:

[tysmagic]

@BJ oooo that could be fun! It'll likely get flipped to some college kid so it does need to have some "youth" appeal

[Vondon302]

@tysmagic Congrats! That was quickly done too.

[Shop-Teacher]

@tysmagic Great success!

[tysmagic]

@Vondon302 would have been a one day project if I didn't have work trainings to sit in on for 6 hours, but thank you! I'm pretty happy with it

[tysmagic]

@Shop-Teacher huzzah! much successes all around

[facw]

@tysmagic Congrats on getting the cooler moving!

[tysmagic]

@facw i really do want a motorized cooler

[flatisflat]

@tysmagic said in Scootin' Across the Carpet like a Dog with Worms:

While trying to fit the stock air hose I realized the carb is just kind of floating there. I can't find any info on if or where it might should mount to something.

I've seen this quite often. The intake manifold (stiff rubber tube, or elbow in your case) tends to be the sole mounting support for the carb.

[AkioOhtori]

@tysmagic :starts shopping for non-running scooters:
You jerk....

(Seriously good job though!)

[tysmagic]

@flatisflat It feels like it's going to be, but it is really weird to deal with.

[tysmagic]

@AkioOhtori who knows! Sometimes it pays off, heck even if it did have problems a full rebuild kit is $50ish

[tysmagic]

@tysmagic UPDATE: I hit 1800 miles and ran out of gas because close to red is total E it seems

[bbg2d]

@tysmagic No reserve? Well, at least the gauge is accurate!

[tysmagic]

@bbg2d Idk, but I feel lied to because I've technically got two bars of red left.

[bbg2d]

@tysmagic

[tysmagic]

@bbg2d so it seems!

[RallyDarkstrike]

@tysmagic Yay! More scoots on Oppo ftw! Nice work getting it running! 50cc isn't very fast, but I am sure it would be great for short jaunts around the neighbourhood! There are likely fairly inexpensive kits you could get to up it to 70cc as well, or re-weight the CVT for a bit more speed!

What make/model is it again? Looks familiar, but I can't place it?

[RallyDarkstrike]

@tysmagic said in Scootin' Across the Carpet like a Dog with Worms:

@bbg2d Idk, but I feel lied to because I've technically got two bars of red left.

Wait...what...Coleman makes scooters...???

[tysmagic]

@RallyDarkstrike It's just a branded Chinese cheapo one. From what I've done so far, it's under the umbrella of g6y parts and bits. It's quite a fun little toy! Coil pack died on me so I didn't get to bop around any thing weekend. New one arrives today!

Specific model number is jl50qt-14

[RallyDarkstrike]

@tysmagic said in Scootin' Across the Carpet like a Dog with Worms:

@RallyDarkstrike It's just a branded Chinese cheapo one. From what I've done so far, it's under the umbrella of g6y parts and bits. It's quite a fun little toy! Coil pack died on me so I didn't get to bop around any thing weekend. New one arrives today!

Specific model number is jl50qt-14

Interesting! Hope it proves vaguely reliable as most Chinese scoots are pretty poorly made!

[tysmagic]

@RallyDarkstrike it looks v similar to the Honda Metropolitan in build, so I'll pretend it's reliable lol

[RallyDarkstrike]

@tysmagic I do like Honda scoots! If I ever get one I would want at least 125 or 150cc though! But hey, 50cc would be plenty for short little local jaunts!

[tysmagic]

@RallyDarkstrike it's an entry level for sure, would do great for a college kid (we live in a college town) so I suspect it'll be a good flip coming up soon. School starts back up shortly. Long term, I agree, 150cc is probably a good scootin' spot