Engine Troubleshooting

This page is dedicated to engine issues. If you want to know how a P200 two stroke engine works, read
my primer listed below. I have a tutorial on dropping the engine and cracking the cases to get at the
cruciform. Scooterhelp.com offers a method of getting at the cruciform without dropping the engine out of
the frame. Evaluate both methods and choose the one that is best for you. Before attempting these
articles, read them over carefully to get a sense of how to plan them. Engines should only be cracked on
a clean surface free of rocks and debris. Avoid bad weather if you are going to work outside as it will
make most people rush through the job. There will be more posts as I burn more two stroke :)).

Vespa P200 Two Stroke Engine Primer - added: Oct 27, 2001
Cleaning Your Top-End (Decoking) - added: Feb 5, 2002
Dropping the Engine - added: Mar 13, 2002
Splitting the Cases - added: Mar 14, 2002 updated: Mar 18, 2002
Cruciform Replacement - added: Mar 14, 2002
Gear Selector Box Troubleshooting - added: July 4, 2002
Exhaust System Maintenance - added: Sept 25, 2002
Complete Engine Teardown - added: May 12, 2003 updated: Oct 19, 2003

Two Stroke Primer

Welcome to my primer on two strokes. The Vespa P200 engine is a good example of a by the book rotary
valve two stroke. There are only 3 moving parts in the engine's top end: no pushrods, no camshafts, no
lifters, nothing you would expect to see in a 4 stroke automobile engine. In this document, I hope to
enlighten even the mechanically inept on how these beasts work.
If you have ever gotten that feeling that people around you are speaking an alien language when it comes
to their bikes, they're probably talking about the engine. :) Never fear, however, I have the cure. Let's
have a look at the parts in the engine top-end:

First thing on the roster is the barrel, or bore, or jug - however you may have come to know it. This is the
container that holds back the huge forces behind the combusting gas and directs them to the piston. This
part is centered with cylinder studs and is highly polished (or honed) to allow the best seal possible. If the
polished area is scratched or burnt from overheating, it can be fixed by oversizing. Oversizing can be
done at specialty shops and involves machining a larger hole through the bore and buying a larger piston
to fit.

Secondly, we have the piston. The piston is made of aluminum alloy and moves up and down inside the
cylinder barrel, channelling the force of the combustion into the rod beneath it: the connecting rod. The
rings that skirt the piston head are called piston rings. The piston rings form a tight seal to prevent gas
from escaping and center the piston head in the barrel. The gudgeon pin, or wrist pin, connects the piston
head to the connecting rod.

Speaking of the connecting rod, we will look at that for a minute. The connecting rod is also made of a
light metal and transfers the power from the piston and pushes on the crank. There are two bearings on
the connecting rod, or con-rod, the small end bearing, or the wrist bearing; and the big end bearing, or the
crank pin bearing. These bearings allow a nice circular motion that occurs as your piston moves up and
down inside the cylinder.

The crankshaft, or crank is another moving part within the engine. This component has an offset point,
called the crank pin , inside it which turns the up-and-down motion of the piston into rotational motion
necessary for gears and wheels. The crank is usually made of a really heavy metal, like steel. The
crankshaft also plays a part in injecting the gas into the expansion chamber (the place where the piston
lives).

The combustion chamber is the place where the compression and combustion of the gas mixture occurs.
This part is in the head of the cylinder and looks like a hemisphere (see below). This is the part that your
spark plug threads into.

The expansion chamber is the length of the exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe is approximately 12 times the
volume of the displacement of your engine and is 'tuned' to give you the largest power bands. The reason
for this phenomenon is that the expansion the combusting of gas is turned into force on the piston, but the
gases from the combustion have to escape before the engine can take in new gas. The onus is on the
exhaust to facilitate quick removal of the expended gas. The exhaust itself will be tuned such that it will
contain exactly the right amount of waste vapours. This creates a pressure difference, that lets some of
the exhaust gases leave the pipe and the some get pulled back into the cylinder with the new charge. The
strength of this back pressure will result in better or worse performance from your motor. This is why
better (tuned) exhausts are soughtafter: the stronger the back pressure, the more efficiently the engine
works.

When people talk about 'good compression', they are indicating that the engine is probably in good
health. Good compression means that the piston rings are well compressed and sealing properly, the
cylinder head and bore are sealed well, the spark plug is tight, the engine seals are tight and the exhaust
is providing good back pressure. You can test compression with a compression tester. this device
measures the change in pressure when the piston reaches the top of the cylinder. A stock vespa engine
typically has a compression of about 120psi. It takes 90psi minimum to start the bike. You can change the
compression ratio of the motor by using different cylinder heads and maintaining the piston rings. This
higher the compression ratio, the more pressure you will get, but heat will build up faster.

Induction

The engine on the P200 uses a 'disc valve' carburettion system and a 'rotary valve' induction system.
What the hell am I talking about? I will explain. Disc valve induction from the carburettor is the slide
moving in and out of the venturi letting more or less gas get through the hole in the bottom of the carb.
Conversely, Rotary valve induction is the cut-out in the crank (you can see this if you turn your flywheel
with the carb disassembled) that pulls in the gas being let through the disc valve at exactly the right time.
The efficiency of the rotary valve's seal is based on the rotary pad. the rotary pad is directly below the
carbuerettor inlet. This is an extremely high precision part of the motor. if it becomes scratched or dented
from an engine failure, the motor will not seal well and you'll lose what is known as primary compression,
the compression caused by the rotary valve and engine pressure.
The engine demands a certain amount of fuel from the carb by forming a large low pressure reigon. this
low pressure draws gas and air through the carb and into the motor. As the rotary valve closes, the piston
has lowered in the cylinder and thus the pressure in the cylinder has changed. Therefore, the fuel mixture
rushes into the cylinder. The pressures in the motor move the mixture up through the transfer ports, or
channels in the bore, and onto the piston head. The purpose of the fuel mix is two-fold. Obviously, the gas
is going to be burnt; however, before that happens, the two stroke oil in the gas lubricates everything it
touches. The two stroke oil also forms a heat resistant shield over your piston, protecting the head
surface from the gas explosion. Unlike a four stroke engine (like that in a car), a two stroke engine top-
end is NOT lubricated by the gearbox oil. This is why two stroke oil has to be added to the gas. If there is
no two stroke oil, or you are 'running lean', your engine will very quickly overheat and seize, and/or blow a
hole through the piston.

Compression

With the gas collected, the piston continues it's travel up the bore. The heavy flywheel turns the crank and
pushes the con-rod, and subsequently the piston, to the top of it's travel. As the piston reaches the top,
the gas becomes compressed against the hemispherical area called the combustion chamber. Now we
get into timing. When we talk about timing, we are observing the firing point of the spark plug. Ideally, the
firing point should occur as the piston reaches the top dead center (TDC) of its travel. The high voltage
electronics that control this firing point a take a few milliseconds to develop a spark across the spark plug.
Because of this delay, we have to offset the timing to make up for it. This offset is usually measured in
degrees and sets off the electronics before the piston actually gets to TDC. The spark plug develops a
huge voltage and arcs through the gas, positively combusting all the gas and putting a large pressure on
the piston head. This gives rise to the Power stroke.

Power Stroke

The con rod, connected to the piston and crank, transfers energy of the blast from the piston head to the
crankshaft. The crank coverts the strong linear forces into equally strong rotational forces. This is where
the engine develops all of its power. By the time the piston opens to the exhaust port again, the pressure
in the pipe is now low and discharges the high pressure combustion exhaust into the pipe. Most of the
gases escape through the tailpipe, but some are reflected to assert a strong reigon of high pressure on
the exhaust port so new charge can enter the cylinder. The piston travels down to the transfer ports once
again and restarts the induction process. This cycle will continue until you run out of gas or you stop the
spark plug from sparking (kill the engine or turn the ignition switch).

Cleaning The Top-End (Decoking)

This tutorial will demonstrate the process of decoking the top end, or removing the carbon deposits from
the engine. This is a standard maintenance and should be performed every 6000km (4000 miles), or
every year for machines that are never heating up (quick hops about town). It will be virtually impossible
to get all the crud off of the engine parts, so don't be overly compulsive about it. Though the process
seems daunting, like putting a wheel together, it is one of those chores that you will be able to fly through
after your first go. I would give it a few hours for the first time. I hear some asking, "why should I do this;
my engine runs fine?" This procedure is important because of the heat and power restrictions a two
stroke engine has to contend with. By letting junk build up on the piston, cylinder and head, you are
effectively decreasing the fuel capacity of your motor (ie 200 cc to something slightly less). Since waste
carbon, commonly called coke, is left from burning two stroke oil, the engine will suffer from an overly
"rich" condition and generally run badly or start hard. A few signs that your top-end may need to be
cleaned are oily, constantly fouling spark plugs; hard starting (more than 4 kicks) and lots of exhaust
smoke. I would reccomend you preced this operation with a carb rebuild when attempting for the first
time. Synthetic lubricants will increase the period of this procedure, but it is still worthwhile to consider
attempting every year. This procedure is best done in a covered, well lit area (like a garage) so no crap
gets into your top end.

Tools & Parts Needed

Multi Screwdriver
Spark Plug Wrench
Disposeable Shop Towels
A can of Carb Cleaner
A Tube of Anti-Sieze Lubricant
13mm and 11mm Deep Socket
Torque Wrench (Absolutely neccessary, DO NOT perform without this item)
Plastic Bondo (Body Filler) Scraper
Plastic "Wire" Brush
Tub of All-Purpose / Bearing Grease ("Green Goop")

Procedure

Step 1

Undo the arrowed screws and the

flywheel shroud will fall right off.
Put the shroud and all the little
screws in a safe place (or sand it
down and paint it if you have a day
or two).
Step 2

Gently prise off the spark plug

connector and put it one side.
Undo the Shroud bolt right next to
the spark plug. Unhook the air
bellows from the frame and push it
to one side. Slide the cylinder
shroud off of the engine by pulling
towards the front of the bike. You
should now be able to see the
cylinder. Remove the sparkplug
with the sparkplug wrench.

Step 3

Remove the nuts by loosening

them slowly in this order. Do a
quarter turn, go to the next, quarter
turn, next, quarter turn, next, etc.
until the nuts are removed. This will
take a while, but you risk bending
the aluminum head if you don't do
them in small steps and in order.
The same is true for tightening.
Carefully collect the hardware and
remove the cylinder head.

Step 4

Since the flywheel is connected to

the crank, you can raise and lower
the piston simply by turning the
flywheel by hand. To start, position
the piston to the top of the bore.
You are now ready to start
cleaning.
Step 5

With the piston at the top of the

bore, rub a ring of all purpose
grease around the circumference
of the piston head. This will catch
any little chunks of carbon. If your
piston is totally coated in carbon
(like mine) use a plastic scraper to
get most of the crud off. When you
are done scraping, remove the
remainder with a plastic "wire"
brush. Metal is NOT reccomended.

Step 6

Wipe off all of the grease from the

scraping. To clean the sides of the
piston and bore, apply another ring
of grease and turn the flywheel
slowly. The piston will recede into
the bore. Go halfway down, rub
away some of the grease with a
disposeable towel then go to the
bottom and repeat. Keep re-
applying grease until the metal on
the bore is clean.

Step 7

To clean the cylinder head, use

copious amounts of carb cleaner
and shop towel, the carbon doesn't
tend to stick quite as badly to the
head and there's more room to
work on it. This part, if any, should
be sparkly aluminum grey by the
end. Once you finish cleaning the
head, spread some anti sieze
lubricant (stops threads from
stripping) on the thread on the
cylinder studs.
 Step 8

Put the head back on. Hand tighten

the screws in order until each
becomes snug. Then, using the
quarter turn method, tighten the
screws with a torque wrench, in
order, using a torque of 1.7-2.2 kgf
m (12.30-15.91 lbf ft). Re assemble
the bodywork in the reverse order.
Install the Spark Plug last and
reconnect the bellows be stretching
the rubber around the lip on the
frame.

Once all the panels are back on the bike, kick start the engine as usual. The engine
should roar to life after a few kicks. If the kickstart lever doesn't feel firm or if the the
engine will only run when the choke is turned on, you have an air leak. This will
probably be caused by the sparkplug not being tight enough (*The plug is touchy, don't
tighten it too strongly or you will rip the threads out of the aluminum*). If you did rip the
threads, there will be a leak around the damage -- take the piece to a machine shop and
have them install a "helicoil insert", and remind them of the fact it is a cylinder head so
they can use a high heat transfer coil. This will replace the old threads and make a
much stronger thread. If the plug IS seated properly, the cylinder head may be warped
from improper tightening. IF YOU FOLLOW THE RULES, THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN.
However, if it is warped, you will need some 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and a piece of
glass. Tape the paper to the glass and wet it. Hold the cylinder head in your palm and
rotate the bottom on the paper until it is flat. Once you are done remount it and try
again. This maintenance should be done yearly for year round riders, every 6000km
(4000 miles) for the "rally only" types.

Dropping the Engine

If you are getting into more serious engine repairs, such as rebuilding, replacing seals, changing the
cruciform, fixing the clutch, changing bearings or fixing the kickstart mechanism, it is highly recommended
that you drop the engine out of the frame. Not only will this give you more room to work, but it will also
lower the risk of damage and lost parts in the engine. Dropping the engine requires two people and a
solid hour's work. You will have to strip the frame electrical and cable connections, otherwise the engine
will snag as it is pulled away. Take care not to rush this step and perform it indoors so weather does not
expediate the work. Since this operation will lead to cracking the cases, it is a good idea to buy all the
seals (see part list) so you can replace them when the repairs are finished. Any good seals not worn or
see through, in the case of gaskets, are always an asset. Replace them with a new seal, but keep the old
one in your toolkit. This is a major operation, but don't let it seem intimidating. Vespa engines are
relatively simple inside. Just work in a clean environment and proceed slowly if you are unsure about a
part. MAKE SURE YOU RUN THE BIKE WITH THE FUEL TAP SET TO "OFF" UNTIL THE ENGINE
DIES OUT, SO NO GAS IS SPILLED!!! A Haynes manual alongside this tutorial will help greatly.

Tools & Parts Needed

Socket Set (7-22mm)
Spanner set (7-22mm)
Long Handled Screwdriver Set
Spark Plug Wrench
Disposeable Shop Towels
A can of Carb Cleaner
A can of WD-40
Split Pin for Rear hub
Metal Hammer
Visegrips
Needlenose pliers
A length of pipe larger than the diameter the handle of your socket driver
A Large Chisel (see below)
A large bag and electrical tape
A clutch Cable inner
A rear brake cable inner

Buy the following parts at your discretion

Set of Woodruff Keys (Flywheel and Clutch side)
Rear brake Shoes
Gaskets: Case gasket, Air Box to Case gasket, Selector Box Gasket, Clutch Cover O-Ring, Cylinder to
Base Gasket, Oil Drain Plug Gasket.
Seals: Flywheel Side Seal, Clutch Side Seal, Rear hub Seal

Procedure

Step 1

Prop the bike on large boxes and

shim further with wood planks. This
will make the bike more accessible
and less susceptible to falling over.
After standing the bike, disconnect
the ground lead from the battery to
prevent short circuits.
Step 2

Undo the oil drain plug screw with

a spanner and allow oil to drain out
of the bike. There is not much oil in
the gearbox, so a 10" pieplate
should sufficiently hold the oil.
Drain the oil into a cranberry juice
bottle using a siphon and take it to
the nearest recycling station.

Step 3

Remove the split pin in the center

of the hub with a small pair of
pliers. Using a 22mm Socket,
loosen the castellated nut. If it
refuses to budge, have a friend
apply the rear brake add the pipe
length to your socket handle to
give more leverage. The bolt
should budge quickly. Collect the
castellated nut and the large
spacer washer

Step 4

Pull the wheel away from the hub

to reveal the brakes and rear axle.
If the brakes are considerably
worn, indicated by poor stopping or
inability to lock the rear wheel,
replace both shoes AFTER the
repairs to the engine are
completed. Wheels tend to be
covered in soot from the exhaust,
wipe clean with a small spray of
carb cleaner.
Step 5

Wrap a clean plastic bag around

the brake shoes making sure the
lip of the bag pushes behind the
shoes and tape it with vinyl
electrical tape. Since oil will spill
everywhere during the
disassembly, this step is very
important to prevent damage to the
brake shooes.

Step 6

Open the juction box by removing

the screw in the top of the door and
disconnect all connections inside
the box noting wiring configuration.
Pull back the CDI rubber to remove
the connections from the CDI box.
Pull the frame electrical
connections from the top junction
box.

Step 7

Disconnect the rear brake cable

from the brake arm. A small socket
will loosen the nut and allow the
inner to slide out. Pull the inner
cable and the outer cable
completely clear of the engine.
Step 8

You will have to remove the gear

selector box. Remove the Cylinder
and flywheel shroud by removing
their respective screws. The
Selector box cover will lift away
with the flywheel shroud. Undo the
small nuts on the selector box and
carefully collect the hardware
under the nuts.

Step 9

Get a friend to shift from first gear

to fourth gear. This action will lever
off the gear selector box and allow
you to remove it from the engine.
Have the pieplate ready for more
oil. You don't need to loosen the
gear selector cables, in fact I don't
reccomend it unless the selector
box requires further inspection.

Step 10

You will have to remove the

carburettor and air box. There is a
dissassembly guide in the
carburettor rebuild section if this
picture is not completely clear.
Undo the arrowed screws to
remove the carb box. As usual,
leave the oil injector alone unless it
requires attention.
Step 11

Remove the clutch cable by

removing the little 7mm nipple on
the end of the cable. Pull the inner
and outer clear of the engine.

Step 12

Remove the rear shock bolt. The

bolt uses two different sized
wrenches as pictured. remove the
fasterners and drive the bolt out
with a hammer if neccessary.

Step 13

Remove the 22mm nut from the

main engine bolt. Get a friend to
catch the engine as you drive out
the bolt with a punch and hammer.
Removing the spare tire will give
you room to drive the bolt. Pull the
engine away from the bike with the
exhaust attached.
 Step 14
Remove the 17mm exhaust nut to
loosen the expansion box.

Step 15

Use a large chisel between the lip

of the exhaust manifold and the
cylinder to lever the the exhaust
away from the engine. Depending
on the amount of rust on the
exhaust, you may need a hammer
to get enough force to lever it
away.

Congratulations, you successfully dropped the engine. You can now continue to repair
the engine components. But not before food :)!!! To put the engine back in, it is as
simple as reversing the instructions. I ran into a bit of trouble with worn cables
reassembling my Vespa, so make sure to have spares.

Splitting the Engine Case

Virtually every Vespa motor uses a split case system with a separate cover for the clutch housing. In
order to repair the engine's internal components, you must split the cases by removing parts in order.
Prior to splitting the case you should always drop the engine out of the frame, so you are comfortable and
have access to all sides of the engine. The cases house mostly gearbox components, bearings and seals
as well as the crankshaft and kickstart. If you are having problems with these components it is
recommended that you buy all of the components in the list below along with the parts you suspect are
worn. The cruciform is the most common problem on a Vespa and can be remedied with ease once the
cases are apart. Work slowly and in a clean environment for best results. Do not work outside if at all
possible, for this will often cause rushed repairs. Wear work clothes that you are not interested in keeping
as the engine is usually oily and dirty from road grime. if at all possible, remove loose road dirt from the
cases before opening to avoid contamination of the engine.

Tools & Parts Needed

Flywheel Puller (Available at scooter shops)
A Small Punch
Assembly Grease (Thick, high-temperature grease)
Socket Set (7-22mm)
Spanner set (7-22mm)
Long Handled Screwdriver Set
Spark Plug Wrench
Disposeable Shop Towels
A can of Carb Cleaner
A can of WD-40
Split Pin for Rear hub
Metal Hammer
Visegrips
Needlenose pliers
A length of pipe larger than the diameter the handle of your socket driver
A Large Chisel (see below)
A large bag and electrical tape
A Clutch Cable inner
A Rear Brake Cable Inner

Buy the following parts at your discretion

Set of Woodruff Keys (Flywheel and Clutch side)
Rear brake Shoes
Gaskets: Case gasket, Air Box to Case gasket, Selector Box Gasket, Clutch Cover O-Ring, Cylinder to
Base Gasket, Oil Drain Plug Gasket.
Seals: Flywheel Side Seal, Clutch Side Seal, Rear hub Seal

Disassembly

Step 1

Remove the nuts by loosening

them slowly in this order. Do a
quarter turn, go to the next, quarter
turn, next, quarter turn, next, etc.
until the nuts are removed. This will
take a while, but you risk bending
the aluminum head if you don't do
them in small steps and in order.
The same is true for tightening.
Carefully collect the hardware and
remove the cylinder head.
Step 2

Remove the Cylinder Head; then

remove the Cylinder Barrel,
exposing the piston. Note
imperfections on the piston. For
example, the large black band
directly below the piston rings
suggests worn piston rings. See
below for tips on repair. Prise the
alloy cylinder seal off the edge of
the engine case.

Step 3

Place a small metal punch

lengthwise through wrist pin
ensuring both sides touch the
edges of the case. Rotate the
flywheel until it is held tight by the
punch. Using a socket, remove the
flywheel nut. You may need more
leverage so use a pipe length on
the end of a socket. It is not
adviseable to use a hammer.

Step 4

Remove the punch from the piston.

Lightly oil the flywheel puller
threads and thread the tool into the
center of the flywheel. Get about 5
or 6 threads of the tool into the
flywheel. Using a spanner and a
socket, tighten with the socket and
anchor with the spanner (pictured).
Step 5

The flywheel will pull away from the

crank taper revealing the stator,
taper and woodruff key. These are
the key timing components of the
engine.

Step 6

Pull the half-moon shaped

woodruff key and inspect it for
shearing (deep line in the metal), if
there is no scoring then you may
reuse it. Look for cold solder joints
on the stator (disconnected or
cracked solder joints) and repair
them as neccessary. The picture
depicts an example of a good
solder joint.

Step 7

Though most P-series Vespas

come with timing marks cast into
the engine, it is a good idea to
make a thinner line with a
screwdriver, so you can get it dead
on. A screwdriver and a hammer
tap on the edge of the stator plate
and case will quickly mark and
accurate stock point.
Step 8

Here is the result. When realigning

the stator, use this new mark as a
base timing point.

Step 9

Remove the arrowed screws to get

behind the stator plate. These
screws strip easily, so push down
on the screwdriver and use the
proper sized driver. If you strip a
screw, a pair of Visegrips will
loosen it. Always replace stripped
screws.

Step 10

Carefully dangle the stator from the

case. NEVER ROLL THE CASE
ONTO THE STATOR. There are a
number of case screws to loosen
(arrowed). Loosen them and store
them somewhere safe. Many
screws have a complimenting stud
that will fall out as they are
removed.
Step 11

There are a number of case

screws to loosen (arrowed).
Loosen them and store them
somewhere safe. Many screws
have a complimenting stud that will
fall out as they are removed. The
stud and nut under the flywheel is
called the long case stud. It tends
to rust and seize. If yours is siezed,
order a new one from a scooter
shop.

Step 12

With all the nuts removed you are

ready to split the cases. Tap the
point next to the oil plug (pictured)
with a rubber mallet and a piece of
wood and the cases will nudge
apart. DO NOT move the kickstart
lever. You should be able to simply
pull away the case to reveal the
gears. The picture shown depicts a
metal hammer being used. After
great debate, I have decided to
amend this section. ***Ignore the
metal hammer an use a rubber
one instead. You risk damaging
the cases with a metal
hammer.***
 Step 13

A spring and the kickstart pinion

will usually fall out of the case.
collect them and inspect the pinion
for wear. If any teeth are missing,
renew the gear. The one pictured
is not worn.

Reassembly

Step 1
Pull the old case gasket and rub
remenants away with a wire brush.
Rub a ring of assembly grease
around the case edge and replace
the gasket with a new one. If the
old gasket is not torn, it may be
reused in a pinch. Always renew
the case gasket while the engine is
open.

Step 15

Replace the kickstart pinion onto

the layshaft with the teeth facing
down. (pictured)
 Step 16

Kickstart pinion Spring should be

retained with a large glob of
assembly grease, now flip the case
and place it onto the other case
half. Watch that the spring does
not fall. press the cases together,
moving the kickstart lever to mesh
the gears. Tap the cases on any
flat spot to push them together.
Now follow the disassembly
instructions to finish the job.

So now you're finished cracking the cases (use the reassembly instructions above after
you have repaired the problem). You can return to the engine repair section and select
a topic related to the inside of the cases. Above, I talked about blowback marks on the
piston. These marks show that combusting gas is escaping past the piston. This is
generally not a huge problem, but it should be remedied. To fix this situation you should
take the cylinder to a machine shop to be honed and the piston rings should be
renewed. The rings will just continue to deteriorate and a loss of power will result. The
piston showed no signs of heat seizing, but it is generally identifiable by oval shaped
scratches up and down the piston head. If you note such marks, this represents the
engine overheating or the cylinder out of tolerance. Replace the seals, have a shop
hone the inside barrel and renew the rings to prevent further siezes. You should also
inspect your carb and timing if these marks are observed. Consult a scooter shop for
further assistance.

Cruciform Renewal
Ever riding up a hill and your bike surges or slips out of gear? This is often the fault of a component in the
engine called the Cruciform (or spider). The cruciform is a small cross-shaped alloy part used to select
gears. It works by fitting into square cut outs in the gears themselves. This is a high wear part. Since
there is almost no buffering between the gears, this part receives damage with almost every shift. Sloppy
shifting will expediate its demise. Luckily, this piece will not hurt the steel gears when it slips.
Unfortunately, it is buried deep within the engine. To get at it, start by dropping the engine, then split the
cases and follow the procedure below. Before you attempt this repair, check that your gear selector box
does not have any side to side play. Sometimes this play will make the bike jump out of gear. Replace the
gear selector box components and try to make the bike jump. If it doesn't jump, you have solved the
problem. Otherwise change the cruciform and inspect the gear shims.

Tools & Parts Needed

Cruciform
Circlip Removal Tool
Red Grease Pencil
2 Feeler Guage Tools
Multi Screwdriver
Spark Plug Wrench
Disposeable Shop Towels
A can of Carb Cleaner
A Tube of Anti-Sieze Lubricant
13mm and 11mm Deep Socket
Torque Wrench (Absolutely neccessary, DO NOT perform without this item)
Plastic Bondo (Body Filler) Scraper
Plastic "Wire" Brush
Tub of All-Purpose / Bearing Grease ("Green Goop")

Procedure

Step 1

First check the play in the gears.

The gears should remain tight
when jostled. To see a bad shim
washer click here. More
information about shim washers
can be found below Using the
circlip tool, remove the circlip
around the rear axle. This will allow
for the shim washer and the gears
to be removed.

Step 2

Remove the shim washers and the

gears. Marking the gears with a
grease pencil will identify which
side faces up when reassembling.
Step 3

You can now remove the selector

rod, the rod washer and the
cruciform. This shaft uses a left
hand thread, meaning everything is
backwards. To loosen turn
clockwise, to tighten turn counter-
clockwise.

Step 4

Sinch the lighting was pretty bad,

we took the rear axle out of the
engine to give you a better view of
this part. You don't have to do this.
For all this work, you can now treat
yourself to a pickle. We certainly
did :))

Step 5

Here's the selector rod. It's a chunk

of metal with a small washer on the
end. The threaded piece threads
into the cruciform.
 Step 6

Turn the cruciform by hand until it

is parallel with the rear axle slot.
You can now just push the
cruciform out through the side of
the slot. place the new cruciform
into the slot. The Cruciform will be
fitted with the bend in the legs
facing the rear wheel.

Step 7

This picture illustrates the damage

caused to the cruciform by shifting
between the gears. Always use
Piaggio cruciforms when replacing
the old one. The cheaper parts
tend to wear faster and do not
have as pronounced of a bend
making them hard to fit correctly.

The shim washer is incredibly important to the operation of the gears. You should make
sure that this item is sound before closing the engine. To test the space use two feeler
guage tools and place them under the shim washer. The allowable slack limit is 0.50mm
(0.020 in). Oversizes are: Stock - 2.05mm (0.081in), 1st oversize - 2.20mm (0.087in),
2nd oversize - 2.35mm (0.093in), 3rd oversize - 2.50mm (0.098in), 4th oversize 2.65mm
(0.104in). Once everything is in good condition, replace all the gears, the washer and
the circlip. Then continue to reassemble the engine cases or continue to fix problems in
the engine.

Gear Selector Box Work

The Vespa gearbox has not changed in a very, very long time so this information should be helpful to
most every Vespa owner. The Selector box rarely needs attention; however, it is an integral part of the
transmission and can break down just like any other moving part. The box selects the current gear by
pulling a rod back (you can see this rod in the cruciform replacement area) and forth through the
transmission. if this box fails, you will be unable to select gears until the problem is fixed. Below I will
outline some procedures for inspecting and setting the gear selector box.

Setting the Cables

One of the more tricky cable installations on a Vespa would have to be the gear selector cables. if the
cables do not appear to be broken, but the shifting is weird or not working, carefully inspect the gearbox
for damage (namely the selector arm as they may snap, there are more details on this below). I have
found a fairly good way to approach this task. You will need a 7 and an 8 mm spanner, two pairs of
Visegrips (one needlenose preferrably), a set of cables and a friend to help. If only one cable is broken, I
find it easier to just start fresh and do both cables while I'm at it. There is a single screw at the bottom of
the flywheel that hold the selector box cover onto the engine. Undo this screw and pull the cover aside to
reveal the Selector Box Parts. Tighten the slack adjusters so they protrude into the selector box.

Once you are into the gearbox begin by undoing the cable nipples using two small spanners. Pull the
nipples clear of the box and set them aside. To replace the cables on a P series you will have to open the
headset. To open the headset, undo the 4 screws on the bottom of the headset and lift it as much as you
can without yanking on it. push the speedometer cable (large cable right near the front wheel) toward the
rear of the bike and the headset cover will pop straight up. you should now be able to see the inside of the
headset. Apply a peice of duct tape to the speedometer cable, just below the locking ring (the thing
attached to the speedometer under the headset). Unscrew the locking ring and allow it to rest on the duct
tape (that way it won't fall into the fork tube). The headset will still be retained by wires. you can usually
flip the headset back and work unimpeded, but if you know where everything goes, you may choose to
unhook all of the little wires. There is a disc on the inside of the headset attached to the end of the gear
selector handlebar. there should be two cables in this disc. These cables are the gear selector cables and
they run down to the gear box. To renew these cables, carefully prise them from their seating in the disc
and pull the cable straight out. Once one cable is out, replace it by feeding it down the same outer cable
and then move onto the next, so they don't get out of order at the gearbox. Once both cables are seated
in the disc, set the handlebar so the dots line up. Don't bother closing the headset yet.

Go back down to the gearbox. Have a friend hold the handlebar so the dots line up. Begin by pushing the
nipples onto the cables. Grab both cables with a Visegrips and pull on them fairly hard. While they're tight,
get your friend to move the handlebar up and down. This will quickly take up all the slack in the cables.
Once you're done taking up slack, get your friend to set it back to the two dots. Turn the batwing to
neutral by hand while gently rolling the bike back and forth. Neutral can be identified as a raised area
between 1st (closest to the engine) and 2nd on the batwing (the bike will roll smoothly when in neutral.
Get the needlenose visegrips and push the nose of the pliers up against the cable nipple as hard as
possible while still pulling on the cable with the other set of Visegrips. The nipple should slide into the
batwing slot. Once it's firmly pressed into the slot, clamp the needlenose visegrips onto the cable so that
they continue to press into the back of the nipple. Tighten the nipple using the wrenches. Do the same
procedure for the other cable.

The cables should now be set. The acid test is to roll the bike back and forth about 1m each direction and
try to change gears. If the bike makes it to first and fourth gear, you're done. If it doesn't, try the whole
prodecure again until it is right. You shouldn't have to use the slack adjusters. Once you finish,
reassemble the headset by reversing the order of disassembly. Once you're good at this procedure, it
takes about 15 minutes. At first it will take hours of cursing and hate - so be patient. Usually when you're
about to give up, it suddenly works.

Inspecting and repairing the Selector Arm

The selector arm is a small cast piece of metal that forms the physical connection to the gear selector rod
inside the engine. Since this part is under a lot of stress it may be vulnerable to cracking off due to lack of
gearbox oil, sudden stress from the selector rod (usually from jumping out of gear) and bad casting. A key
sign that this may be a problem is if the handlebar moves far past 1st gear without engaging a gear. If you
notice this behaviour kill the engine and undo the 11mm bolts that hold the gearbox to the engine. gently
pull the gearbox clear of the engine (there is a paper gasket between the selector box and the engine
case). If indeed the selector arm has broken and you are in the middle of no where, try to find some brass
or aluminum wire and make multiple wraps around the selector arm and ratchet shaft as an emergency
repair. Shift as little as possible and try to get safely home. The selector arm usually snaps at the ring
around the ratchet shaft and it can only be repaired only by ordering a whole new part. If you have a worn
cruciform that jumps out of gear, you are at risk for this piece snapping off.

When ordering new parts, request a selector arm and a new tapered pin, as the pin is likely to be difficult
to refit. you will need a ballpeine hammer and a small punch suited to the size of the hole. You may also
need a reamer (taper tool) suitable to the size of the hole. Start by removing the cabling and get the box
into a well lit area. On a wooden surface, tap out the pin as per the top picture. It will fall out completely
with only a small bit of force. Crank the selector arm far past the fourth gear position as in the diagram.
with the pin removed, slowly pull up on the batwing and place the new ratchet arm on the shaft. Line up
the holes and punch the new pin back into place as shown in the bottom diagram. The pin should go all
the way in. If it stops, adjust the position of the selector arm on the ratchet shaft and try again. If you
cannot get it in, use a small reamer to redefine the taper on the new part. Once you have reamed the hole
a small amount, refit the pin and try to bang it in. keep adjusting the taper until it will allow the pin to fit
snugly in the hole. Once you are done, refit the selctor box and cabling (see above for instructions). Drain
and fill your gearbox and replace the gasket if neccessary.
Ratchet System Troubleshooting

The ratchet system should rarely need attention but problems can arise if the spring is deformed or the
roller pops out of the ratchet arm. To remedy this problem, simply order new parts and replace the old
ones. The ratchet arm is held in by a small flat headed screw. Uncrew the screw carefully and catch the
spring if it goes flying. Replace any malfuntioning part and reverse the order of disassembly to fix the
problem. The batwing is force fit to a shaft that is precisely positioned. if there is any wear to the batwing
or ratchet shaft, replace both items. you will have to remove the small tapered pin on the selector arm to
effect repairs to this item.

Exhaust System Maintenance

Many largeframe vespas have ratty, rusty pipes that have been collecting years of carbon deposits and
scraping on the ground. Eventually, the exhaust system will need some TLC. My exhaust recently
cracked at the weld, so I thought I would show the meaty insides of a stock Vespa exhaust before I try to
reweld the thing. The stock exhaust only consists of a few simple parts.

With the exhaust broken apart, we can identify a u-bend pipe that goes from the exhaust stub on the
cylinder to a baffle (in this case, a fluted cylinder). There is a convexed piece of metal spot welded to the
end of the baffle to direct the charge out the fluted sides or the baffle rather than let it flow straight
through. Depending on how these baffles are made, there will be a difference in how the engine operates
at certain rev ranges. This is probably as tuned as a stock exhaust get. If the piece of metal falls out of the
baffle, it will make a tonne of noise inside the expansion box and may cause a slight loss of performance.
If you shake the exhaust and hear a pronounced rattling, the spot weld holding the blocker has likely
failed.
The inside of the expansion box is just an area for exhaust gases to occupy during engine cycles. The
area in this box forms an air column that reacts to the various changes in pressure caused by the
operation of the engine. On the right hand side is a piece of sheet metal that extends from the top of the
expansion box to the bottom. The piece of metal has 4 evenly spaced holes to promote the escape of
waste gases. The gases enter a smaller chamber behind the wall and escape through the tailpipe to the
outside.

To restore the exhaust, you need to get a carbon dissolving agent like sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner)
and pour it, unconcentrated, into the exhaust. The longer it sits the more of the build up will disappear.
There is nothing to really come loose as you can see, but don't stick a coathanger down the exhaust,
because you may damage it more than help it. A liquid cleaner should be sufficient. There is a wire mesh
that lines the expansion box. I have no idea why they put this in other than to stop heat buildup, but avoid
trying to decoke the exhaust using a torch as it may damage this mesh and cause some problems.

Tools & Parts Needed

Bottle of Drano Extreme (get concentrated sodium hydroxide)
Metal hammer and a 7/8" cold chisel.
1200F Manifold Paint
"VIM" bathtub cleaner
wrench set (13mm 14mm and 17mm)

Procedure
Step 1

Start by getting the bike up on

blocks. Take the wheel off by
loosening the 5 - 13mm nuts on the
hub. Pull the tire away and let the
bike sit on blocks alone.

Step 2

undo the 17mm bolt behind the

tire, you may have to remove the
spare tire as well for easy access.
Undo the 13mm (or 14mm) bolt on
the exhaust ubend (right below the
cylinder behind the kickstart lever).
Once you get the 17mm and
13/14mm bolts out, take a hammer
and a DULL (make it dull by
scraping it on some cement for a
few minutes) cold chisel and put
the chisel between the cylinder
shroud and the exhaust clamp (the
clamp where the 13/14mm bolt
was). Start banging on it until the
exhaust pops off. Take care not to
gouge any of the components.
Step 3

Take the exhaust away and leave

the bike on blocks. You may want
to block the tailpipe (though it
shouldn't be that necessary). Put
the exhaust on a plastic surface
and pour a whole bottle of drano
down its throat. DO NOT PUT
OTHER STUFF IN THERE!
YOU'LL NEVER GET IT OUT! Plug
it up, put on some gloves and
glasses, and slosh it around a bit.
Let stand for three hours. DRANO
STAINS REALLY BAD (LIKE
BLEACH) KEEP IT AWAY FROM
CLOTHING AND CARPETING AS
WELL AS KIDS!

Step 2

Put on gloves and glasses and

carefully move the exhaust to the
bathtub. Use HOT water and rinse
the drano out by saturating the
pipe with water. Don't let the
exhaust scrape your tub. shake it
HARD to get more and more big
chunks out. the most chunky stuff
will come out when you allow the
twater to exit from the ubend side.
 Step 3

So you don't get killed by your

significant other or 'rents, use
some VIM to wash the crud from
the tub. it will take about 15
minutes to get it all off the tub. Use
some plastic bags in the tub to
prevent the water from travelling all
over the tub. It will make cleanup
faster.

Step 4

If you have the time, take the

exhaust to a high speed wire
brushing machine to fight rust
better. If you don't have the time,
get the loose crap off with a normal
wire brush before painting. Use
some high teperature (1200F)
manifold paint on the outside. The
stuff stinks real bad, but the smell
goes away as you ride. Once it
sets up, put the exhaust back on
the bike and RIDE!

Complete Engine Teardown

This is an in depth method to a nut and bolt restoration of the motor. Due to the huge number of photos I
have decided not to annotate the images themselves except where the material may be unclear. You can
also click on the images themselves for a closer look. You will need a good set of tools and a little help
from a friend every once in a while (especially if you don't have an engine stand :D ). Before you start, it
may be a good idea to run the line clear of gas and clamp it with a good pipe clamp to ensure that it
doesn't leak during the process. Unhook your battery ground otherwise you'll almost certainly blow a fuse.

Tools & Parts Needed

Socket Set (7-22mm)
Spanner Wrench set (7-22mm)
Long Handled Screwdriver Set (#1,2,3 Philips and #2 flat head)
Spark Plug Wrench
Disposable Shop Towels
A can of Carb Cleaner
A can of WD-40
A good grease solvent
Rubber Face Mallet
A Metal Hammer
A number of pairs of Visegrips
Needlenose pliers
A set of circlip pliers
A Large Chisel (see below)
A Clutch nut remover
A Flywheel Puller
Various bearing extractors and punches(if necessary)
A good strong Punch
An oil container
A set of feeler guages (a 20 pack does well)
A clutch compressor
Some milk crates to set the bike on
A gudgeon pin extractor

Procedure

Undo the oil drain plug screw with

a spanner and allow oil to drain out
of the bike. There is not much oil in
the gearbox, so a 10" pieplate
should sufficiently hold the oil.
Drain the oil into a 4L juice bottle
using a funnel and take it to the
nearest recycling station when it
gets full.
Remove the rear hub dust cover
and pull the cotter pin out of the
large castle nut. Using a 22mm
socket, loosen the Hub nut. If the
nut doesn't come loose, try a
breaker bar or extend your socket
using a piece of pipe over the
handle.

With the hub loosened, place the

bike on secure crates for the rest of
the procedure.

Once the bike is secure, remove

the hub nut and washer and pull
the wheel away from the bike. You
may want to put a bag around the
brake pads in case oil happens to
spill from the motor. Make sure to
lay some paper or oil absorbent
material beneath the motor during
this procedure.
Open the junction box and
disconnect all of the wires inside,
while noting color matching. There
is one green wire that travels past
the junction box into the ignition
box below.

Disconnect all of the wires to the

ignition box and pull the Spark plug
cap off of the plug. Make sure to
keep track of all the rubber bits and
if they are excessively worn,
replace them.
Unscrew all of the engine and fan
shroud screws and pull them off of
the engine. Carefully unhook any
of the electrical cables attached to
them.

Disconnect the rear brake cable by

unscrewing the harness on the
actuator arm of the brake. you will
likely need a socket to do this.

Remove the two 11mm nuts that

retain the gear selector box. Use
the handlebar to "shift" to 4th gear
and just a little beyond. the selector
box will pop off. take care not to
damage the gasket beneath the
box otherwise you will have to add
it to your parts list.
Remove the carburetor air box top
by removing the two arrowed
screws.

Remove the air filter by removing

the two arrowed screws.
Unhook the choke cable (the thin
wire in the center of the carb) from
the choke lever. Unscrew the gas
line union nut using a 10mm
socket. Loosen any hose clamps
that may be applied to hold the line
to the union banjo and pull the
banjo shaped union out of the fuel
line. Loosen the two 11mm bolts
that hold the carb to the engine
using a deep socket or extended
wrench. Take care not to lose
fasteners in the carburetor. If you
have an injected model, do not
mess with the injector unless it has
stopped working. Once everything
is loose, pull the carburetor body
straight up and out of the air box.

Underneath the carb to air box

gasket is a flat head screw that
holds the carb box to the motor.
simply unscrew the screw to
detach the air box. Once that's off,
pull the injector gear (if applicable)
from the motor. The gear should be
clean and free of scratches.
Remove the cable nipple that holds
the clutch cable on. Pull both the
clutch cable and rear brake cable
free from their respective slack
adjusters.

Remove the rear shock bolt and

put it aside. The engine may drop a
bit, so take precautions to make
sure the bike is stable.

Clamp a pair of Visegrips to the

bolt head of the engine mounting
bolt and allow them to catch on
some part of the frame. Using a
22mm socket, loosen the nut on
the main engine bolt. Once it is
loose, collect the nut and
lockwasher and bang the bolt
through with a hammer and a drift.
Be prepared to catch the motor if it
falls.
Undo the 17mm Exhaust box bolt.
collect the lockwasher and bolt and
put them aside.

Loosen the exhaust clamp and see

if you can wiggle the exhaust off
the exhaust stub. If you can't
budge it (which is often the case),
take a large chisel to the side and
lever it off with a few sharp blows
with a hammer.
Now remove the cylinder head.
Loosen all the bolts a 1/4 turn at a
time in the following order. The
head is quit soft metal and easy to
warp, so take your time and loosen
the nuts properly. Unscrew the
sparkplug once you're done getting
the cylinder nuts and washers off.
Finally, Pull the head off.

Next, pull the cylinder off of the

studs and place it aside. Use a
smear of oil on the cylinder wall to
prohibit rust. gently pry the alloy
seal off of the engine case.

Remove the two piston circlips and

put them aside.
Drive the gudgeon pin through the
piston using a clean 3/8" socket
extension or a gudgeon pin
extractor tool. Remove the piston
and the small end bearing. note:
you can see a piston ring locator
pin in the center of the ring gap.

Push the piston rings apart with

your thumbs and push them over
top of the crown. They will come
off. Inspect the piston for scuff
marks and make sure the pin
locators are in position.
Here are most of the parts of the
piston assembly. The only thing not
show in the picture is the small end
caged bearing. Note how
scratched up the piston skirt is. It
would be wise to replace a piston
that is that scuffed up. If your
piston looks like this, you will have
to oversize your cylinder and use a
new oversized piston.

Let us now move to the clutch. To

get at the clutch you will need to
remove the clutch cover. There are
3 10mm bolts around the clutch
cover and another large 17mm bolt
to the right. Leave the 17mm bolt
alone for now, as it holds in part of
the gearing.

This is a shot of the inside of the

clutch cover. this assembly
consists of a few seals and an arm
that puts pressure on the clutch.
The part to watch for is the little
brass push out bearing in the
center of the cover assembly. It
can drop out and into the motor.
To remove the clutch, you must
first take off the pressure plate.
There is a little piece of wire
holding in the plate. All you have to
do is push the wire towards the
center with a screwdriver and the
plate will relase. NEVER BEND
THE WIRE!

Underneath the pressure plate

you'll find the nut that holds the
clutch onto the crank. You'll have
to pry back the little teeth on the
lockwasher in order to loosen the
clutch.
This is a clutch nut removal tool, a
specialized tool for Vespas. You
need to buy this tool in order to
remove the clutch. There are other
ways of getting it off, but we
couldn't get them to work.

You will also need a clutch holding

tool. This is the way to do it right. it
saves a lot of grief over doing it
other ways and preserves the
clutch nut teeth much better. If you
are hard up for time, put a round
tool through the small end of the
connecting rod. with the apparatus
in place, undo the clutch center
nut.

Often the clutch will be loose

enough so it will come off when it is
levered with two screwdrivers. The
crankshaft is not tapered so it
shouldn't be a wrestling match.
However, the woodruff keys
sometimes get sheared, making it
extremely difficult to remove If you
can't get it out now we'll deal with it
later in the process. Otherwise pull
it out and remove the woodruff key.
Before unscrewing the nut on the
flywheel, you will have to lock the
flywheel. This is the hard part to do
right. Generally I lock the
crankshaft by sticking a round tool
through the small end of the
conrod. You could also put a tool
between the flywheel fins or buy a
rare flywheel holder tool. Once it's
locked, pull the dust cover from the
flywheel and unscrew the nut
underneath.

Take the special flywheel pulling

tool and thread it about 5 or 6 good
turns into the flywheel. Then, using
two wrenches, slowly turn the
center of the tool tighter and hold
the outside of the tool steady.
Eventually the flywheel will release
from the crank and pull away.
Underneath the flywheel is the
stator, the electrical generator for
your bike. Make sure everything is
nice and clean. If you see ratty
wires or anything like that, it might
be a good idea to replace them.
Keep this part of the motor super
clean. Remove the woodruff key
from the crank taper.

Mark your default timing point by

hitting a flat head screwdriver on
the case and stator. Careful about
using felt markers as gasoline will
erase your timing mark and you'll
have to re-time the engine.

Undo the three Philips head

screws that hold the stator plate to
the motor. The stator will then
dangle free.
Pull the stator free of the motor and
place it somewhere safe. if it needs
electrical repairs or wire
replacement, do that while you wait
for new parts. :)

Sometimes the woodruff keys can

be a bitch to get out. this method
usually works well. get a small
metal punch and position it on the
rear of the woodruff key. hit it with
a hammer and it will slide forward
and eventually pop out. It won't
hurt your keyway either! Bonus!
Remove the ignition box from the
motor. Almost every motor has a
different mounting scheme, so just
roll with it :)

Remove the arrowed bolts. We're

about to crack the cases.

Remove the arrowed bolts. Can't

you feel the excitement?!
Undo the kickstart lever.

Take a rubber hammer and whack

the case a few times while holding
the motor flywheel side down. The
cases will just peel right apart.
This is the flywheel side of the
case. Collect the kickstart gear and
the kickstart spring (they're sitting
on the kickstart gear in the picture).

Put the flywheel side case aside for

now and move to the gears. Check
the gearbox float with a feeler
gauge. Stick another set of feeler
gauges under the opposite side of
the measurement point to balance
the reading. the float should be
0.15-0.40mm (0.50mm is the
extreme limit). If it goes beyond
that, you have to buy a bigger
gearbox shim. Use your math to
get the float down to about 0.30mm
float and oversize accordingly.

Remove the gear retainer circlip.

This is the gearbox shim. If you
found your float measurements
were out of spec, this is the part
you will have to oversize. This part
hold the gears tight together so
they cant rock on the output shaft.
If you leave a bad condition, you
may cause rapid wear to your
gearbox.

Remove the gears one by one and

mark the side facing out with a
grease pencil for easy reassembly.
Look for extreme wear such as this
on the notches. A gear this badly
chipped should be replaced,
because it will cause quick wear on
the shift cross.
With all the gears off, pull the
plunger to the extreme outer edge.
This part is reverse threaded, so
turn the flattened part of the
plunger with a 13 mm wrench in a
clockwise motion (opposite to
normal) to loosen it. Extract the
plunger and its spacer washer.

Extract the plunger and its spacer

washer.

Turn the cruciform on its side and

remove it from the axle housing.
Now go to the hub side of the case
and remove the hub seal.

Remove the circlip underneath.

Remove both brake clips by hand
or with a pair of pliers. They tend to
go flying, so hold a rag over top of
them.

Lever the brake shoes off using a

wrench and operating the brake
cam. The brakes will eventually
slide off the cams and collapse.

Unscrew the philips head screws

and remove the backing plate.
Collect the backing plate.
Underneath the plate are a few O-
Ring style buffers, remove those as
well.

Now whack the holy crap out of the

rear axle using a punch as shown.
Do NOT just hit the axle itself, you
risk damaging the threads for the
hub nut.
Once the rear axle comes out, put
it aside and undo the cotter pin on
the brake actuating cam.

Unhook the spring and pull the

brake cam out of the engine case.
Collect all the pieces you get.

Now back to the clutch where we

left off earlier. With the flywheel
side of the case removed, you can
get the crankshaft and the clutch
out in a few taps of the hammer.
Put a metal punch in the hole on
the crank arm and use a metal
hammer to tap it out. Resist going
mad with the hammer you don't
want to warp the crank. You'll
usually be able to hear the relief of
resistance on the bearing race as
you hit it. If you're really new at
working on motors, a crank puller
might be a better bet.

This is the crankshaft. There is a

clutch side woodruff key to remove.
Two very, very important parts will
usually fall out. One is the clutch
spacer, the other is the clutch side
seal. always replace this seal when
going this far into the engine. The
clutch spacer goes between the
clutch and the clutch side bearing.
On injected motors, the spacer will
have gearing on it.

Here's the reason we did this

project in the first place. This is an
excellent example of a pretty
catastrophic clutch side seal
failure. It appears the clutch side
seal had taken a ride on the crank
and bashed itself to pieces. We
should have known by the water-
like oil that came out of the motor.
Gas in the oil is a sure sign of a
blown clutch side seal.
Compress the clutch by squeezing
the top plate and the drive gear.
We used a wood clamp to do our
bidding, but a screw and a few
large washers is equally effective.
While the clutch is compressed,
remove the circlip by hand (you
can see the circlip sticking out of
the clutch housing just below the
drive gear in the picture).

Another view of that pesky circlip.

Release the pressure of the

compressor and all the plates will
push out of the clutch body. Pull off
all of the plates and memorize the
order. Always replace the friction
and metal plates during a rebuild.
if you have gouges, rust, or loose
rivets in your drive gear, it is best
to replace the part.

Under the drive gear is a brass

bushing and all of the springs and
spring caps. Collect them all and
store them. If the caps and springs
look okay, they may be reused.
The brass bushing should always
be replaced.
Go back to the motor, now, and
loosen the tabbed washer holding
on the 17mm nut. Then undo the
nut with a socket wrench.

Here are the parts you'll get. A

special weird ass washer (square
washer), a tabbed washer and a
17mm nut. I've also included a
picture of that elusive clutch spacer
(bottom center)

Flip the motor over carefully and

slowly. Pull the layshaft a little and
see if you can get it to budge. If
not, use a punch and gently drift it
out a little. The reason for caution
is there's a bunch of uncaged
needle rollers about to fall out.
And here they are! There should
be 21 of them (one is hiding in the
picture). They are usually reusable,
but on a high mileage engine, it
might be a good measure just to
toss 'em out and get some more.

Now you can just pull the layshaft

(primary/spring gear) out at your
leisure. This is an example of a
very nice layshaft. No visible wear
and the rivets are tight.
Pull the plastic oil wiper(s) from the
case.

Pull the kickstart buffers from the

case.

Push the kickstart spring back with

a screwdriver, and pry it up and
over the lip. The spring has a bit of
tension, but it's not going
anywhere. Once the pressure is
relieved and the spring is off of the
kickstart crown, the lever shaft will
pull right out.
Here's the result.

According to this picture the crank

is still installed. :) No, we're just
eyeing up that big old flywheel side
seal. See it? It's black and it's in
the middle. We're gonna pry the
piss out of it!
A job well done. See those
bearings under there? Unless
they're definitely fuct, like if the
race is broken or half the rollers
are missing, it's kind of a bear to
get out, so leave it alone. Bearings
can go in the industrial parts
cleaner, too.

Pick up the clutch cover. Undo this

spring, it's under a bit of tension,
so watch your fingers.

The spring hold the actuator arm in

place as well as the push out
actuator. The little brass bearing
should have no cuts or pitting in it
(other than the oil gap that is cut
through the middle), otherwise it's
fit for the garbage.
 Here is the actuator arm in full.
That little tiny O-ring should be
replaced every time. It is the cause
of super-happy-fun oil leaks. A little
O-ring grease will immensely
increase its lifespan.

Unscrew the clutch cover breather

and spray it with carb cleaner.
Make sure there is a path for air to
get through as this breather helps
to prolong engine seal life. It
relieves the pressure of the gear
box as the motor heats up. If you
can't un-block it, buy a new one.

Welp, that pretty much wraps it up for now. The next step would be to take out the
bearings. I tend to like to take it to a shop with the proper tools for that kind of stuff. The
last thing you want to damage is a bearing or bearing race. However, The clutch side
bearing is held in by two circlips and case pressure. Undo both circlips, noting where
they came from. Then you can bash the crap out of it. Same goes for the hub bearing.
The trick is getting the needle roller style bearings out without destroying them. You
need a special puller for them; however, you could destroy it and buy a new one (since
you're probably going to do that anyway). I find the kickstart area engine stud tends to
rust like crazy. You should replace that every time as well. If there is case damage like
large cracks, you can either take it to a welder (who welds aluminum) or you can invest
in matched cases. When the cases are stripped, it might be a great idea to clean them.
For about $20 you can put them in a good ultrasonic parts washer at a machine shop,
and for about $7 you can buy a huge can of engine degreaser and go at it with a wire
brush and a rag. Really go over every part looking for play, especially the crankshaft.
Hold the crank webs in one hand and the con rod in another. See what kind of play you
can get. If the play is huge (like a joystick), or it makes grinding noises, you need a new
big end bearing, which is an expensive repair. You should also have your crank runout
tested at a machine shop to make sure it's not warped, especially if you don't know the
history of the motor. Check for gouges and flecks of metal in the cases and find their
source. I wish you luck with tearing down your motor. Check other articles on the page
for other stuff to do in the meantime :) I'll have a full rebuild suite soon.