Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Fly 150 change spark plug

After reading all the options, and trying myself to access the Fly 150 spark plug, I came to the conclusion that removing  all the panels, pert carrier etc was the best route to take. After a couple of hours with screwdrivers and electric drill - all was stripped down....photos to follow soon.
The Fly 150 spark plug access design is not user friendly. This applies to my 2010 model. The engineers did not do a good job of designing this model for the 'do it yourself" owners. That being said, I have the time and the tools to do all of this, so I plunged into it this summer and will be doing everything, and hopefully become somwhat of an accomplished service/repair individual and contribute to the Vespa Forum in a sensible way, unlike some on that site who can't answer a simple straighforward question.

Remove spark plug a long job but well covered in the 17 pages in the shop manual  book - to which I have to add photos and more descriptions - such as pix of rear shock and explain how to remove it because the shop manual is not user friendly.

Note:   remember spark plug is set in at an angle and you are screwing hard steel into a soft allow engine head - screw in slowly by hand at first.. if any resistance is felt, just back off and start over. Just screw it in carefully by hand and set firmly with plug socket that came with scoot tools ..photos to be added - not overtight.

Photo of useful tools to have handy (a)  small magnet on thin wire to lower into areas to pick up dropped screws, and (b) long thin claw tool to pick up same screws...these two tools will save you the time and agony of looking at a screw in an impossible area to reach with your fingers.

Here are my first photos of the rear shock which has to be removed/ raised to drop engine - that is according to the 17 page workshop manual pages I have. Single click on my pix to enlarge.

Pix #1 below is the view down into the rear of scoot showing the rusty top nut/bolt of the single rear shock.




pix # 2 below rear shock bottom should swing out towards rear when bolt/nuts are removed...or does engine just drop.





 pix #3 below just another view of rear single shock on rear left of scoot.


ok...so now i have to identify the important parts. 
in pix #2 & 3 above the outside nut on rear bushing above tran case is 1/2 inch. I have to test the inside nut which will need a long depth socket about 3/4 inch size...I think it is 17mm... or a wrench of same size to hold nut while loosening the outer nut...easily done.
and done with top nut/bolt of the shock still firmly untouched in place...but eventually make sure engine with wheel attached to engine drops slowly and carefully...who knows???

Thursday, May 2, 2013

may 1st 2013 bendix/tran cover problem

spring and sun is here - so fly 150 is out in sun.
torques from list in my owners manual

drive pulley nut (front) 75+83  55-61 foot lbs average 58 lbs
driven pulley shaft nut (rear)  54+60  40-44 foot lbs average 42 lbs 
clutch unit nut on driven pulley 45+50  33-36 foot pounds  average  35lbs

first i have to remove bendix unit to clean - already have correct tools and  tran cover off - looked at scooter girl video and see that i have to remove the holding nut and then pry loose the odd shaped washer - then slide off the saucer sized plate with teeth...so begins the project...photos to follow...will have to keep this log updated for my own reference
first major thing learned, make sure thin washer which was nearest to engine goes back in correct place and does not get squashed out of shape when tightening with torque wrench - mine did and the photo below tells the story of how the metal got squashed and wedged into the nut grooves and thus prevents it coming off easily - so far have tried 2 prong puller from Ace which does not seem to do any good. Will have to take more photos when parts get here from scooterwest - and then ask jim on moderndvespa site what other advise he has to solve beginning of this problem.  no matter how careful you are - shit happens.
look at 4 o'clock area and see how washer was ground into splines.