Modern Vespa

I've been looking around and only seem to be finding information on jetting for P200's with the 24/24 carb. Saturday I rolled down to Pinehurst NC for a round of golf (just kidding) and to pick up a P200e I found on craigslist for $500. Now I know y'all want pictures, and they'll be soon forthcoming but for now I have a question about the stock jetting on this thing while I assess the fuel system to get the bike running again.

First off the back story. Found what was listed on CL as a "1980 Vespa 250, Anteque"....yes that was the spelling and everything. Contacted the seller, got the VIN but not much else in the way of details and no pictures. Once I spoke with the seller I felt confident enough to go ahead and paypal a deposit and organize a road trip to get the bike, sight unseen. I knew this could go either way.

Turns out the bike had been a prop in an Italian restaurant in Cary, NC for awhile but had been ridden a bit before (17,000 on the working Odometer). Gentleman I purchased it from bought it in 2006, had a bunch of work done (not sure what but he implied motor work mainly to get her running) and then proceeded to leave it at his condo in a gated lake community only using it twice. The second time his daughter was riding it and somehow destroyed the clutch he stated so they replaced that about 2-3 years ago. Since that time he got new tires and tubes, a new SITO (not a plus, just some stock sito) and then left it in his carport to become a beehive (when I can upload the pics I'll get on it, but yea, bee's).

We'll the fuel system is full of junk and the gas had been left on. AFTER I paid him the agreed price, we slapped a new plug in there and dumped some pre-mix in the carb.....bike started second kick! The fuel system is trashed though.

I'm replacing all the lines and stuff and rebuilding the carb. The Stack is a 160, BE3, and a 95 Main This seems really small to me. The choke had been wired open I guess to get the thing some fuel. For now I am going to keep the 20/20 just to get the thing running on the cheap and I slapped that stock SITO on there as well (he hadn't installed it, it was still in the plastic). What I am looking for is information on the correct main jet for this setup.

Finally, I read something about a fiber gasket or something under the carb box people say remove....any info on that? Just take the carb box off and remove it? Lastly, I'll try and upload some pics when I get home tonight...I know that's how the internet works....thanks!

Nice score DC!

I believe that jet configuration is base stock for the 20/20 carb, to satisify the wack emmissions board in California

Oh and when I had a 20/20 running one of my Ps, when I rebuilt the carb I removed that gasket at the airbox too. From what I remember reading, was that it was another CA emissions control thing too.

Good luck man.

I fiddled with my 20/20 carb and looked all over to figure out the stock jet stack but I couldn't find it anywhere. Without a good baseline it's hard to get a good starting point. I finally spent the $130 and got a spaco 24/24 and I gained 5mph on the top end and more reliable midrange without a change to fuel economy. Just plug in the spaco with new paper gaskets and ditch the spacer. If I remembered right I also ported the airbox opening a bit but it's really simple with a dremmel tool using the gaskets as a template.

Wish I could give you a straight up answer, but maybe this chart could help you sneak up on something that will work for you. Rally 180 is closest...

My P200 with 20/20 carb had a 107 in it with a 160 and BE5 stack. It was running a GoFast expansion, so I can't say that that is "stock" jetting but maybe it helps?

My 1980 P200 has a 20/20 and a 98 main. I assume this is stock (this was the setup when my brother bought the bike used, with 200 miles on it, around 1982).

Every time this topic comes up in a forum, I state this and everyone tells me I'm insane and my engine is gonna blow up any minute. Despite the fact that it's run fine for over 20,000 miles.

Finally someone with a smaller main. Be prepared for dire warnings. You'll get used to 'em.

EDIT: BTW, I never had a spacer.

No spacer on mine either. I think 98 main was what I found while searching for how much upjetting had been done on this thing. That's before I went to 24.

FWIW I pulled the stock 20/20 carb off the shelf and it has a 160 air, BE3 mixer, and 100 main. I don't know if it was changed from stock or not. The scoot is otherwise stock but it stumbled a lot in the midrange and smoothed out with more throttle.

I felt the 100 main was fine but I didn't want to start from scratch without a baseline messing with the air and mixer to fix the midrange. Maybe just a BE5 or a 140 air or both would have done it but why bother when you can just slap in the carb that was originally intended to go on the P200 and get the top speed that it's supposed to have.

Thanks for the replies everyone! So 95 is the smallest we've seen out here I guess. I'll try it in the hopes I can goto 100 or so reliably. Took the box off and yes there is the spacer. Carb was disassembled and started soaking last night. Parts arrive for Mercato Wednesday so I'll reassemble and give it whirl then.

Pics coming, multiple replies, I'm on my phone.

Front 70's filter

Extreme mud dauber living quarters. The biggest one was under the gas tank but I've found probably 15 more the size of that little guy in the foreground.

Getting there!

The wrench needs fuel too.

Fuel

Came with a BBQ rack. Having that and the rims all powder coated black today. Anyone know if the gold stripes were a stock thing or maybe a dealer thing at the time? I'd like to match them on the front fender mainly to cover up some chipped paint

Horncrest is getting powder too to freshen it up!

Meguiars cleaner wax goes a long way BTW

F'in hell DC, that looks like you got a baaaahhhgan! (say that like you were in the Road Warrior)
Why do everyone have to munch the fender? why can't someone crash on the underneath the floor boards? Derrrr!


Looks like you scored pretty good to me!

Cleaned up nice.

Good score! Mine came with a white respray with the same burgandy original pain underneath. If I ever repaint it'll go back to stock as changing colors feels like renaming a boat. I dig the ochre stripes. The recess in the front fender and side panels just calling out for stripes.

No worries Vader... legshield on the left side of the scoot has some crunchy on the bottom and the left cowl is dinged up right well. I started doing rough bodywork on the fender the other night just to get it somewhat straight.

My scoot Karma is only balancing out....my Gray P has been a huge PITA up until I got it running good about a month ago....but the lights won't stop cursing me.