Modern Vespa

Not bragging but there has not been any maintenance on my scooter that I could not figure out how to do. Sometimes with help from people here. That is until I tried to change the fluid on my front brakes today. Just spent three very frustrating hours and they work but they are no where near where they should be. I can almost squeeze the lever back to the throttle.

I used a reverse bleed system and burped the lines. I used teflon tape on the threads. I did each side 4 times always starting with the left front. I even tried a conventional suction routine and the results still sucked. Seems like a pretty straight forward routine but I must be missing something.

Guess I will call the Yamaha shop and see if they want to take a crack at it.

Try putting Grease on the threads to the Nipple, to which you're attaching your feed line for the reverse bleeder... That will prevent any air from getting sucked into the line from that source.

The MP3's nipple really suck... I had a hard time getting them to seal properly.

You mean grease instead of the teflon tape or in addition to.

I've only tried Grease by itself, yet Teflon Tape (by itself, or in addition to) would probably be better still.

Perhaps you might even Replace the nipples, on the assumption that they are not adequately sealing during the bleed operation... I presume they are a standard size, in which case you could get them cheap from any auto parts store.

I'd also add that I have not tried Reverse-bleeding the MP3's brakes... rather, I vacuum bleed pulling from the calipers (as typically done on most bikes). It was uneventful, and worked fine.

Well I have a mighty vac so maybe I will try it. Just heard here that reverse bleed is the way to go with the fronts.

But doing the fronts on these bikes really sucks. Trying something ponydrv recommended.

pressure filling from the bottom.

I have always encountered the same problem when I bled the front brake. One solution: keep the front brake under pressure overnight.
It has always worked for me.

Good luck,

I had no problem at all doing this - I just poured fluid in while watching Oldasdirt doing his thing.

Go to a Pharmacy and get a 60cc irrigation syringe and push the fluid in. You are wasting you time doing it the way you are. Took me about 5 min per side at the most.

You had to have read on here all the issues doing it the way you are.

How many times has your exhaust been off with that gasket?

Yeah that is the way I have been doing it. Pressure filling from the nipple up. Using this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/psl-2104-b?seid=srese1&gclid=CJXLsrz9obsCFTEV7AodF34A1g



Pretty much just a fancy syringe to push the fluid up.

Just been changing the fluid on the front suspension this weaken. PTFE tape around nipple, thin and bottom thickening up, replace the bleed bolt and syringe brake fluid up. The tape made all the difference

Iain

To correct typos

This weekend - tape thin at bottom of bolt, but more than a single layer in the middle seemed to produce a seal.

Took ponydrv's advice from a phone call that reticulum also posted. Zip tied the front brake lever back to the throttle as far as I could for 24 hours and now I have perfect pressure...better than before even. Thanks ponydrv.

I recently acquired a second MP3/250 with 12 Miles on it.
Brand New, Full Warranty, Exact Duplicate of my older MP3/250.

The Front Brakes were all messed up for some reason.
Plus the Engine Light would stay on.

All the problems are resolved, but it took some riding and patience.
Concerning the Brakes, I used one of those Cheap One-Way Valves that sell at Cycle Gear for about $15 bucks.

What did it for me on the Fronts...
I did the Right Side First, and attached the One-Way Valve, and pumped the Lever for about 18 times, where the Master Cylinder was almost Empty. Refilled it... Did the Left Side next, doing the same method, then Refilled it... Then did the Right Side again until almost Empty, and refilled again.

I am happy to say the Brakes have the same feel as my other older MP3/250 now.

The problem symptom I had, was while on a Ride, the Brakes would suddenly engage all by themselves, and I would hear a loud Squeal...
I would have to take my hand and push on the lever in the opposite direction to get them to disengage.

As far as the other problem with the Engine Light.
I used one of those Fluid Evacuators, and emptied the Gas Tank.
Put in a can of SeaFoam, and then took the empty SeaFoam and filled it with Premium Gas, and basically ran a 50/50 mix of SeaFoam and Gas.
Ran the engine sitting in the Driveway until the bike died...
Then I installed a New NGK Spark Plug, a tank full of Premium Gas, and my problem went away.

So I have a wonderful New MP3/250 (Basically a Spare now with 500 Miles.) and the price was so cheap, I could not pass up... It was one of the last ones at the Piaggio Warehouse that was returned from a California Dealer that I was told that Closed... It was not one of the Scratch and Dents being sold on Ebay.

Keith
Marietta, GA

There's a specific method to bleed the 3 wheelers brakes, dealers had a memo about it, and if you follow the steps you'll get it done in no time....

Question? Was this done after you completed the Bleed and you had everything back together? I wonder what this does? Forces any possible air back to the Master Cylinder?

My local MC (not Piaggio) shop told me about that trick. Said to use a little elastic cord to put enough pull on the lever that the valve is kept open. That allows air to slowly make it way up to the reservoir. Seems to have helped mine. Now if I just had a large shaker table I could leave the MP3 on overnight...

You've got a 500 - just let it idle overnight!