Modern Vespa

Game over, man! Game over. Got about 600 mile from this Pinasco kit before the piston shattered and filled my case with pea-size bits of metal.

Oh shit! That reminds me of my buddies piston that blew when the metal clutchside seal split and jammed things.

What was your kit jetted to? Piston is spotless.

I don't recall the jetting. I'm running a Mikuni and had it really dialed in.

I was sooo happy with this bike...

If you have a dental mirror, you can get a preview of your rotary pad. It doesn't look favorable. Strange that the otherwise healthy looking piston should grenade like that. No sign of excessive heat and clean fractures. Maybe it banged into something?

Double sucks when you had it running right. Why, why, why?

I had the same thing happen with a brand new Grand Sport (Meteor) piston with less than 50 miles on it.
Had to split the cases to clean up the mess and got lucky and saved the bearings...

So sorry hate to see this.

Piston too long, stroke too short? I am guessing ( useless twit).

Dang it Gaz. That's a bummer. 600 miles is a silly short life for an engine. Where were you when it blew?

now that is scary...

Sorry Gaz.

Well, I have managed to smash the skirt off a barrel, however this is something I have NEVER managed to break! congrats!

FINALLY!!!! FINALLY!!!!! FINALLY!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


People gave me shit a few years back when my Pinasco 210 soft seized half a dozen times and finally disintegrated while cruising at 45-50mph.

My Pinasco was the biggest piece of shit I ever put in my scooters. The piston broke in pieces like blue cheese.. Imagine that the piston is made of crackers and you smash it. That is how my piston was.

So much "Nickasil lining" so much aluminium cylinder head/cylinder heat dissipation.. so much of a "tourer kit". My cylinder was grooved beyond repair, I had to throw the whole POS on the trash.

Never again Pinasco, NEVER!!!

What Pinasco kit was that? 225?

scooterist. Blue cheese is a perfect way to describe it. I was doing around 40 mph, about 10 mins into a trip... wasn't hot. My nicasil is in perfect shape and I'd had no reason to be concerned prior to this happening. Its just weird.

Once I get this thing apart I hope to find a reasonable explanation. Maybe something that caused the piston to move beyond its normal range and strike the case? Bad bearings somewhere, the wrist pin needle bearing maybe?

MJRally, the 215 SS, I think.

Think you were unlucky and got a bad one, or there was something 'non Pinasco' that caused it. I have done thousands of miles with my SuperSport 225 and it seems to take anything I can throw at it.

What crank do you have and what base gasket did you use? Looks like a lot of sealant around the crankcase which is not necessary.

Stuff like this is why my 45 year old Rally still hasn't had the cases split.....still runs and hauls me along between 50 and 60 mph.....still doesn't need to be opened up....lol

geez

Loiuse!

... that's awesome.

or.....100 miles a year.

....about 1200 since June. Did about 250 last weekend....lol. I've only had it on the roads since May, and only owned it for a year over all. I was just being silly and a smart ass.

Way to pour lemon juice in the wound Dave.

To me, it seems, that you were running lean. Piston has white spots and conrod looks really dry. Can you post a photo of your spark plug? Is it full of grain like aluminum??

here's another from a french forum you need scroll down a bit for images
http://scootentole.org/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=114332

scary

Need to join the forum to see the thread

i hope this works
http://www.vespa-des-savoie.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=704.0;attach=1825;image
http://www.vespa-des-savoie.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=704.0;attach=1827;image

i have fitted a magny cours 187 kit and have removed it to take a look at the piston , it has the graphited type piston , i think it has an odd wear pattern only after about 500 kms the graphite shows this
also the edges of the piston windows are super sharp i.e you can shave your thumb nail on them not sure if this could be an issue or not

sorry not much help as to your problem just an observation of what i have

pinasco are boasting of new products coming out left right and center none of which have any kind reliability reports good or bad , for their latest products at least

lets hope people don't get their pants pulled down

Could a long stroke crank with no base packer or gasket bring the piston down low enough to catch the skirt on the case? I wondered if the sealant had been used in lieu of a proper gasket.

Sonds like a good option for that carnage, by the broken skirt.
Gaz - do you have any punching marks on the inner side of the case where the piston skirt got broken?

I used the gasket that came with the kit. The Sealant was thin, and just an extra precaution. I haven't looked more closely at the case yet... too busy :/

I ordered an engine stand and will clear a weekend to dive in and see what's up

I thought the pinasco pistons for 200 came with a dykes ring?