Modern Vespa

Hi all,

recently got a vespa ET125 back on the road after years off road. up and running.

Issue discovered today after about 2 or 3 miles (no more) the scoot just dies, lack of power. Almost like its overheated. I wait 10 mins and she starts again off we go for another 3 miles.

Doesn't feel like its over heated, my old cg125 would smell hot when i cooked that although i did see the oil light flicker?

Thinking its the carb as its been apart, jets clear, 2 3/4 turns out needle valve working great and stops when bowl is full.

I have found that the petcock is now broken, its always on. So a new one is on order could that over fuel?

would that be enough to cause that issue? checked the fan and all the blades look clear.

What does happen on the Vespas when they over heat? symptoms

thanks all

any ideas before we give in?

we are miles from a town with a scooter shop so are pretty stuck now. other option is to sell it on ebay to someone who can pick it up. so near yet so far.

thanks

My 64 had a problem just like this. It was crap from the gas tank clogging the needle on the fuel jet.

I would ride 5 or 6 miles and it would starve for fuel and stop. I would purge the fuel from the float bowl and mess with it and mess with it. Nothing would get it running but about a hour wait. The time waiting would make the crap in the fuel settle and it would rin fine again. This kept happening for about 200 miles and it worked itself out of the gas. Now it runs fine.

Mine was gravity fed and it did not like a fuel filter, that starved it aswell so I just waited till all of it flushed out.

You could try that.

You have one of three problems no spark, no fuel or no compression. Sounds like you have spark and compression. I really think it is fuel related.

The scoot is older and probably sat for a while. Also if you have ethanol in your gas that can gum up and clog aswell. Brake or carb cleaner will dissolve that if shot into the top of your carb.

Really unlikely it could overheat in 3 miles unless you have no oil in it.
If not, it is toast. But I would check your oil level.
I doubt that is the problem. If it stops again try to give it a kick start and make sure there is compression. If you feel the kick start hard to kick that is the compression of the cylinder and is good. If it is solid and wont move you have a problem with the kick starter or you cylinder seized up from the heat. That is unlikely though.

If it was running with too much fuel it would get sluggish from the start if it was from the peacock. I would almost think it could be your automatic choke on the carb. It is a little plastic peice. That has a coil that heats up on top of the motor and turns the choke off. Mabe something is worng with that.

carb was totally stripped. and yes properly clogged, we needed to replace both jets! I am confident its no longer the carb.

I'll remove the inline filter and flush the tank when i put the new petcock in. as a last ditch effort, ive ordered a new coil pack to as they are cheap enough. hopefully that will get it.

thanks

The auto choke is a different part. It could be that malfunctioning. Worth a look.

Good shout on the choke, i tested it with 12v and the piston moved etc but it may have failed, after all the petcock was working too just fine initially.

thank for that ill continue to check

When the motor heats up the coil expands in the choke so it will act and read differently on a hot motor.