Modern Vespa

Newbie here, but very grateful to the wisdom left by many others that have gotten me as far as I have in trying to get my 2003 ET2 running again after 8 years parked in a garage.

First steps taken: new battery, new spark plug, filled gas tank. wouldn't start.

Next: Pulled carb, dropped some gas in manually and it started for a few minutes. Pulled apart carb to clean (original Weber), in process snapping lower cable. No luck finding replacement parts for Weber, went for full refit: replacing with new lower throttle cable, new Dell'orto carburetor, and new starter. All went back together like a charm (once I was able to get slack on lower throttle cable to get top end in), but still won't start. Any ideas as to next steps please?

When you say "won't start" does that mean it won't crank over or is it just cranking and cranking and won't fire up?

Hey Rob, cranking but doesn't fire up. Battery / spark plug seem fine.

I just happen to be working on an ET2 right now that had been sitting since 2013. Guy dropped it off with a box full of hop up parts (70cc cylinder kit, variator and clutch spring kit, and a 19mm Dellorto. My impression is that these things want to run. Seems no matter what I do it wants to start, even if it's not running well.

If it's cranking and won't start you've got to start by checking the spark and the fuel. Make sure that spark plug has fully snapped in to the plug lead. Remove it and crank the bike. Make sure you see a spark. Make sure all your connections are tight on the carb at the hose coming from the air filter and at the intake manifold. Check the fuel tap. It has 2 hoses coming from it. The larger one supplies the carb with gas. If you disconnect it and gas comes pouring out the tap is bad and can cause flooding. If you suck on the smaller one, which is a vacuum line, and the fuel flows out the other one, the tap is working correctly. If you installed your new aftermarket carb and hooked up the fuel supply line and not the vacuum line that could possibly be part of the problem. Spray a spritz of starter fluid in and crank it. If it fires up, burns up the starter fluid, and then cuts out you will know there's a problem with fuel supply.

Enough for now. Try those things and we can get back at it tomorrow

Thank you so much Rob! Will not be until later today but will get on the case! I'm getting a spark, which means I suspect something is up with the fuel supply (although as I didn't have starter fluid on hand I again tried manually dropping some fuel in via the manifold and no luck the second time). I'm fairly confident everything went back together ok, hoses on tight and two bolts for carb to manifold cranked down. First action will be to buy some starter fluid and see how I go from there, also checking to see draw on the vacuum line.

One detail I left out is that I shipped it (from UK back to Spain) before storage so it was left with no fuel for those eight years (the carb was really gummed up with residues).

Best of luck with your ET2 project.

Ok, so:
Spark: check
Starter fluid: ran (if roughly)
Vacuum tube: sucked on it and got fuel through, but both ends disintegrated (will need to replace)

=> got it running, but was leaking lots of fuel so stopped.

Question: worth replacing fuel filter (or anything else?) or just fuel lines?

Thanks again!!!

For now, just the fuel and vacuum lines. There'll be something else down the line...

Would you know the diameters on the fuel and vacuum lines for the ET2? I'm looking for replacements online but not much luck, looks might just get generic tubes. Could be 10 and 12mm diameters? (I'm no longer near garage where Vespa is at...)

As an aside, my 11 year old son (not coincidentally about how long Vespa has been in storage?!), and who has been helping me get it running asked: "how do you know if you can trust the advice?" A: if they drive a Vespa they can't be that bad....

The fuel line should be 6mm inside diameter. I think the vacuum line is 4.5mm.

Love it that your son is getting involved and he's is thinking, and using logic, first, get advice from trusted and reliable sources. Helping learn to fix this scooter is a very good experience for him and for both of you. Keep us posted on your progress.

Thank you all for your help and support, quick update. I finally got new fuel line (6mm internal diameter) installed (just the main line from deposit to carb, this one had disintegrated at both ends and leaked copious amounts of fuel once I got it started) and got my ET2 to run for first time in almost a decade. Still a few more problems: The electric starter doesn't turn the engine over to start but the kick start gets it fired up on the first go. I installed a new battery a month ago, will have to check what's up. The steering also felt a bit wonky, need to recheck that tires are holding air pressure. Next challenge will be getting paperwork up to date to get it back to road legal!

Glad to hear you're up and running! I would note that the kickstart mechanism is not exactly designed for repeated use; it's capable of bailing you out in an emergency but it's not robust enough to hold up to continuous use. I highly suggest you tackle what's causing the electric starter to not work. Definitely test the battery; it doesn't take much to cause it to drop below a level that won't enable electric start.