Modern Vespa

Engine is seized and it is a state away. We will keep posted on what will happen next. I don't know what problems could be with the engine or how much of a rebuild it will take. Could it really be just a cylinder and piston to fix? I am thinking someone ran it out of oil and seized it full stop many years back and here it is today. What's your thoughts?

I forgot to add this is my wife's first scoot, and it is a Vespa. I am thrilled to get this thing nice and running well for her.

If it was run out of oil I'd be worried about the crankshaft and bearings. It it's just low compression, you've dodged a bullet and just need a top end swap. You won't know till you get in there!

The seller says it is solid, tried to kickstart it and won't budge.
On the good side it was $350

Looks like a fun project. Keep us informed and include more pictures as you go.

Put a big bore kit in. Your wife deserves it.

Always the right answer.
Even if it needs a crank and bearings, it's not going to break the bank to rebuild the motor.
A new cylinder, piston, crankshaft, bearings, carburetor and seat is going to set you back about $550, add another $60-100 for intake manifold, oil pump, fuel valve, whatever else you need, and you have a decent bike for less than a grand.
But before you do that, the front end doesn't look right. I'm not sure if it's the angle of the photos or something else, but that front wheel looks like it's been pushed back towards the body.

Update.
Have the engine ripped out and starting to dismantle it. I have a few projects going on around the house. Let me know your thoughts. there is a good amount of sand type dirt in the case I don't know caused all of that.
Also what is a good way of removing the white oxidation from the cases?

cool project

I too am wondering how to get rid of some corrosion like that, hope you get some good answers.

I use a brass wire "cup" chucked into a drill to remove that kind of aluminum oxidation - followed by compressed air. Some people use an angle grinder to power the cup, or use steel instead of brass, but I think that's too harsh on the remaining aluminum. Not sure there's anything you can coat the cleaned metal with - aluminum is notoriously difficult to paint.

I'd bet dollars to donuts that bike was underwater at some point. or at last up past the floorboards with how the inside of the trans looks.

bunch of bad juju there. lots of cleaning and inspecting in your future.

If you can afford a turn key.

Is this close enough.
https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/mcy/d/brooklyn-vespa-et2-50cc-low-mileage-and/7596875351.html

What I'd give her.
https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/mcy/d/salem-vespa-awesome-and-beautiful/7598203081.html

Just in case it's too far gone.

Poor scoot. Ran hard and put away wet. I'm hoping you can get it running.

Is the pink the original color?

It was originally red. Looks like it was repainted not a breast cancer charity scoot. I looked into it because I know they did some of the pink scoots for a while.

I have restored worse and the engine seems really simple.

Strip down to the frame and took it to a self service car wash. Their power washer made a huge difference and well worth the cost. The engine is going to be a mess. My wife likes the bike so I will justify the cost even though a different scooter would be cheaper. I know of a original owner lx50 purple with topcase that is going up for sale this spring for 1400. But we are doing the ET2.

On to the parts washer

Parts washed.

the ET2 is a much better bike. LX50's are anemic and you can spend a bundle on performance parts to make them marginally faster and much more unreliable.

kit, pipe, carb and you'll have a very capable bike. TONS of parts availability both new and used. plastics are a little tough to find in body color, but not a concern for you seeing that it's already non factory.

best of all, if you get bored with it, you can always convert it to a 150!

Scotchbrite and WD40

I have worked on a lot of 2 stroke engines that seized due to a lack of oil. Most of the time it's just the piston, cylinder, and rings that get trashed, though it can damage the crank. Usually the piston seizes in the cylinder before damage occurs to the crank.

As for the inside of the variator case, it looks like it has been ridden off road to me. The fins on the front pulley suck air (and pretty much anything else smaller than large gravel) through a very porous filter, and it comes out through an unfiltered opening at the rear of the case. I would never ride a CVT scooter off road, or even on a dirt road. The dirt will grind up the pulleys, belt, and clutch shoes, and can also get inside the rear drive unit where the two pins and angled slots are and damage the pins, slots, and needle bearings. Hopefully that is not the case with yours, but I would completely disassemble, clean, inspect everything, including the complete rear pulley/clutch assembly and repack it with grease. Grease and sand make a very effective grinding paste.

Engine is being taken apart.

Looks like a flood bike, I've seen a few that looked like that after going through a hurricane. Not fun. Check the cables, because if they've been underwater, there might be spots that will rust and break sooner or later.

my crystal ball was right!

man, look at the bright side now you don't need an excuse to upgrade to all the go fast parts!

should be a fun build!

+1 on the cables, I'd do them all now while the thing is all apart. it's much easier and it'll save you from fighting with them later!

Looking good. 👍

When I first saw the pic of the engine, I immediately thought - deep water.

Now that it's all apart, you may as well get a 70cc kit on there.

Mild kits easily supported - standard engine internals + a cast iron 70cc kit. Bolt-on derestricted exhaust. 👍

The more racy 70cc kits require a decent exhaust to work properly (plus a beefier crank, and fuel pre-mixing). Vespa's bodywork gets in the way of those exhausts unfortunately, and pre-mixing is a faff.

Mild is the way to go for direct bolt-on with minimal fuss IMO. 🛵💨

PS - make sure the centre stand is all good. When they break, it's rather inconvenient and embarrassing. 🙈

Starting the rebuild.

Engine done.

Carb cleaning day.
Leaving it to soak after removing the plastic and rubber bits.

Nice work. Having a look at your new cylinder in the pics… can't tell whether you've got a big bore kit on there, or just a new cylinder kit. Either way, it's a Malossi. 👍👍

I'm asking because the standard Weber carb is a bit small - but if you can get the right jets for it and it runs good, there's no need to spend more I suppose.

I wanted to keep all of my original parts (in case), so changed to a 17.5mm carb and jetted it to suit the 70cc kit (also removing the auto choke).

👍

Ps if you soak the rubber gasket in carb cleaner, it expands. I did that, and panicked. If that happens, you can boil it in water (periodically checking if it's shrunk back to the right size again). Phew. 🤞

Thanks for the tips.

Update.

We definitely need a first start video clip…

PS air filter off, so we can hear those reed valves. 👍

Since youre getting close, dont forget to bleed the air out of the oil pump line when the motor starts turning!

I don't know how to do that. I did not dismantle the pump but I changed the hoses making sure that they were full of oil all the way. If there is a little bit of air in the line would it suck up the gap? Or would that little. But of air make it unable to suck oil through it?
I don't know what to do with that screw the picture is pointing at.

From when I had 2t years ago for the first fill of petrol I put a bit of 2t in it to stop any seizures whilst bleeding pump.
Loosen that screw couple of turns if I remember rightly start scooter and keep it open till all air bubbles have disappeared then tighten it. Then road test it.
Think I got that about right but sure others will put you on the right track if I missed out anything.

Just wondering what happens when you loosen the screw? I don't know what it does. It had oil in it and I put back pressure on the lines when I attached them, there is no air in the system currently that you can see. I would think the pump would take up the air in the system and push it forward. I will use some oil in the gas tank for the first few fill ups due to breaking it in.

It's an air bleeder. Like graham said, you get it running and then watch your hoses. If you see bubbles getting introduced to the carb oil line, you unscrew the bleeder until the air is removed at the pump and then you should see it pump solid. Re-tighten and move on.

Since the lines are full it'll hopefully not have any air but you never know.

All back on the road. My wife is happy.

Thanks everyone, without all your insight this would have taken alot longer and not been enjoyable.
I am glad to have this forum.