Modern Vespa

My J Costa for my mp3 250 has been sitting in the closet for 2 months now. I was going to drive 150 miles to dealer but they want close to $300 to install it and they have never done one before.

I have seen the step by step post on MV with photos. My main tool would be a 1/2" ratchet with breaker as I do not have a impact or torque wrench. Also use the special tool need to hold the variator. Has anyone done one like this before? I've read posts saying that you need to have the torque exact.

Hope this will help!! www.modernvespa.com/forum/topic22919?highlight=variator+mp3

Getting the bolts torque to spec is a must. I just had my 500 fail from the factory over torquing bolts on it.

Jettin has just come out with their variator tool for the MP3 250. http://www.jettin.com/jettinTools.htm

You can really damage the output shaft of the engine by not torquing the variator nut to the proper spec. You could buy that Jettin variator holding tool and a torque wrench for less than the cost of that Piaggio variator tool.

Do you have to remove the clutch also when installing the new variator?

Anyone knows?

I have variator holding tool. Will I need clutch holding tool as well?

I want to put J COSTA in today.

If anyone knows, could they please post the part numbers for both the variator tool AND the clutch tool for the MP3 500.

J. Costa in my future Plus i like to do my own work, save $$$

I have the variator holding tool you show and it works, but I wish I had saved money by waiting for the Jettin one to be available.

Torque wrenches do not have to be expensive. The nice click ones with a ratchet can be pricy. I paid $75 for my Craftsman at Sears. If you only occasionay use it then save money getting one with a pointer. It only requirres you to be looking at the pointer to stop tightening at the proper time. I have seen them in auto parts stores as low as $15, an inexpensive cost to not do 4 figure damage to your ride.

For the clutch tool it is easy to make one. All you need is two pins in the holes in the cover to hold the clutch from turning with the nut. There are some in the wiki area. Here is one thread: https://modernvespa.com/forum/wiki-specialty-tools

joechi, we are all responding to tool question but not price. $300 to install a variator is excessive. Not having done one is not a big deal unless they have never had the transmission cover and variator off. Just replace stock with J-Costa and make sure all the washers go back in the same order/location. About an hour labor.

Are you coming to Chattanooga to ride with us in two weeks?

My dealer (Sportique Scooters) just quoted me $60 for that change. True, when I bought 2 500s I became their best customer ever and I know them well. Still $300 is out of line. WAY out of line!

You can buy a beam type torque wrench for $25 from Sears. Cheap, but very accurate.

No.

You do have to remove the nut that holds the clutch on to get the transmission cover off. When the cover comes off the clutch is free to come off but does not have to to change the variator. Getting the nut off requires either the clutch tool or an impact wrench.

In fact you don't need either if you have a torque wrench. Although I do have an impact wrench I did it with torque wrench, applied parking and rear brake + to be sure I locked the rear wheel as well. It wasn't difficult at all to loosen it that way.

There is a simple way to remove and re-torque the clutch nut without a tool or impact wrench:

1) Place the wedge under the rear tire
2) Lay across the seat of the bike putting as much weight as possible on the rear tire or have someone sit on the bike.
3) Apply the rear brake - hard (If doing this on your own using a tie-wrap to hold the brake on works like a charm)
4) Undo the nut.

Re-torquing is basically the same procedure only the wedge is placed in the opposing position on the tire.

These pics were taken on a GTS but the procedure will work on MP3 250

You are really putting a lot of pressure on the drive line doing it that way.
All you need is a "Deep Off Set Wrench" think 22 mm. Got mine from sears on line for $23

And when taking the rear nut off turn the nut not the axle shaft, you will break the 10 mm hex head off it. Have seen it done, no I didn't do it, saw it posted on here. You can set the parking brake, but it won't hold it with out the 10mm wrench and that takes some of the strain off the drive line.

Wayne B

Wayne,

The set up on the 250 is different than the 400/500 as you can see by the pic. No need for the offset wrench and we can't use the 10mm as there is no hex end on the shaft. The torque specs for that nut are 54 - 60 Nm (40 - 45 lbs/ft) I have serious doubts that that kind of torque could do anything to the drive line - loosening or tightening.





Dave