Modern Vespa

How can I clean out the air filter without removing it?
Is there a way to spray it with something in the box?

I don't want to take it out of the carb to clean it,
But I've heard that there is a way to clean it without removing it.

Some kind of spray that I need to use,
But I don't remember what.

Anyone cleaned it in the box without removing it?

why would you want to? any bits and gunk would be flushed into the engine. and that cant be good. just two screws to undo is all, right? easy peasy

take it off man, only takes a few min.

Just a quick question. I usually just take and shoot it clean with air. I've read that it should be rinsed in gas. Does it matter?

You remove two screws to take off the airbox cover. It's just two more screws to pop off the filter. I suppose you could say that's twice the effort, but it adds up to about 20 seconds. It would be MUCH more time consuming to find a way to effectively clean it while still attached to the carb.

Mike

bigfoot, man, you've already spent 2 minutes to write this post. You could have removed the bloody filter!
pour it in gasoline and clean it all around with an old toothbrush. Blow it dry with air if possible.

Thanks, Just never done it before,
My old KZ400 had a simple sponge type air filter,
The P200E filter is completely new to me.

I was just afraid that it might have complications,
Like a rubber finicky seal or something.

Can I use something else beside gas to clean the air filter?
I have no where to dispose of the gas after I use it.

simple filter.

has a hole in the bottom for the stack.

fits very nicely when lined up.

it is your last line of defence before you enter the throttle body and then your rotor.

you can take a flashlight and point it down the carb barrel and see the crank.

turn your flywheel by hand and turn your throttle to open the slide and give your rotor pad a looky loo, very cool.

easeir with the plug out, and be sure to turn off ignition.

do not put any thing in this area.

all you need, bookmark that site its great.

http://www.scooterhelp.com/genmaintain/vespa.air.filter.html

This is what the filter looks like with the cover off
Where are the two screws to detach the air filter?

the tall one is your idle set and the two on either side hold the filter on.

if you mess with th tall one-no worries, just remember how many turns out it is. have fun

One of the screws with the philips screw appears to be stripped,
Looks like I'll have to get the dealer to remove it.

Crap

The scooterhelp website says that they are supposed to be flat head screws.

Just use a pair of vise-grips - no biggie.

Then take the screws to your local hardware store and choose the two you like most to replace them. Probably 40 cents a piece CDN.

As for the gas - you must have some around to put in your scooter, if not your lawn mower. Just clean it out in a coffee can and throw the gas anywhere you like - on some weeds, in the street, straight up in the air (on a hot dry day, it won't come down) - doesn't matter.

dose'nt matter

just be sure that ther're metric

i like mine to match

mine are phillips

most are flat probably because the jets are flat and the carb box screws are flat.

but then again under the headset they are phillips

i guess in a true resto mode i would like to know

but at this point in my life i just like to know that the thead matches

After removal I usually hit mine with carb cleaner

Indeed -- anything that drops in there is next to impossible to get out short of splitting the cases. It's not a bad idea to cover the opening with a rag or something when you take off the whole carb to prevent a small screw or washer or something from dropping in there.

I'll echo what Jimmy said re. pulling the plug. Not only does it make turning the crank by hand easier when its out (or at least very, very loose, so there's no compression) it also ensures the engine cannot fire up. Ignition key or no, it's good, safe practice to at the very least pop off the spark plug lead from the plug anytime you're working around the engine, and certainly the flywheel. You never know when rotating the latter might generate just enough of a charge to ignite the spark plug and then it could just run on its own from there, with flywheel fins taking off fingers or whatever else might be around there.

Big Foot,

Yes, they should both be flat head, and ideally not stripped! lol.

You can replace the one on the left with:
http://www.scooterworks.com/Screw_Air_Filter_P2721C415.cfm

I'm guessing the one on the right (phillips on yours) is:
http://www.scooterworks.com/Screw_Air_Filter_P2710C415.cfm

Best of luck!
Mike

hojo is right in showing the proper replacments

the left one is designed to hold an not compress the filter to carb body

i have used metric all thread and have squished the filter a little

thats me

no biggy

the proper screw is ALWAYS the best

I think I'll get the mechanic to remove the stripped screw on Thursday,
I don't want to cause any damage trying to remove the stripped screw myself.

I'll see if I can order the correct screws through my dealer.

Thanks for all the replies.

I was at work today and before leaving it took me 15 kicks to get my scooter started,
When I got home I took the carb cover off and put some WD40 on the
screws that were seized, LO and behold they came loose with a little effort.

Then I got some gas from a neighbour and along with a coffee can and an
old toothbrush I cleaned the air filter.
( i'll be buying a turkey baster to syphon my own gas soon)

Put the filter back in and put the cover back on,
Then reattached the spark plug wire, Turned on the ignition and gave it a kick,
Wow...It started on the first kick!!!, I am so happy.

Thanks for the great tips.