Modern Vespa

So my scoot only wants to run right now with the choke open. As soon as I push it back in, it takes a few moments and stalls, even when it's warm. Never used to happen. It runs fine with the choke out. (We recently had some relatives take it out for a ride and they kept stalling it. I'm wondering if flooding of the engine, stalling, etc. could have caused this. And no, I'm not letting anymore inexperienced riders on it).

I've read some of the old threads and it seems that one of the jets in the carb could be blocked. I tell my husband that's what I think it is, but I want to check it out myself. So while I'm reading the Haynes manual (I'm not a real wrencher, but have aspirations to be one), he's taken apart part of the air filter and looking at the carb, etc. We didn't remove the carburetor though (these smallframes do indeed have small workspaces).

So I guess I have a few questions -- any other input into what might be the problem? How to fix it? Will it cause problems to ride with the choke out in the short-term?

Thanks in advance.

Monica

Sounds like what happened when i had a fly side oil seal go out. was a pretty easy fix.

I'm no sall frame expert, but from what I understand, there is a connection between the carb and the manifold that is the first suspect. Some sort of felt sealing surface if I remember correctly. If you've got an air leak there, it will run lean. The choke richens the mixture and allows it to run.

If that's not the problem you probably have a crank seal that's leaking, most likely on the flywheel. This is much harder to repair.

I was told that might be the problem with my scoot as it may have an air leak as it starts revving on idle. How do I tell if the flyside oil seal is goosed? What signs do I look for on the seal.

If a flyside seal is gone, there's usually some oily residue that leaks out around it. Pull the fly wheel. If it's clean and dry underneath and around the stator, that seal is most likely NOT your problem.

Argh. I don't have a flywheel puller, so I guess I'll have to order one and wait until it gets here. The joys of not living near a scooter shop....

This might be a moronic question, but can I still ride it a bit until I fix it?

smallframe flywheels are self extracting.

So is there a secret to getting the flywheel off? I checked on Scooterhelp, and it shows you need a puller. I used a socket set to take off the bolt, and applied some pressure to pull it off, but it's not budging. I don't want to pull too hard and break something.

Thanks for your patience. I know this is not a complicated task, and I feel so incompetent...

I'm not certain about the small frame engine but many vespa flywheels have a circlip that's on top of the flywheel nut. Leave the circlip in place. As you loosen the nut, it hits the circlip which pops the flywheel off. I hope that makes sense.

that is what i meant by self extracting. you do not need a puller for either of mine.

There are grooves for the outside of the flywheel puller to fit into on the flywheel, and there is not a circlip on it. So I think I need a flywheel puller for this smallframe. Although I wish it was self extracting.

need a pic of the nut area on the flywheel. maybe the circlip is just missing. i would not use a puller other than piaggio designed type.

I don't think I ever mentioned it, but the engine is from a 100 Sport, which I now know needs a flywheel puller. I'll be ordering some other parts/tools based on Yammyjagoff's posting.

Thanks for the advice, guys.