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The other day when my battery died on my ET4 I had to use the kick starter to get my scooter started at the gas station. After many attempts I was able to get it started and rode home. As I rode home I heard what sounded like a slight grinding sound when I went over a bump or hit a rough spot in the road. When I got home I could hear the sound again every once and a while and if I would apply slight pressure to the kick starter I could duplicate the sound I heard while riding. After looking online I have not found any information of this exact problem but I am wondering if their is a return spring that could be broken or weak or maybe something else in the kick starter assembly has broken. Any diagrams or tips on what to look for would be helpful.
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Check the cover over the transmission. These covers crack easily when you use the kick start.
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I have checked the cover and it looks fine from the outside since that has been the only things I have been able to find online concerning the use of the kick starter and problems. Is there anything special that I have to do to remove the transmission cover to inspect it on the inside. Any links to a procedure would be helpful.
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buddymaxwell9 wrote:
I have checked the cover and it looks fine from the outside since that has been the only things I have been able to find online concerning the use of the kick starter and problems. Is there anything special that I have to do to remove the transmission cover to inspect it on the inside. Any links to a procedure would be helpful.
i'm in the same boat, battery is fine but start switch is out... local vespa guy says only use that kickstart in emergencies something inside breaks and costs $400 to fix....
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After reading some more post in this group it seem the kick starters is better not to be used. Can the kick start assembly be removed from the ET4 and the hole just covered up with a rubber plug? This would solve my grinding problem I think, but does anybody have a link, pictures or diagrams on how to disassemble the unit.
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Round about page 94 of the workshop manual:
http://www.wotmeworry.org.uk/manuals/ET4/
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Jim thanks for your reply and the service manual has helped a great deal. After further looking at the transmission cover there is a slight crack in the cover around the shaft for the kick start, and since the kick start does not move now and just grinds I would assume this might be part of the problem. In the service manual it references a clutch drum retainer tool pn. 19.1.20432 to remover the rear nut and washer which I am assuming that will free the cover once the other bolts are removed. Can anything else be used besides this tool since it just looks like the bolt and nut could be removed with a standard sock wrench.

Thanks again for everybodies help and any pointers would be appriciated on an easy way to remove this cover to see what might be damaged inside.
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Impact wrench or stick a sturdy screwdriver through some sensible holes...
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Re: 2001 ET4 Kick Starter Problems
buddymaxwell9 wrote:
The other day when my battery died on my ET4 I had to use the kick starter to get my scooter started at the gas station. After many attempts I was able to get it started and rode home. As I rode home I heard what sounded like a slight grinding sound when I went over a bump or hit a rough spot in the road. When I got home I could hear the sound again every once and a while and if I would apply slight pressure to the kick starter I could duplicate the sound I heard while riding. After looking online I have not found any information of this exact problem but I am wondering if their is a return spring that could be broken or weak or maybe something else in the kick starter assembly has broken. Any diagrams or tips on what to look for would be helpful.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I had my entire kick start assembly removed
and went to OSH and bought a 3/4 inch
chrome plug to pop into the hole. 8)
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