Bashan 150cc Modifications By Bashan (Read 46,290 times)

[zugzug]

Hey I like where ya going with your project. I gots a idea or two for ya. If you get an AGM battery you can mount it anywhere (like under the seat) since its a sealed battery. The other idea is for a different starter button. The one you have pictured looks like a usual push type to complete the circuit that just triggers the solenoid. Why not put one on like the old tractors and trucks had that actually completed the stater circuit. Since it would do the same thing the solenoid does you could remove it. Last time I checked you could get them on ebay pretty cheap.

[Bashan]

I'm not sure what you mean Zug, can you send me a link or post a pic? Also, you're sure you can mount an AGM in any orientation right? Even upside down or sideways? Rich

[zugzug]

The AGM batteries are sealed and you can put them just about anywhere and any position. As far as the starter button years ago they had heavy duty buttons that you pushed, usually with your foot that actually completed the starter curcuit. The solenoid is the heavy duty switch now and its triggered by the lil start button on the dash/handlebars. Some of the old cars used a simular switch on the floorboard for the high beam headlights. Since your an old fart I thought for sure you would know what im talking about

[Bashan]

As a matter of fact I do remember now. My Dad had a tractor/utility vehicle/old truck he called the "doodlebug". I can still picture the huge, and I mean HUGE, button on the floor that he had to mash with his foot while cursing to crank the starter. That is a great idea, they sell high watt buttons right down the street at Advance Auto. I could just lose the solenoid, one less thing to wire up. Thanks Zug, Rich

[Hammerspur]

Dec 9, 2010 9:39:36 GMT -6 Bashan said:

... I have envisioned mouting another jug onto the engine case Ducatti style... Rich

That would be some deal... both cylinders 180cc big-bore kitted,
and a wide journal stroker crank!

Kinda' late to this party but enjoyed reading about it.
I'm liking the stainless pipe you chose:



I already had one in mind for my 150 but that could change.

Where did you source that from, can you maybe post a link?

Steve

[Hammerspur]

Rich,Thanks Much!

Now, "decisions, decisions..."

[Bashan]

I promised a few guys an update on the Frankenscoot so here it is. Excuse the rotten photography on the first few shots, I had the camera set wrong. Here's the poor guy all naked waiting for the engine to come out:

Put him on a lift, remove the rear wheel, shocks, and remove the two bolts holding the engine mount:

The engine mount makes a nifty handle:

Anyway, what the guys were interested in was the fact that I was adding some cooling fins to the GY6 since I didn't plan on using the forced air system anymore. I cut some fins out of 1/16" X 1 1/4" aluminum on the band saw and I'm in the middle of JB welding them on. I looked online and discovered that JB weld not only withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees, but is an excellant heat conductor also.

Eventually I'll work my way all around the engine keeping the fins on the head and cylinder seperate of course so I can do a BBK in the future. Rich

[jhbietz]

Thank you for the new picks! Makes good sense to me. More surface aria = more cooling..

[earthman]

thanks BASHAN,

this is good theater for learning and very generous pic's.

[Bashan]

I finished up all of the cooling fins and now I'm going to move on to painting the entire engine with high temp aluminum colored paint.

[Bashan]

I squirted the engine with Rustoleum aluminum high temp paint, I guess it doesn't look much different in these pics from the earlier pictures, but it does if you're actually looking at it:

Next I reassemble the frame+engine+wheels+stator+variator+clutch+aluminum fuel tank+carb+exhaust. Then I'm going to look into how I want to wire it. I still haven't given up on an all DC system if I can swing it. We'll see how it plays out. Rich

[jhbietz]

Looking fantastic! Can't wait to see her all together again.

[Bashan]

Well I'm starting to reassemble and I'm just kinda feeling my way for how this thing is going to turn out. The next few posts will be somewhat technical as I'm also using this as a trial run for a couple tech posts I'm going to make. So if you've done these things just skip ahead, if not, you may want to read it over in case you end up doing these things some day. I'll break these up into seperate posts so it's not one long string of photos.

I painted the frame with rattle can metallic flake and in retrospect it was a mistake. It came out looking more flat black than metallic. Oh well, I'm going to just move on. I zip tied the frame to my lift:

Time to get the fork (red dot) back up into the forward frame tube (green dot):

If you ever do this kind of work just make sure you keep track of how things come apart and take a lot of pictures. What seems so obvious when you're taking it apart can look like a jig saw puzzle when you're putting it together. There's a bearing at the bottom of the steering post that needs a little lithium grease:

The steering post slides up into the frame tube and the bearing seats in a recess at the bottom of the tube., Just makes sure it's all the way in and straight. I did this by setting the fork on the floor and slowly lowering the frame onto it using the lift; it saved a lot of wrestling:

Another bearing with its runner sits on top, use a little lithium:

Then the post cap and retaining nut are screwed down:

I'm sure there are torque specs for these but I found the cap screwed down so far and seemed to hit a wall. I figure it's like this so you don't crush the bearing. Remember, scooters vary a great deal and yours may not be constructed the same. I gave the retaining nut on top of the cap a good pull but I don't have a torque wrench that would work here anyway. I think just use common sense and don't overtighten. A little Loctite provides some feelings of security also. Those guys must be making a fortune! Enough for this edge of your seat chapter. We'll tackle the front wheel next. Rich

[Bashan]

Ah the front wheel, if you have ever put a crate scooter together you're probably still having nightmares about getting the front wheel on. When I got my two crate Green Earth Scooters back in '08 they did say on the website that some assembly was required. I didn't know that was with no included instructions or a help page on their site. I did finally get them to send me a PDF that basically said "line everything up and put the axle through". Har, not even close to reality. I've learned a few tricks since then and it's not such a daunting task. Now you see most of the internet sellers bragging about not having to put the front wheel on, I think somebody has been listening.

First of all, if you are putting a crate together, take the front fender off. This will allow you to rotate the shocks a little if needed to finese the parts in line. Once again I use the lift to bring the parts together, it's much easier:

Here's the right side of the wheel, most GY6s have the spacer you see above the green dot. I use a dab of grease to hold it in place:

One thing I'd like to interject here, I've read so many times on the forums about how the disc rotor will NOT come off of the wheel. So even though I didn't need to do this for my project I thought I'd give it a try. A metric allen and some tugs later here was the result:

It actually came off a little easier than I thought it should. Now I'm not saying folks who have trouble with this are doing anything wrong, I just got lucky. Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah, move the brake rotor back against the pads. When I put my wheel on the brake system was empty so the pads came apart easily. You may want to consider draining the brake fluid, it's not a big deal. But even if you don't, with a little coercion they'll spread out:

On the left side you have to contend with the speedo puck (yellow arrow). I was going to just toss this since I use a GPS for a speedometer but on closer inspection there's a spacer integrated into the housing. Also, the puck keeps dirt from getting into the bearing. So I decided to keep it minus the cable. I removed the gear mechanism inside the housing and put some lithium grease in. That helps hold it in place and lubes the wheel bearing. I find it's easier if I rotate the shock as indicated by the red arrow and bring the left side of the wheel in from the back:

Then start pushing your axle through. You may need to wiggle the various parts to line them up. I use a little lithium grease on the whole axle just in case the wheel bearing needs it:

Let's break this post up here, to be continued.......

[Bashan]

HI! You still with me? Cul. Once the axle comes through the puck, wipe the grease off before applying your blue Loctite. I torque the axle nut (red arrow) to 50 ft lbs. The green arrow shows where I used an auto parts plug to secure the cable hole:

This picture shows where I removed the "ABS" valve and attached the banjo fitting directly onto the caliper.

Here's how you remove the complicated "ABS" system on a scooter:

Like my Dad used to say, "get a bigger wrench..."

And here's the finished front fork and wheel, on to more entertaining things! Rich