I was concerned that this last fix to the Vespa would leave me with nothing really to blog about if there was nothing mechanically wrong with it. Well, I can truly say that this little beastie is continuing in it’s endeavor to supply me with things to write about.
I had thought the points gap adjustment last Thursday had solved the problem, but it would appear that it did not. I now officially have no idea what is going on. After I pulled the whole thing apart, checked the timing and checked the points gap, put a new plug in it and buttoned it all back up, it ran great. I took it for a test ride down to BevMo to get a couple bottles of Rioja for “Sangria Sunday” with the West’s. The ride to BevMo is about 8 miles round trip, and it went without a hitch - no faltering, backfiring, bogging - none of the usual misbehavior that it’s been displaying lately for seemingly no reason.
I have family in town, and so I haven’t fired the scooter up all week, and yes - I know what you’re thinking… did he turn off the fuel petcock when he parked it on Thursday evening? The answer is yes, I did.
So I turned the fuel on this morning, pulled out the choke, and kicked it. It started on the 4th or 5th kick, but was idling poorly, and I could already tell that the same issues I had been having with it lately were back again. I don’t know what the hell is going on now. I think I’m just going to start replacing electrical parts like the condenser, coil, etc. and see what that does. I might also get a new carb and air box. I do know that the seal between the carb and air box is probably not the greatest - I noticed when I removed it that the guys who assembled it had stacked like 3 gaskets in there in an attempt to do something - what that is, I’m not sure.
So, long story long, I’m stumped. Woe is me. The weather is so perfect outside right now and I can’t ride.
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