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Post by oldchopperguy on Apr 29, 2016 14:39:03 GMT -5
OK boyz and gurlz...
Between family emergencies and bad weather the old scoot has sat apart for over a month. But I've managed to get it  % re-assembled...Here are some pix in-progress which might be of use to other riders adding auxiliary lights to their own scoots...
I opted for a pre-wired lighting kit off eBay, because at around ten bucks, it offered switch, relay, fuse and all wiring pre-assembled with quality plugs, terminals, etc. This pair of LED's runs 15 watts each, or 30 watts for both. I suspect one could just hook them up through a switch, but even the factory headlight uses a relay so I went on the cautious side. The factory headlight low beam is 50 watts. If I simply hooked into the low-beam with a switch, THAT would put a load of 80 watts on the factory headlight wiring. Not good in my humble opinion... So I ran a 12 gauge primary wire direct from the battery up front (with a female plug) to hook into the new LED fused-wiring. I then hooked the little 24 gauge wiring from the illuminated switch, into the factory headlight low-beam wire. All that does is activate the relay, turning on the LED's through the heavy-duty wiring from the battery, and, keeps the LED's from being lit without the ignition on. (The factory headlight comes on and off with the ignition... NO switch).
    
All the lights are working properly, but before re-installing the windshield I'm going to test-run it for 15 minutes or so with all the lights on to be SURE nothing is getting hot. With the windshield and trim off, I can access the wiring in the nose. I just want to be ABSOLUTELY sure nothing is going to act up on the road, frying hidden wires... Weather is still terrible for another week, so it may be a while before "Minnie Mouse" is road-ready. I'll add to this post when she's back running. I just wanted to get this much posted so others could see how I set up the lights, in case it might help.
Oh... And, yes... the infamous "Illuminated Swan" hood ornament... LOL! Its little 3 watt LED is wired into the factory running lights and has a switch under the nose so I can turn it on only after dark... Yeah, it's TACKY, it's OUTTA PLACE and it's SO Red-Neck... But it's sooo ME... LOL! 
More soon, and RIDE SAFE!Leo in TEXAS
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Post by ricardoguitars on Apr 29, 2016 17:52:15 GMT -5
Big, nice radiator you have there, I bet you would run out of gas before overheating that thing if you where riding redlining the RPMs non-stop, lol.  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Apr 29, 2016 20:09:10 GMT -5
Big, nice radiator you have there, I bet you would run out of gas before overheating that thing if you where riding redlining the RPMs non-stop, lol.
Actually, on a HOT (as in 100+) day, Minnie Mouse will get hot when sitting in stopped traffic almost as quickly as an air-cooled 150... Apparently, these are fairly high-compression motors which even with 2-valves and carburetors still put out 20 hp from 15 cubic inches... and run pretty HOT in the process. You ARE right about the highway though. At WOT she stays cool even on the hottest days, no matter how long I ride! She just doesn't like to sit and idle, even with a big electric radiator fan. I DO like the radiator mounted high, in clean air, rather than behind the front wheel where air is blocked and dirt and wet crud gets thrown into it from the tire.
The manual even recommends shutting down the motor if stopped in hot weather more than 5 minutes. However, with a real, and sensitive temp gauge, that is easy to adhere to... When the gauge hits four bars, I shut it off... And the old gal re-starts INSTANTLY when the light turns green, or the railroad gates go up, or the bodies are removed from the roadway, etc.
That factory advice seems to be right on the money, and I do shut down when the temp gauge hits 4 bars... ( I really wish these had the GREAT easy-to-read analog gauge-clusters of the smaller-displacement "Dink" versions). Can you IMAGINE this 350-pound turtle with a 125cc motor?The digital speedo is OK, numbers are BIG, albeit hard to see in sunlight, but all the little "bars" going around corners for fuel, temp and tach are confusing and would be much better in back-lit, round, mechanical analog form, with real "pointers" to quick-reference. Yeah, I'm REALLY old-school...
The digital dash is the only feature on the Grandvista which I don't really like... BUT... All the gauges still work perfectly after 9 years and 18K miles... so I'm not complaining!  The Grandvista/Grand Dink WAS Kymco's FIRST attempt to make a highway-capable "touring scooter" BUT... actually ended up becoming the ideal SHORT-WHEELBASE city-scoot that will still run comfortably at 70 mph. NOT quite what the touring rider wanted, but EXACTLY what this old geezer wanted... "Basically, A GY6 150 with rock-solid frame, that will hit near 80 mph!" Woo-HOO! That genre of scooters barely exists today outside of the new high-tech (and high-priced) 175-200cc class fuel-injected models. I like to post everything I like (or dislike) about my ride, or modification, so others can make up their own minds about it, in case they may want to try it for themselves. The old Kymco is not for everyone, but it's good for me!
Now, if I can just get that goose on her nose to flap her wings at a red light... She might run even cooler... LOLOLOL!  Ride safe!Leo |
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Post by rockynv on Apr 29, 2016 22:30:48 GMT -5
I found that switching to Engine Ice Coolant made a big difference when the roadway temps start heading to 110 and above. When the engine fan comes on the Engine Ice is so effective at thermal transfer that almost instantly the red needle on the gauge starts dropping and the fan instead of running constantly the entire time your stopped cycles on for 15 seconds and then off for a minute or so.
Flushing the cooling system every 2 years with distilled water and white vinegar followed by a distilled water rinse before putting the Engine Ice in helps ensure top cooling system performance.
Its non-toxic too so if you confuse it for Blue Gator Aid.... Never mind..... ;>
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Post by spandi on Apr 30, 2016 23:23:43 GMT -5
Or you can try Evans non-water (glycerin based) coolant that has no corrosive effects on your systems parts. (But it cannot be mixed with anything water based)
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Post by larrball on May 1, 2016 15:06:31 GMT -5
Or you can try Evans non-water (glycerin based) coolant that has no corrosive effects on your systems parts. (But it cannot be mixed with anything water based) I wounder how condensation effects it if water is a problem, even thou it's a closed system. ? |
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Post by rockynv on May 1, 2016 20:34:27 GMT -5
Usually the Evans goes into a new or freshly rebuilt cooling system where the block has been drained bone dry after being pristinely flushed out and all new hoses, thermostat, seals and water pump have been installed.
If it leaks or gets contaminated then it is flush and refill time. Its not supposed to expand as much so water getting into it is not supposed to be an issue unless the cap on the overflow tank has failed badly.
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Post by oldchopperguy on May 1, 2016 22:50:58 GMT -5
Hey, thanks guys!
Like everything else, coolants have no doubt gone high-tech too. The Engine Ice sounds good. However, I just had my system flushed and refilled with Prestone, so I may not change anything for some time. Thankfully, the old Mouse doesn't tend to truly overheat, but does get pretty warm after 5-10 minutes idling at over 100 degrees air-temp. So I just shut her off when the gauge hits "4 out of 5 bars". With a temp gauge, it's easy to keep watch. I wonder just HOW hot some of our old aircooled 150's REALLY got at a L-O-N-G red-light?
I hesitated to shut down the old 150 at a traffic light, or waiting for a train, since it would "balk" at restarting when traffic began to move again. But with this 250, it's no problem as she starts instantly if shut down while hot. I still haven't had time to finish reassembling the whole nose due to doctor visits with the missus. However, all electrics are done and the plastics mostly on. So last night I rode around the block a few times to roughly adjust the LED's.
GOOD GRIEF, are those things BRIGHT!!!My stock headlight low-beam is 50 watts and pretty good as scooter headlights go. But when I light the LED's it's hard to even see if the factory headlight is on or not! These things are like a blue-white streak of lightning, making the pavement daylight-bright for about 200 feet, nearly wiping out the stock headlight beam! You can even see the light pattern on the road in bright sunlight...
I did walk down the road and bend down as low as if driving a car, and looking into them, they were not blinding set up as they are; shining ON the pavement for around 200-300 feet. If they were raised to their full potential, rather than lighting the pavement, they would be DANGEROUS to oncoming traffic. That is something to consider when aiming lights like these.
They actually remind me of the two 500 watt aircraft landing lights I had on my '68 Cadillac! Those required 8 gauge wiring, a monster relay and a separate battery to use! These twin 15 watt each (rated 30 watts illumination each) LED's don't even dim the other lights when turned on, so they are not using a whole lot of juice... About 3 amps total-draw according to my battery-charger used to test the wiring before installation. I'd estimate the LED's to put out at LEAST 4 to 6 times the illumination of the 50 watt factory filament bulb! No wonder Harley Davidson uses LED's in their new "Daymaker" headlights!I'll post pix when the scoot is complete, with the LED's aimed right, and I'll try to spot-meter the pix so they resemble what I see in actual night use. The LED's are only the size of a regular flashlight, but their light output is MONUMENTAL!
 More on this soon...Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on May 2, 2016 12:28:33 GMT -5
Nice detailed write up!! Thank for all the pics too. I love the placement of the radiator. I wish mine was not behind the front wheel. The hood ornament, well it's unique, and separates your scooter from the masses. I like. I started using Water Wetter in my coolant. Helps a whole lot, actually. I would imagine relocating me radiator would help too, but the MC 54 250B doesn't have a lot of extra room...., Looking at a overbore piston and matching head. NOT A BBK, but a separate oversized piston and matching head, leaving it to me to bore the cylinder. Never looked in the engine so I don't know if there is room to bore the jug or not.
Thanks! Adding lights SHOULD be a simple job... This time, bad weather, health and family issues just took on "lives of their own" and kept the scoot dormant for a month. I hope to have the old girl back on the road this week...
I'm not sure just why most scooter makers opted to put the radiator on water-cooled models right behind the front wheel. I suppose it keeps the weight low, and keeps the nose area slim. Most riders shy away from riding in the rain, so slinging mud into the radiator is not a major concern. However, with the radiator right behind the front wheel, it resides in a "hole" in the cooling air. So placing it above the front wheel does offer some benefits from unobstructed "clean" air. In the pix, you can see that even after 9 years and 18K miles the radiator area is still quite clean. The hood ornament? Well, I'm old enough to have had one like it on several cars in my youth (might be the same one!) and when I found a mint example (body only: brittle original bakelite wings are usually broken off) then found BEAUTIFUL Lucite repro wings... I just couldn't resist! Anyway, it goes pretty well with the whitewalls, saddlebags and fishtail exhaust.
The saddlebags will likely get some fringe, silver studs and vintage color-glass reflectors too before I'm done... Just me. I'm hopelessly stuck in the fifties! You can take the old geezer off the Harley, but you can't get the Harley out of the old geezer... LOL!
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If you really need/want to bore your cylinder and install a fresh piston/rings, it might be easier (and possibly less expensive) to replace them with new, matched parts as a unit. I'm not sure how feasible it may be to find a properly oversized piston. And, when you add in the time and effort involved in taking your original cylinder to the shop, getting it re-bored and such, simple replacement might be more practical... Just a thought.Ride safe!Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on May 2, 2016 19:56:20 GMT -5
@ oldchopperguy, Leo, thanks for the reply. I truly enjoy the style and imagery from the fifties to the seventies. I was planning on boring and sleeving the cylinder myself, and machining the head to match the end result. I probably will never get around to it though. Don't really have the money for optional items like that. I am in the process of gathering the supplies for an oil cooler for the Cyprus. I have the cooler and some of the fittings, I just need to locate and acquire an acceptable pump. Was wondering about using another vacuum fuel pump as an oil pump to keep from adding extra drain to the charging system. Would the internal diaphragm hold up to the thicker oil and the heat?  ?
You're most welcome! Have a bone for even considering doing it yourself! I haven't done that kind of stuff since I was a kid racing go-karts... No machine-tools so I had to pester the machinists at a local shop to bore worn-out cylinders on my old McCulloch 2-strokes... LOL! I understand the budget issues... The wife and I live on Social Security and most of it goes for insurance and meds... Not fun.
I'm not sharp enough to advise on the fuel-pump as an oil-pump. To be honest, it doesn't sound like it would hold up to the hot oil. My old-school expertise was mostly with 1950's Harley motors with a dry-sump and mechanical oil-pump... (One of their few GOOD design features). All you had to do to add an oil-cooler was tap into the handy external oil lines, hooked up to that ingenious Harley-Davidson genuine HORSEHAIR oil-filter. I believe those contributed to that uniquely funky Harley aroma... Yup! Old-school and then some... Other riders HAVE installed oil-coolers, so I CAN be done... Please chime in here you tech-savvy types, with some good "how to" info so 2stroked can make this mod!
Good luck with the projects!Leo |
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Post by rockynv on May 3, 2016 0:54:10 GMT -5
The vacuum fuel pump barely has enough oomph to pump fuel and the hot oil would quickly destroy the vinyl rubber sheet it uses as a diaphragm. If the engine had external taps for an oil cooler then you have it made otherwise some have an oil plug or dipstick adapter which I have not seen for years now for tapping into the oil sump using an electric pump.
As for boring things out the sleeve is thin enough as it is so you would be getting a minimal increase for the cost of boring and honing it. The cost of boring it may come awfully close to the cost of just purchasing a bigger bore too.
On my Lance the best bang for the buck was simply getting the bike working optimally as it was designed. Cleaning the fuel system, keeping on top of valve adjustments and setting up the variator to my needs. Standard clutch and premium belt with the Hoca Variator was all I really did aside for keeping it clean and adjusted to get a consistent 60 mph from the bike. The downside was the valves needed more frequent adjustment commuting at 50+ mph every day so I had to deal with that monthly making it so the head did not last very long as the valve seats just sank too fast when pushing the speed. I ride 6,000 to 12,000 miles a year at mostly over 45 mph so the GY6 really was not holding up under that type of usage.
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Post by oldchopperguy on May 3, 2016 19:50:52 GMT -5
I kinda figured that about the fuel pump. I have the Linhai clone 257. I was thinking about drilling the drain plug to accept a barb for the pick up, and running the return to the valve pan, above the return valleys. I have put over 18k miles on since last year in January. That was also the last time I adjusted the valves. I have checked them, but they are still within spec, and not causing any problems. Even if I did bore the thing, I would only be going up a millimeternor two in size to a 300 size piston. If I am not mistaken, these Linhai 260's use the same cylinders as the Linhai 300's minus the extra honing process. 2stroked, Sounds like your scoot is running mighty fine "as-is"! I don't know as I would change anything... You know what they say: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"... LOL! Any good old scoot that keeps you mobile like that is a joy to ride! Ride safe, Leo |
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Post by rockynv on May 3, 2016 23:41:07 GMT -5
I can understand the want for an oil cooler on an air cooled bike however on a water cooled bike it would probably easier to just put in a bigger radiator or another small radiator in line with the original located where you would have mounted the oil cooler. That way temperature would still be regulated via the thermostat for maintaining efficiency and minimum regulated operating temps.
Flushing coolant twice a year is a bit over the top since its generally scheduled for every two years so doing it annually would be to the extreme service schedule however if it works for you then there is no real harm except the financial and environmental considerations considering the extra waste generated.
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Post by spandi on May 4, 2016 20:18:40 GMT -5
Usually the Evans goes into a new or freshly rebuilt cooling system where the block has been drained bone dry after being pristinely flushed out and all new hoses, thermostat, seals and water pump have been installed. If it leaks or gets contaminated then it is flush and refill time. Its not supposed to expand as much so water getting into it is not supposed to be an issue unless the cap on the overflow tank has failed badly. Actually you can use Evans prep fluid, blow out the hoses with compressed air (as per manufacturers instructions) and replace the standard product with Evans coolant. |
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Post by rockynv on May 5, 2016 0:00:22 GMT -5
Usually the Evans goes into a new or freshly rebuilt cooling system where the block has been drained bone dry after being pristinely flushed out and all new hoses, thermostat, seals and water pump have been installed. If it leaks or gets contaminated then it is flush and refill time. Its not supposed to expand as much so water getting into it is not supposed to be an issue unless the cap on the overflow tank has failed badly. Actually you can use Evans prep fluid, blow out the hoses with compressed air (as per manufacturers instructions) and replace the standard product with Evans coolant. Using the Evans Prep and blowing it out is part of pristinely cleaning out the system yes. To do a good job of it you really need to pull the thermostat to ensure you get all the water and old corruption out too. At that level you with what you have invested in the Evans Prep, Evans Coolant and time its prudent to protect that with at least new seals on the water pump, new thermostat, new hoses and clamps. The Prep Kit is around $20, Prep $35 and Evans Power Sports Coolant is $30 (only 64 onces so two are required) which comes to $115 for the conversion to the Waterless Evans Coolant to do it by the book. Renewing the cooling system on a Chinese Scooter can cost substantially less than the Evans Coolant and some may consider it worth while to protect that rather heavy investment in coolant and prep materials. |
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% re-assembled...
