Thanks! The dim lighting disguises the scratches and slightly misaligned body panels. :D

Installed a new Gates Powerlink belt yesterday. The standard GY6/139QMB belt of dimensions 669 18 30 seems to work just fine even though it's about a mm wider than the OEM replacement belt for this scoot. (666 16.8 30) My top speed went from 55km/h on the flat to 65km/h. Acceleration is a bit slower, but the belt I replaced was worn down to ~14mm, so I expected that. Hopefully my 7g sliders will arrive soon and help with that. Not looking forward to taking off the big rusty looking variator nut! Put a little penetrating oil on it to hopefully help when the time comes. (Wiped off excess and made sure none got on the drive faces.)

So I was working on the scoot the other day and ended up snapping one exhaust bolt and then stripping the threads in the flange for the other exhaust bolt when putting the muffler back on. Bad day of working on the scoot I guess. >::doh:

Anyway, I went to go tap out the stripped hole to the next size up so I could get the pipe back on, when about 1/3rd of the way through the tap wouldn't cut any further! Backed it out and found a partially drilled out bolt stuck in the flange! I guess the guy before me must have had the same problem and half-assed the fix! :doh: At least now I know it was only partially my fault for stripping out that side of the flange.

Ordered a replacement cylinder because this one has ~8000km on it and figured it needed a refresh anyway. When I get the new cylinder and go to install it, the arrow on the piston faces the exhaust port, correct? Anything else I should do/watch out for while I have the engine apart?

Have a feeling people TLDR'd that last post, so:

When installing the new piston, the arrow on top should point to the exhaust port, correct?

Anything else I should do/look for while I have the cylinder off?