I give up

[bandito2]

Ah yes. It's a time honored tradition for scooter owners who do their own work or at least try to, for them to have repeated episodes of abject consternation resulting in spilling of oil, knuckle busting, cursing and tool throwing. (which usually breaks something else and compounds the madness.) Take heart and don't loose faith in yourself or your pathetic and uncooperative 2 wheel conveyance. It builds character. And eventually what would have normally had you stabbing at stuff madly with a screwdriver will only cause you to take pause, take a break and to return to the task later fresh and free of vein popping rage. As the saying goes: "been there, done that and got the T-shirt to prove it"

I'm currently experiencing an episode of frustration inducing intransigence with a scooter I am attempting to get repaired in time for a buyer. Steaming out coolant from exhaust along with coolant getting into crankcase. Figured it was a cracked or warped head or a blown head gasket was the cause. BUT!, swapped out with a known good engine except for the carb and the problem persists even with the alternate engine. 4 stroke water cooled engine BTW and coolant gets to and from the carb to heat it via small hoses so the carb has a self contained water jacket. So maybe the water jacket is compromised and dumping coolant down the intake.... which still makes it difficult to explain the coolant getting into the crank case...unless some is getting past the valves (but of course; it was blowing steam right?) and in the exhaust system there is venting into the crankcase to capture unburned gasses that get purged and recycled to the air intake system so maybe it is getting in that way? Well then, time to try swapping out the carb too. That should be the fix. If not then I've not a clue and no, I don't think it is coincidence and that both engines just happen to have the same problem at the same time. I believe it is a problem with the carb from the original engine. If that is not the problem then I'll need to find another solution. But I'll not tear my hair out doing that. (don't have too much on top of my head now as it is.) I'll get through it as you and others will too. It takes a clear, calm and level head to get through difficulties. Screaming and generally loosing control of ones self makes getting things to go in your favor all the more difficult.

[bandito2]

Originally Posted by bandito2

I believe it is a problem with the carb from the original engine. If that is not the problem then I'll need to find another solution. But I'll not tear my hair out doing that. (don't have too much on top of my head now as it is.) I'll get through it as you and others will too. It takes a clear, calm and level head to get through difficulties. Screaming and generally loosing control of ones self makes getting things to go in your favor all the more difficult.

Another solution is what was needed and indeed that was discovered during the process of removing one carburetor to replace it with a known "good carb". The problem was not with the carburetor itself per se, but rather the hoses than project from the carb like the snake hair of Medusa. Small diameter hoses that run to and from the carb that carry engine coolant to heat the carb had been swapped around with some of the air/vacuum hoses by the previous owner. Getting everything properly routed solved the major part of the problem. The minor part of the problem was the need for gaskets that fit around the air filter. Without the gaskets, excess air can enter the carb making it run too lean. That will get fixed as soon as the new gaskets arrive in the mail.

Sometimes it's like Occam's Razor. Occam's Razor is a line of reasoning that says the simplest answer is often correct. During the early part of my problem solving, I had posited the idea of switched around hoses. I even looked, but not thoroughly enough. It was difficult to see EXACTLY where things were routed and I made the mistake then of assuming everything was as it should be. So I continued on a wild goose chase until the proper diagnosis eventually was discovered.

I guess the lesson learned for me was to follow up THOROUGHLY on initial impressions. I could have saved myself the frustration, head scratching and needless knuckle busting wrench work. Problem solvers take note.

[inuyasha]

Originally Posted by bandito2

Another solution is what was needed and indeed that was discovered during the process of removing one carburetor to replace it with a known "good carb". The problem was not with the carburetor itself per se, but rather the hoses than project from the carb like the snake hair of Medusa. Small diameter hoses that run to and from the carb that carry engine coolant to heat the carb had been swapped around with some of the air/vacuum hoses by the previous owner. Getting everything properly routed solved the major part of the problem. The minor part of the problem was the need for gaskets that fit around the air filter. Without the gaskets, excess air can enter the carb making it run too lean. That will get fixed as soon as the new gaskets arrive in the mail.

Sometimes it's like Occam's Razor. Occam's Razor is a line of reasoning that says the simplest answer is often correct. During the early part of my problem solving, I had posited the idea of switched around hoses. I even looked, but not thoroughly enough. It was difficult to see EXACTLY where things were routed and I made the mistake then of assuming everything was as it should be. So I continued on a wild goose chase until the proper diagnosis eventually was discovered.

I guess the lesson learned for me was to follow up THOROUGHLY on initial impressions. I could have saved myself the frustration, head scratching and needless knuckle busting wrench work. Problem solvers take note.

Hi
Outstanding
Glad to see you got that problem solved and thanks for sharing the solution with us
And excellent advice about keeping your composure under adverse conditions
A calm mind is a productive mind
Take care and ride safely dear friend
Yours Hank