01 Vespa Et4 150 - 3 years of trouble - now malossi upgrades

[wiscootsin]

I picked up a 2001 Vespa ET4 three years ago to use as a good scoot that could get me 20 miles across town and still be timely. When I bought it, it was quite cheap, sticker bombed, and listed as needing repair. Around 15k miles on it. There are a few lingering stickers in hard to reach places.

A new spark plug and some carb adjustment helped a lot initially, it seemed pretty normal and especially ran well once warmed up. I put the Malossi multivar on it before i ever used it stock. But after a few hundred miles would become harder to start.  

I picked up a totalled low mileage ET4 125cc for parts, since i'm planning on keeping this a long time.

After two years of messing with carb, swapping carb, and putting new spark plugs in (and them being quite black for low miles), and it leaving me stranded twice, I swapped the 125cc engine on it and put a new carb in this spring.  It finally started reliably, idled great, and was usable!  But even compared to the 150 with a multivar on it, it wasn't that exciting to ride around.

When I pulled the shrouds off the 150 engine and saw the caked oil all over, it was immediately evident that there had been some head gasket issues for some time.

Instead of just doing cleanup and a gasket, I went for the 187cc Malossi kit, since I've been eyeing it up for years. 

Install went well, i followed the scooterwest tutorial video.  Once I tried to start it, it wouldn't start. I could tell it was a weak starter motor (which fit with it leaving my stranded earlier), so i swapped the starter motor from my 125cc engine. Then I got it started.

What a huge difference!  I have only been able to take it out in between some rains, but lots of pull.  It was also my first 4 stroke top end rebuild and was pretty simple. Now my only problem is I'll want to do that to the other 4t vespa i have sitting around.

 

[aeroxbud]

You know you won't want to ride the slower one now right?
They make a great bike for long term ownership. As parts are so easy to get. It really hasn't changed much for years.

[wiscootsin]

Sept 22, 2024 14:07:02 GMT -5 aeroxbud said:

You know you won't want to ride the slower one now right?
They make a great bike for long term ownership. As parts are so easy to get. It really hasn't changed much for years.

yeah the parts prices are reasonable and easy to acquire.  I'd potentially build that 125 engine and throw it in the 2011 lx50 I have sitting around. 

If I find a deal on an exhaust I'd consider buying one, though that's mostly for different sound from what I can tell.  Since I don't really plan on driving it highway speed for extended times, I'm not sure secondary gears would be too necessary.

[pinkscoot]

These are great scoots. When the battery is charged mine starts first time every time and runs like a champ. Quick and nimble because it's so small.

[wiscootsin]

yeah i needed to swap out my old weak battery. The carb needs some adjustment now too.