Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 11, 2009 2:58:16 GMT -5
OK Rebels and Reb Belles, I FINALLY got "Lil' Bubba" runnig GREAT and the other two threads on this saga are getting too long. So... Here's a quick update which I hope will help and encourage anyone out there with a scoot that just doesn't run like it should!
I'm totally new to these Chinese scooters, and when mine began to "go south" at a year, and 1,000 miles, I had to start "modding" from scratch like everybody else. Based on my experiences, I can encourage anyone to try improvements on their own, regardless of their level of mechanical ability. These mods brought my tired, sluggish scoot to life BIG TIME! Most of these mods are half-hour or less work, don't cost a lot (if you dilligently search eBay...) and are VERY easy to perform.
This shot shows the INCREDIBLE, simple UNI "sock" air filter. It is THE answer to a filter with NO power-robbing extension to the carb throat. It just "stuffs" under the cat-back brace, and runs like the engine has NO air-filter at all... SWEET! And, it's not even noisy!
In this picture, you can also see the uggraded CDI and Bando coil.
Here's a closeup of the little sock filter... This thing is a "no-brainer" to the tenth power. And to think, I fooled around a week trying to make a better filter setup until I found this little gem!!!
Here are a couple pix of the red "NEW RACING" CDI. This thing is a 2-minute "plug n' play" part that made a noticeable difference in performance. It has an improved spark advance curve, and, no rev-limiter. It's the same unit featured in the "Free CDI" thread.
These items; the Uni sock air-filter, Bando coil, the performance CDI, combined with upjetting the carb to a 110 main, and 42.5 idle, and cutting 2 extra clip-grooves in the needle, and raising the needle all the way, made my VERY sleepy Xingyue 150 come to life. It still has the stock exhaust, and spark plug (which will get changed soon...) but it will now merge with 50 mph traffic with authority, and cruise 50 mph easily.
_________________________________________________
Now, a couple of other mods done at the same time...
Here's my Briggs & Stratton-style manual petcock. To get the fuel line on a proper downhill run for gravity feed, it paralelled the bottom edge of the plastic body. So... I notched the plastic for the round body of the petcock and simply drilled two holes for heavy nylon ties. It is ROCK solid... and, I can even open or close it while sitting or riding on the scooter.
This is a cooling-fan scoop that turned out even better than I had hoped. I was going to make one from PVC, but I found this on eBay and it is superb! Only $16 + $4 shipping from Taiwan. It is beautiful chrome, with color-anodized aluminum screen. It's a little more expensive than making your own, but it looks "factory" and in this 105 degree heat, IT ACTUALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW THE ENGINE RAN!!! I would not have believed that would happen if I hadn't ridden without it, then immediately after installing it. Now I need to take it back off and cut out the factory fan-shroud dirt-slots for increased airflow.
The eBay seller is rossikuo2008. The air-scoop is listed to fit the ZUMA 125 cc, but it screwed right onto my Chinese GY6 150 with the included stainless screws. The seller speaks English, and is VERY nice with e-mail communications. He did not think this would fit the GY6 without modifications, but it does. I highly recommend checking his goods out
I realize all these mods except for altering the carb needle are fairly common (even the needle mod is not very hard, and made a REAL difference in acceleration)... but I wanted to post them to show how simple improvements can be made to get these scooters running more or less like the ads "promise". I want to encourage any newcomers to Chinese scooters (like MYSELF) to not be afraid of IMPROVING, or FIXING (as was my case). My carb had gone bad, so the one in the pix is a new one (a Mikuni, but identical to the original Chinese carb) and, right after replacing the carb, the coil AND CDI started going bad!
The Uni sock air-filter was used to replace the long, convoluted factory intake to the filter under the seat. I found my individual engine would NOT tune, or run well with that "tuba" style intake. Any Rebs out there with "driveability" problems with these elaborate intakes MIGHT find the upjetting and Uni filter to be an EASY fix, bringing much better performance, even with stock exhaust.
Hope this thread from a rank scooter amateur will get many of you other troopers to "take the plunge" REBEL against mediocre performance, and make those mods you've been procrastinating about because you were unsure about tinkering with the scoot!
MANY THANKS to Kliff, Jr, Rebel and others who were so kind in giving me GREAT advice on this!
Enjoy the ride!
Leo in Texas
I'm totally new to these Chinese scooters, and when mine began to "go south" at a year, and 1,000 miles, I had to start "modding" from scratch like everybody else. Based on my experiences, I can encourage anyone to try improvements on their own, regardless of their level of mechanical ability. These mods brought my tired, sluggish scoot to life BIG TIME! Most of these mods are half-hour or less work, don't cost a lot (if you dilligently search eBay...) and are VERY easy to perform.
This shot shows the INCREDIBLE, simple UNI "sock" air filter. It is THE answer to a filter with NO power-robbing extension to the carb throat. It just "stuffs" under the cat-back brace, and runs like the engine has NO air-filter at all... SWEET! And, it's not even noisy!
In this picture, you can also see the uggraded CDI and Bando coil.
Here's a closeup of the little sock filter... This thing is a "no-brainer" to the tenth power. And to think, I fooled around a week trying to make a better filter setup until I found this little gem!!!
Here are a couple pix of the red "NEW RACING" CDI. This thing is a 2-minute "plug n' play" part that made a noticeable difference in performance. It has an improved spark advance curve, and, no rev-limiter. It's the same unit featured in the "Free CDI" thread.
These items; the Uni sock air-filter, Bando coil, the performance CDI, combined with upjetting the carb to a 110 main, and 42.5 idle, and cutting 2 extra clip-grooves in the needle, and raising the needle all the way, made my VERY sleepy Xingyue 150 come to life. It still has the stock exhaust, and spark plug (which will get changed soon...) but it will now merge with 50 mph traffic with authority, and cruise 50 mph easily.
_________________________________________________
Now, a couple of other mods done at the same time...
Here's my Briggs & Stratton-style manual petcock. To get the fuel line on a proper downhill run for gravity feed, it paralelled the bottom edge of the plastic body. So... I notched the plastic for the round body of the petcock and simply drilled two holes for heavy nylon ties. It is ROCK solid... and, I can even open or close it while sitting or riding on the scooter.
This is a cooling-fan scoop that turned out even better than I had hoped. I was going to make one from PVC, but I found this on eBay and it is superb! Only $16 + $4 shipping from Taiwan. It is beautiful chrome, with color-anodized aluminum screen. It's a little more expensive than making your own, but it looks "factory" and in this 105 degree heat, IT ACTUALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW THE ENGINE RAN!!! I would not have believed that would happen if I hadn't ridden without it, then immediately after installing it. Now I need to take it back off and cut out the factory fan-shroud dirt-slots for increased airflow.
The eBay seller is rossikuo2008. The air-scoop is listed to fit the ZUMA 125 cc, but it screwed right onto my Chinese GY6 150 with the included stainless screws. The seller speaks English, and is VERY nice with e-mail communications. He did not think this would fit the GY6 without modifications, but it does. I highly recommend checking his goods out
I realize all these mods except for altering the carb needle are fairly common (even the needle mod is not very hard, and made a REAL difference in acceleration)... but I wanted to post them to show how simple improvements can be made to get these scooters running more or less like the ads "promise". I want to encourage any newcomers to Chinese scooters (like MYSELF) to not be afraid of IMPROVING, or FIXING (as was my case). My carb had gone bad, so the one in the pix is a new one (a Mikuni, but identical to the original Chinese carb) and, right after replacing the carb, the coil AND CDI started going bad!
The Uni sock air-filter was used to replace the long, convoluted factory intake to the filter under the seat. I found my individual engine would NOT tune, or run well with that "tuba" style intake. Any Rebs out there with "driveability" problems with these elaborate intakes MIGHT find the upjetting and Uni filter to be an EASY fix, bringing much better performance, even with stock exhaust.
Hope this thread from a rank scooter amateur will get many of you other troopers to "take the plunge" REBEL against mediocre performance, and make those mods you've been procrastinating about because you were unsure about tinkering with the scoot!
MANY THANKS to Kliff, Jr, Rebel and others who were so kind in giving me GREAT advice on this!
Enjoy the ride!
Leo in Texas