General Wisdom, Please By ellpee (Read 631 times)

[ellpee]

Have been posting about an electrical disaster that I caused by cross-connecting the battery, but in the course of that several general questions arose from this newbie to the old heads.

-- I see replacement parts that, for example, cost $50 at Roketa Parts but cost maybe $20 at some other on-line sources. Is there any reason to pay premium prices, or do they all get their stuff from the same suppliers anyway?

I see in many places that the Chinese spark plugs are bad news; what brand(s) are best for replacement?

Fluid replacement recommendations in my paperwork are pretty drastic; what are realistic intervals for replacing oil, coolant, gear oil? I'm seeing things like every 1000km, which is only 600 mi and seems excessive. It's not a lot of money, and I don't mind the work if it's really necessary, but I'm not looking for a twice-a-month chore either if it's not really needed.

Break-in: I have just about 100 mi. on my Roketa now, and though the book says drive slow, you can't play in traffic in my town without pulling at least 45-50 mph, which is what I've done. I don't lay rubber or otherwise act crazy, but there's no realistic way to break it in as gently as they suggest. Am I building future trouble for myself?

Since there's no gearbox involved, it appears to me if my scoot dies somewhere I'm totally screwed, have to call AAA and have it trailered back home. Am I missing anything? Is there anything equivalent to the pop-the-clutch start on old stick shift cars? Mine doesn't have kick start, even though the owner manual refers to it.

While pursuing my electrical troubles it became clear there's a lot of pretty cheap parts on my cheap scoot. What's the corporate wisdom about swapping out EOM components for better-quality US equivalents? The fuse box is one that immediately comes to mind, might be others as I become more familiar with all the stuff that's under those plastic panels.

Despite a pre-delivery shakedown, my scoot came off the truck with a tendency to die at idle. Would like to start by just bumping the idle a couple hundred RPM before getting into valve adjustment or other more exotic fixes. Is that something that is going to require removing a slew of plastic? Seems like something they would have made easy, but then again, hey, they're Chinese.

Oh, and I have to ask this one: the wiring diagram that best matches my scooter refers to something called a Disaster Box. What on earth is that??? Don't even like the sound of it.

[justbuggin2]

if you need parts tvnacman is a great person to buy from yes there is a better plug than what comes from the factory NGK plug is a good brand you need to do a PDI on the scooter look under the tech section on this forum will give a good giude and you do have a gear box at the back of the scooter next to the rear wheel that has gear oil in it that needs to be change as of coolant it needs to be change as well then it should be ok for a year or two the motor oil needs to be change when you get it bike then after 500 miles change it again then ever 1000 or so miles will be ok but check it ever time you ride

[terrilee]

Jan 29, 2013 22:30:07 GMT -6 ellpee said:

Have been posting about an electrical disaster that I caused by cross-connecting the battery, but in the course of that several general questions arose from this newbie to the old heads.

-- I see replacement parts that, for example, cost $50 at Roketa Parts but cost maybe $20 at some other on-line sources. Is there any reason to pay premium prices, or do they all get their stuff from the same suppliers anyway?

you can buy the same if not better on line, just sorta gotta know what your doing. its always buyer beware as the JUSTBUG said tman is a great place to buy parts , there are other listed above on the banners, they are people who are on the sites, know what we are talking about etc etc Honestly since u r a newbie and admit it, when you need parts, ask us , well the mechs , lol they will tell ya where to go

I see in many places that the Chinese spark plugs are bad news; what brand(s) are best for replacement?

NGK iridium plugs are the best shoot i forget the best , its a resistor plug

Fluid replacement recommendations in my paperwork are pretty drastic; what are realistic intervals for replacing oil, coolant, gear oil? I'm seeing things like every 1000km, which is only 600 mi and seems excessive. It's not a lot of money, and I don't mind the work if it's really necessary, but I'm not looking for a twice-a-month chore either if it's not really needed.
during your break in, i changed oil every 250 miles, and after you get about 1000 miles on it, you can then switch to SNYTHETICs and then , since you check your oil every time you go for a ride, just change it when it starts getting black and nasty
Break-in: I have just about 100 mi. on my Roketa now, and though the book says drive slow, you can't play in traffic in my town without pulling at least 45-50 mph, which is what I've done. I don't lay rubber or otherwise act crazy, but there's no realistic way to break it in as gently as they suggest. Am I building future trouble for myself?

just dont keep at a constant throttle, always vary your throttle,
7k for alil while then down to 5 then up understand???

Since there's no gearbox involved, it appears to me if my scoot dies somewhere I'm totally screwed, have to call AAA and have it trailered back home. Am I missing anything? Is there anything equivalent to the pop-the-clutch start on old stick shift cars? Mine doesn't have kick start, even though the owner manual refers to it.

yea w/o a kick start yea your kinna screwed. you sure it dont have one? But they are the weakest point on a scoot and i have never used mine, ever.
Dont ya have a friend with a pick up? if so get a thick long board and leave it in your backyard, lol and pray you never have to use it.
try and make plans now in case that ever happens.
ive only broke down twice when out on the road

While pursuing my electrical troubles it became clear there's a lot of pretty cheap parts on my cheap scoot. What's the corporate wisdom about swapping out EOM components for better-quality US equivalents? The fuse box is one that immediately comes to mind, might be others as I become more familiar with all the stuff that's under those plastic panels.

my philosophy is dont fix it if it aint broke. if you havent replaced your
air and fuel lines with US ones i would soon. but sure some parts, if u wanna why not

Despite a pre-delivery shakedown, my scoot came off the truck with a tendency to die at idle. Would like to start by just bumping the idle a couple hundred RPM before getting into valve adjustment or other more exotic fixes. Is that something that is going to require removing a slew of plastic? Seems like something they would have made easy, but then again, hey, they're Chinese.

yea turn it up. put it on the center stand and turn the idle till the rear wheel is almost ready to start moving about 1800-2000

Oh, and I have to ask this one: the wiring diagram that best matches my scooter refers to something called a Disaster Box. What on earth is that??? Don't even like the sound of it.

[ellpee]

Still wondering about that "Disaster Box" thing. Anybody? Took me awhile to figure out that "Pulling Over Light Switch" is the high-beam flasher! Reading the manuals and diagrams on these Chinese scoots is a real hoot sometimes.

[alleyoop]

Put up a picture or link to the diagram so we can see which component they call Disaster Box, I could be the fuse box or CDI or R/R. But I bet it is the FUSE BOX.LOL
Alleyoop

[JR]

Yes no doubt we sometimes call the writing Chinglish.

Disaster box = fuse box. To the Chinese if you blow a fuse it's a disaster or they look at it that the fuses stop disasters from happening due to shorted out wiring.

The pulling over light switch is also sometimes called the passing switch. This switch is the little spring loaded switch on the dimmer switch and when it's pressed the high beam lights will brighten up to added voltage up. It serves two purposes one being when you hit the button it brightens the lights a little and lets a person know that you are about to pass him. It feeds off of the black wire from the key switch to get 12Vdc.

The other thing it provides is some light should your charging system quit at least while the battery is hot enough to run the scooter. People have had the light switch quit and make it home by holding this switch.

JR

[ellpee]

Yup, fuse box I'm pretty sure. Didn't recognize it as such, as it has a pigtail leading from it with a connector at the end; was thinking the fuse box would have a bunch of separate wires coming out of it, but they obviously bundled them all nice in a plastic sleeve. It's item 25 on the electrical parts diagram, and item 26, next to it, is clearly a fuse, or as they call it, a "safety wire." ROFL