Just stopping by to say Hi! By runningslow (Read 1,408 times)

[runningslow]

Well, I thought I'd at least register and say Hi!

My name is Josh and I'm currently living in Davenport, FL. However, I grew up in western Michigan, until I moved to Florida to go to college.

I don't know how active I'll be, since I'm once again a man without a running scooter. Word to the wise, be extraordinarily careful with hard to find parts.

[JR]

Hey runningslow where ya been! Ok what parts? I'll hone the old google skills and start a looking! Doesn't matter if it runs or not you can still yak with us all ya want and heck you might even get a scooter tag a gaoing! LOL

Hey glad ya made it!
JR

[runningslow]

Sept 6, 2011 10:08:00 GMT -6 JR said:

Hey runningslow where ya been! Ok what parts? I'll hone the old google skills and start a looking! Doesn't matter if it runs or not you can still yak with us all ya want and heck you might even get a scooter tag a gaoing! LOL

Hey glad ya made it!
JR

Well, as I've also posted elsewhere:
"I need a new head for my 161QML. Either I was running hot and lean, or I over tightened my exhaust bolts... or both. (Probably both).

Last time I rode it, I noticed it got louder at one point and I just figured that the exhaust nuts had worked loose. Well, last night I went to go tighten them and one of the studs came loose, with a small chunk of the casting.

I cannot find the QMK/QML style head anywhere. Its stud spacing is just slightly larger than the QMJ."

I bought the motor from ScrappyDog, but Rick said they don't stock any heads that will fit. For that matter, he doesn't even know of a factory that makes them.

I'm going to pull the motor some time this week, then pull the head to get a better idea of what happened.

I'm afraid that I'm going to be SOL... I'm not buying a new motor just to get a new head.

[JR]

OK got it and what brand and model was this scooter? Just don't remember? I'll go to work on it.

JR

[runningslow]

Sept 6, 2011 13:15:22 GMT -6 JR said:

OK got it and what brand and model was this scooter? Just don't remember? I'll go to work on it.

JR

Scooter is an '09 UM Matrix II-170. Original motor was a 161QMK that lost a crank bearing. Motor was replaced with a 161QML crate motor from ScrappyDog, which is the motor in question.

I hope at some point this week that I'm going to pull the motor and get it on my work bench to take a good look at what happened and post some pictures.

My Google-Fu has run out, so if you find anything, please let me know.

[JR]

Well Runningslow I haven't forgot you and this may be a source for this odd head if you do indeed need one:



I'm even going to put this in the engine tech section on the Video Site.

They may not be the cheapest but I'll bet it's a lot better than a new motor? Just like you said and they did also got to measure the bolt pattern.

JR

[runningslow]

Thanks JR. I actually have a new/old head on the way. In fact, it should be at my house waiting for me when I get home.

The part I'm getting is the factory head from my original motor that I sold to another forum member who couldn't actually use it. Thankfully, a year later, he still had it sitting in his shed.

So, I'm going to clean it up, try my hand at lapping some valves and pray I can get my beloved Matrix running again. If not... I will kick my vile and hated Matrix to the curb.... figuratively speaking.

I'll share the write-up and photos of my experience here and on another forum, as well.

[JR]

Great that's good news!

JR

[runningslow]

***Post somewhat cut/pasted from another site, with some modifications as needed***

Well, its been a few days and I got the motor off the bike, pulled the head and got a good a good look at what happened. I have some pictures and I'll post them later.

Looks like I may have just overtightened one of the exhaust studs, because that's all that cracked. The combustion chamber and the rest of the head appears to be in pretty good shape.

I also had another little snag when it came time to pull the engine. When I tried to disconnect my oil cooler lines, I had forgetten that I completely stripped one of the fittings, and this time around I started to strip the other. So.... I made an executive decision to just cut the oil lines, with the intent to replace them with new hoses and fittings.

Once I had the motor on my workbench, I went to work with a brand new bolt extractor and actually managed to break the bolt extractor one the first fitting I tried to remove. Sheared right off. I finally managed to extract the oil line banjo bolts from the engine block by cutting the heads with my Dremel so that I could get my vice grips on them. After heating with a torch, I managed to get them to break loose.

However... that leads me to a new point of discussion. I don't know how much anyone knows how the oil flows in this motor, but do you think there would be any adverse effects to plugging those holes until I can find suitable replacement fittings?? Lowes sells auto drain plugs with the correct thread (M12x1.25) and I bought a pair to use. I can't imagine it would be any worse than running a standard QMJ motor with a BBK, but I'm not sure if it would lead to oil flow problems.

I bought a QMK gasket set from ScrappyDog, but the head gasket didn't fit (stud spacing too small???). So, I'm trying to use the old gasket. I clean it best I could and sprayed both sides with Permatex Copper. I hope it holds.

Its all put back together, sans most of the body, exhaust and the oil cooler system. I did try to turn it over, but I'm just getting a click from the starter. I didn't adjust the valves before I put it back on the bike, so I wonder if it won't turn over because the compression is too high from a too tight valve? I'm going to check that tonight.

[mcalli]

Wow, sounds like you are having a bout of just plain bad luck. Hope you get your scoot up and running. And its good to have you here.

[runningslow]

Sept 28, 2011 6:25:37 GMT -6 mcalli said:

Wow, sounds like you are having a bout of just plain bad luck. Hope you get your scoot up and running. And its good to have you here.

Yeah, I fully believe that this scooter is cursed.

Last night, I adjusted the valves. The engine tried to turn over when I hit the starter, but barely. So, I pulled out my volt meter and it read about 10.5V. This was after being on the trickle charger. I think its time for a new battery.

I hooked up some jumper cables to my car, and it turned over no problem. Didn't run well.... but it ran. I think I may have the timing off a tooth or two.

[JR]

With the weather turing cool you'll have no issues without the oil cooler and it's basically a nice add on for hot weather. So I would take my time and find some good fittings that work a lot better.

glad to see it will run and you'll get the bugs out of it. I would check with PFS about the gasket, using the old one is a crap shoot but if you have to make sure you re-torque the head good after it warms up.

JR

[runningslow]

Sept 29, 2011 4:59:14 GMT -6 JR said:

With the weather turing cool you'll have no issues without the oil cooler and it's basically a nice add on for hot weather. So I would take my time and find some good fittings that work a lot better.

glad to see it will run and you'll get the bugs out of it. I would check with PFS about the gasket, using the old one is a crap shoot but if you have to make sure you re-torque the head good after it warms up.

JR

JR, I've got a few months before the weather "turns cool." (By the rest of the countries standards anyway.) But, I'm not too concerned about not having the cooling capacity, I'm mostly worried about if I'm messing up the oil flow in the engine, seeing that these motors are built with the oil pathways for the oil cooler from the factory.

I'm going to run it with the ports plugged for a bit, but I think I found a source for my banjo fittings. I'm going to have to contact them for a quote, though.

I didn't want to reuse the gasket, but it appears the head gasket for the QMK may be just as scarce as the heads themselves.

I've got big plans for this bike going forward.

Ultimately, its going to get a new paint job, but first I'm going to try to repair the broken body tabs to hold it all together. I'm thinking about trying to laminate some thin sheets of aluminum with the plastic tabs. I'm also going to try some "ABS goo" type repairs.

[ccprof]

Hey Josh - glad to hear you're still around. Sad to hear your still working on that thing.

[runningslow]

Oct 3, 2011 5:28:35 GMT -6 ccprof said:

Hey Josh - glad to hear you're still around. Sad to hear your still working on that thing.

I'll always be working on this thing. If its not one thing, its another. At least now, I'm not relying on it for my primary transportation and I can take my time!!

I'm starting to think I should have listened to the salesman at the dealer who showed me the UM Xpeed 250i first....