Wierd noise and clutch not grabbing

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p.russo911
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Wierd noise and clutch not grabbing

Post by p.russo911 »

2014 Stella 4T manual with 500 miles.

Okay, I'm going to try to describe this as best I can. When going from a dead stop, after shifting into first gear. If I let the clutch out and accelerate a little. SOMETIMES, the scoot does not quite grab 1st gear and makes a very strange sound. The scoot has 500 miles on it. I'm guessing that the clutch cable needs to be tightened a bit?
The first maintenance has been done, but I am not sure they adjusted the clutch cable. Any suggestions would be very appreciated.

Also, if it is the clutch cable, how would I go about adjusting this?

Thank you all for your information. Love the site and all of your comments.
~Paul
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PeteH
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Post by PeteH »

Tightening the clutch cable might only make things worse, I think. As long as your clutch lever has a few mm of free play at rest, your clutch cable is fine - it's allowing the clutch to fully-engage. Too loose, though, and the clutch won't disengage, but I don't think you've described anything like that yet.

It sounds more like a shifter problem - like your transmission isn't completely 'thunked' into first.

What do you do when the noise/non-engagement happens? Does pulling/releasing the clutch itself make the problem go away, or do you shift out of first then back in? If clutching doesn't help but shifting does, it sounds like maybe the shifter cables aren't letting it align solidly into first, and you're ending up somewhere between first and neutral, if that's possible.

Tell us how you 'fix' the problem to get rolling from the stop.
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az_slynch
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Re: Wierd noise and clutch not grabbing

Post by az_slynch »

p.russo911 wrote:2014 Stella 4T manual with 500 miles.

Okay, I'm going to try to describe this as best I can. When going from a dead stop, after shifting into first gear. If I let the clutch out and accelerate a little. SOMETIMES, the scoot does not quite grab 1st gear and makes a very strange sound. The scoot has 500 miles on it. I'm guessing that the clutch cable needs to be tightened a bit?
The first maintenance has been done, but I am not sure they adjusted the clutch cable. Any suggestions would be very appreciated.

Also, if it is the clutch cable, how would I go about adjusting this?

Thank you all for your information. Love the site and all of your comments.
~Paul

Paul,

That reads more like a shift cable needing adjustment than a clutch cable. The procedure can be found in the service manual; try pages 77 and 127 for guidance.
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p.russo911
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Post by p.russo911 »

To fix this problem. I will usually re-engage the clutch lever fully, then let it out a little quicker. It seems to only occur when I let out the clutch more slowly. Usually when I am riding with my wife on the back. (you know, I don't want the scoot to jerk quickly).

I have also had some problems getting it back into 1st gear when down shifting from second. Like, it just can't seem to find the gear. This does not happen all the time, but it has happened.
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BuddyRaton
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Post by BuddyRaton »

What does the strange sound sound like? Metal on metal? squeaking? whining?

I know it can be hard to describe but give it a shot. So far I'm with Az on shifter cables but more info would help
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p.russo911
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Post by p.russo911 »

I was just riding it. Best way to describe the noise is similar to the noise you would hear riding on a flat tire. A really really flat tire.

This time today while on a short ride. It made the noise only once, I just let out the clutch completely and it went away. Very strange.

Again, it still grabs the gear, just makes this (flat tire) noise. And yes, I know it is not my tires, they are properly inflated. :)
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Rippinyarn
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Post by Rippinyarn »

If you have a friend with shifter cable experience, get them to ride it and to help you adjust the cables. Plan on a few attempts at getting the shifter cables completely adjusted. If you don't have a friend with that knowledge, find your nearest vintage scooter club and ask about their wrench night. Bring beer!

Also, make sure that your shifting mechanism (behind the shiny cover) is absolutely well greased. Also, you may want to make sure that the cables themselves are clear of obstructions or kinks in the headset, and run some lube down the inners while you are in there.

Stick with it, you'll get there in the end :D
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BuddyRaton
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Post by BuddyRaton »

If you're under warranty your best bet is to have the dealer adjust for you.
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PeteH
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Post by PeteH »

Shift cable setup, with photos: http://modernvespa.com/forum/post1593450#1593450

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p.russo911
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Post by p.russo911 »

Thanks everyone. I will try and bring it down to the dealer hopefully before the warranty is up. If not, I am sure I can get it figured out with all of your advise. I will post the outcome once I solve it. Thanks again.
p.russo911
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Post by p.russo911 »

Ok, so I decided to call a local dealer to have them look at this. I am still under warranty, but they are telling me if it is a cable adjustment only, it will cost $85. It is not covered under the warranty. Any suggestions? Thinking about just trying to fix this myself before spending my cash. I thank you all for your help.
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Stitch
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Post by Stitch »

If it's like the 2t you will be surprised at how simple the setup is once you get the cover off it. It literally is just two cables and a seashell looking thing. I can't promise this is the best way to adjust it, but; I just used a bungee to hold the shift grip with the dot lined up for neutral and adjusted one cable snug, then the other. It took two tries to dial it in, and it's been fine for the last 7k miles. The added bonus to knowing how to adjust/replace the cables is that when one breaks on the road, you can just slap a new one on and get rolling again.
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Post by Sach »

I would give it a shot on adjusting as advised here. You can at least confirm that is not your issue, and you won't be risking the 89 bucks. Also, it will give you a feel for the scoot an how it works. I just adjusted mine this last week. I had way to much play in it. Just be patient. Knowledge is power when you are working on your scoot.

Also, this link, https://www.youtube.com/user/Scootervillain, has some videos on Stella maintenance. He shows how to adjust it. It would be a good idea to watch them for learning some ins and outs. This will reduce your visits to the dealer. I always buy scoots used, so I have never had to deal with a dealer for scoots, but given my experience with the motorcycle dealers, I can tell you that the time and attention to detail that you put into troubleshooting may likely outweigh what the dealer puts into it. Also, you depend on him less.
p.russo911
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Post by p.russo911 »

Thanks again. I will try it tomorrow morning.
Sach
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Post by Sach »

Good luck and let us know the outcome.
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