Buddy 150 Power Up
Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Buddy 150 Power Up
I've had an '08 Pamplona 150 for a few months now. I originally picked it up for a friend as a beater/loaner, but it had a salvage title and I didn't want my name affiliated with a sketchy scoot that a new rider was learning on...the liability was a bit unnerving.
So, I helped him buy a beater non-op '08 St. Tropez, debugged it and got it back to good running order.
Now, I'm turning my attention to the Pamplona. Keeping it, but I'm going to hot-rod it a bit. Not quite Voodoo stuff, but just to make it a bit different that my "dealer special" '09 St. Tropez.
Today, the wheels came off. Literally. Adios to the crispy old Shinkos, it'll be receiving a fresh pair of 100/90-10 Pirelli Angels this weekend.
BTW, it wasn't nearly this clean to begin with. The bodywork has been replaced. Rear is off eBay, front is from ScooterLounge.
So, I helped him buy a beater non-op '08 St. Tropez, debugged it and got it back to good running order.
Now, I'm turning my attention to the Pamplona. Keeping it, but I'm going to hot-rod it a bit. Not quite Voodoo stuff, but just to make it a bit different that my "dealer special" '09 St. Tropez.
Today, the wheels came off. Literally. Adios to the crispy old Shinkos, it'll be receiving a fresh pair of 100/90-10 Pirelli Angels this weekend.
BTW, it wasn't nearly this clean to begin with. The bodywork has been replaced. Rear is off eBay, front is from ScooterLounge.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Initial parts list is:
The engine has a bit over 12K miles on it, so I will go through it with critical eye before I start slapping parts on. It did run fine after setting the valves properly and fixing the stock carb, but I want to be sure it'll hold up to a bit more hot sauce.
- NCY 171cc big bore cylinder
- NCY Big Valve head
- NCY "A8" Camshaft
- Keihin CVK 26mm carburetor
- NCY CDI (recurved and unrestricted)
- Polini Maxi-Speed Variator kit
- Polini Maxi Speed clutch and clutch bell kit
- NCY Secondary Sliding Sheave Assembly Added later.
The engine has a bit over 12K miles on it, so I will go through it with critical eye before I start slapping parts on. It did run fine after setting the valves properly and fixing the stock carb, but I want to be sure it'll hold up to a bit more hot sauce.
Last edited by az_slynch on Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
-
- Member
- Posts: 1257
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:17 pm
- Location: Norfolk VA
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
I'm following this build!
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
I decided against white-lettering the Angels. The Pirelli logo doesn't follow the tire arc and the angel "A" is a bit too fussy to read easily. If I swap to Michelin Pilot Street tires at some point, I'll use the Tire Ink to dress 'em up.
The variator arrived today. Looking forward to testing this clutch, as it can be adjusted without tearing down the rear pulley. I've worked with the NCY SuperTrans stuff in the past on a Vino, but preferred how the Polini setup worked for putting down engine power.
I bought a used flywheel to have it lightened, but it seems it has a ding in the puller threads. May just have to bite the bullet and get a new flywheel. Not sure if it will work as well as the lightening on my friend's Zuma 50 and Angry Buddy did, but I like to idea of being able to spin the engine faster without having to get really light on the weights.
Waiting on some small parts from ScooterLounge, but nothing that would delay the rebuild. Engine has 12K on it, so I am considering splitting the block and checking everything before souping it up. I might settle for a borescope camera inspection to save time and money, but if anything looks fishy on the cam chain or guides, the engine gets a teardown.
Working out of town next week, but I did sort out the Zuma that was darkening my doorstep so I can get going on this or the Malaguti.
The variator arrived today. Looking forward to testing this clutch, as it can be adjusted without tearing down the rear pulley. I've worked with the NCY SuperTrans stuff in the past on a Vino, but preferred how the Polini setup worked for putting down engine power.
I bought a used flywheel to have it lightened, but it seems it has a ding in the puller threads. May just have to bite the bullet and get a new flywheel. Not sure if it will work as well as the lightening on my friend's Zuma 50 and Angry Buddy did, but I like to idea of being able to spin the engine faster without having to get really light on the weights.
Waiting on some small parts from ScooterLounge, but nothing that would delay the rebuild. Engine has 12K on it, so I am considering splitting the block and checking everything before souping it up. I might settle for a borescope camera inspection to save time and money, but if anything looks fishy on the cam chain or guides, the engine gets a teardown.
Working out of town next week, but I did sort out the Zuma that was darkening my doorstep so I can get going on this or the Malaguti.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
-
- Member
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:17 pm
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Looks like a fun project. I'm watching with interest!
- tenders
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- Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:08 am
- Location: NYC area
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Are you concerned that the flywheel thread ding will unbalance the flywheel - or are you more concerned about the integrity of the threads? I would think the threads would clean up well enough with a tap and maybe some JB Weld, though not many have a tap that size sitting around.
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
I wasn't worried about balance, I was more worried about being able to thread a flywheel puller into it. And yes, an M27x1 left-hand thread is a tough tap to come by.tenders wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:19 am Are you concerned that the flywheel thread ding will unbalance the flywheel - or are you more concerned about the integrity of the threads? I would think the threads would clean up well enough with a tap and maybe some JB Weld, though not many have a tap that size sitting around.
The good news is that I spent time with some picks and hobby files and cleaned the thread up until I could run a flywheel puller down and seat it fully. Next steps are to weigh it, compare it to the CVT assembly weight and get it turned down some.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Minor update. My usual resource for lightening scooter flywheels was unavailable, so I turned to my local machinist to see if he knows a local resource who could balance the flywheel after lightening it. We weighed the flywheel this morning to figure out how much to take off. Starting weight was 2.25lbs, or approximately 1020gr.
When I had the Buddy 50's flywheel lightened, we took about 12% of the mass off the flywheel, so I opted to aim for a similar value. Dropping a quarter pound, or about 113 grams off the flywheel nets an 11% reduction in mass.
I understand that there are lightened GY6 flywheels available, but I prefer modding a PGO flywheel as it's welded to the hub rather than being riveted.
Hoping to have it back after Christmas. In the interim, I'll be pulling the engine this weekend to check the internals out.
When I had the Buddy 50's flywheel lightened, we took about 12% of the mass off the flywheel, so I opted to aim for a similar value. Dropping a quarter pound, or about 113 grams off the flywheel nets an 11% reduction in mass.
I understand that there are lightened GY6 flywheels available, but I prefer modding a PGO flywheel as it's welded to the hub rather than being riveted.
Hoping to have it back after Christmas. In the interim, I'll be pulling the engine this weekend to check the internals out.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Spent most of the weekend sick, but I did get to the task at hand: pulling the engine.
This job isn't so hard if you have a lift or a workshop. If not, one of those cheapie Amazon scissor lifts is just the ticket to pulling the engine in your shop or your front yard. I opted for the latter, as I have other stuff on the lift.
An essential step specific to the 150 and 170 is to disconnect the oil cooler lines. On the 150, they run up and over the center stand and will impede engine removal. To make life easier, drain the engine oil first.
Due to the location of the engine hanger, you will need to remove the air filter housing, rear inner fender (also frees the rear brake cable if properly installed), the carburetor and the intake manifold. The latter two will foul on the middle of the engine hanger and the presence of the center stand limits your wiggle room too.
Next steps will be to inspect the engine without totally tearing it down to determine if I should do so to refresh things like the cam chain and cam chain guides.
And now, pics or it didn't happen:
This job isn't so hard if you have a lift or a workshop. If not, one of those cheapie Amazon scissor lifts is just the ticket to pulling the engine in your shop or your front yard. I opted for the latter, as I have other stuff on the lift.
An essential step specific to the 150 and 170 is to disconnect the oil cooler lines. On the 150, they run up and over the center stand and will impede engine removal. To make life easier, drain the engine oil first.
Due to the location of the engine hanger, you will need to remove the air filter housing, rear inner fender (also frees the rear brake cable if properly installed), the carburetor and the intake manifold. The latter two will foul on the middle of the engine hanger and the presence of the center stand limits your wiggle room too.
Next steps will be to inspect the engine without totally tearing it down to determine if I should do so to refresh things like the cam chain and cam chain guides.
And now, pics or it didn't happen:
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
-
- Member
- Posts: 1257
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:17 pm
- Location: Norfolk VA
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Thanks for posting the how-to on engine removal! Whats funny about you posting this update is my wife was just fussing at me for not having any ongoing projects or more complicated interest. With the ebikes I can get in and out of them in around a hour. Not the most complicated things to mod. I have no idea what I'd get or what I want to do for a project.
My silly side looked for a P200E but prices have gotten crazy for nice ones. Granted I know what "You get what you pay for." means but still, I have a number in my head that I refuse to go over.
My silly side looked for a P200E but prices have gotten crazy for nice ones. Granted I know what "You get what you pay for." means but still, I have a number in my head that I refuse to go over.
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Too bad your scoot is still under warranty; I stumbled across a "stupid" thing to do to the Sunset 125...still not Kaos-level stuff, but it's definitely got more potential than this setup. That said, this wasn't too crazy on price. I already had the cam, but the stack of parts was cheaper than the trashed-out Pamplona.sc00ter wrote: ↑Mon Dec 23, 2024 12:43 am Thanks for posting the how-to on engine removal! Whats funny about you posting this update is my wife was just fussing at me for not having any ongoing projects or more complicated interest. With the ebikes I can get in and out of them in around a hour. Not the most complicated things to mod. I have no idea what I'd get or what I want to do for a project.
My silly side looked for a P200E but prices have gotten crazy for nice ones. Granted I know what "You get what you pay for." means but still, I have a number in my head that I refuse to go over.
E-bikes are intriguing, but I want to go deeper on stuff. I'm dangerous with a soldering iron, I did invest in a battery lug welder and I've bought a few books / participated in crowdfunding for a few things. The speed/acceleration reminds me of a roller coaster. I think I'll have to really dig into chassis dynamics in order to really enjoy them.
For now, I see the writing on the wall for ICE. I figure I'll indulge in a few projects I wish I'd tried sooner.
You can get a decent project for non-stupid money if you make some connections. NSM on MV is a good start. Get familiar with the Bodgespotting and Deal O' The Day threads. There are still affordable survivors out there!
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Pulled the top end today. Overall, not a bad job. Did need to use a shot mallet to tap the cylinder free. Biggest PITA was carefully removing the remnants of the cylinder base gasket.
It looks pretty healthy for an almost 13K mile engine. Cylinder walls looked great. No evidence of blow-by around the rings. Cam lobes and rocker arms looked decent. Cam chain guides were healthy and un-marred. Only two things bothered me:
Time to start unboxing parts. I already see a few things I forgot to order (cam chain tensioner gasket, O-ring for intake manifold) and I'm sure there are other bits to bite me later.
And now, the pics:
It looks pretty healthy for an almost 13K mile engine. Cylinder walls looked great. No evidence of blow-by around the rings. Cam lobes and rocker arms looked decent. Cam chain guides were healthy and un-marred. Only two things bothered me:
- The cam chain seems like it has a lot of stretch in it.
- The piston pin had some odd wear and didn't slide out without a little persuasion.
Time to start unboxing parts. I already see a few things I forgot to order (cam chain tensioner gasket, O-ring for intake manifold) and I'm sure there are other bits to bite me later.
And now, the pics:
Last edited by az_slynch on Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
More pics. My gut check says that this scoot went long on an oil change a time or two...
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Well, the garage door broke on Christmas Eve and no local shops had all the parts needed to fix it. All sorted as of this morning, so back to the Buddy!
After checking the lateral play in a new D.I.D. cam chain for another Honda, I decided the Buddy's cam chain was still serviceable and proceeded with de-gunking the block and installing the new top end.
Only real fiddly part was the oil ring. Be sure the spacer is on before installing the wiping rings and ensure it doesn't pop apart on compression. I set up the ring gaps per the Genuine service manual.
Getting the cam set up was a lot easier than an old horizontal Honda or a Yamaha Vino.
I still need a gasket for the cam tensioner and a seal for the intake manifold. Consider getting new rocker arms and tappet screws, but that might be overkill of my part. I could load the engine in the scoot for now and swap those parts when they come in...I'll make a decision later today.
Considering ordering Taida 14/39 gears for the rear end. It's a 9% upgear and could help the Pamplona hit an honest 70mph. That'll be a decision to make once the engine is broken in.
After checking the lateral play in a new D.I.D. cam chain for another Honda, I decided the Buddy's cam chain was still serviceable and proceeded with de-gunking the block and installing the new top end.
Only real fiddly part was the oil ring. Be sure the spacer is on before installing the wiping rings and ensure it doesn't pop apart on compression. I set up the ring gaps per the Genuine service manual.
Getting the cam set up was a lot easier than an old horizontal Honda or a Yamaha Vino.
I still need a gasket for the cam tensioner and a seal for the intake manifold. Consider getting new rocker arms and tappet screws, but that might be overkill of my part. I could load the engine in the scoot for now and swap those parts when they come in...I'll make a decision later today.
Considering ordering Taida 14/39 gears for the rear end. It's a 9% upgear and could help the Pamplona hit an honest 70mph. That'll be a decision to make once the engine is broken in.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Started on the CVT teardown last night. The good news is that it was surprisingly clean inside. The clutch bell had no built-up dust and the clutch shoes looked good for the mileage. The driven sheaves were in decent condition as well, albeit a bit lacking in grease for the sliding sheave and guide pins.
The variator and fixed driving sheave looked good initially, but upon closer inspection, they have wear ridges on their faces. The belt showed a bit of fraying on the edges from running in high-range so often.
I'm going to add a fixed sheave to my Genuine parts order. I'm also considering getting the NCY rear sheave, as it has multiple ramp profiles and would make for better downshifting and acceleration out of corners. I'm already looking at two more weeks for parts, so this feels like an "in for a penny, in for a pound" situation.
I picked up a Forsa 280mm rear shock (part # 169-208) to replace the stock unit. The original was showing signs of asymmetric wear, which had me wondering if it had gotten bent one of the times that the scoot was dumped. I've read good things about the Forsa unit, so hopefully it works well in this application too.
The variator and fixed driving sheave looked good initially, but upon closer inspection, they have wear ridges on their faces. The belt showed a bit of fraying on the edges from running in high-range so often.
I'm going to add a fixed sheave to my Genuine parts order. I'm also considering getting the NCY rear sheave, as it has multiple ramp profiles and would make for better downshifting and acceleration out of corners. I'm already looking at two more weeks for parts, so this feels like an "in for a penny, in for a pound" situation.
I picked up a Forsa 280mm rear shock (part # 169-208) to replace the stock unit. The original was showing signs of asymmetric wear, which had me wondering if it had gotten bent one of the times that the scoot was dumped. I've read good things about the Forsa unit, so hopefully it works well in this application too.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Currently waiting on parts from ScooterLounge and NCY Store. Hoping to pick back up with this next week.
Genuine doesn't sell to intake O-ring separately from the manifold. Measurements say it's a 27mm x 2mm O-ring, so I'll be sourcing that separately.
Here's that fancy rear shock. Wish I had options for the front fork still.
Genuine doesn't sell to intake O-ring separately from the manifold. Measurements say it's a 27mm x 2mm O-ring, so I'll be sourcing that separately.
Here's that fancy rear shock. Wish I had options for the front fork still.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Parts came in earlier in the week, but work and personal commitments had me tied up until this evening. Back to the Buddy!
First task was to pull the camshaft support and install new rocker arms. I needed a 5mm bolt to remove the rocker shafts. The exhaust side required a bit more effort to extract; I ended up chucking it up in the drill and polishing it with 1000-grit paper before fitting the new rocker arm. Once the new rockers were fitted and coated with assembly lube, I refitted the cam support and torqued the head bolts to spec. The valves were set to .08 mm (.003 in) and the cam tensioner was temporarily fitted. I rolled the engine over a few times to check for any tight spots or binding. Thankfully, everything moved smoothly.
I'm missing two bits still: the intake O-ring and a timing chain tensioner gasket. The gasket for the Buddy 125 and the 150 are not the same. The 125 gasket looks more like a Honda-style part, while the 150 gasket looks like a standard GY6 part.
I put a new seal on the valve cover and reinstalled it. Installed new intake and exhaust studs too.
The 14/39 gears I bought will not work in a Buddy. The toothed sections are too wide, though the rest of the features appear to be dimensionally similar. The Buddy rear axle spline is larger in diameter that a standard GY6 shaft too; more research is in order if I want an upgear. I suspect it is more like the final drive of my Kymco Yager than a garden-variety GY6. Since I was in there, I cleaned the gearbox out and fitted a fresh gasket.
I'll work on building the CVT up tomorrow evening after my other obligations.
Pics, of course:
First task was to pull the camshaft support and install new rocker arms. I needed a 5mm bolt to remove the rocker shafts. The exhaust side required a bit more effort to extract; I ended up chucking it up in the drill and polishing it with 1000-grit paper before fitting the new rocker arm. Once the new rockers were fitted and coated with assembly lube, I refitted the cam support and torqued the head bolts to spec. The valves were set to .08 mm (.003 in) and the cam tensioner was temporarily fitted. I rolled the engine over a few times to check for any tight spots or binding. Thankfully, everything moved smoothly.
I'm missing two bits still: the intake O-ring and a timing chain tensioner gasket. The gasket for the Buddy 125 and the 150 are not the same. The 125 gasket looks more like a Honda-style part, while the 150 gasket looks like a standard GY6 part.
I put a new seal on the valve cover and reinstalled it. Installed new intake and exhaust studs too.
The 14/39 gears I bought will not work in a Buddy. The toothed sections are too wide, though the rest of the features appear to be dimensionally similar. The Buddy rear axle spline is larger in diameter that a standard GY6 shaft too; more research is in order if I want an upgear. I suspect it is more like the final drive of my Kymco Yager than a garden-variety GY6. Since I was in there, I cleaned the gearbox out and fitted a fresh gasket.
I'll work on building the CVT up tomorrow evening after my other obligations.
Pics, of course:
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Had time to work on the Buddy last night, so I got these items done:
- Torqued the final drive housing bolts to spec.
- Unpacked the NCY secondary sheave and set it up to use the more aggressive ramps.
- Installed the Polini clutch and blue torque spring on the NCY sheave. Left the clutch settings at factory 4500RPM engagement for now.
- Lubricated and assembled the Polini Maxi Speed variator.
- Installed the variator and driven sheave assembly with a fresh Bando belt and a new PGO fixed drive sheave,
- Installed the Polini Maxi Speed clutch bell, pushed the belt down the ensure it wasn't binding the variator and torqued both bolts to spec.
- Checked the CVT cover fit, cleaned up the guide pins and the kickstart shaft.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
The gaskets and seals may arrive tomorrow. They shipped from the St. Louis area last Tuesday and are taking the scenic route here. Now the wait will be for a replacement fan. A friend brought his two St. Tropez down for help today and one needed a fan replacement. Oddly, a crankcase bolt had worked loose and dabbed into the fan. I straightened the bolt with soft jaws and a shot mallet before reinstalling with Loctite 222. Wasn't going to start pulling my case bolts for that!
Flywheel is still waiting for machining and balancing. I'll just load the engine back in the scoot for now and swap it out later.
The second St. Tropez is staying over this week while I work out a few bugs. Only 2400 miles on the clock and it needed a carb rebuild, fuel system cleaning, new tap and new filter. Air box was full of baby walnuts, so some squirrel up in Phoenix is probably quite distressed about now. Biggest bummer was that the accelerator pump arm was snapped off. Subbed in my refurbed Pamplona 24mm carb, but the scoot is sluggish and struggles to hit 50. The rear sheave was sticking due to dried lubricant. Probably going to do some mild mods to the CVT during rebuild and give the carb a more critical look over.
Can't wait to hand it back faster, and then pit the Pamplona against it.
Flywheel is still waiting for machining and balancing. I'll just load the engine back in the scoot for now and swap it out later.
The second St. Tropez is staying over this week while I work out a few bugs. Only 2400 miles on the clock and it needed a carb rebuild, fuel system cleaning, new tap and new filter. Air box was full of baby walnuts, so some squirrel up in Phoenix is probably quite distressed about now. Biggest bummer was that the accelerator pump arm was snapped off. Subbed in my refurbed Pamplona 24mm carb, but the scoot is sluggish and struggles to hit 50. The rear sheave was sticking due to dried lubricant. Probably going to do some mild mods to the CVT during rebuild and give the carb a more critical look over.
Can't wait to hand it back faster, and then pit the Pamplona against it.

At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
- az_slynch
- Member
- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Second St. Tropez was sorted over lunchtime today. Did a budget CVT tune, with a NCY sliding sheave($37), black 1000RPM NCY torque spring ($15) and a set of 10gr NCY rollers ($20). Takeoff is much improved. I may need to tweak the accelerator pump arm a touch, but the scoot really scoots now!
Spent some time yesterday getting the cooling shrouds onto the new top end. The NCY head has an EGR casting that is unused, which doesn't align with the lower cooling shroud at all. I wound up using a pair of flush cuts and the hobby saw to trim the cowling to fit. Larger air gaps than I'd like, so I'll look into sealing solutions. Next time, I'd get a shroud that allows for that EGR boss, or grind it off so the PGO cowl fits.
Loaded the engine back in the chassis this afternoon. Slotting the engine back into the mounting bracket required a bit of fettling with a breaker bar. The rubber mount on the CVT side has been peened into position, so any adjustment would have to happen on the stator side mount.
Mounted the Forsa shock and the intake manifold. The isolator spacer and the gasket have a smaller opening than the head. This might need to be opened up later or I need to find a more open manifold.
Tomorrow, I'm going to test the modded keyswitch on the Buddy 170i, the get right back on this project. I still need to install the oil cooler, install the wheels and muffler, install the correct jets in the carb (pending arrival), fit the carb and air box, fill the engine and gearbox oil, reinstall the battery and fuel it up.
So close to first start! Then the fine tuning begins!
Spent some time yesterday getting the cooling shrouds onto the new top end. The NCY head has an EGR casting that is unused, which doesn't align with the lower cooling shroud at all. I wound up using a pair of flush cuts and the hobby saw to trim the cowling to fit. Larger air gaps than I'd like, so I'll look into sealing solutions. Next time, I'd get a shroud that allows for that EGR boss, or grind it off so the PGO cowl fits.
Loaded the engine back in the chassis this afternoon. Slotting the engine back into the mounting bracket required a bit of fettling with a breaker bar. The rubber mount on the CVT side has been peened into position, so any adjustment would have to happen on the stator side mount.
Mounted the Forsa shock and the intake manifold. The isolator spacer and the gasket have a smaller opening than the head. This might need to be opened up later or I need to find a more open manifold.
Tomorrow, I'm going to test the modded keyswitch on the Buddy 170i, the get right back on this project. I still need to install the oil cooler, install the wheels and muffler, install the correct jets in the carb (pending arrival), fit the carb and air box, fill the engine and gearbox oil, reinstall the battery and fuel it up.
So close to first start! Then the fine tuning begins!
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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- Location: Norfolk VA
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
All this tuning talk made me send az-slynch a PM! Looking fast by the way!
- az_slynch
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- Posts: 1892
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:56 pm
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Buddy 150 Power Up
Jets arrived this morning. I would have been annoyed about the delay, but I think it helped.
When I fitted the intake manifold, I commented that the intake gasket and spacer were smaller than the port on the cylinder head. Thinking about the problem a bit more, I suspected this could cause a performance issue if the inner diameter of the manifold was smaller in diameter than the carburetor venturi. I took some measurements and found the port diameter in the head was 28mm, vs 24mm for the stock manifold.
I did some parts hunting and ordered a 28mm intake manifold without the EGR connection. I also sourced a couple of gasket and spacer kits with a 28mm bore diameter. While the carb venturi is only 26mm, it should meter fuel more efficiently and offer improved throttle response. Those parts will arrive on Thursday.
I want to fire it up, but I'm also grateful to be slowed down. It's helping me catch those little details that will help me net the best outcome.
When I fitted the intake manifold, I commented that the intake gasket and spacer were smaller than the port on the cylinder head. Thinking about the problem a bit more, I suspected this could cause a performance issue if the inner diameter of the manifold was smaller in diameter than the carburetor venturi. I took some measurements and found the port diameter in the head was 28mm, vs 24mm for the stock manifold.
I did some parts hunting and ordered a 28mm intake manifold without the EGR connection. I also sourced a couple of gasket and spacer kits with a 28mm bore diameter. While the carb venturi is only 26mm, it should meter fuel more efficiently and offer improved throttle response. Those parts will arrive on Thursday.
I want to fire it up, but I'm also grateful to be slowed down. It's helping me catch those little details that will help me net the best outcome.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
Seriously...I've lost count...
Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...