Modern Buddy

I was on my way home last night and the scooter died a couple times. Then it started sounding very rough so I walked it the rest of the way home.

Checked it this morning, and there was no oil at all. Checked the filter, and sure enough, it was loose.

So, I tightened it back up, filled up the oil, and now it won't start. I cant even get the kick start to budge.

Did the engine seize, and now I'm screwed? Seems that way. Any ideas?

Nobody is going to want to say it...but it has to be done.

Yeah...you're screwed.

sorry to hear about another filter twist off. It's not really a "traditional" 2T seize, basically the motor is probably shot, especially the bearings.

How much would a new engine/rebuild run me? I do live relatively close to Scooterworks Chicago.

Should I just sell it off as-is and get a new one?

Uggghhh I had some scooting planned for the long weekend!

OK, I did get the kick start to move. It kinda squeaks a bit. Is there any way I can get oil into the engine to see if I can get things moving??

at best the top end is done.. at worse entire engine.. they are pricy

where in the country are you ?

squeeks....running rough...NO OIL...

I am with Buddyraton...its not good news, but " SHe's dead Jim"

Look into either a rebuild or see if you can find a good engine out of a crashed buddy.

You can give it a shot...but the motor is probably toast. If it was me I would be looking for a wrecked Buddy with a good motor and do a transplant.

yeah it's dead or dying.
If it did run, it wont for long, that squeaking sound
is your bearings dying. a new 50cc engine is around 500 to 600 dollars. prolly cheaper to have yours rebuilt.

I have a 125.... Any idea how much a rebuild would run me at Scooterworks Chicago?

Man, what a bummer. Only 1500 miles and my 2 year warranty was up in April.

Usually a rebuild done at a shop is not worth the money because of shop labor.

a 125 rebuild just on parts.. assuming a lot. parts would be around 400 and the labor to pull the motor and reinstall it I would guess would be around 600

I have no idea for sure though.. only one way to find out is to call them.

Also the warranty would not cover if the oil filter was not installed correctly.. Who did the last oil change?

Yeah, I did the last change 2 weeks ago. Checked everything within the last few days and it was all good.

Since I don't have a garage to work in, I'm kinda limited to taking it somewhere.

Does anyone know of a place in Chicago that could be a little cheaper?

I would call scooterworks and see what they would actually charge..

Well I got it running! Stuck it on the charger for a while and she started up after some coaxing.

However it is knocking pretty bad. I think I will get it to the shop asap and get it fixed!

Thanks for the help!!!

Don't run it. You don't want to damage the cases. It will need a full tear down to inspect for damage. You could park and wait for a good used engine to pop up. I've seen them for $175 and up. A rebuild won't be cheap but you should be able to get it going for 600-1000$.

Question for the OP or anyone who might have any thoughts on the matter...What kind of riding would you have to be doing for an engine to seize after only 1500 miles? OP said he had just changed the oil (or added oil or something) two weeks prior to the seizing. Why would a well maintained, somewhat newish bike need a rebuild quite so soon?

I'm new to PTWs and would like to know what kind of thing could kill a bike like that.

Thanks all!

My oil filter worked itself loose and I was leaking oil. So, running the engine empty caused it to lock up/die.

Oh, okay good to know. I'm sorry that happened to you. Also, I don't mean to subject you to a post-mortem, but were there any clues around that your filter was busted? I'd like to know what to look out for in case it happens on my Buddy.

It's OK, I've had worse happen in my life, my scooter isn't going to bring me down. Just make sure the filter is tight!

Yeah, although your purpose in life is not to serve as a warning to others, it's important that the do-it-yourselfer torques that filter properly. Even if youre used to changing filters on your car, that round, donut-profile rubber washer needs more torque to compress and seal than a similar car filter with its flat-profile washer. 14 lb-ft.

Of course, I just let my shop do an oil + filter change while I had it in for tires, so now I'm a little hinky and watching for drips.

sfchorus wrote:Oh, okay good to know. I'm sorry that happened to you. Also, I don't mean to subject you to a post-mortem, but were there any clues around that your filter was busted? I'd like to know what to look out for in case it happens on my Buddy.

Buddy oil filters require more torque than most. Most of the time it is let the gasket touch and then a quarter turn or so. With a Buddy it is more like two full turns after the gasket touches. (12 ft/lbs)

viewtopic.php?t=23513&highlight=filter+torque

I installed a highflow brand filter that had two gaskets on it. Eventually one of the gaskets deformed and started leaking severely. It sprayed the rear tire with oil. Which made for some interesting handling.