2008 Stella - gears aren't engaging right away sometimes...

[agedmachine]

Greetings - I'm fairly new to owning a scooter, and I apparently decided to dive right in with a manual 2T Stella.

It's been pretty solid, if a little sensitive starting out - but the other day I was out and, when shifting to 2nd / 3rd, I'd let out the clutch and nothing would happen, rev the motor, nothing -- then suddenly, a second or two later, 'click' - it latches back to life again -- after an embarrassing mid-intersection left turn incident.

Where do I start? It didn't happen every time, seemed entirely unpredictable, but had the issue a few times while I was out, maybe 45 minutes riding time total.

The clutch handle doesn't feel loose or anything...

Thanks for any suggestions. I'm not much of a mechanic...

[RoaringTodd]

Welcome to Stella ownership. That is one of the quaint quirks of the Stella. Totally antiquated.

That happens to me from time to time when the gears don't quite line up, you shift, clunk.... pow! take off!

You'll get used to it eventually. Doesn't happen to me much.

[Stitch]

Kinda sounds like the cruciform is worn out/broken.

[BuddyRaton]

Could be a worh cruciform. How many miles. There are other things I would check first before splitting the cases.

First check the cables down by the selector box. If they are a little loose you can tighten with the adjustors. Don't get them too tight...pretty much a tight but not strained feel.

Keep us updated

[agedmachine]

This one has about 6650 miles on it - I've only personally put on about 10, so far. I'll check the cables... weather hasn't been cooperating.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[agedmachine]

I am no mechanic. I was having trouble with Stella not engaging when shifting and attempted to adjust cables, but I seem to have just made it worse. Now it won't go more than about halfway from 2nd to 3rd, even with the handle seeming to be all the way in or beyond the 4th gear position.

Nothing I do seems to help. The handle travels all the way but the gears don't, and the N isn't lighting up when in neutral.

The adjustment nut outside the gearbox(?) just spins, doesn't seem to loosen or tighten. I have tried pulling on the cables and tightening, but it seems to make no difference. Maybe I am not adjusting the right cable.

I am such a n00b I can't tell you where the cable from the clutch handle goes to and how it relates to the two in the gearbox. Probably should have gotten an automatic.

Help!! I know this is probably basic as hell but I am not so mechanically inclined.

[Dooglas]

This is why God gave us P-town Scooters. I'd suggest you let them check the scooter over and make what adjustments or repairs are needed to make the scooter safe and fun to ride. That gives you a far better baseline to do your own basic maintenance and adjustments from there.

[agedmachine]

So I got the screw and gasket I needed, but the thing just isn't cooperating.
It also seems 'stuck' in a gear or something, as far as I can tell, and I can't seem to get it out.

The rod that seems to be what switches gears inside was out quite a bit when I first took it apart, but now it's retreated inward and I can't get it to move out further than it currently is, with or without the clutch pulled in.

I'm fed up with trying to fix it myself - but I don't have a trailer, a truck, or anything capable of pulling a trailer to move it - so, more expense to rent something to transport it with, to someone who knows what they're doing.
This sure sounded fun in the beginning.

[Stitch]

Pull the clutch in to get that rod to release. You might have the turn the rear wheel forward and backward. You might need a second set of hands.

The shift cables- one pulls it counter clockwise, one pulls it clockwise. Get the shift bar moved so the scoot is in neutral. Use second set of hands to keep the shift handle gear indicator to neutral (line the dot up halfway between one and 2). Pull the cables snug and lightly tighten them down. Check for free play on the shift handle. Alternate snugging the cables down until it feels right. Reassemble- go for a ride.

[agedmachine]

Helpful info, thank you! Didn't think to move the scooter back and forth once I had it all apart...

[agedmachine]

Just a follow-up, she's with P-Town scooters, getting a minor overhaul - apparently everything was pretty worn out inside and it's all being redone... so hopefully soon, I'll get to go for a ride

[NCJ8]

I wanted to follow up on this thread since I've been having shifter issues with my new-to-me Stella as well (which I am loving so far). Mine has only 900 miles, so I'm guessing my problems aren't the same as agedmachine's.

I realize that the cables are stretching as the machine gets broken in, I'm simply having trouble getting the cable adjustments right: too loose and it misses 2nd gear sometimes; too tight and it goes into second but occasionally pops out into neutral. I've only been adjusting the cable closest to the outside, which I believe is the "up-shift" cable, but should I be adjusting both equally, even though I'm not having issues downshifting? Any advice is appreciated.

Also, while I'm at it, how often do folks have to adjust their gear cables once the bike is broken in? Is this a perennial issue, or mainly one for newer scoots?