New Stella 2T

harmcity · Post by **harmcity** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:41 am

I just picked up a 2008 Stella 2T, it had never been titled it was a demo bike with only 700 miles.. This is my first shifter scooter. I have two other Vespas a 2001 ET4 and a 2005 ET4. This is a lot different from the twist and gos. I definitely have to get used to it. Is there anything that i should know about the 2008 model?

Watch out Baltimore, here I come.

fisher1 · Post by **fisher1** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 3:11 pm

The kill switch can sometimes short and leave you stranded if it gets wet ..... can be disconnected under the horncast by simply disconnecting the green wire's connector.

http://www.scootercentral.net/forums/vi ... ct#p174939

harmcity · Post by **harmcity** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:00 pm

fisher1 wrote:The kill switch can sometimes short and leave you stranded if it gets wet ..... can be disconnected under the horncast by simply disconnecting the green wire's connector.

http://www.scootercentral.net/forums/vi ... ct#p174939

Thanks Fisher. The Previous owner disconnected it shortly after he uncrated it.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:08 pm

On my 08.... the bracket that holds the coil to the engine broke on mine... causing the coil to dangle and loss of spark.
If your bike ever just dies, pull off your engine cowl and follow your spark plug wire back to the coil and see if it's loose from it's mount.
I just had mine re-welded back...
and a few others on the forums had theirs break too on their 08's.
good luck and have fun with your scooter!!!

ps.. your bike looks good... scrub up those white walls!!!!!!

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:29 am

jimmbomb wrote:On my 08.... the bracket that holds the coil to the engine broke on mine... causing the coil to dangle and loss of spark.
If your bike ever just dies, pull off your engine cowl and follow your spark plug wire back to the coil and see if it's loose from it's mount.
I just had mine re-welded back...
and a few others on the forums had theirs break too on their 08's.
good luck and have fun with your scooter!!!

ps.. your bike looks good... scrub up those white walls!!!!!!

I had mine break while riding two up from Baltimore to Richmond.

Some incredibly kind engineer stopped and fixed it with a pipe bracket and a rock, rode strong like that for over 600 miles!

After that I had my shop drill the body and install it directly onto it to avoid future breakage.

RoaringTodd · Post by **RoaringTodd** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 10:42 am

Is that the one from CL? I had been eye-balling that one. Good steal!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 12:30 pm

No advice...but I really like that color...congrats on the new wheels!

harmcity · Post by **harmcity** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:09 pm

RoaringTodd wrote:Is that the one from CL? I had been eye-balling that one. Good steal!

Yeah I couldn't pass it up. And the seller was really nice. The Silver 2005 on CL in DC is not bad either, and the seller is really motivated.

harmcity · Post by **harmcity** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:29 pm

Lokky wrote:
jimmbomb wrote:On my 08.... the bracket that holds the coil to the engine broke on mine... causing the coil to dangle and loss of spark.
If your bike ever just dies, pull off your engine cowl and follow your spark plug wire back to the coil and see if it's loose from it's mount.
I just had mine re-welded back...
and a few others on the forums had theirs break too on their 08's.
good luck and have fun with your scooter!!!

ps.. your bike looks good... scrub up those white walls!!!!!!
I had mine break while riding two up from Baltimore to Richmond.

Some incredibly kind engineer stopped and fixed it with a pipe bracket and a rock, rode strong like that for over 600 miles!

After that I had my shop drill the body and install it directly onto it to avoid future breakage.

Thanks I will check that out and fab something if it looks fishy. And Jimm scrubing those whitewalls was the first thing I did when I got her home.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 10:28 pm

I would check the tires for any dry rot cracks...if they are original they are getting a bit old.

kmrcstintn · Post by **kmrcstintn** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:13 pm

I went through several months of trips back to the shop for small repairs when I first got my '09 Stella 2T last September; from what I remember here's what they've done:

fixes on mine: bypassed the killswitch which caused 3 separate electrical issues; replaced the 8 amp fuse near the battery with a slow-blow fuse; made a custom mount to move the ignition coil which was hitting my cowl and causing a short in the right turn signal; did something with the spark plug wire to keep the connector from coming loose (lack of spark to the plug);

preventative stuff (stuff they learned on other Stellas): carefully detangled and grouped wires (with wire ties) in handlebar/neck section to prevent pinching/crushing; replaced OEM oil line with more flexible & robust polyethylene tubing to prevent leaks; replaced front fender reflectors (which kept falling off from dried out adhesive) with ones that screw on; double check gaskets that deal with carbeurator/fuel intake/airbox to prevent leaks in the system;

small upcoming warranty issues: replace dry rotten gasket between airbox & airbox cover; replace dry rotting battery strap; replaced cracked cover that protects the bottom of the transmission (black cover with insulation lining that sits at bottom of transmission on right side of scooter)

so far that's it, but it's a long season until this September

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:26 pm

ha yeah..... Ive had 3 stellas.. 08, 09, 2010.... and the battery straps lasted all of 6 months.. rotted and broke.. be carefull,, your battery will lean out and short out on your cowl...replace it with some bungie cord...good luck

kmrcstintn · Post by **kmrcstintn** » Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:24 am

I'll have to remember the bungie cord idea...I was going to use cable ties if I couldn't get a new battery strap under warranty

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:20 am

Yes.. When all mine broke.. I lost 1 of the metal retainers.. So.. Made one out of a clothes hanger and then bungie cords in between.