Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Save Your Scooter Repair Money - How To Do Your Own Oil Change

Changing the oil in our Chinese scooters is vital in ensuring its proper functioning. Most of us have the tendency to ignore this and as a result end up burning-up our engines. When changing oil, we do not need to go to a mechanic.. Why spend money for labor when we can change the oil ourselves?

Before proceeding with the oil change, let’s make sure we have everything we ned. We will need a socket set or adjustable wrench, and an oil collection pan or mini container with a wide mouth (a cut-in-half open milk-carton works great). Of course, we will need oil; we can use any type oil except 30 weight – use 10/40, 15/50 or any combination of a 10-15/40-50 weight – just don’t use a 30 weight.

To begin the scooter oil change, put the scooter on the back stands so the scooter is level. Look for the larger bolt under the scooter below the engine. When you remove this large bolt, have your container ready to catch the oil. Once the bolt/cap come off, let it simply drop into the container, as the spring and oil screen are also going to come out. Let it all fall into the container. Once the oil has stopped draining, remove the bolt, spring and oil screen and clean them off. Rinse the oil screen and hand dry.

Inspect the oil to see if it has a milky color. This would mean that there is water leaking in other parts of the scooter and should be taken to a mechanic to reseal the gearbox. Otherwise, replace the oil screen, the spring and the bolt to the bottom of the scooter.

A caution about adding oil: Don’t add too much oil. We have had just as many burnt engines come to our repair shop due to people adding too much oil instead of not having enough oil.

Start adding the oil. After you pour in some oil, stop and let the oil drain into the bottom for about 15 seconds before measuring. When measuring oil, the dip stick does NOT need to be screwed in. Simply stick it in as far as possible without screwing it back into the oil spout and pull it out to see how much oil is on the stick. Once the oil level is half way it is ok to stop adding oil. A good tip is to start the scooter, let it run for 1-2 minutes, shut it off and wait about 2 minutes. Then recheck the dip stick to see the oil level.

If you are a visual learner, there are videos on the internet that show us step by step how to complete and oil change. A good place to go is www.scooterstock.com. They have several videos on diy scooter repair. They even have an online chat if we have any questions.



About The Author:
Mark Kemp is the Chinese Scooter Parts Manager at Scooter Stock L.L.C. and the Service manager at our local repair shop at EnduranceScooters.com L.L.C., located in Orem Utah.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Fuse Problems & Solutions for Chinese / Korean / Taiwan Gas Motor Scooters

Many of us have scooter that have starting or stalling-out problems. For some of us, it’s the whole fuse setup that is causing our problems, and here are the top 3 solutions.

There is a small fuse box next to the battery on the main red battery cable. There is a fuse inside that white plastic housing. It also has an extra replacement fuse in most of these scooters. This is one of the least expensive gas scooter parts.

When our scooters don’t start or start to stall on us, we check the fuse first in our repair shop; so I suggest everyone try that step as well. I have had a few cases that the fuse looks fine, but we replaced it anyways with the extra fuse, and the scooter started right up. First of all, realize that might be one solution; but here is another unknown problem and solution we might not know that is happening at the same time:

We’ve replaced the fuse and the scooter starts up, so we think we solved the problem, when actually we didn’t. What we didn’t know is that the fuse that was already in there, was working just fine. The new fuse worked because we worked with the fuse holder replacing the fuse, not realizing the problem was the fuse holder. By simply playing with it, it made contact again and the scooter started. Sometimes these plastic cases melt and can cause a short.

The fuse box connectors in these scooters are very cheap. I recommend replacing the holder unit with a more heavy duty unit if you suspect anything, including the connectors. This is a very faulty gas scooter part and is easily replaced with a higher quality unit we can count on to work and not short out.

Mark Kemp is the Chinese Scooter Parts Manager at Scooter Stock L.L.C. and the Service manager at our local repair shop at EnduranceScooters.com L.L.C., located in Orem Utah. He is our resident expert on Chinese Gas Motor Scooter Parts.

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Struggling Getting Your Chinese Scooter Parts From Manufacturers?

When it comes to parts and accessories for scooters, people will always trust established names in the industry such as Vespa, Yamaha and Honda. If you have a tight budget, Chinese scooters can be an excellent alternative. However, one of the major issues that will confront you is accessibility to spare parts as well as services. Fortunately, this issue has been resolved recently with the immense improvement in Chinese scooter parts.

Some Chinese scooter suppliers have shown inconsistencies with the selection of their parts. Within the same model, the accessibility of Chinese scooter parts can still vary. Even if you provide the model and year, you may still end up getting a different product. To remedy this, it would be helpful to provide digital pictures of the part you are requesting online.

The problem with some Chinese scooter parts is that they do not carry the products they are selling. Their website is, however, designed to facilitate the search for parts for your Chinese scooter. You can even get in touch with the company if the part you are looking for is not among those in the pictures available in the website. As Chinese scooters share similar parts, determining the parts for your scooter will be much easier.

Most of the Chinese, Korean and Taiwan scooter manufacturers don’t sell parts to the public, they only sell to resellers who buy in huge bulk purchases, like www.scooterstock.com. For most of us, simply buying from a reseller is the fastest way to get the parts we need. An extra advantage of using a reseller like scooterstock, is they offer a free online chat to discuss what parts(s) you need, making sure you’ve ordered the correct parts.


Mark Kemp is the Parts Manager for http://www.scooterstock.com in Orem, Utah. They specialize in Chinese Scooter Parts and High Performance Upgrades for most Chinese Brands. They have a Bounty- Hunter program; meaning they specialize in finding the hard-to-find parts, especially body parts for out-of-business Scooter Companies.


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Scooter Battery keeps dying? Another Unknown Problem The Scooter Dealer Never Told Us

What most of us don’t know, is that the ‘kill switch’ continues to drain our batteries, it’s like an “ON” switch. The problem is all of us leave the kill switch ‘on’, even when the scooter isn’t running; and that is draining our batteries. What no one told us, is that we need to shut it off each time we walk away from our scooters. We all assume that if our scooter starts right up again, the battery must be fully charged, but that simply isn’t true. So the secret is to shut off the kill switch every time we turn off the scooter and take out the key.

The other big secret is no one ever told us that Scooters are not like cars. Scooters don’t recharge the batteries on their own. When our car is dead, we give each other a jump. We let it run for 20 minutes and it recharges the battery – all is well. What we have all assumed is that Scooters are the same way, but they are not. If we have a half charged battery, it remains half charged for about 3 months, then it just dies one day. Then we are all off to the Scooter repair shop to buy our 2nd or 3rd battery for the year. Frustrating, isn’t it?

Want the solution? It’s easy, just shut off the kill switch. So simply tell yourself when you stop your scooter, we have to do TWO things, not one. We have to remove the key AND turn off the kill switch. That will shut off the battery and stop the slow draining that continues to haunt all of us.

Happy Scootering.

Mark Kemp

Mark Kemp is the Parts Manager for Scooter Parts in Orem, Utah. They specialize in Chinese Scooter Parts and High Performance Upgrades for most Chinese Brands. They have a Bounty- Hunter program; meaning they specialize in finding the hard-to-find parts, especially body parts for out-of-business Scooter Companies.

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Mission Impossible: Finding Chinese Scooter Parts For Our Scooters

Chinese scooters have become popular nowadays because they are less expensive than other established scooter brands such as Vespa, Yamaha and Honda. The only drawback in owning mopeds is the unavailability of Chinese scooter parts. In most cases, the components are located elsewhere and moving from one place to another just to have your scooter fixed can be more costly.

However, sourcing Chinese scooter parts is not as difficult as it may seem if you know where to look. The truth of the matter is that you do not have to go through the difficulty of searching for parts as long as you practice proper maintenance on your Scooter. This means changing oil regularly, allowing your scooter to warm up before riding, conditioning your engine, to name just a few. It will also help a lot if you have knowledge of basic troubleshooting.

For the more advanced problems, there are generic scooter repair books which explain how to repair most Chinese, Korean and Taiwan Scooters. You can also get great ‘free’ advice from parts warehouses like www.scooterstock.com. They have a chat for customer to chat with mechanics about fixing your own scooter. If it is the first time you are working on your scooter, it will seem intimidating, but after one or two basic repairs, you will see how quickly and easily these scooters are to fix.

Also check out some of the other articles on the site about how to fix your own scooter, common problems and their solutions, how to winterize your scooter, what parts are the most common breakdowns and how to fix them. It won’t take but a few DIY (do it yourself) scooter repairs, and you’ll feel like a champion scooter mechanic.

Mark Kemp is the Parts Manager for Scooter Parts in Orem, Utah. They specialize in Chinese Scooter Parts and High Performance Upgrades for most Chinese Brands. They have a Bounty- Hunter program; meaning they specialize in finding the hard-to-find parts, especially body parts for out-of-business Scooter Companies.



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The Benefits of Buying Gas Scooter Parts Online – Mark’s “Interpersonal” Version

Planning to buy gas scooter parts? When we are, then going to a nearby shop is no longer necessary. These days it is already possible to shop for scooter parts without leaving the comforts of our home. Many scooter shops have set up their business on the Internet as well as provide helpful advice on how to take care of our scooters.

Not only will we find essential 49cc gas scooter parts but also components that will enhance the performance of our scooters. There is a wide range of chrome mufflers and high performance carburetors available online. Likewise, Internet scooter shops offer parts that require replacement such as tires, axle, wheel, and throttle, costing below 20 dollars. Majority of these sites provide us with a free owner's manual when we make an online purchase.

Making an online purchase of gas scooter parts is convenient and boasts of a wide range of selection. Aside from that, we will also have the benefit of receiving detailed instructions on how to install the ordered parts. Reputable motor scooter parts should have customer service departments so they can resolve any concerns we might have. Likewise, the prices are quite reasonable and will be lower than what is offered by regular stores.

Of course, we always have an option to buy from a local dealer but they do not offer similar choices of the Internet scooter shops. In addition, there are better deals online. If we are looking for one, www.scooterstock.com has the solution to your scooter parts need. They have videos and how-to articles that guide on correctly finding the parts that we need.

Mark Kemp is the Parts Manager for Scooter Parts in Orem, Utah. They specialize in Chinese Scooter Parts and High Performance Upgrades for most Chinese Brands. They have a Bounty- Hunter program; meaning they specialize in finding the hard-to-find parts, especially body parts for out-of-business Scooter Companies.

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Do you have Brand New Scooter Problems? - What They Don't Tell Us When We Buy a New Scooter!

It lost its zip, it's making funny noises, it doesn't have much power, it doesn't start easy, it just doesn't seem to be the same anymore. We all scratch our head and wonder, "What happened to my great little scooter and why is it falling apart already?"

It's because when we bought the scooter, no one told us the truths about these scooters, and what we need to do to still feel like we made a good purchase and enjoy this wonderful machine.

Here is what no one tells us:

  • These scooters did not come with the best oil from the factory.
  • The Spark Plug they put in at the factory costs .49 cents and is low quality.
  • The air intake system is too much for a one spark plug engine.
  • The brakes need to be adjusted within sixty days as we break-in our new scooter.
  • Replace these Chinese Scooter Parts and we’ll be good as gold.

Here is what the scooter shops should have recommended to you:

  • Replace the engine oil within 300-500 miles (then every 2000 miles is fine).
  • Replace the Spark Plug before you drive it home in the first place with an NGK High Performance Spark Plug.
  • Take off the whole air-intake system and replace it with a UNI racing Air Filter.
  • Adjust the brakes at thirty and sixty days.

These are very easy steps for anyone to do, and once completed, they solve 90% of the basic concerns/problems new scooters might have.

If you are intimidated in the least bit by completing these tasks, hire your local repair shop to do them. If you haven't purchased a scooter yet, require the Company that is selling you the scooter to provide these services as part of the purchase. All of these tasks should take less than one hour and the costs should be less than $50 to $100. Then you'll have a scooter that will last 2000 miles before needing any other service, you won't have buyer's remorse, and you'll enjoy your purchase and the open road with a smile on your face, all the while getting almost 100 miles per gallon.

Happy Riding,



Mark Kemp is the Parts Manager of www.scooterstock.com and the Service manager at our local repair shop at www.endurancescooters.com, located in Orem Utah. He is our resident expert on Chinese Gas Motor Scooter Parts.

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Own A Scooter? Save Hundreds - Be Your Own Scooter Mechanic.

Scooters are a fun, cost-effective way to get from point A to point B. But the more miles we log, the greater chance ours will need to be repaired — a reality that can end up costing us hundreds of dollars in repair bills with every visit to the mechanic. The good news is that there is an abundance of high-quality scooter performance parts available today making do-it-yourself repairs an easy and, most importantly, an affordable option.

Identifying the Problem is Key

The better we know our scooters and understand how it works, the better we’ll be able to find the right scooter performance parts and fix it ourself. The best investment a scooter owner can make it is to buy a DIY repair manual that helps us better understand how our scooter runs and how to troubleshoot any performance issues. A good place for a selection of DIY Scooter Repair Manuals is www.ScooterStock.com

Knowledge is Power

The first step is to be able to identify the problem. But where to start? Any scooter lover can usually tell right away if his or her ride is sluggish and not running with the pep and zip it usually has. Perhaps it’s making a loud, screeching sound when you turn the ignition. Or worse yet, maybe it’s not starting at all.

Here is a quick list of a number of common ailments and problem areas that are typically the best places to start:

• Low or dead battery
• Engine flooding
• Drive Belt
• Brakes
• Electrical System
• Ignition malfunction

Anyone Can Become Their Own Mechanic

Once we understand the basics of how our scooter operates, the rest of the job is relatively easy. With just a few common household tools, we can typically replace the scooter performance parts in a short period of time. If we can turn a screw or operate a socket wrench, we’ve got all of the “technical” skills we need to effectively repair our ride.

Get the Right Part for the Job

Typically what seems to be a major problem with your scooter can be easily fixed with relatively inexpensive scooter performance parts. But it’s essential that we don’t skip on quality. Make sure to purchase our scooter performance parts from a trusted retailer. It can make all the difference between performing a quick fix that only lasts a few days or one that lasts for many miles down the road.

We suggest having a few extra parts on hand so we can replace a part when our scooters need repairs to get back on the road quickly. Here is a list of the most common parts we should have in stock:

· Engine Oil

· Gear Oil (Transmission Oil)

· Spark Plug (get an NKG)

· CDI (Scooter Brain)

· Drive Belt

· American Made Fuel/Air Hose (5 feet)

· Hose Clamps

· 2 Amp Battery Charger

All of these parts can be ordered for less than $100 and we’ll be able to repair our scooters in minutes and get back on the road again.

Happy Scootering.

Mark Kemp is the Gas Scooter Parts Manager at Scooter Stock L.L.C.

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Thursday, September 3, 2009

Scooter Battery keeps dying? Another Unknown Problem The Scooter Dealer Never Told Us

Here is a little unknown secret:

What most of us don’t know, is that the ‘kill switch’ continues to drain our batteries, it’s like an “ON” switch. The problem is all of us leave the kill switch ‘on’, even when the scooter isn’t running; and that is draining our batteries. What no one told us, is that we need to shut it off each time we walk away from our scooters. We all assume that if our scooter starts right up again, the battery must be fully charged, but that simply isn’t true. So the secret is to shut off the kill switch every time we turn off the scooter and take out the key.


The other big secret is no one ever told us that Scooters are not like cars. Scooters don’t recharge the batteries on their own. When our car is dead, we give each other a jump. We let it run for 20 minutes and it recharges the battery – all is well. What we have all assumed is that Scooters are the same way, but they are not. If we have a half charged battery, it remains half charged for about 3 months, then it just dies one day. Then we are all off to the Scooter repair shop to buy our 2nd or 3rd battery for the year. Frustrating, isn’t it?


Want the solution? It’s easy, just shut off the kill switch. So simply tell yourself when you stop your scooter, we have to do TWO things, not one. We have to remove the key AND turn off the kill switch. That will shut off the battery and stop the slow draining that continues to haunt all of us.

Happy Scootering.

Read more...

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