November 3rd, 2007

Friday, November 3^rd, 2007

Attempted to install the parts received the day before, with the following results:

1. Temperature Sensor / Gauge sending unit. The sensor was a different size, and had a different type of connector on it. The new one had a male spade connection, and the old had a push-on, barrel connection. I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to chop off the old connector without splicing in the new female spade connector, or else I’d be screwed if the new sensor didn’t work right. While I was contemplating this, I decided to take a resistance measurement on the new and old sensors. When tested, the new sensor showed no impedance whatsoever. So I ran it under 110 degree tap water to heat it up, and tested again. Nothing. It was a complete “open” circuit. Once again, I decided to go against instinct, and to follow what they told me to do. I spliced in the female spade connector, installed the sensor, and moved on to the thermostat.
2. The thermostat was identical to the original one, or the one the dealer put in, whichever it was. I decided to put the new one in.
3. The radiator was, indeed, bigger than my original radiator. This is the only reason I bothered to go through with these repairs, hoping that this would somehow mysteriously fix the problem. However, this radiator had a few problems. The first was that the overflow pipe connection was 180 degrees from where the 2006 one was. This meant that hard right angle fittings would have to be used to ensure the hose didn’t kink. I was worried what might happen when I turned the handlebars, and didn’t want the hose to kink or interfere in some way with the wires for the front light, or the fork head. The second problem was that there was no temperature circuit to return to the fuel enricher sensor on the right hand side of the head. The only alternative I had during installation was to plug the original rubber hose, and plug the outlet pipe on the radiator, so I could start the thing up and see if anything changed. When I did this, I instantly got a substantial leak from some hose connection beneath the floorboards. It wasn’t so bad that I was in danger of losing much coolant, but I could see that the exercise would only be short-lived without modifying the aluminum radiator. I would only be able to see if the thing overheated; I couldn’t ride it that way.

Sure enough, the bike did the same thing. The temperature sender didn’t work at all- the gauge needle rested continuously on the bottom pin, showing no reading at all. Using a darkroom thermometer, I kept an eye on the coolant temp right at the radiator. It exceeded 160 degrees F when the bike was adequately warmed up.

The result was that I had to take the replacement radiator and air dam out, and replace it with the old again. I had to remove the faulty temp sensor/sender, and replace that with the old as well. I spent the weekend troubleshooting, and removing the stuff that wouldn’t work.

Detail as it was recorded:

I replaced the 2006 radiator (and rear sensor) with the 2007 radiator (with the new rear radiator sensor installed.) This was done on Thursday night. When I ran the bike, I couldn't keep it running because coolant was pouring out of the bottom shroud (or front of the engine- I don't know because I didn't have body panels off.) I figured I'd call Friday and find out what to do about the secondary hose since I figured this was the reason for the leak. I had it plugged with a rod just to try it out.

When I talked to the service manager on Friday, he told me that the dealer had another one that was fixed by doing all these changes except for the radiator repair. He wanted me to revert the radiator, change BOTH sensors to the new ones, change the thermostat, and try it out.

I did this last night, and the results pretty much speak for themselves. By the end of the night, I changed the temp sender back to the original one, and the gauge began working again.

I rode- for some crazy reason- in the 46 degree weather about ten miles. At first it didn't look like the gauge worked, because it was almost pegged at the low end. But after the first hill I found- coolant started blowing out again- and, of course, the temp went right up to about half of the white. I was taking it REAL easy, and it was cold as hell, but coolant still leaked out. I have no doubt that under normal riding conditions today, it'll blow all but 1/3 the radiator capacity out, it'll run at the lower end of the red zone, and would probably run this way for a few hundred kilometers until a warm day or a lot of hard riding was done. Then I'd worry, add more coolant, and this whole thing would start again.

Anyhow- here are the pics:

2006 (Original) Radiator removed from bike:


The 2007 Radiator was installed:


Detail of how secondary return hose was dealt with during trial run at idle:


Detail of the radiator cap and air dam interference with overflow tube. The clamps and elbows were required because the stock hose was not long enough, and the larger and better hose would kink without these "hard" turns:


I noticed a complete difference in both senders. The Originally installed version is on the left, and uses a push-on barrel connector. The replacement sender I received is on the right, and uses a spade connector.


Because of this difference, I took a resistance reading (at the same scale,) for BOTH senders. The original sender was tested...


The replacement sender was tested, and at NO setting was a reading able to be seen. The pic below shows the sensor at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, following a tap-water bath to see if any change in reading was noticeable. Still, the sensor read as an "open" circuit telling me that it was defective:


Regardless of my test, I trusted what the dealer said, and planned on installing the sensor anyway. Since the sender lead had to be modified to accept the new sensor, I planned it so that I could re-connect the old one if I had to. This way, if the dealer sends a second sensor, I can put it in place with very little trouble. I'm a fan of soldering connections, and where feasible, adding a crimp connector on top for strength. The following pic represents the "soldered" state of the leads:


This is the modification complete, with shrink tubing and a splice cover.


I took this pic to show I received the new thermostat, and that the old one is out:


I took this one to show that I replaced the thermostat since most of the labor is already done- there'd be no reason to not go through with the change!


Here is a shot of a darkroom thermometer, which unfortunately does not go up too high, but you can see that it's reading better than 165 degrees Fahrenheit.


This was a tricky shot to take by myself, but I managed to get the gauge in the picture at the same time while holding the thermometer. Bike was at idle during this shot.


Here is the differences between the 2006 and 2007 radiators.


A detail of why the 2007 won't work without a professional modification:


Here is a shot with the 2006 radiator RE-installed:

November 2nd, 2007

Thursday, November 2^nd, 2007

Received the radiator, temp gauge sender, temperature fan switch, and new thermostat- from the dealer.

October 27, 2007

Saturday, October 27th, 2007
Received the following email from the owner of the dealership:

No. So far they have not asked us to return defective products.........

[signature here]

October 25th, 2007

Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Received the following email from the owner of the dealership:

The thermostat and switch we installed are from the 07 model. After discussing the problem with QLINK yesterday, [the service manager] tells me they are just plain shipping everything it could possibly be now. All 2007 parts.

[dealership owner]

I sent the following in response to this email:

[dealership owner]

Ha! Ok, I've got the tools ready!

I'm assuming you need the radiator and other parts returned so you can send those back to QLink?

October 24th, 2007

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
Received the following email from the dealership's service manager:
[my name] I spoke with Qlink today the raditors are on there way I should see them any day.

Thanks [service manager]

Sent this in response to the email:
Thanks [service manager].

The thing seems like it is worse than before- it was overheating yesterday just sitting there at idle.

(Overheating or not- the temp gauge was below the red zone, but coolant was spilling out at idle.)

It used to be that it would ONLY do that when the throttle was rev ved. It could sit there all day before at idle- without the cap on- and it would hardly hit the red zone when the fan would come on. Then it would cool down to below the screw in the gauge face, then go off until it heated up again. I never had coolant spilling out before just sitting there.

I'll watch for the radiator. Was there another part of this modification? (Did QLink put a different fan, sensor, or mounting change in the 2007 models? Or will it be pretty much identical except for size?) I can mod any brackets needed, but if you know of any mounting difference let me know and I'll start hunting through the aluminum pile this week!

Thanks again!

October 19th, 2007

Monday, October 19th, 2007
Sent the following to [dealership owner]:
[dealership owner]
I received the radiator cap (on Wednesday I bet,) and put it on yesterday. The bike is still doing the same thing. I only had to add 3/4 of the 0.5 liters (I could figure this amount out...but it's late and I'm ready to roll!...) that I added last time to bring the radiator to the point of being full.

The next step was the / a bigger radiator?

I'm out of here for the weekend. If you need to get in touch with me, you can call me on the cell phone at any time of day. (Ringer is off if I'm in bed, so you can always leave a message.)

Oh- tell [the service manager] thanks for replacing the front fairing body panel clip. Mine dropped down into the fairing, rattling down to the underside where I'd have had to remove the whole lower section to get it out, when I took it off at one point. I found a generic body clip from back in the VW days and used that- but [the service manager] must have seen it and changed it out. Tell him thanks for that!

Have a good weekend if I don't talk to you!

October 18th, 2007

Wednesday, October 18^th

Received the radiator cap that should have been delivered the day I picked up my bike. Put the cap on, and the same things happened. This one was stamped with the CFMOTO logo, and “1.1”

When I opened the front fairing to gain access to the radiator, I just about fell over. The cap I had installed on the bike when it went to [the dealer] was marked "MEXICO" and 16psi. The cap I found returned FROM [the dealer] was marked "1.1" with the STANT logo on it.

This means that [the dealer] actually HAD tried another radiator cap!! Imagine- another cap was put on and tried. It didn't work. Do you THINK the mechanic could have tried another one? What do you think? He had as many different caps to try as they had bikes on the showroom floor- and there were plenty of those. So which is it? He only put one on? He tried more than one? In any case, I was lied to.

October 16th, 2007

Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
Received the following email from [the dealership owner]:

This is making me crazy! I had the bike out two days before you were here and it was overheating at extended idling and then settling down after riding at normal speeds. I don't understand it.
I was out for over half an hour with it last week. I realize it was still blowing coolant before you got here Friday and am very disappointed about that.

We have to return old parts to QLINK like we do with other vendors. We'll just have to keep plugging away at it. Will send cap when we get it.

[dealership owner]

October 15th, 2007

Monday, October 15th, 2007
Sent the following email to [dealership owner]:

[dealership owner]-
Further riding verifies the problem hasn't changed at all. One thing though- the fan does NOT cycle like before. It seems sporadic. Before it would cycle fine- needle would rise above face screw, fan would come on. Needle would drop below face screw to about 1/3 hot and fan would go off. Now it is lucky to run even when touching red zone.

Can you tell me what was done? If it was the temp sender, can I have the old one back? The temps I'm experiencing are no different according to the gauge than before, indicating there was no difference between the old and new senders. (I don't know if the sender controls the fan or just a signal to the gauge without looking at it further.) At this point the bike is more likely to heat up faster because the fan does not come on when it's supposed to. At least this is what I've observed. I'll let it cool down tonight to cold, then start it and see what the fan is doing that way.

Thanks again!

October 13th, 2007- I am now my own repairman.

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

Drove the two hour trip to [the dealership] to pick up the scooter. At this point I was told that the bike was running better but still "hotter than what [the dealership owner] was used to seeing." I was told that they were expecting a radiator cap to show up on this day, but would probably be in the afternoon. For this reason, I started up there a little later, hoping the cap would show while I was there.

I bought about $90 worth of accessory items, including an armored riding jacket and gloves, while waiting. I also took a walk around the showroom to look at the bikes in stock. [The maintenance manager] was steadfast in saying that the new radiator cap could fix the problem, and that I might have gotten a second defective cap when I bought my replacement locally. Because of this, I looked at the bikes in stock to see what radiator caps they used. Sure enough, they were the same 1.1 / 16psi cap that the Pegasus uses.

I knew right away I was getting the shaft from [the service manager], who stood there each time we talked, arms crossed, and defensive about his opinion. The way a normal dealership would have done this would have been to try another cap from stock, or from bike inventory, on my scooter- before making me drive four hours in one day for nothing. Not here. He was either lying to the owner, or the owner didn't want to deal with the problem either.

When I was done walking around, the bike finally got put out front, and I saw that the cargo box was still fastened to the bike. It had been inspected. I test drove the bike by riding about five miles, and noticed that coolant was still pushing out of the coolant reservoir. Both [the service manager] and [the dealership owner] were concerned that the radiator cap was still not replaced, and were hoping this would end the issues.

[The dealership owner] discussed the issue with me at length. He seemed genuinely concerned about the problem, which, again, makes me think he didn't have close contact with the bike. He helped mount the scooter to my trailer. I reiterated how much experience I had with engine work, what I do for a living, and [the dealership owner] agreed to let me work on it under warranty.

Both [the service manager] and [the dealership owner] told me that I needed to keep "quiet on the internet." Which it is now painfully evident that I am not doing.

I think, if you read the whole saga here you will understand why I feel it important to tell. I've been more than patient. I've given a lot of time, effort, and money towards this. This was a brand new, dealer prepped item that was nearly twice as expensive as others in the same class. (If that can be said. I still feel this scooter could be in a league all of its own, but without support, and without a real warranty, it is completely worthless. It can't be on the road and used without it.)

As far as [the dealership] goes, I have to say a few things.
I've already mentioned that [the dealership owner] seemed very sympathetic regarding the problem. He picked my bike up over two hours from his shop on a return delivery to another customer. (Taking responsibility for anything that might happen to it during the trip.) He, it could be said, did as much as he could given the constraints put on him by QLink. And then some. The place seemed to work like a well-oiled machine. The counter help answered the phones, took orders, did clerical work, etc, and everything seemed very professional to me. If I were in the market for a scooter, and lived closer, I'd buy there first. Just not the same brand.

Despite pages of communication to the dealer and QLink, and one-on-one conversations with both, I was forced to have a number of repairs attempted prior to attempting a head gasket replacement.

This repair took place around October 11th. It took two days for me to go to the dealer to pick the bike up.

The reason I made the two hour trip was because I was told that the owner drove the bike around town, and that- other than running a bit hotter than "normal bikes," it wasn't blowing coolant. I was assured that a third radiator cap would fix this, and it was supposed to arrive the day I traveled to the dealer.

They told me that the parts they installed were from the 2007 scooter. (Temperature gauge sending unit and thermostat.) Prior to this, I had taken the thermostat out and hot-bath-tested it to see if it was o.k.. Of course, it was, and this was communicated to the dealer as well.

This is why I have now decided to tell the rest of this story. The real way. Bear with me as the posts are changed so that others won't have the same bullshit played on them as was on me.

So, this so-called "repair" fixed absolutely nothing. I decided, since I was being lied to, and since they paid no attention to all I had said to them, that I was taking the bike and fixing it myself.

Anyhow, from this point forward, the bike was mine, the work was in my hands, and all I had to do is struggle to communicate to the dealer, and wait forever for things to get shipped to them. They express mailed everything to me after each delivery.

October 12th, 2007

Friday, October 12th, 2007
Sent the following email to [the dealership owner]:
Hey [dealership owner],
I'll be leaving around 11:00 this morning to head up. It'll probably take me right at about two hours to get there.

Did you guys have time to address the flat spot from stop to go? Can you throw a quick inspection on it? I'm going to have to remove the rear cargo "box" so I can strap down to the rear deck plate to trailer it home. Can you let me know whether I need to bring my own tools along to do that?

FYI- I noticed that your links to "discount apparel" are down- the page returns an error when trying to retrieve page:
[website page address]
I was looking for a bright colored windproof outer shell and maybe a few other things.


If you have any questions, you can reach me at the work number below until about 10:45. My cell phone number will be good from then on, except for the usual dead spots coming up [the roads heading to the dealership, and a nearby town along the route]. Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

Thanks again!


I received the following email from [the dealership owner]:

[my name]
I didn't notice a flat spot after take off. Seemed to run like all the Pegasus I've ridden. Will have the guys ride it this AM to check it out.

You may miss me today. I'm out of the office from 1:15 to 2:15. Hopefully you'll arrive before I leave. Given the timing your new radiator cap might be here by then!

If the owners papers and insurance info are on the bike we can get it inspected this morning. We don't do inspections ourselves but will get it done this AM if the papers are there.

I'll ask the guys to remove your top box this morning so you can transport it.

Ask the ladies to show you the AGV coats at $59.99 they are a bargain!

Look forward to meeting you!!

[the dealership owner]

October 4th, 2007

Thursday, October 4th, 2007
Received the following email from [the dealership owner]:

[my name]
Been away on biz. Sorry for the delay in reply. At this stage the repair process is in the hands of our service manager [service manager's name]. He can be reached at _[an email address]_ I can tell you that
QLINK is having us go thru a step by step process to resolve the problem only sending the parts we need for each step. I'll ask [the service manager] to email or call you with a progress report.

[the dealership owner, and
his title]

October 3rd, 2007

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
I emailed [the dealership owner] because it was over a week since the phone call, and two weeks since they said they were going to change the thermostat. I sent the following:

[dealership owner]-
What is the status now? I spoke with the [maintenance manager?] last week. It sounds like there was a wait because of parts being shipped.
Let me know when you can. I'm trying to work around it- I've got to put my other vehicle in the shop soon.

Thanks!

September 29th, 2007

Saturday, September 29th, 2007
I did not hear anything for over a week, so I called [the dealership] for a status report. I spoke with [service manager name] the maintenance manager, who told me that they were still waiting for parts.

September 22, 2007

Saturday, September 22, 2007
I received the following email from [the owner of the dealership]:

[my name]
We are starting with replacing the thermostat. QLINK says that there can be a variety of reasons for the overheating. We're trying to take a step by step approach.
[dealership owner, and title]

September 20th, 2007

Thursday, September 20th, 2007
I did not hear anything regarding the scooter, so I emailed the following:

[dealership owner],
Have you had a chance to assess the bike yet?

Thanks,
[my name]

September 18th, 2007

Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

Scooter was picked up at an agreeable location close to [interstate number] by a [dealership] delivery person.

September 16th, 2007

Sunday, September 16th, 2007
Received the following email from [dealership owner]:
[my name]
I'll give you a ring tomorrow to arrange a pick up on Tuesday. To get the repairs done under warranty the vehicle has to be worked on by a QLINK dealer. We'll make it as painless as we can!

Regards,

[dealership owner]

September 14th, 2007

September 14th, 2007

I called and spoke to [the dealership owner] at [the dealership] in [town and state]. He told me that he would do the warranty work for me. He told me that he could pick it up the following Tuesday, and that they would probably begin looking at the scooter that afternoon. I told him I would email some more information to him the next day, including what I had done and observed with the scooter so far. This email is as follows:

[dealership owner],
Thanks A LOT for your offer to fix the bike! At this point I really have no alternative other alternative than this, or taking a head-first dive into fixing the issue myself- thus [apparently] voiding any further warranty work.

I'll give you my contact info first, with times best to reach me. I'm all over the place, so I'll give as much info as I know on when to contact me. Down below that is some other notes on the bike, and some other stuff you might be interested in when you get a chance to read all of it. Let me know as soon as you can what you think, and we'll go from there. Email is always a good option, especially if you're around it often enough and you copy me on both email addresses I give you.

Home:
S[edited out]

My problem-
I bought the bike Saturday before Labor Day. Leo told me that the bike was prepped, and he drove it from time to time just to "keep things oiled up." Trailered it home, checked it over and everything looked good. Took a ride about 80 miles. Hilly around here, nothing too severe, and nothing that makes me have to "lug" the engine- which from my air-cooled VW days I learned can kill an engine quick. I was being fairly conservative during break-in, but did get it up to 50 for very short bursts.

In the next days following, I put around 600 miles on the scoot banging around towns, back roads, and a few main roads- of course no "highways." The whole time I had been taking casual looks at the temp gauge- as I do with any new vehicle- to get an idea where the thing should run when everything is the way it should be. The gauge ran somewhere between half and beginning of the red zone the whole way.

On my first ride back from work, though, I was almost home when I heard a quiet and quick hiss, and had a small stream of coolant coming from the reservoir lid, down the rear of the fairing, and onto the foot platform. This was about 2 miles from home, going up a hill about 1/2 to 3/4 throttle and moving nicely. I got home, looked at the res lid, and decided it must have heated up enough to raise the level, and going up hill just let a little coolant leak through the ill-fitting rubber lid. No big deal I thought- the temp was a little higher than normal, but that day was the warmest I'd ridden as well, so it seemed to make sense.

The next day and days following it got worse- to the point it is now- where every time I hit the throttle quickly to 1/2 or more of its range- coolant will fill the res tank, pop the lid, and pour out onto the floor. I believe overall the problem has gotten worse from the point it started.

Knowing the dealer I bought from wasn't too KEEN on seeing the bike, and being unable to reach him, I started looking around. The tank level upon my last "test it out" ride was down below "good" range, but had started out at the max fill level.

So far, I really have done everything a consumer can do- but without a detailed warranty explanation I don't think I can go further. I was able to put another 300 or so miles on the bike just taking it easy on the flat roads nearby, doing so watching for any sign of a more serious problem. The water pump works well, the thermostat is working, the fan cycles the way it should (or that logically makes sense,) and I'm not losing coolant anywhere but the reservoir lid.

I took off the front fairing a few times now, to properly refill the coolant. Each time, I burped the system by quick throttle bursts, adjusting the level as needed. (It has taken as long as 20 minutes at times until I was satisfied there was no way I'd get more coolant in the bike, and that all the air was purged from the system.)

The throttle issue is painfully evident without the radiator cap on. If, from idle, I "goose" the throttle to about 1/2, I lose about 6 oz of coolant. If I GRADUALLY increase the throttle, (to the point where I'd make myself a new garage door if the thing came off the center stand and towards the back wall,) it seems like the coolant "foams" rather than "surges" out.

On the quick bursts, I can best see steam (or smoke) coming from the radiator with the cap off. Some people have suggested I looked at this specifically, to indicate a head gasket leak. Through all of my troubleshooting, I'm fairly convinced this is the issue. Like I said, though, I'd surely be delving into warranty voiding repairs, and run the risk that this wouldn't fix the problem.

Anyhow- I can't tell whether or not this is steam- violently coming from something very hot very quickly- or if it is some exhaust or air introduced by the head or some other area. (Everything smells the same: like a new bike.)
I have NO white smoke from the exhaust. I have no moisture from the exhaust. (Cardboard placed just behind it showed no evidence of it, anyhow.) The spark plug looks like a model of "what should be," just slightly gas moistened. No white fluffies, no brown, no carbon, and no oil.

The bike now has 950 some KM on it, the last 300 of which I had to drive REAL gingerly and stop if it started to rise. My latest garage testing appears to show that the problem is getting worse, but it might just be my imagination.

I am a Manufacturing Engineer where I work full time- the kind that wears jeans instead of Khakis. I've fixed nearly every vehicle I've owned, and restored a number as well. I'm no stranger to broken screws, seized parts, and machine work. (I design and build tooling here at work for various tasks. I have experience on vertical milling machines, lathes and other shop equipment; and can do precision measurement of nearly any geometric feature. I am also certified to ANSI Y-14.5 for dimensioning and tolerance interpretation on mechanical prints.) I have every confidence that I could tear the engine down, lay the pieces on the floor, measure them to within half a ten-thousandth of an inch, and put it all back together. I've just been very frustrated with the simple decision: go for warranty repair, or void it to complete the repair myself, risking something else may be wrong. You've heard this kind of thing before, I'm sure.

As far as your offer to pick up the bike- that would be great. We can discuss the details once you digest what is in this huge email. In the meantime, I'll give you a break from it and wait to hear what you have to say! I do have access to a trailer, but if I could save myself one trip up there it'd be great.

As always- I'm willing to do my own work and spend my own time doing it- I just don't want to void the warranty in any way, and do not have a technical reference to follow in order to convince someone I'm doing it right. If there's something you want me to try- I cannot tell you how happy it would make me to try it. Save you all the effort you're so graciously offering to put forth, and it will buy me some time. Just an alternative in case you have any ideas along that line of thought!

Thanks again! I'm off to lunch for an hour!

September 13th, 2007

September 13th, 2007

Based on the fact that QLink representatives told me I had to seek out a dealer, and the fact that I was making no headway at all with troubleshooting, I faxed the following message to Bradfield Motors in Mount Joy, Pa. Note that Bradfield Motors lists on their website that they work on "...any customer's scooter, but rest assured our customers come first." Note also that Bradfield listed themselves as a "factory authorized QLink dealer," and that QLink's website also had (and still has) them listed as a "Factory authorized service center."

Bradfield Motors Scooters

Robert,
I stopped in to your dealership twice looking at scooters and was committed to buying my first one there. I test drove both a 50cc scooter, and the Pegasus 150. After an intense amount of internet research and after driving the 150- I was convinced it was the one I wanted, and started figuring out how to afford the bike. I ended up finding a 2006 Pegasus for a substantial cost savings, from a dealership that will be closing soon. Everything that I experienced at your shop- professional and knowledgeable people, a “brick and mortar” non-internet business, and your local location- all combined to make the decision a very difficult one.

I decided to test drive the scooter a few days after my last visit to Bradfield, at a dealership near Tower City. The bike seemed to vibrate less at 50mph than the one you had on the lot, or perhaps it was just the passing of time that made it seem different. It did have slightly lower mileage, but that wasn’t the deciding factor. I just could not raise $2200 in cash in the time period I had allowed, and decided to purchase the bike from a dealer who was certainly second on my list. The difference in price was due to his pending closure as a shop- knowing that he did not have a service technician on staff anymore.

I’m faxing this to you because I couldn’t reach you by phone. (I tried a number of times the past three days, but you must have been with a customer, and voicemail picked up.) I would prefer to talk to you, or stop by to talk in person about this. Simply because I’ve had customers of my own shop, use my experience and expertise, and purchase from a chain store. (This was before the internet was such a good source of information.) I found that maintaining a good relationship with them allowed me to sell them (the more profitable) accessory and service items, so it usually worked out well in the end.

This is, indeed, a similar situation. If I had either more time or more money, there’d be no question I’d have never found- nor purchased- the bike I did. At this point, though, I will be looking to purchase a windshield for it, a different helmet, and need a place I can rely on for service and warranty repairs. I am hoping that you understand that it was a difficult decision to make.

The scooter does have a serious problem that QLink themselves require dealership repair. I’ve tried for over week to solve the issue, and went further than most people would ever dream, trying to fix it myself. (Considering it is under warranty.) I’ve spoken to technical reps at QLink and they are encouraging me to take the bike to your dealership for repair.

I’d like to talk to you about this if possible. I’m sure you’ll recognize me from a few weeks ago. I hope this helps- I remember wondering for weeks whether or not a certain customer was coming in for a purchase they discussed, and not knowing can drive you crazy.

I can make a trip there this evening, arriving by 5:30, if it suits you. If everything looks o.k., I could get the scooter to you as soon as tonight, prior to closing. I just want to make sure that you’re o.k. with what happened, and would like to start a good relationship with your shop.

If you can, please call me at work once you’ve read this. (The number is at the top of the fax.) That way I’ll know if you’ll have time to chat this evening.

Thanks again!

If you read this past 5pm, you can reach me on my cell during my 1 hour commute!


I sent this fax prior to noon, and did not hear anything back from the dealer.

I stopped into the dealership that evening, and talked to them about my problem. The senior owner, Robert Bradfield, Sr., stated that they did not want to get involved with the repair. His Son, Robert Bradfield, Jr (ii) stated that he was not going to get involved with it.

When I said to him, "...Let me get this straight. You sell QLink scooters. You list yourself as an authorized dealer. You say right on your website that you do warranty repair- but you're not going to work on mine?" He said, "Yes. We're not going to get involved in someone else's quest. QLink doesn't pay for us to troubleshoot anything; only to repair and replace. We already have a scooter here that hasn't been fixed for two months, and they keep dragging their feet. If we have one more problem like this with them, we're through carrying their products. There are other brands we can carry."

I immediately called QLink. I spoke with the sales manager again and told him what happened. The ultimate choices he gave me were either to take the bike back to Keenan for repair, (despite me telling him Keenan did not have a serviceperson on staff,) or to take it to CBX in Edwardsville- two hours from my home.

September 10th-12th, 2007

September 10th-12th, 2007
Continued to troubleshoot problems and observe symptoms. No difference in symptoms.

September 9th, 2007

September 9th, 2007
I called QLink to report the problems with the scooter, and to find out if there was any way I could begin to troubleshoot the issue without going to a dealer. I spoke with both the sales manager, who suggested that I take the scooter to Bradfield Motors in Mount Joy, PA. He said that it was highly unlikely that any 2007 models were in stock in Pennsylvania, since most dealers still had 2006 scooters for sale. (This included Bradfield Motors.) He also told me that QLink had close to 20 2006 scooters near the beginning of their production run that had identical cooling issues, but that they hadn't seen any since. He admitted that it might be an issue with the cylinder, head, or head gasket- but wanted a dealer to see it first.

Replaced stock "1.1" radiator cap with a Stant brand cap purchased at Advanced Auto parts, stock number 11233. No difference in symptoms.

Drained all of stock coolant, replaced with new 50/50 antifreeze mix. Test drove bike. No difference in symptoms.

September 7th, 2007

September 7th, 2007
Tried to ride the scooter again. This is the first day that I noticed the coolant circuit was sealed enough to reclaim coolant from the reservoir when it cools down. From this point forward, a consistent amount of coolant has been observed to be pulled back into the radiator. Always, the radiator ends up no more than 1/3 full.

September 6th, 2007

September 6th
Checked coolant for signs of oil. None present.

Checked oil for signs of water. No obvious sign of water. Drained stock oil and replaced with the proper type of synthetic oil. (Per owner's manual.)

Checked the effect of gunning the throttle while the bike was on the center stand again. I did see what appeared to be smoke or vapor coming from the bubbles- only those that came with the surge when the throttle was given a quick snap- but with all the new smells of the bike I could not tell for certain whether or not this vapor was exhaust fumes or not.

A forum member wrote also that he agreed that the problem was very likely the head gasket. He also suggested biting the bullet and taking the scooter to a more local dealer- one whom I had test driven a Pegasus with prior to purchasing mine elsewhere.

Another member posted that he had an identical issue with an E-Jewel 150, but that the dealer gave him the full amount back towards the purchase of a new one. After 10-some months, he wasn't aware that they had yet fixed his original scooter.

A member, who received his scooter from Dealer3 on the day mine was picked up by Dealer 3, posted that he had a different problem with his current Pegasus, and from his description he was getting the same run-around with non-fixes.

September 5th, 2007

Began doing internet research on the overheating problem. Had read forum posts in the past at a popular online scooter forum, with one member posting about his issues with this problem.

During the time just before I purchased the scooter until now, this member had been accused of making the story up, and I believed what was being said based on the member's writing. However, I now had what was mentioned in earlier comments- a Pegasus that was overheating.

I posted a couple of questions in this forum, and had a number of general suggestions that involved looking rather than fixing things. At least one member, based on my descriptions of the problem, mentioned the possibility of an engine head leak causing the issue.

A member suggested that I should have changed fluids in the scooter, since this is accepted protocol with other "Chinese Scooters." I did not do this- as the manual said nothing about changing fluids. However, I did go out the next evening and purchased a coolant checker. When checked, the antifreeze floated only two balls, which said that it was weak.

This was the case despite about two liters of 50/50 mix being added since the first leaks happened. There were other recommendations, including changing the oil and crankcase oil. None of these items appear in the stock owner's manual, though members seemed to indicate it would be / should have been, good practice. Or, it should have been done prior to delivering the scooter to the customer.

Many of the members on the forum, and the owner of the forum himself, implied that these problems were partially my fault, because I purchased the scooter for a fraction of what they normally cost new, from a dealer who admitted he may go out of business.

Another member posted this: "Since you indicate that every time you get on the throttle, more coolant is purged from the system into the overflow tank, I wouldn't be surprised if your head gasket is toast, with a hole in it that allows coolant to be "blown" from the cooling system by the pressurized exhaust. Easy riding and acceleration may not force very much coolant out of the system but when you get on it, exhaust pressure really increases."

September 4th, 2007

Drove scooter to work in the morning. On the return trip, at about 50 more kilometers, the scooter started leaking coolant from the rear door that accesses the coolant overflow / reservoir tank. It would do this whenever it was under heavy load, i.e. going up a hill, starting out quickly from a complete stop, or throttling through turns.

Temperature gauge started showing needle JUST in the red zone, but not pegged or completely overheated. (Engine didn't smell hot, did not knock, ping, hesitate, blow smoke, or feel unusually hot compared to how it had been running.)

When I arrived home, I let the scooter cool down completely, and re-filled the reservoir tank to stock level. It was about an inch from the proper low level mark. Test drove the scooter. It still would blow coolant, and run in the same temperature condition as described above.

Refilled completely cooled scooter at the reservoir tank to proper level. Test drove scooter. Same problem(s) occurred.

Removed front shroud from scooter to gain access to the radiator. Once cool, the radiator had recovered only enough coolant to fill about 1/3 of the radiator capacity. Since the first day, the following symptoms continue to re-occur despite all other work, troubleshooting, experimentation in riding style. The only way the condition can be avoided is to never accelerate quickly, and never put it under load. This means that it would only ever perform at sea level, at best. The symptoms are as follows:

• Bike is cool to touch.
• Coolant is added to top of radiator by removing radiator cap. Cap replaced. Front shroud replaced.
• Coolant is added to top line of reservoir level, per scooter manual.
• Scooter is started, and allowed to warm up until engine speed levels out.
• If cap is removed from radiator, and throttle is quickly actuated to 1/2 to 3/4 of its travel, coolant blows from the radiator violently, and runs over the fill neck. If cap is left on and this same action is performed, coolant will continually leave the radiator until it overflows the reservoir tank, and spills from the lid.
• If the cap is removed from the radiator, and the throttle is SLOWLY actuated up to- and even past- the aforementioned point, it will NOT surge, but simply seem a bit more turbulent.
• When riding, if the scooter is under demand for quick acceleration, coolant is blown from reservoir tank lid.
• When riding, if the scooter is under demand going up hill, coolant is blown from reservoir tank.
• When riding and throttling through a turn or uphill, coolant is blown from reservoir tank.
• The scooter cannot be ridden in a normal state, certainly in a safe state when in traffic, without coolant being blown from reservoir lid.
• After this occurs a few times, the coolant level drops to 1/3 radiator capacity, and can be witnessed by either removing the radiator cap, or feeling the top and bottom of the radiator: where a substantial difference in temperature is notable. The coolant level also drops a minimum of 1/2" from the lower mark that represents a "good" coolant level, in the reservoir tank. The temperature runs in the mid white zone on the gauge UNTIL coolant is lost, at which point it generally stays about one needle-width into the red zone. It has never, to date, risen any higher than this, and has never reached the needle stop in the high red zone.

September 2nd, 2007

Rode about 300km. Temp gauge continued to read 3/4 into the white zone at cruising speeds.

September 1st, 2007- Afternoon

Checked fluids. Coolant appeared within factory manual's indication: between the high and low marks. Checked tire pressure, oil- all were within specifications. Rode about 80km. Took it fairly easy since I was a new motorcycle rider, and not yet used to the scooter. Temperature stayed at about 3/4 of the white zone.

The emergency brake lever was inoperable. I determined the cause to be both the handle and the actuator behind the handle- both items had broken plastic on them that prevented the brake cable from being pulled and locked into place.

September 1st, 2007

Purchased 2006 QLink Pegasus 150 from "Dealer One" in Pennsylvania.

Dealer1 had not only prepped the bike, but put a total of 20.3km on it riding it from time to time since he first bought it for stock, and for test rides.

He explained the two year factory service warranty, as it is stated in the Owner's Manual. He said that he might not remain in business for much longer, so I would have to find another dealer to do warranty work, if the scooter needed it.


Test drove the scooter, which handled and rode better than the one at "Dealer2" in Mount Joy, PA. This one seemed to vibrate less.

Tools and supplies required for head gasket replacement (Work in progress)

If you do not know what any one of the items on this list is, you had better find someone who is familiar with using them. While the gasket replacement isn't rocket science, very close attention to detail is critical to making the repair successfully. Remember: this is how I did things. I do not suggest this is the only way, the best way, or even the right way. You must consult sources that YOU trust, discuss this procedure with them, and verify every aspect of what I'm telling you- right down to measurements, sizes, and procedures. In plain English: I will NOT be at fault if your repair is not successful, something breaks- now or later, or for any other possible reason whatsoever.

1. Torque wrench(s). HIGHLY recommend two. Note (1) shows why this is important! The following values need critical torquing on re-assembly:
   
1. 6.634 ft-lb / 79.66 in-lb.
2. 7.376 ft-lb / 88.508 in-lb.
3. 25.816 ft-lb / 309.8 in-lb.
   
2. Feeler gauge set. See Note (2). You must have a minimum of the following:
   
1. 0 .001" & 0.002" (0.00197" = 0.05mm)
2. 0.003"
3. 0.006"
   
4. 0.007" & 0.008" (0.00787" = 0.20mm)
5. 0.009
   
3. Metric socket set(s). The best bet is to have a full set of 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets, plus 3/8" deep-well sockets.
   
4. Various sizes of Phillips screwdrivers.
5. Various socket extensions, adapters.
6. OEM Head gasket, or home-made (copper) head gasket.
7. OEM Intake manifold O-Ring, or a #20 (1-3/16" x 1" x 3/32") O-ring. Viton is best.
8. OEM Exhaust Manifold Gasket. (I've seen suspiciously similar ones out there, but I re-used mine. For longevity's sake, and in case yours gets damaged, make sure you have one.) Leaky exhaust manifolds = burnt (ruined) exhaust valves.
9. Sharpie magic marker, or equivalent permanent marker.
10. Clothes hanger or "baling" wire.
11. Scribe or Awl. Carbide-tipped is best. You need to scribe a line on a greasy surface (where markers won't stay,) and that surface is hardened steel.
12. Drain pan for antifreeze.
13. New antifreeze. Make sure it is aluminum engine compatible.
14. Drain pan / cardboard / or floor guard for drips, leaks, etc.
15. Fire Extinguisher. (Good practice.)
16. Oil. Get what you want to replace the existing with, or have more of what's already in there at hand. I don't have the specs in my hand to write here- check your manual.
17. Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel. (Or equivalent-sized tool that can cut steel- like screws and bolts. Grinding wheels or die grinders will make you an artist when you only want to do a quick repair- get a cutoff wheel.)
18. A tool to reduce the length of a hardened sleeve. A file will work but will take some time. A belt sander or bench grinder will work better. An angle grinder will work, but is a bit more touchy and dangerous to use.
    
19. A precision measurement device. I say it this way because if you're careful, a machinists rule (about $8,) will be o.k.; but if you screw up you might have to use a pair of Vernier Calipers and/or a Micrometer.) Again- if you take your time and be real careful, you can do the repair without these latter (expensive) things. In doubt? Plan on getting some help from a local garage or machine shop- it'll be MUCH cheaper than buying the expensive tools, and will only take a few minutes.
20. Plastic scraper. A plastic putty knife will work, or a broken piece of ice scraper will as well.
21. Fine sandpaper or emery cloth. (Optional if careful, and if no other damage is found.)
22. Degreaser. Don't panic- Simple Green will work just fine. So will Kerosene, Diesel Fuel, Lamp Oil, WD-40... the list goes on. It's just to reduce work, for the most part.
    
23. TO BE CONTINUED! IF YOU FIND THIS AND ARE IN A PANIC TO GET STARTED, EMAIL ME IMMEDIATELY! (Or make a post.) My email address is qlink_pegasus [at] yahoo [dot] com.
    

* Notes:

1. Torque wrenches rarely reproduce repeatable results if the value you are trying to check is LESS than 20% of the overall range. This means that the 79.66 inch-pound value should be checked on a wrench that has a maximum of 100 inch-pounds. The 25.816 foot-pound value should be checked on a foot-pound wrench that has a maximum range of about 30 ft-lbs.
   
2. When checking the "gap" of the valves, it is good to have feeler gauges above- and below- the one that represents the "right" gap. This is especially true when working on a metric assembly with SAE (inch) feeler gauges. While most gauge sets will show a metric equivalent, it is best to do a little math beforehand, and understand what you're trying to accomplish if you've never used one before.