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.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
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."
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."
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
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:
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.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
September 2nd, 2007
Rode about 300km. Temp gauge continued to read 3/4 into the white zone at cruising speeds.
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