Skorpion tour project

[Chuck in Indiana]

If you haven't done it already replace all the rubber hoses, given the age. The hoses that run up to the oil take will split and leak oil on your rear tire which can make cornering very interesting. Experience talking here!! I have two of these Skorpions running and two in pieces as projects.

Doug

Thanks, Doug. Will do. The only line that "looks" bad is the breather line. I was just wondering if a crankcase split line leak was likely. I wouldn't think so, knowing Yamaha, but still.. Maybe I didn't do a good enough job of cleaning when I changed the oil and filter.
Speaking of that, once I had it running, I backed off the top screw on the oil filter housing, and a little oil oozed around the screw. I would have thought there would be a *lot* ? It's just weird, not having an oil pressure light/gauge, etc.
edit for typo..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Ok, another problem. Both the tach and the speedo are maracas. The trip set part has fallen down into the case, and the tach has *something* rattling about, and doesn't work. I've searched and not found much except that it isn't unusual. I doubt that they are worth the effort to open up, although I could if necessary.
I'm one of those weirdos that likes everything to work.. and prefer it to be oem. Is this strictly a Graham's item, or is there a source in the US?
TIA

[droy]

Graham's only on a factory tach. Do a search and there is a post on a gear driven tach using Yahaha factory parts. Also look for an old Aussie blog where he wired in a old Yahaha tach. Most have gone with aftermarket like Trail Tech.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Yeah, I saw the gear driven tach mod. Haven't decided what to do yet.. there are several options, but I'd rather have oem.
Oh, on those hoses, is there a supplier, or do you have to have to swadge on the fittings?

[droy]

http://www.bottger.de/mzskorpion/

Google translate this site for some discussions on repair of the tach - some folks have had the German factory (MB ?) repair it.

The factory hoses are metric sizes - I used US standard sizes available at the local auto parts store and forced them on if needed.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well well. I made a fixture for the bezels to sit in so they didn't deform when I took them off. I'm pretty sure I can repair the speedo/odo, and I *think* I can repair the tach. Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you..
BTW, these instruments are actually pretty nicely made. Much more robust than the white face Veglias on Guzzis..

[GordonH]

Well well. I made a fixture for the bezels to sit in so they didn't deform when I took them off. I'm pretty sure I can repair the speedo/odo, and I *think* I can repair the tach. Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you..
BTW, these instruments are actually pretty nicely made. Much more robust than the white face Veglias on Guzzis..

If the word gets out that you can fix these, you will have a lot of new friends.

Gordon

[Chuck in Indiana]

Sounds too much like work. Right now I'm looking for a small E or Poodle ring. Maybe a needle clip from a DelOrto needle will do..

[Chuck in Indiana]

Actually, that was perfect. Now, all I need is a trip reset knob, and the speedo is fixed.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, they said it could't be done, so I tackled it with a grin.


I couldn't do it either.
Took the rattling tach apart, and a little gizmo (technical term) fell out. You could see where it had originally been soldered to the pc board and had a broken leg. Thought "aha" this will be an easy fix. Had my wife come out and help me solder it back on the board.. she's a whiz. Used to repair electonics, yada yada, but she didn't know what the gizmo was, either. At any rate, checked continuity after putting it back, looks good, glued it down with a hot melt gun so it wouldn't vibrate off again. Plugged it in, and.... nothin. I really did think it would work.
So. Anyone have a spare tach?
I've found the tach signal wire. How do I test it to make no shit sure that I have a tach signal?

[DAVID THOMPSON]

find a ham radio operator with an oscilloscope ..
that actually knows how to use it to look at it through a capacitor
for the pulses
or the wife may have a friend or former coworker that has one
dave

[Chuck in Indiana]

After a thorough search here, I found a Virago tach will work. All I have to do is put the guts into the kool MZ tach. Tested the repaired speedo and odo today. Works fine. Got the new fuel petcock from Acerbis, put that on, no fuel leaks..one of the banes of my existence.. and started it up. Runs like a pickle seeder. Smells a little rich, but good enough for now. Ordered some new Shinko Podiums in the correct sizes. Decided to remove a decal on the tail piece that the DPO had installed. Got my trusty heat gun, peeled the first half off, and the second half took the paint with it. Some days you get the bear, some days, the bear gets you.

[MZCountryRider]

Virago eh? Interesting. Decals can be a pain. Peeled a few off myself, except they were on chromed steel and not paint. "Runs like a pickle seeder". Never heard that one before.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I mentioned that it smelled a little rich, remember? Went into the shop this morning, and smelled gas. Thought, Uh oh. The line between the two carbs must have been vacuum line. At any rate, it wasn't fuel proof, and put the contents of the float bowl on the floor.
Thought, "Oh, well.. I needed to set the float height anyway."
Pulled the float bowl off, and..

Hmmm, that's not a carb o ring. It's just a regular o ring glued in with silicone. Thought, "Nice bodge." Would probably have worked long enough for the buyer to get out of sight..a piece of silicone would be in a jet shortly. Better order a rebuild kit.
Let's have a look at the float.. Yikes!

This isn't my first barn find rodeo, but this just might top the list of bodges I've seen.
Oh, yeah.. the jet holder..

FORTUNATELY a lister says he has a useable carb. Whew, and Thanks! The internet *can* be a wonderful thing..

[DAVID THOMPSON]

these bikes are getting old and some of them very tired

expect them to be a ??? till you have gave them a good check out
i am still undoing all the mods to mine and i have had it for several years
dave