Removing the tab in the Elite S air cleaner housing cover

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vintagegarage
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Removing the tab in the Elite S air cleaner housing cover

Post by vintagegarage »

Even though it is pretty much accepted practice here going back many years, and certainly for much longer than I have been interested in scooters, I am questioning the wisdom of "removing the tab" in the Elite S air cleaner housing cover when "de-restricting" the scooter.

I have two Elite S scooters (a 1996 and a 2000), and two Elite SR scooters (both 2001 models). The first one I bought was the 2000 S and I followed the advice to remove the "seal" at the back of the variator, install a 78 main jet, remove the tab in the air cleaner housing, and clean up the header pipe. To be conservative, and since i didn't know much about scooters, I decided to buy and install a new SR oil pump and "Y" throttle cable, rather than wire open the S oil pump. After my first piston soft seize after the modifications, I upped the main jet to an 80, did a more careful break in, and the scooter ran fine for about two more years. Top speed was always around 31 mph after the modifications. Top speed before the modification was about 25 mph.

I next bought the 2001 Elite SR's as a "his and hers" pair. They were both bone stock, very cherry, and fairly low mileage, about 1500 miles on both of them. Top speed in both of them on the level is about 35-36, and they run off the end of the speedometer going down hill.

My last Elite to buy was the 1996 Elite S. It was bone stock and did about 25 mph max. This time all I did was remove the "seal" at the back of the variator. Top speed was instantly about 31 mph, and the only difference between the 2000 and the 1996 was that the 2000 with all the modifications was much louder. There was essentially no performance difference. Since I didn't change the main jet, remove the tab or do anything to the exhaust pipe, I left the main jet alone, and left the oil pump alone.. i.e. I didn't even wire it open. The 1996 now has over 2500 trouble free miles on it since the modification, most of the miles on regular gas.

The 2000 soft seized last week.. a combination of a long WOT run in the Florida heat, regular gas, and, IMHO the removal of the tab in the air cleaner cover. Three days ago, I installed one of these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cylinder-39mm- ... m570.l1313

It is a very high quality and complete kit and is a very good deal with superfast shipping. This time, before running the engine after intalling the kit, I glued the tab back into the air cleaner housing cover. The scooter is much quieter now, and runs pretty much the same as the 1996. I am in the middle of the break-in period, but I am willing to bet that the top speed is still 31 mph.

Now when you look at the piston, the first response will be, "you must have an air leak somewhere.. too lean, too hot". Yes, there was a massive air leak.. i.e. the removal of the tab in the air cleaner housing cover.

Both the SR and the S have exactly the same air cleaner housing covers, and yet the SR goes 36 mph. Bottom line is that I think it is bad advice to remove the tab, and I don't plan on doing it again. I have no idea where this suggestion originally came from and what was the thinking of doing it, since the SR doesn't have the tab removed.

I won't know for sure if reinstalling the tab solves the problem, until this engine either soft seizes again, or I have a couple of years of good performance. I'm also going to run only premium gasoline from here on, so I realize that might skew the results. I'll report back when I have the answer.

Here are the photos of the piston. In the first photo, there is a small hole at about 1:00, and another at 6:00. The second and third photos are what is below the holes. A broken ring under the second, and a massively distorted piston under the first. Even with the damaged piston, the scooter started well, idled well, and would go 30 mph. It would soft seize again in about a half mile though.

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Meatball
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Re: Removing the tab in the Elite S air cleaner housing cove

Post by Meatball »

Im not sure whats up with your scoots, man. Every SA50 ive had does 40 all day. The two SA50pÔÇØs went 30-33 and when derestricted went 40. I just drill the muffler, zip tie the pump, swap to a #78 mj and remove variator plate. I leave the airbox tab alone.
I need to find some new haters...the ones I have are starting to like me.
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vintagegarage
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Re: Removing the tab in the Elite S air cleaner housing cove

Post by vintagegarage »

meatball.. Motorscooter guide agrees with you..

"With the motor updated, Honda also added a moped legal version capable of 30mph called the Elite S (SA50P). Both motors were capable of top speeds of 40-43mph unless you buy a restricted example. Fuel milage is typically for a 50cc 2-stroke at 65-75mpg."

Anyone else care to weigh in on this?
kingdele
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Re: Removing the tab in the Elite S air cleaner housing cove

Post by kingdele »

My first SA50p went exactly 25 and no faster. Derestricted it went 38-40 and with a Keli variator it hits 42. I would recommend a Keli variator on a derestricted stock elite to anyone, itÔÇÖs a notable improvement mostly in the mid range if you can find one.
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