Need general tips on repairing a 1986 Honda Spree

[Zygodactyl]

Here is the story. My parents and relatives decades ago bought two 1986 NQ-50 Honda Sprees. they worked up until about 7 years ago and have been sitting motionless in a garage for the past 5 years. Since these scooters have such a history with my family i want to see if i can repair them.

The problem is that I am not that experienced with mechanical matters, I mean I can change a car's oil, replace filters, and change tires but when it comes to actually repairing an engine I don't know where to start.

As such I am asking for help. I am looking for general tips on repairing these scooter and things to look out for on scooters that have been sitting around for years. Thanks for any help you can give.



Here is all info I have on these scooters:

there are two both are 1986 NQ-50 scooters i do not know if they are NQ-50 A or NQ-50 AA models

They haven't been used in about 7 years and have not been moved for about 5

I know the gas and oil has been left in both machines this whole time

From what I can tell they seem in really good shape since they have been kept away from the elements all these years. there is very little rust and corrosion

After talking with relatives, one bike which is the red model (code. R127) had been working all those years ago but the brakes were worn out so they just left it alone and never replaced the brakes.

The other one is the black model (code. NH148) would not start about 7 years ago and they never fixed it.

that is all I know about these scooter aside from fun memories
Please give any advice and tips you have on where to start on repairs

[motormike]

The carburetors are going to need dis-assembly and a very complete cleaning.
This will involve the use of a cleaning agent such as Berryman's Chem-Dip.
The 50cc carbs have very tiny passages that will need to be cleared of ALL CRUSTY varnished gasoline that was left in the carb during all those years of evaporation.
This operation is can sometimes take 2-3 cleanings, even for seasoned veterans.
The teeny-weeny holes in the carburetor often require a wire to be pushed through them in order to clear them completely.
After soaking in Chem-Dip, compressed air is important in clearing residuals from the carb's passages.
If you soak and do not blow with air, the job is incomplete.
After doing all you can to clean the carbs, the final step before re-installing is to VERIFY all passages clean.
My method utilizes aerosol carb-cleaner sprayed through the openings to VERIFY that each is open and delivering fuel to it's appointed station.
This step done properly will eliminate the frustration of re-installing a carb that is still plugged, thus requiring the process repeated.
It helps to understand the theory of carburetors and their circuits in order to insure that cleaning has been achieved.
Air filter elements are likely degraded now into rotten foam and you should NOT try to start the scooters before removing and discarding these filters.
The foam will simply fall apart and be sucked into the cylinder and carburetor...never a good idea.
Replace with OEM filters is best, and is available from OEM suppliers, but lawn-mower filter foam can be fabricated to serve the purpose.
AIR FILTERS are absolutely essential for these small engines to run properly.
Batteries are obvious. AGM type are suggested for less maintenance.
TIRES are an ABSOLUTE must REPLACE ! !
Tires will be rotten, likely, and the rubber suffers a change of suppleness thus making them dangerous and lacking in traction for both cornering and braking...two very important actions.
The gas tanks are likely to have rust and varnished gasoline inside.
They will require removal, cleaning, and possibly internal coating if in bad condition.
All fuel hoses are likely brittle, split, gummed up inside, and should be all replaced with new.
The petcock will need to function properly in order to deliver fuel and will likely need replacing.
There are many more things that are potentially going to give trouble after a long period of being parked.
I can't possibly cover them all in this single post of getting you informed of the basic starting points.
Light bulb replacement, cable repair or replacement, brake shoe replacement, spark plug, speedometer drive positioning to avoid breaking the gear drive when replacing front wheel, transmission gear oil drain and fill, the list continues.
Best of luck with your trials and tribulations....

[breaze]

Mike must have had some coffee - does the time on your post really say "3:38 am"?

Start by downloading the service manual available on this forum.

Lot's of good info in his post - I would recommend the check-list approach, then for each item on the list, read up in this forum about the process. Most of the tasks on your list are explained in Wikispreedia - Mike covered most, if not all, of them.

Fuel: Inspect/clean/replace inside of tank, fuel filter under petcock, petcock, fuel and vacuum lines.
Remove and clean the carb - pay special attention to the pilot opening (idle jet) and polish the valve seat (in Wiki)
- may want to replace gaskets if you want to be thorough

Air: Inspect/clean/replace air filter element

Engine: Hopefully your piston is free and you have good compression - borrow a compression tester (local Auto Zone) and read up in
Wiki about testing your compression - don't skip this step, without good compression you may end up wasting a lot of time
trying to "fix" other issues.

Cables: Inspect/clean/lubricate/replace brake and throttle cables

Wheels and tires: Inspect/replace tires and tubes like Mike said. Also check/replace brake shoes (see minimum thickness in Serv.
Man.)
Battery/electrical: You'll need at least an old battery connected (I think) in order to start the engine - obviously you'll need a good
battery if you want to use the electric start. You can test all your electrical components using a multimeter and following the
service manual or just troubleshoot if needed - if you get spark from your plug, probably just troubleshoot if needed.

Lubrication: Unless you know what oil was being used (needs to be 2-stroke injector oil) I would recommend draining the oil tank, cleaning the oil filter, and re-filling the tank with good oil (Honda GN2).

General: You probably want to remove the left-side cover and check/clean/replace your belt, drive and driven pulleys. Check your
clutch pads for min. thickness per service manual. Remove your fan cover and fan - check your alternator for rust, etc and
clean if needed. While you have these side covers off, make sure your crankshaft seals are not leaking. Check your kick-start
and electric start mechanisms to make sure they are clean and move freely.

When you are ready to start the engine for the first time, use a new plug and "prime" the engine by squirting about a
tablespoon of pre-mixed fuel in the plug hole. Be sure not to use starter fluid or straight gas as your cylinder/piston need
lubricants supplied by fuel system.

Also, probably want to use pre-mix when starting for the first time until you are sure the oil pump is working. I usually put a cap on the oil intake (at the carb or intake manifold), remove the oil line, and make sure oil is being pumped through the line before re-attaching and running straight fuel.




Good luck

[Zygodactyl]

Wow motormike thank you
I expected way less of a response,
you covered just about everything i wanted
and thank you breaze you clarified some things nicely

[motormike]

Yeah breezly...and this post says 3:03 right now as I sip my Columbian coffee and say good-night to a chess partner.
To Zygodactyl : Familiarization with your machines goes a long way in keeping them operable.
I believe that frequent use is the best thing for little gas motors.
I wish I was better educated, equipped, and funded...but as it is,
I'm just an old shade-tree mechanic who loves to ride.
As problems arise, come back to this thread, or post a new topic in the Technical category.
This is a pretty solid bunch of scooter-heads that hang around here....
I'm eagerly awaiting my first explosion so that I can wrangle a 70cc kit on my NS50....