Scooter Garage 96762

Faithful readers of this post may have felt concern after my last posting regarding my scooter's wake-less slumber. Today, I set out to arouse the sleeping beauty. Might I first explain the grave magnitude of my mechanical and technical ignorance. Other than filling with gas and changing wiper blades, I doubt I could do much maintenance on a car. Changing oil means driving to Jiffy Lube to me. Because of the lack of local mechanics here in Laie, HI, I decided to try and fix my scooter by myself. The other day, me and Bilge (my buddy from Mongolia), opened up the scooter and honestly, I had no idea what to do. So, we put it back together. Today, I started the day by playing touch rugby, where I got hot, sweaty, and muddy. Later a guy named Tyson lent me his tools, and pointed out some parts on my scooter and recommended a few repairs. First, I took out the spark plug (which looks more like a soldering iron...its really a bizarre plug). I also removed the fuel filter and the battery. Then I went to NAPA and bought some WD40, carburetor cleaner, a new fuel filter, and had them charge up my battery. Then I went to lunch. No one sat even close to me, I was a dirty, stinky mess! HA HA! Then I hooked it all back up, then opened up the carburetor and cleaned it out. My kick start has been really stiff and actually not working at all. I opened up the drive shaft and cleaned out the kick start. The gears are pretty stripped, but I cleaned out a bunch of gunk. It works WAY better now! So, after all the assembly, we gave it a try. After a little time, it fired up! It runs like a new machine now! When it was warm and sunny it was firing up in no time. Tonight, after a little rain and cool weather, it took a bit longer, but at least it started! I am SO relieved! Bilge and I went to the beach to celebrate. While we bodysurfed, I couldn't help but be proud of the fact that I had fixed my own scooter. I feel like telling the whole world that I fixed my scooter. Very few actually have cared, but I still tell them just the same. There's a sense of accomplishment in doing it yourself, plus it costs way less than hiring a mechanic! There's also that inner manly urge to get out tools and get your hands all greasy tearing apart a machine. If I was Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, I think this is the part where I start grunting...