Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

......as the `ol `Hee Haw' song goes.Friends,I TRY to stay cheerful and bright,but day before yesterday did me in.The 6th of March started out great!Weather perfect,and solved a bad miss on my Sebring by adjusting the points.Installed a #64 jet from Akron Moped and ZIPPED off like a green LIZARD!The Sebring had so much power and speed with it's 60cc kit that I was lovin' it.Pulled hills easily that it only lugged up before.Even pulled the S.R.671 hill that's a short-cut to Tar Hollow St.Park which I always have to pedal up WITHOUT PEDALING!Well,70 miles later,at dusk,I stopped to have some sody pop,and tried to start her up.NO,CAN'T BE!Engine wouldn't turn!Called my wife only 7 mi. away to come get me.Absolutely sick,and wore out from tryin' to push it and kick it,she arrives in the F-250.I load the `ped up and I'm tired.But I know she doesn't like hossin' that big truck around,so I drive.RIGHT! A narrow road it is,and when a car comes I steer gently over and OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH!At 35mph I hit a concrete culvert pipe with the right front wheel and bounce over that driveway and come downin the ditch on the other side leaning at a 45 degree angle and my wife hangin' in the seatbelt in pain.(She has fibromyalgia and arthritis).I got her out thru the window `cause the ditch has us pinned and the right side door(uphill)won't open.The Patrol comes and she goes to the emergency room(just badly shaken and sore).Truck will be at least 1000 dollars out of pocket for new suspension,etc.I look in the back of the truck and there's my beautiful large windshield all cracked up.Only other thing on the Sebring I see is a broken fuel line and bent pedal arm.Easy fix,but the ENGINE?I'm sad.NEVER DRIVE WHEN YOU'RE TIRED.IT AIN"T SMART! (:^(

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

oh no, don! i come back from my vacation hoping to hear some good news and this is what happened while i was away!? glad to hear that neither of you are hurt too seriously... have you had a chance to look at the engine yet? well, its supposed to get kinda snowy the next few days so you will have time to figure it out... =] you'll be up riding again in no time... can't keep an Ohio boy down!

casey

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Thanks,Casey!Yeah,I have other `peds to ride,and it's `ped licensing time of the year for me anyway.No,I've been too busy taking care of cars and trucks and of course,Linda,to deal with my suspicions about the engine.I sure hated losing that nice windshield,but it didn't break the brackets or windshield frame so some thin plexiglass might work as a replacement.I'm stuck on my 6 days straight work now anyway,so things will have to wait.Maybe the coming cold-snap won't last too long.(:^)

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Say,Casey!Where'd you go on vacation?Anywhere you could `ped?Like down where Duck lives,or Zippy?That Zippy's havin' terrible weather.He'll get sunburnt for sure! LOL!All we can get around here is windburnt!

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Don, sorry to hear about that, Bummer. But I'm glad you and your wife weren't seriuosly injured.

You know some days are diamonds and some days are stone.

I guarantee you will have a higher place in moped heaven because of your misfortune.

Hang in there, it will be spring soon. Squirt a little penetraing oil in that cylnder, maybe just a soft sieze.

I should'nt have bragged about the weather, start raining and got cold again here , nights down in the 30s days 60s.

Take care

Zippy

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Thanks,Zippy!You think a little penetrating oil might do it ,huh?I don't understand why it would seize when it was running so well with a bigger jet.The kit came with a #56 jet,but running too big a jet shouldn't hurt it,should it?My oil ratio was recommended by the Whiz,so I don't suspect that.My exhaust isn't restrictive or too open.But the timing IS 7 degrees too fast because the points rubbing block gave way rearward a little and advanced my timing.(I rotated the stator plate to slowest timing and it still was 30 degrees BTDC.I'll bet that's my problem,ain't it Zippy?I knew that when I took off,but since I had premium gas in there I wasn't worried.I'll replace the pointrs and use the penetrating oil.THANKS! Hope your weather gets better! (:^)

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Don:

Really sorry to hear about your misfortune. Glad both of you were not seriously hurt. You can always buy more moped parts!

My $0.02 on the engine: Was the weather cold when you stopped? Maybe the engine was running a little hot from the long drive, and shutting it down before the temperature could stabilize causes a seize.

The penetraing oil could help to free the piston. Try turning the engine over backwards and forward to help loosen it.

Keep us posted!

Jim

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

DON!!!!!

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

merlin311 /

oh by the way don on cycletrader.com theres a zb50!!i think the guy wants 1k for it.

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Don,

Wow! What a streak of bad luck!! When it rains, it pours!

I hate to hear this story, but it could have been worse. Trucks and mopeds can be replaced, but good wifes are hard to find!

I am sure you and your wife and your truck and your Ped will all bounce back from this!!

Ike

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Glad you're ok Don... any landing you can walk away from is a good one, huh ?

Hope your wife feels better

And that now she doesn't begin dogging you about how unreliable mopeds are :)

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Thanks,Jim!Yeah,we're all right.She got banged up a little.We were probably in the best vehicle for that situation,with it's high clearance and tall tires,it hit hard but cleared the concrete culvert pipe,except the bumper and continued over the driveway,thereby not stopping all at once.Anyway,I think you are right about the seize,because I didn't have any business running it when I knew the timing was too fast.I'll take your advice and let you know.THANKS!

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Thanks,Ike!You're right about my wife.Here I've got her hurt and she keeps sayin' she's sorry to me because I have to cover her chores.I keep tellin' her it's MY fault and I'M sorry.I AM TOO!Next time I get tired,I ain't drivin' `til I get a cup of strong coffee.Thanks,Merlin,Jimmy,and Duck for the good wishes.Now to free up that engine! Ha! (:^)

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

KelvinKDX /

Don,

I just read this post.

Sorry to hear baout your misfortune - but glad to hear that no one was sereously injured.

See you in May.

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Okay,Kelvin!Thanks!

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

gimmyjimmy /

Sorry to hear about your troubles, hope the wife is ok.

Check your insurance policy, it might cover your windsheild or other damage since the ped was IN your truck.

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Thanks,GimmyJimmy!But I only carried `liability'and the minimum insurance on the `ol truck.I'm payin' for this one,but I saved a lot of money over the years by not carrying collision so I really came out ahead.She's slowly gettin' better,GJ,but when you got that Fibromyalgia,you really have a big disadvantage at healin' up.We're gonna get her to `prolotherapy' again real soon and that will help.She's a survivor.Tougher than I'll ever be,I'm sure! (:^)

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

gimmyjimmy /

and she's gonna be a little "gun shy" of your driving now too!

Re: Doom,despair,and AGONY on me......

Aren't ALL women a little gun-shy of men's driving.LOL!!But I couldn't blame her for that!I'm beginning to wonder myself!Man,was I stupid!Don't drive when exhausted.Either rest or drink coffee,or let your pretty little wife drive.I went back to look at that crash site in the daylight.The only reason my attempt to straddle that ditch failed was the bottom of the ditch was so slick with muck that the tires wouldn't bite,and since the front brakes weren't anti-lock,they slid and wouldn't steer.That's something a lot of people don't realize...........when you're sliding in mud or snow or whatever,tires won't steer unless they're rolling.I'm STILL kicking myself.

Want to post in this forum? We'd love to have you join the discussion, but first:

Login or Create Account