So the piece o' crap stock variator on my grande blew the hell up for the second time today. last time this happened i got a replacement stock variator for it. I think this time I'm going for a performance type. what do you guys suggest.
its going on:
1980 vespa grande
13/13 dellorto
malossi foam filter
proma performance racing pipe
not kitted yet
thanks for any suggestions
Never used the Polini or the TJT, but the Malossi is pretty rowdy; I love mine. The TJT that treats has looks identical to the Multivar. What do you mean yours "blew up"?
ahh, the variator plate(the one closest to the case) cracked in half while i was riding to work this morning. it was the sound of a moped in pain! shit was just old i guess. did you get any speed increases with the malossi. how hard was it to tune.
Yes, you get low end and top end boost, cause its smaller open and bigger closed than the stock one. It wasnt hard to tune at all. The 4.7g weights that came with it were too light for my non-kitted bike (I had a Leo, 13.13, filter, at the time). I used JB Weld and BB's (~.4g each) to bump it up to 5.1g each, and it works fine even after kitting to 64 Malossi with a cut crank and case matching and a 13mm intake.
I suspect that when I put the rear-end gears in it this weekend I will go back to 4.7g to keep it from opening up all the way so quickly.
As a side note, the strengthened spring that comes with it helps a LOT. You will need a bench vise, a 34mm socket with a breaker arm or cheater bar or something, a pair of vise-grips with the compressor fork end thing (not the normal plier ones) and some patience to get it on, but it's worth it. Mine will get the front wheel off the ground since I put the spring in (if I am standing on the pegs, anyway). Before the spring went in it would surge on takeoff as the variator bounced open and closed.
yeah that sounds pretty rowdy. Any Idea where to get a multivar(besides 50cc.nl) that will fit my grande. Or do you think I should just go with treats' TJT?
Ive heard that the polini sucks balls
Email Benji at treats and see when he'll have them in, and you can also ask what he thinks of the TJT vs the Multivar. My guess is they are nearly identical; they look that way.
my malossi variator is my favorite. however, i need lighter weights. the 4.7s that came with it has the variator closing up before the clutch even engages. i'm either going to drill them out or try to find some lighter weights.
also, the only tools you need to install the big yellow spring that comes with the variator is a bench vise, large adjustable wrench, some gloves and a friend. i clamp the thing in the vise (not too hard as to bend anything), use the large wrench to remove the nut (stand back, things will go flying), replace spring (put in heavier malossi clutch springs while you have it apart), use gloved hands to squish spring and pulley cheeks back onto clutch assembly, then have your friend install the lock washer/nut. tighten it down, bend the edges of your washer, and done!
Yes I spose you could do it like that too. Hah. I clamp it in the vise not too tight and with cardboard between it and the jaws, then clamp the movable ramp face down against the clutch assembly with the vice grips, then remove the nut...nothing goes flying :) Then put the new one on, step on the movable face to hold it down, start the nut and then back in the vise to tighten it down.
O look, treats got a multivar
hey alright, looks like it will be the malossi afterall.
James & Terry,
You want to really impress a novice? Tell me how to replace the yellow clutch spring WITHOUT having access to a vice (because I don't have access to one).
And also, I bought the little malossi clutch springs as well,.....but they came with 3 color coordinated sets of 3 springs per set (white, yellow & black), and no explanation on which colored springs do what. So any advice on those would be helpful as well.
I just put my multivar in last night, but I didn't do the clutch springs. My top end went from 35mph all the way down to 22mph. Could that be because I didn't do the clutch springs as well?
thanks guys!
Two people with graceful brut strength.
Hey red october. Can you tell me the order you bought your shit and the increases you saw? I never tuned a vespa before But I just bought a bravo for 60$ and it must be faster. I ground out the little copper spacer in the variator and that didn't do a lot. I am going to ditch the metal screen and make my own filter out of uni foam and the stock box.
do the filter like you said. that will help a little if its totally stock then its a little too rich. I got an "instant" 5 MPH with a pipe and a 50 jet in my 12.10 carburetor.
Then I got the Variator (Malossi) it really doesn't give you more top end, so much as just work much better than the stock one. although I have no complaints about the quality of the stock variator. Its just not... performance.
So I'm still doing 30's with my otherwise stock Ciao I've gotta 52 jet in it now because I took the air box off and just used pantyhose. But I think I'm gonna put the 50 back it. I lost a couple MPH. it felt more grunty but it could be that is was so much louder sucking in air with no cover or box that I just think it was torque-ier.
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