Renovation of Beo 150 progress and 2 questions

[home smoke]

Well, I have been systematically renovating my 2001 Beo 150 which I bought new and now has 20,000 miles on it.

I replaced a lot of the parts that had just plain worn out like my rear shock and the rubber motor mount blocks and hard plastic covers, the bushing the engine connecting rod pivits on I replaced, some of the fuel lines, both brake rotors & pads with a fluid flush, some new bodywork that the headlight mounts on, cleaned the brake switches because one wasn't working, reupholstered the seat using Sargeant Seats, adjusted the valves, new pirelli tires, all new variator rollers, clutch pins, variator belt, changed the engine oil, filter, and transmission oil, cleaned the air filter, replaced the spark plug, installed new starter solenoid.

And just for kicks I installed a new side stand kit.


The bike runs great now and my new suspension system makes a huge difference, because my old rubber motor mount blocks were breaking apart and my old shock was really bad. The installation of the motor mounts was quite challenging the rest of the work wasn't too bad.

There are just a couple of things I still want to address:

1st is the airbox:

I got a good look into the old style airbox when doing the shock absorber installation. The part of the airbox that the fresh air first flows into is caked in oily grime. I'd like to disassemble the airbox and clean out the inside with something like Gunk engine cleaner or replace the whole airbox with a newer one. Also the 2 plastic tabs at the bottom of the airbox for drainage and the breather connection on my bike broke off a long time ago so I plugged them and just put a seperate little filter on the end of the breather hose. Has anyone ever disassembled their Beo 150 airbox? If so do the 2 halves screw together or are they glued together.

Someone is selling an '03 beo 150 airbox (new style) on ebay. Does anyone know if the new style airbox with different type of air intake like a snorkel or something would bolt into the 2001 model. I think then i'd have to also change the under the seat cover that hold the tool kit and the seat latch to the newer version, also for sale on ebay.

2nd the coolant:

My coolant looks fine, but is at least 4 years old. The maintenance manual says to drain it from the drain plug and bleed it from the top of the thermostat in order to change the coolant. I'm concerned of future leaks or breaking the somewhat fragile looking thermostat doing this since I'm not sure how frozen up these drain and bleed screws are. is it better to change the coolant by just disconnecting a hose to the radiator?

Thats it, once i get the airbox and the coolant restored then I'll just need to change my throttle grip and throttle cables and I'll feel like my bike is ready for years more service. The throttle works OK, but the cables are original and well worn and the grip itself is worn and taped over. I have replacement throttle cables already and I'll probably buy new grips as well, just got to get around to that. New grips would really be the cat's meow. The engine runs very well, burns no oil and pulls strong up to a speedo indicated 80 plus mph. I was a little concerned about the valve adjustment I just performed because the tolerances are so tight but I just did it by the book and engine literally purrs now. I'm excited to get this bike back on the road it has given me a lot of joy over the past 11 years and I'm hoping to keep it running a lot longer.

So if anyone knows anything about taking the airbox apart to clean it, swapping the new style airbox for the old style, and about changing the coolant please give a holler in this thread.

Thanks.

[spacetiger]

post some pics of the airbox. Possible the fix you did is contributing to the oily mess you have now? I should think cleaning it would be a good thing.

Change the coolant. I'd follow the factory reco, go easy on the screws using the right tools.

Did you change all other fluids (oil, final drive, brake)?

Jerry

[home smoke]

Hi Jerry,
Well I can't post a picture right now, I'm in NYC and the bike is out in my mom's garage in Connecticutt. But the way the airbox is designed it's like it has 2 halves, the 1st half the fresh air flows into, this is where mine has the caked on grime, then there's the air filter which divides the two halves. Then there's the second half which the filtered air flows through en route to the rubber bellows directing it into the carburetor. The second half has the connections for the breather and drainage, which those tabs broke off on mine and i plugged them. When i looked into the back half of the air box through the rectangular hole where the air filter goes in, the back half just looked shiny, a little oily, but overall clean. It's the front half on mine that has the caked on grime. This I think is from sucking in little bits of soot in the air for 20,000 miles / 11 years. I could just spray Gunk into the airbox through it's various openings after removing the air filter and the rubber bellows and the take a garden hose and wash it out down the sewar outside my mom's house and not even take the airbox apart. 2 or 3 goes at it that way I could probably get it pretty clean.

Yes, I did change the other fluids. The brake job I had a mechanic perform as I also had him do the transmission parts and the tire install. Everything else I did myself. I find working on the bike very therapeutic but i sure do get greasy.

[spacetiger]

Its the 2 holes at the bottom throwing me off. I'm thinking they are for catching oil/final drive fluid, not letting air in. See my post on the airbox mod but noet the clear nipples on the bottom of the air box. Is this what you are talking about?
http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/s...250-Airbox-Mod

If yours are open, I'd think they are not supposed to be that way? Can you see a factory pic to confirm this?

[tomd]

uhh hello this MOK alot ??? Any howww the Gunk building up is because you or someone Killed off the titsthar had youre breater n drain tube conected Pics I can send .. My 01 and 03 Both have same air boxes the changes you speak I can send pics to makes no notable diffeence because Both need a drain and the breather connected Pref to the Box ae ya saying you want to eliminate the emissions equip.? can be done But usually at the expense of some good running at different conditions the system inplace works very well at9K Rpm you need the breathing thing going on 20 K miles and need con rod bearings Hmmmm maybe crankcase press. had something to do with that you can buy metal tit that'll screw into hole in yor box to re attach hoses plastic thread to barb made in brass you scew into hole it makes its own seat in plastic i put a lil goop on before insertion into plastic send me an e mail that ll handle full res pics 14 mp like

[Rockynv]

Coolant should be changed out at least every two years.

[home smoke]

sounds good, will change the coolant next chance i get and will look into getting breather hose and drain hose reinstalled possibly through buying a replacement airbox on ebay

[tomd]

that or buy the doorman brass barbs w threds on one end and screw em into your holes after sanding flat the area around the mount point ...