Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

Here's a custom Motocompo found on the 'net. Short write up is at this link

Gyro-compo

that is one awesome scooter made even more awesome

gyromaniac wrote:that is one awesome scooter made even more awesome

Two awesome scooters.

Ive got a gyro s i picked up on a super deal and cleaned it
Up and its
Looking boss but it needs a starter can any one help me out i would be super great and will pay good money for one thank you guys

Beyond locating another Gyro starter, here's other options. I prefer the rebuild path

-- Rebuild --
If your armature is failed, it may be replaced with one from Honda models listed below. Spree armature's can work too. But be careful with the Spree, I have received a starter starter with a different number of teeth on the shaft. Then get new brushes/springs, oil seal and bearings which fit the Gyro/Spree/Aero/Elite (AF05's only) in a starter rebuild kit for a Suzuki LT-80 starter (see eBay, about $23). There will be serveral parts in the LT80 kit you will not use.

LT-80 starter rebuild kit:
-- Adapt a starter --
A starter from AF05 engines (85-97 Aero, 88-93 Elite SA50 and 87 Elite SE50) can be made to work. There's 3 differences, 2 can be fixed at home, last would require machine work.
1) Rotates the opposite direction
2) Power connection tab is intentionally wider
3) No oil seal on output shaft


-- 1 - Rotation --
Aero and Elite starters have a mounting plate which fits TG50 and NN50 Gyros. But starter rotation is reversed. Easy way to reverse the rotation is to mark the can and mounting plate, disassmble, grind the keying tabs on the can as needed, then re-assemble with the can 180 degrees from original.

TODO: Add pic of starter can indexing tabs

-- 2 - Power tab --
File to fit, be careful making connections, it will be more fragile.


-- 3 - No oil seal on output shaft -
Gyro's mounting plate has been machined to fit an oil seal. Gyro's starter shaft runs inside the oil filled gearbox, and will get oil on the shaft. On the Aero and Elite starters the drive is into the dry belt case, and do not have a seal. With no seal, oil may it's way inside the starter via the bearing, and foul the brushes.

TODO: Add pic of mounting plate with/without oil seal

If i were to sell my gyro would anyone here buy it or if i send someone the starter and the rebuild kit and pay them couldthey rebuildme a starter .... My hands are big and clummsy

If i were to sell my gyro would anyone here buy it

There are folks looking, GA is a good location. Post and put up pics in Wanted/For Sale.

...i send someone the starter and the rebuild kit and pay them could they rebuildme a starter

Try bringing the starter to a local auto or motorcycle repair shop, and get a quote. Have them check the armature while there. if bad you or someone will need to locate a donor starter.

Shipping back/forth plus paying someone here could be more expensive.

-- Sometimes a bad starter is a secondary problem --
Once in a while there is the odd Gyro with a bad oil pump. That can fill the crankcase with oil during storage and hydro lock the engine. If the owners do not recognize the issue, they can burn up starters trying to get the engine to crank. I've had a few of those to fix.

Verify you can turn the engine over by hand before cranking with a replacement starter.

The motor is not locked and everything looks good ..... Can i pull it with something and get it going fast enough to turn over and start or would that damage the motor.....

Good to hear your engine rotates freely

-- starting w/o a starter --
Never done it myself on a scooter, but I've heard guys have used drill motors to drive the flywheel.

....by the way, is that clockwise, or counter-clockwise....hum...

Fan blades on many Honda scooters I've looked at are forward curved. This makes engine rotation easy to determine. For the Gyro its CCW. On the transmission side is another indicator. The nut holding the 1st gear clutch drum to the crankshaft is left hand threaded.
Why are fan blades oriented in a visually incorrect orientation?
That fan looks like instead of blowing, it sucks!

-- Fan blade data(mfg supplied info) --
"A centrifugal blower with forward-curved blades has blades that are curved in the direction of wheel
rotation and, is primarily an impulse device. It accelerates the air to a high velocity, while rotating at a speed
that is usually low compared to that of a backward-inclined blower. The forward-curved type is known as a
ÔÇ£volumeÔÇØ blower, and is more common because it delivers the greatest air volume in relation to blower size and
speed."

-- Why this is not a good supercharger or shop vac fan --
"FC blower wheels are operated at relatively low speeds and are used to deliver large air volumes against relatively
low static pressures. The inherently light construction of the forward curved blade does not permit this wheel to be
operated at speeds needed to generate high static pressures."

Why did Honda put a left hand thread on the crank to 1st clutch?
Honda used a left hand nut so rotation of the engine vs clutch drag tightens that nut.

-- Summary --
but valuable. Nail Honda's designs, and your troubleshooting skills will show time savings and potential mods. Beyond that, applications outside our scooter hobby will be seen.