Vespa PX200 2008, Electric Start Motor

[nsaints]

After a couple of years of the electric start motor sounding like it was struggling to get up to speed, getting slower and slower to almost a slow chug, finally last night it died.
Nothing now, other than the the sound of the solenoid clicking on the starter motor

I've just proven it's not the battery by using jump leads from our VW van battery which is a proven good battery

Is there anything thing I should be checking before hitting the 'buy it now' button on a new starter motor?

An RMS starter motor is £100 versus genuine Piaggio £160 - should I avoid the cheaper option - does 'buy cheap, buy twice' apply to vespa starter motors?

Cheers 

PS I'd like to maintain the originality of keeping the electric start as a working option. Although I understand I could just remove this functionality and use the kick start 

[ironsloth]

I have never replaced the starter, merely took it all off once it had failed. Would tend to buy genuine, from a reputable dealer mind.

[nsaints]

It was a loose connection to the starter.

Cleaned up the connection with scotchbrite and electrical cleaner and the starter runs at full speed now. No more chugging, running at slow speed when starting the engine.

[ironsloth]

Never would have suggested it, as you tend to do that sort of thing on autopilot. Since you was going to spend about £100 on the scoot, it’s essentially free money to buy more parts…. 🤣

[gpowell]

The starter motor quality isnt the best and they are susceptible to crap from the road over time.
Ive had to strip two off for some TLC.
The RMS starter is a good replacement.

[nsaints]

For some time I suspected the battery was at fault, as the starter was running really laboured, or 'chugging' when starting the engine at a much reduced rpm
Now the connection is cleaned up that symptom no longer exists

Once I cleaned off the carbon from the connection and the starter is receiving the full volts/amps from the battery it now spins really fast, with appropriate easier starting of the engine.

As a precaution I checked the voltage at the battery. Both the static voltage, and the battery voltage at the terminals when it is at load. In this case when powering the starter motor, and there is negligible voltage drop in both situations.
In other words there's nothing wrong with the battery. The slow running and non running starter motor was entirely down to the loose connection.



happy days when it's a nice cheap repair

[nsaints]

To conclude this thread I installed a new battery/starter wiring loom at £20
An easy one hour job, although the usual faff lifting the tank out to get access