Yes. You have to take the gas tank out, and it's a tricky move because its lower side is divided in two sections that are connected with a rubber hose.
Yes, ethanol will slowly destroy your fiberglass tank.
Have you painted the frame? If the answer is "yes", please note that you need to scratch at least one engine support and the place where the high tension coil is bolted.
Another issue to check is the order of the insulation rings at the points and condenser screw.
If it had a fixed position, it wouldn't need to have an elliptical screw. You have to find the proper position for you gearbox. In fact, there's no need to dissasemble the selector when you open the cases, but if you did it so, you'll have to make some tests with several positions until you find every gear is properly engaged when shifting upwards and downwards.
Following a request that my friend Enrique made to me in the La Maneta forum, I decided to write a small guide to help those who do not know how the amazing “Montesa parts manuals” work, which make life easier for everyone who uses them. Above all, if we understand them as they were conceived in the factory. Even today I am amazed by the mentality of Pedro Permanyer, at a time when we were far from the rising of computer science in our lives. The system can’t be more logical.
The first thing we should know is that, from the Impala, all Montesa parts have a unique reference formed by three groups of numbers (and sometimes a fourth group). These groups were separated from each other initially with a point, but eventually ended up joining the first two groups into one (I believe that because the point that separated the model and group was not necessary because there were no confusions). These composed references are those that appear in the sections of Montesa, and it is worth understanding how they are generated. Because understanding it will help us enormously to locate parts, know what compatibilities there are between models, etc.
The first number of the three that make up each reference is given by the factory code of the model, which was also used to number each frame and engine. The list-taken in part from the old Rocky Mountain Montesa of my missed friend John Haberbosch-is as follows:
Model
Name
Displacement
3M
Impala Sport
175cc
4M
Impala
175cc
4M post 20.000
Impala 2
175cc
5M
Microscooter
60cc
6M
Comando
175cc
7M
Montesa 50 A 1
50cc
8M
Kenya
175cc
9M
Comando Impala
175cc
10M
Cota 25, 25A
50cc
11M
Trial 250
247cc
12M
Texas 175
175cc
13M
Impala Cross 175 (175 Scrambler)
175cc
13M
Impala Cross 250 (250 El Diablo)
250cc
14M
Enduro 175
175cc
15M
Sport 250
247cc
16M
Cota 74
74cc
17M
Ciclo Montesa / Indiana
50cc
18M
Cappra 125 MX
125cc
19M
Cota 172
157.3cc
20M
Cota 49
50cc
21M
Cotas 247 y 248
247cc
23M
La Cross
250cc
24M
Texas 250 (Scorpion USA)
250cc
25M
Impala Sport (USA)
250cc
26M
Enduro 75 L
74cc
27M
Mini Montesa (Moped)
50cc
28M
Cota 123, 123T
125cc
29M
Cota 200
173.7cc
30M
Scorpion 50, 50R
50cc
32M
Cota 80
80cc
33M
Cappra 250
250cc
34M
King Scorpion 250
250cc
36M
Cappra 360 GP Europe/USA
351.2cc
37M
Brío
50cc
38M
Cappra 125 VA a VF
125cc
39M
Cota 242, 304, 307 y 309
237.5cc
40M
Rapita 50, 50R
50cc
41M
Impala 2 125
125cc
42M
Crono 74
74cc
43M
Cappra 250 Five
250cc
44M
King Scorpion Automix 250
250cc
45M
Rapita Automix 250
250cc
46M
Cappra 360GP, 360DS
351.2cc
47M
Mini Mini
50cc
48M
Enduro 125 L
125cc
50M
Cota 25 C
50cc
51M
Cotas 348, 349 y 350
305.8cc
52M
Crono 125
125cc
53M
Cappra 250 GP
250cc
54M
Enduro 250 todas las versiones.
250cc
55M
Crono 350
350cc
56M
Cappra 360 GP
350cc
57M
Fura
50cc
58M
Enduro 125H
125cc
61M
Cota 330
327.8cc
62M
Enduro 75 H6 y H7
74cc
63M
Cappra 250 MX
250cc
66M
Cappra 360 VA a 414 VG
350.4cc
67M
Enduro 360 H6 y H7
350cc
68M
Enduro 125 H6 y H7
125cc
73M
Cappra 250 VR a VG
250cc
In addition to those on this list, there is a "fictitious model" (the 2M, or 02 in the parts lists) that corresponds to the original Impala monoblock engine, from which everything changed at the Montesa factory. This number is very frequent and is maintained until a very late time because even the latest engines inherited many pieces of the original Impala.
The second digit of the part number is given by the "Group" to which the part in question belongs. The list of Groups is the following:
Grupo
Número
Observaciones
Frame
20
Usually divided into two sheets (I and II) that correspond to frame and fenders and to tank and seat.
Steering and front suspension
30
Handlebar, seat, grips, throttle and steering axle.
Front suspension
35
Spares that are part of the fork, except for the triple clamps.
Rear suspension
40
Swinging arm and shock absorbers. Sometimes it includes cutting of the shock absorbers with their manufacturer's own codes.
Wheels and brakes
50
Tires, rims, hubs, rear sprockets and bearings.
Brake parts
55
Brake shoes, brake levers, rear brake levers and control cables.
Engine
60
It is usually divided into I and II which correspond respectively to thermodynamic group plus escape and to crankcases.
Flywheel
61
Flywheel, coils and spark plugs. It usually includes references of the manufacturer of the elements.
Carburetion
62
Carburetor and air filter, with references of the manufacturers of the elements.
Clutch and primary drive
63
Includes chain, control cable and sprocket.
Transmission
64
Gear sprockets and selection forks.
Kick Starter
65
Lever and internal mechanism.
Selector
66
Selector and shift lever.
Electrical system
70
Electrical wiring, headlamp and rear lamps. It usually includes cutting of the lighting elements with references from its manufacturer.
Standard accessories
80
Odometer, tools, front plates, etc.
Workshop tools
87
Combining these two tables we already have an idea of how the references work. We will know, for example, that an Enduro 360 frame part will always be a 67.20.XXX (6720.XXX after the loss of the first intermediate point), or that a steering part from a Cota 348 will be a 5130.XXX . We will even learn things about the evolution of the models: for example, when we see the sheet of Cota 348’s tank and see in it the piece 34.20.06201, corresponding to the tank’s badges, we will know that those badges comes from a King Scorpion since its numbers begin with a 3420.
Useful, right? But there is much more. Because Mr. Permanyer sent each dealer a series of ring binders containing the original sections of each of his bikes, arranged in the sequence given above for the Groups. This allowed that when the factory introduced an improvement or a change in the model, an additional sheet was added to know what changes were introduced.
To understand how it works, we’ll discuss the first two pages of a Cota 247 frame. The first one:
The first thing we must look at is the lower area where we are informed that it is a sheet of a Cota 247, corresponding to the Frame I Group (there is a Frame II that is a tank, seat and accessories), and that it applies to the motorcycle from 21M0001 (that is, to the first unit of Cota 247).
The next thing is that we will see a mixture of pieces 21.20.XXX created especially for the model, along with others from different models, such as 33.20.020 (the sidestand spring) that comes from a Cappra 250 (model 33M, as we see in the models table).
Finally, and to them I will refer last, we will see that there are also parts with numbers that start with 0.9X.YYY, which are special cases.
When we turn to the next page of the manual, we will see that we are facing the first modification, which was applied from motorcycle number 500 (21M0500).
And to make our lives easier, Montesa emphasizes the part numbers that have changed in this "Frame Group I", as it happens with the same sidestand spring, which is now a Cappra 250 Five (43M). It’s impossible to make it easier.
Finally, it is necessary to explain the special groups of parts, which we could call "generic". They are the following:
0090.XXYYY Metric screws.
Where XX marks the diameter in millimeters and YYY the length. Thus, a 0090.05022 is a hexagonal screw M5 of 22 mm in length. A “5x22” as they are commonly referred in the supply stores.
0091.XXXXX Special screws.
Where the casuistry is wide and I do not have it very clear. I believe that the denomination comes from the pieces "D91XX" that in the original Impala indicated Withworth measurements. In the last series they were used for countersunk screws (present in Dimensions from 330 and 242), Allen screws, etc. These last denominations are very long, as for example the 0091.0010502032 that indicates an Allen screw 5x20.
0092.XXYYY Nuts.
Where the XX is the diameter in millimeters, and can include several suffixes to indicate if it is self-blocking, standard, etc. For example, a 0092.08011 is an M8 self-locking nut and a 0092.08030 is an M8 elastic nut.
D92XX Withworth nuts
As far as I know, they were only used in Impala and derived for very specific things. They are the D9206 (1/4 inch) that fixed the saddle to the frame, D9210 (1/8 inch) and D9211 (5/32 inch).
0093.XXXXXX Washers and o-rings.
Where the casuistry is large:
0093.104 to 0093.112 indicate flat washer between M4 and M12
0093.30XXXXX are o-rings, like the 0093.3010015 that are 10x1,5 o-rings.
0093.4XXX indicate cable grommets.
0093.504 to 0093.518 indicate elastic washer between M4 and M18.
0093.7XX and 0093.8XX are spacial washers.
0094.XXXX Balls, bearings and bushes.
X is usually the numbering of the standard bearing model used. Sometimes it uses the suffix C3 to indicate tolerance, as in the crankshaft.
0095.XXYY Rivets.
X and Y are usually measured in millimeters as in 0095.0413 which are 4x13 rivets.
0097.XXYY Plugs and fasteners.
X and Y is usually diameter and length.
0098.XYY Elastic rings (Seeger type).
Being the X values 1, 2 and 3 for axis, hole or "type E", and the YY diameter in millimeters. A 098.114 is a seeger for a 14 mm sahft, a 0098.240 is the seeger for a hole of 40 mm, and a 0098.310 is a “type e” seeger for a 10 mm shaft.
0099.XXYY Seals.
Normally X and Y mark internal and external diameter. As a general rule, the thickness is usually 7 mm, with few exceptions that I remember now, and that go to 10.
Sorry for such a heavy text. But I hope it will be of help for those who love Montesas and a good starting point to make your own discoveries.
I'm afraid it's not a 247, but a 123/172 unit. It's not worth the price.
The frame should be gray or black (it depends on the manufacturing year), the fenders are aluminum ... expensive and hard to find parts. BUt the worst part is that you won't find it's 20 and 17 inches tyres.
2. Even at 50:1 every synthetic oil will be enough.
3. GL-4 is better, but GL-5 probably is an acceptable choice. It will hurt the "yellow metals", but at a high temperature.
4. Mineral 10W30 or 10W40 is a better choice.
5. SAE 20 is the original oil.
6. Their maintenance is very simple. Just take a look at the points and condenser, and keep the carb clean.
7. Jared Bates at Southwest Montesa is a nice guy. We miss a lot John Haberbosch; he passed away a few years ago and had a deep knowledge of these bikes.
You've made a good choice. It's the right bike to ride for 50 years. Just two advices:
1.- Use Dunlop tyres. Specially the rear wheel has a narrow rim, and the rigid Dunlop flanks will make a difference with the modern Michelin.
2.- Try to find a 9 teeth front sprocket. You can't figure the difference with the 10th until you test it. The modern renthals are easy to find.
The drain plug under the gearbox uses to be a 19 mm screw. The original oils were a 10w30 for the clutch (Motul Transoil can be a choice) and a SAE 90 for the gearbox, but you'd better refill with an API GL-4, because API GL-5 will corrode the yellow metal parts in the gearbox.
Most of the starting problems I've seen on these bikes are related to the clutch, as feetupfun has told you. I'd never split the central cases unless you are a hundred percent sure that the clutch is not slipping. The inner mechanism is so simple that, if it fails, you'll notice that the gearbox is stuck, or there is a strange noise while kicking it.
Early 196? Cota 247
in Montesa
Posted
It is really difficult to find a bike like yours. I agree with you: do not make a cosmetic upgrade, it would be a crime.