Motor has no power.

There's a fine dance between substandard parts and gettin' everything just right. In addition, these really take some gettin' used to... A broken clutch cable could be it was simply a POS, not routed properly, over tightening the set screw and cutting it a lil - or all of the above.

Like yer sprocket/chain issue - it could be yer sprocket is out of line and/or offset, which is both the builder AND the "rag joint" style - it could be ya just had a lil too much slack from stretch...

The first month I put serious miles on my build I played a lot of "catch-up" - tidying things I had though good enough when I put i together, even trying to fix things that weren't broken - like the 4 cycling problem and a new motor.

All I can say is persevere, if you keep on top of things you'll catch up and learn the peculiarities of your specific build - then it's just fuel n'go. Honestly it's that "design, build, work the kinks out" part I like the most, now that my build is complete and all dialed in - I find I'm lookin' to build another already lol

did not break any cables other than the accelerator, but bought a new clutch cable to make it add up to $38 to get free shipping. Out of the box, the kill switch did not work, the float had a hole, the jet was not screwed in at all. Once installed, and those items straightened out, I have lost the muffler cap, broke the accelerator cable, jammed the chain, and so far, I feel truely to blame primarily for the chain (rear wheel wobble, and not tight enough chain... and I can only retighten all the screws and nuts when I am not actually riding it)... fun so far, though I often admire the electric bikes and reliable scooters that EVERYONE else rides. I have to take the most difficult path, though. Had to have an italian car when I was 16, had to marry a blonde as my trial-wife, had to drive across mexico in an open jeep in July when everyone else I knew flew there, and the list goes on. Why on Earth would I simplify anything in the name of convention? fear of not being the wierdo, I suppose.

When I installed my rag joint on my rear spokes/hub, was I supposed to sandwhich the rags on either side of my spokes? and if I did, would that bring my sprocket and chain farther out, thus maybe aligning my gear cogs and stress the chain less? right? Logic tells me that is the case, but I did only the inner rag, and here is why... 1st, I did not know of the forum at all, 2nd it seemed that the brake on my Schwinn beach cruiser with coaster brake would not clear the gear/chain assembly. Am I to bend out my brake lever?

Yeah - ya defo want to have both the pieces of rubber sandwiching the spokes, if for no other reason than spoke damage. I bet that'll help align the chain too. You'll notice that the kit supplied sprocket is dished as well, I forget exactly but I think the instructions say to mount it with the dish out... it doesn't really matter what they say though cause lining up with the front sprocket is what's important.

Hunker down behind yer bike and sight down the chain like you would a rifle - the front and rear sprockets should line up perfectly, the sides of the chain acting like yer sights. If it's off to one side or the other - that's what chooses which way to dish the rear sprocket. If you can get yer bike off the ground - spin the rear tire (clutch in ofc) and sight down it like that too. Not only will a chain "walk" to one side or another - where the teeth are poking through the chain helps to figure offset too. If they don't stay in the middle as you spin the tire, you've got offset and/or wobble. If they are on one side of the chain at the top of the rear sprocket - but in the middle or the other side halfway down and stay like that, yer rear wheel is crooked and you need to straighten the axle in the dropouts. Don't forget to make sure your tensioner/guide is in line as well or it'll quite happily act like a derailleur.

Also remember to do those tests spinning the wheel the other way. Oftentimes a chain will stay on the sprockets turning one way but not the other, still an alignment problem - just not as severe.

Another important test is tension. If you have 1/2" of slack in your chain but it gets a lil tighter/looser when you turn the rear wheel - the rear sprocket isn't centered. This will cause a LOT of vibration at speed and the "wrenching" action is responsible for many of the engine mount failures.

As for bending the brake arm - I hear that's not only common but easy as well - I've just been fortunate enough to not have a coaster brake lol but it's around the forum somewhere

well, while I await some new parts, I can't ride it anyhow, so it is time to take it apart again and start over.

Yeah man that all sounds 'bout right for these builds heh, yer sufferin' no more than most. People generally think "kit" as bolt it to your bike and go, a more accurate view would be everything IN the box is a kit - engine included.

Like all kits, nothings finished - even the humble twist grip assembly could use some work. Stuff like headbolts not tightened at all is commonplace, let alone torqued to precision. Once all the details are attended to you'll not be "swamped" by failures anymore - it's a stifling feeling, I remember it well.

When it's all done and said you'll be laughing as you dust those others though Conventional is so boooooring anyways *yawns*

I found drilling some holes in the dirty air side of the air filter housing helped a bit. While you got the housing off check that you choke cap is fully clearing the hole when its in the choke off position. the choke leaver can also vibrate its way back into the choke position if its not tight enough.

I ordered the parts on Monday at 11pm right before going to bed, and they arrived yesterday, Wednesday FedEx (free shipping) from ChinaGas (goes by so many names apparently also Kings and National and ???) Anyway, I am pleased. BTW, I am going to put a couple of tack welds on my muffler cap to keep it on, will RTV goo my intake, drill some holes in the dirty side of my air cleaner, realign my gears to prevent further chain hops and stress, and will see. Update soon.