What sound should my engine be making on start up?

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FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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I can't get my engine to start, I think i may have flooded the engine or something because each compression stroke sounds really squeaky and loud.

I have yet to run through that list of stuff to do in the sticky, but I think I know what may be up.

The stock spark-plug is so damned loose, even with a zip-tie on it, when i put it on it doesn't click like a normal spark plug does, it just sits on top held by that cheap ass rubber. It feels like there is like 0.3mm between the plug contact and the spark plug.

Any ideas? Its just squeaking like crazy.

Thanks!
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
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if you remembered to take the terminal nut off the plug & the boot still won't click into place, then the boot is broken (most of them break pretty quickly)

it shouldn't squeak tho even if broken, so I'm guessing your head needs to be torqued down also
 

FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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if you remembered to take the terminal nut off the plug & the boot still won't click into place, then the boot is broken (most of them break pretty quickly)

it shouldn't squeak tho even if broken, so I'm guessing your head needs to be torqued down also
Terminal nut? Whats that?

And its the cylinder squeaking... I guess ill torque my head down a tad, had to take it off to switch my spark plug placement, its a slanted head.
 

bigbutterbean

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Jan 31, 2011
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I had a boot once that the terminal connection fell completely out of and the engine ran the same without it. Sounds like the head bolts need torqued properly.
 

fatdaddy

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May 4, 2011
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Terminal nut? Whats that?

And its the cylinder squeaking... I guess ill torque my head down a tad, had to take it off to switch my spark plug placement, its a slanted head.
He's talking about the end on the spark plug. It should screw off and just leave a threaded stud.THAT should let your boot slide on.
And the squeking noise may just be a new clutch. They need to be broken in.
fatdaddy.
 

fatdaddy

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May 4, 2011
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Yeah, Terminal nut. Cause if ya don't know what a terminal nut is on the end of a spark plug yer not really a "High Performance Specialist", Are ya?
Just funnin with ya bro. Sometimes it's the little things that trip us up.
fatdaddy.
 

FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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Haha thanks guys, you are awesome! I appreciate the help.

I'm gonna grab my bike and work on it now. I'm gonna just attempt to torque my head down without a torque wrench for now until I can get my hands on one that does only 10 ftlbs.

I'll keep ya all updated!
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
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oh yeah, if you've got crown nuts on that head, either break the caps off them or make REAL sure there are enough washers on each to keep them from binding on the stud without actually tightening the head
 

FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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Alright, well, the thing wont start still.
I got my spark plug properly seated, I've checked the killswitch, CDI, voltages of everything. Timing on my magneto is good.

I made the mistake of taking the head gasket off of the cylinder, so its either that or because I don't have the correct amount of torque on each nut and on the studs.

How would I go about lapping my head and cylinder? Luckily I have a spare head gasket that came with my kit.

Any ideas what my problem might be? Also my clutch is really loud. Is it possible that its slipping and making that god-awful squealing noise? I had to adjust it once already because it was stuck engaged. I have a small feeling that maybe when I pick up enough speed to dump the clutch to start it, its not actually cranking the engine, but when I move from stationary I hear the piston moving up and down.

Thanks again for any help in advanced!!

:-||
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
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The clutch can squeak when it slips so you should make sure it's properly adjusted.
Read norm's clutch thread for all the info how.
 

bigbutterbean

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Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
Did you remove the head gasket before or after the engine wouldn't start, and is it still off? That squealing would be a lot of air escaping the cylinder, and its the entire reason the engine won't start.
 

FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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Did you remove the head gasket before or after the engine wouldn't start, and is it still off? That squealing would be a lot of air escaping the cylinder, and its the entire reason the engine won't start.
I removed the head when I was tightening my loose studs, one was so loose in fact, that I could turn it with my hands. I'm stupid because I slightly bent the head gasket, but I tried to get it as flat as possible. Could this be another reason for it?

I'm willing to lap my head, and the cylinder, but I don't know how.
Again, I have that extra gasket so I'm set.

That and I'm going to tweak my clutch again... If those two things fail, I'm really stumped. This thing is way harder than I thought it would be to get started.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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No, those gaskets can be re-used, I've done it a few times myself. The studs, did you tighten them back into the block before putting the head back on? I had a problem with a stud once that was loose in the block and couldn't get it to torque properly until I tightened it back down into the block. Two ways you can do that. One is to remove the head and put two nuts one one stud, then use a wrench on the top nut and tighten it till it wont go anymore. The other way also involves removing the head, then taking a pair of pliers and grabbing the stud BELOW THE THREADS have to emphasize that part, then just keep turning it till it stops. I did mine the second way, but if I'd been using common sense, would have done it the first way. Either way it worked.
 

fatdaddy

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May 4, 2011
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Yeah BBB, Those gaskets can be reused, but probably not if ya bend it up. And if he's still getting a shish-shish noise from his head then it's new head gasket time. And yeah, It'll be real hard to start with a bad head gasket.
AND, he never said if it was a new or older engine. On an older engine I might say check the coil. A coil can also be crap on a new engine, just not as likely. When I have a hard start problem, 99.9% of the time it's the coil. Just because ya get a spark at the plug don't mean it's a GOOD spark.
So get the head gasket fixed and check the coil. It's almost gotta be one or the other.
fatdaddy.
 

FractaL64

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May 8, 2013
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I got the thing running! I put some high temp silicone on my head gasket around the stud holes, torqued it down by hand, and the main issue was actually a slipping clutch, which I fixed! The gasket is on there nicely, no oil spurting out the side of the head, but soon I'm gonna get my head nuts torqued to specification.

I have one issue however, I can't get the stupid thing to idle without dying. I pull my clutch in all the way, but it slowly just dies off. I tried screwing my idle screw all the way out and adjusting the idle switch after making it run lean while heating up to operating temp, and throwing it all the way open but it will not stay running unless i open the throttle 1/16th. Same with when I'm just cruising down the road not giving it gas, the engine runs but it doesn't have that popping noise 2-stroke engines make when they run with gas.

What can I do to solve this small problem? It tires out my hand to have to give it gas all the time :(