Cant get drive chain to move or engine to start.

GoldenMotor.com

Samuel Whittle

New Member
Sep 3, 2019
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Cape Cod, MA
I’ve built everything together for the first time and Im confident everything is tight and where it needs to be but I cannot for the life of me get my drive chain to move. The clutch is engaged as Im trying to do so but it makes no difference. Please help
 

Greg58

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2011
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Newnan,Georgia
Welcome to the forum Samuel, have you tried moving the clutch arm on the engine all the way in by hand and rolling the bike? Sometimes the cable is not tight enough.
 

Samuel Whittle

New Member
Sep 3, 2019
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0
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25
Cape Cod, MA
Hey Greg58, thanks for your reply. After taking apart the casings of the motor reluctantly I saw that the chain was actually binded up on the drive sprocket. This was giving me a false sense of the chain being tight enough when it was actually much too loose.
 

lewdog7431

Active Member
Feb 13, 2019
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I have the same problem sometimes the chain binds up at the drive sprocket so I've figured the reason is that the chain tensioner is not giving enough tension .....so I've removed a link or two on one part and brought that tensioner up as tight as possible , so what happens is when you pop the clutch when starting the top of the chain gets tight while the bottom part becomes slack if too loose the chain pinch together like a piramid and get stuck , found out thr hard way chain locked up when in motion and pitched me over the handlebars and wrecked , .....so be aware of the chain coming loose .......good luck man
 

kelly dean

Active Member
Oct 3, 2019
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kentucky
I've seen using HD chains where the chain gets pinched by the sprocket cover and it was absolutely froze up a bit of a notch off the closed end of the cover cures it
 

lewdog7431

Active Member
Feb 13, 2019
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Well thats one episode im fully aware of slack in the chain ,so keep the tensoner tight and the chain straight also the rear sprocket must be straight and tight ,ok off to the next issue,good luck
 

xXNightRiderXx

Active Member
Jan 12, 2017
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Boise
I've seen using HD chains where the chain gets pinched by the sprocket cover and it was absolutely froze up a bit of a notch off the closed end of the cover cures it
Yes, this happens. It happened to me the moment I put a better chain onto my china kit. Use a file and scour away where the chain is binding, taking care not to file into the hole there. A dremel grinder will also work. Remember, modifications, adjustments, and repairs will likely need to be made constantly. That is the nature of these two stroke motors. Occasionally, you get this one engine that is just flawless and doesn't need any repairs....but that's a rarity from china, most especially now.