AZ newbie

[Wolfy]

Hello, my name is Brandon. I recently bought a used two stroke Schwinn Stingray OCC off a guy who had tweaked and cleaned up the bike from the first owner.

I am completely new to motorized bikes but have been looking at them for months. I really know nothing about tuning it up except what I've been reading on this site.

Currently I've been having a problem with getting the bike to start and stay on before it dies, so far I don't believe it has even idled.

I installed a wireless odometer to check the speed and it seems if I go any lower than 14 mph the engine will die. I've still got the old fuel in the tank but it's a 40 or 45:1 ratio, I do intend to drain the tank and put in a new batch to see if that helps at all.

I've taken the carb off which I am very sure is a speed carb and the float is fine and everything seems to be in working order so I put it back on the bike. I opened up the mag cover since I noticed there was fuel leaking from one of the bottom screws. I'm not quite sure on my petcock positions to shut off the fuel valve but I did try to take the mag off in-case their was a leak but I can't remove it. The other part inside there is sort of a tea stained color and I'm not sure if that is normal or not?

The original idle screw is missing but the last owner replaced it with another screw with a nut on it. I'm not sure if this is contributing to it not being able to idle and run or not.

I was going to try checking the spark plug but because of the way the fuel tank is attached I can't get any tool into that space to remove it.

I'm considering taking it to IFMC in Tempe to see if they can fix it, does anyone know if they are a good place to go?

If anyone would like to take a crack at my problems please let me know or if you are in AZ and can help me with it or know a good place to take it to that would be great too.

 

[paul]

hey brandon, that is a great looking motorized bicycle, we have lots of members from az and i am sure they will be glad to help you or let you know where to get help. glad you joined us

 

[Theon]

Getting the carb to sit a little more level may help,
Again nice looking bike.
Crank case seal may be a prob, the Mag rotor can usually be 'pulled' with a couple of screw drivers.

 

[Wolfy]

I was able to remove the fuel tank with lots of effort, it helps to be stubborn. And with that removed I could get to the spark plug and remove it. I'm pretty sure it needs to be replaced. When I pulled it out it had what looked like oil on it since there was no tint of blue to it. So I will be getting a new spark plug tomorrow as well as new fuel.

I did take some photos of the inside of the Mag casing.

I also finally figured out how the positions of the fuel valves are supposed to be since I ended up taking the whole thing off and draining it.

@Theon
I'm not really sure how to adjust the way the carb is sitting. The way the original owner positioned the engine makes everything off and I don't see much of a way I can fix it.
As for the Mag rotor being 'pulled' I may have to look that up and if the new spark plug and fuel don't make things better will have to check on it.

 

[Theon]

I can't get a good look at it as there seems to be a problem with clicking on thumbs today?
but I have a couple of different inlet manifolds that have a different angle to them.

 

[MopedLover]

Have you checked the tension adjuster on the throttle?

 

[Theon]

This is just something that I noticed with a Stingray rep that I have here, I found the steering a little weird, and when checking the Castor I found it had none!, I turned my forks around, and shortened them a little, And it handled much better at speed, not that it looked better, but it did handle a lot better,
Just my experience,
Mine was a rip off, the originals might be better.
But I'm interested in others experience in how there's handle at speed, as they are a great looking bike.
I hope this don't come across as rude, probably does.

 

[KCvale]

I've been having a problem with getting the bike to start and stay on before it dies, so far I don't believe it has even idled.

I installed a wireless odometer to check the speed and it seems if I go any lower than 14 mph the engine will die. I've still got the old fuel in the tank but it's a 40 or 45:1 ratio,
I do intend to drain the tank and put in a new batch to see if that helps at all.

I am local but don't care to work on it for you, I have more new high end new build work to do than we can handle so I will just advice this...

The engine was beat to **** and ruined by a lack of lubricant in the fuel.
A new good engine is like $120 and you can just replace it in the same mounts and cut your losses now.

If anyone would like to take a crack at my problems please let me know or if you are in AZ and can help me with it or know a good place to take it to that would be great too.

The LAST thing want to deal with is a build repair like this but go ahead and use my Contact form my web site linked in my sig and I wouldn't charge you anything to take a quick look at it if you bring it by.

 

[Wolfy]

@Mopedlover
Is that the part up at the handle bar? I'm not quite sure what adjustments to the throttle would do, would you care to explain? I'm just curious as to how that changes the throttle?

I wasn't able to get a new spark plug due to the shop not having them on hand like they thought so hopefully tomorrow will be better. I'll keep you guys updated.

@KC
How is the engine beat up? I thought a 40:1 ratio was good?
Also, on a side note I had thought about buying from you I found your site months ago but everything was priced too high for me. I got this bike at a reasonable price so I'm really trying not to have to invest in a whole new engine.

 

[KCvale]

@Mopedlover
Is that the part up at the handle bar? I'm not quite sure what adjustments to the throttle would do, would you care to explain? I'm just curious as to how that changes the throttle?

Throttle cable can cause the idle being too high but not too low, the set screw on the carb itself sets the idle.

I wasn't able to get a new spark plug due to the shop not having them on hand like they thought so hopefully tomorrow will be better. I'll keep you guys updated.

@KC
How is the engine beat up? I thought a 40:1 ratio was good?
Also, on a side note I had thought about buying from you I found your site months ago but everything was priced too high for me. I got this bike at a reasonable price so I'm really trying not to have to invest in a whole new engine.

(sigh) You bought an motorized bicycle that wouldn't even idle when you bough it and running 40-45:1 gas: oil mix?
Unless you are mixing like 50:1 Amsoil synthetic oil, 25:1 break in and then 32:1 if you don't want your bearings and other internal parts that need lubricating toasted.

I do feel for a fellow Zonie's misfortune buying bottom dollar junk and in here now trying to find cheap fixes for it but the bottom line is you just didn't buy quality to start with and will keep spending past my 'too expensive' price for it to start with and still have crap is what it sounds like to me and why I suggested you just cut your losses now.

 

[Wolfy]

Honestly, the bike seemed to be working fine and for not knowing anything about them I didn't want to buy a top dollar bike when I could just put that towards a car.

@KC
And you don't have to be an ass just because someone doesn't want to spend their rent money on a bike from you. If you don't want to be helpful just ignore the post in the first place instead of sticking your nose up at someone who is just learning.

Personally I'd rather gain the experience and learn all about the parts on a "junker" than buy something with money I don't have and end up never learning.

Thank you to those of you whom have made suggestions for me to try.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Agreed Wolfy, there's no better way to learn then just jumping in and doing it - these basic builds inexpensive enough there's no harm trying.

Personally I see little point in buying completed kit bike builds from a third party retailer - if you've not built it (or in this case, rebuilt it) you'll not have the experience needed to maintain it

 

[MopedLover]

@Mopedlover
Is that the part up at the handle bar? I'm not quite sure what adjustments to the throttle would do, would you care to explain? I'm just curious as to how that changes the throttle?

I wasn't able to get a new spark plug due to the shop not having them on hand like they thought so hopefully tomorrow will be better. I'll keep you guys updated.

@KC
How is the engine beat up? I thought a 40:1 ratio was good?
Also, on a side note I had thought about buying from you I found your site months ago but everything was priced too high for me. I got this bike at a reasonable price so I'm really trying not to have to invest in a whole new engine.

Yeah, there should be a nut on the throttle that you can use to adjust the tension like a cable actuated bike brakes. You could adjust it so that it's reving at a reasonable RPM during idles. But then that would be more or less be the same thing as the idle screw on the carburetor.

As for the oil/gas mix ratio, it really depends on how the carburetor is tuned. If it's anything like NT Carb that I had, once you crack it open, there should be like a needle looking thing that you can adjust(I forgot which height is for lower oil mixatures, it's been a long time since I sold all of my bikes). Then you check your sparkplug for colors. So if you were using 40:1 mixature when the carb was tuned to take higher oil mixature, then your engine might have gotten beat up.

Also, try and see if you can get a spark plug remover (it's an octagon looking thingy) and remove the plug and replace it with another one.

Also, you could try phoenix motored bikes. He does good repairs maybe he can take a look at it. I can't find the website anymore, it seems like it's down. But here's his number (480) 639-5402

 

[CTripps]

Welcome to the forum Wolfy.

 

[Tang]

Welcome to the place to get info. Sometimes the hard knocks is the way to learn. I bought a bike and motor kit. Found out not all bikes are created sequel. Kit I bought for the most part junk. Swapped some parts out. Poorly chose a different frame, don't like. So I ordered a alum. Frame from phantom bikes. I really like the new frame. All in all I learned a lot.

Tang

The trail life for me.

 

[KCvale]

@KC
And you don't have to be an ass just because someone doesn't want to spend their rent money on a bike from you. If you don't want to be helpful just ignore the post in the first place instead of sticking your nose up at someone who is just learning.

I WAS trying to help you Wolfy because you are a local, I came to my conclusion of the best course of action from seeing far too may used motorized bicycles like this the last 4 years and went by what you said in your first 2 posts and offered to look it over for free.

If you want to dick with it then here ya go.

It was a used rebuild bike that was re-sold to you again.
The sad part is almost everything you see on CraigsList for sale here for $350 isn't worth $100.
If you are mechanic and want to rebuild a toy great, if you want reliable transportation they are the worst money draining frustrating thing you could buy.

The gas/oil mix was 40-45:1
Your carb fuel/air mix despite looking like it goes right into the cylinder, it doesn't, it goes down through the crank case first then up on the side of the cylinder so the oil in the fuel can lubricate the lower end.
The basic rule is 25:1 non-synthetic for a tank or two, then 32:1 of synthetic. Unless you are running some special Amsoil type lubricant good for like 50:1 or even 100:1 your lower end will simply wear extremely fast.

Top speed was 18MPH.
Even with your 24" back wheel that bike should do over 20MPH, there could be other factors like wheels that don't spin free the usual cause is a worn engine and typlical way to hide that is to use way less oil so the gas mix is higher which is what caused the problem to begin with much like people putting sawdust in their transmission to sell a car so it doesn't leak and make noise until it's out of their hands.

You see fuel in the magneto cover.
A leak there with be an unpredictable gas/air mix.
There are topics here for how to replace the seal so reference them.

It never did idle.
It won't idle because the idle set screw is a bolt that is not tapered and able to reach the small ramp on the carb barrel to set its idle height.

DO NOT attempt to set this by throttle cable tension, just get a real idle screw if it will even screw in now that a bolt was forced in it because if your idle is cable tension dependent just turning your handlebars can cause it to rev up unexpectedly, especially with ape hangers.

Can't get the plug out without removing gas tank.
If you want your plug easier to get to, pull the head and rotate it so the plug faces forward, be sure to use a torque wrench in the proper sequence and tighten it to 20# when warm.

I was too expensive.
That all depends on your needs and if you needed reliable quality transportation you took a wrong turn going 3rd hand used and I'll leave it at that but you have my sight unseen assessment of what is wrong.

 

[Wolfy]

Just wanted to give an update, I changed out the spark plug and drained the fuel, mixed some new and it took a few minutes for the new fuel to work through but I was off and riding in under 10 mins. I was able to get up to 25 in the neighborhood, I still want to get some more practice with the bike before I go out too far or take it on any main roads. The bike idled perfectly and didn't die once while I was testing it out.

I did have a set back though. When I started out I had noticed the cable coming from the cdi to connect to the spark plug was cracked and showed the wire but I figured as long as I order a replacement today it would be fine till I got one. Well the screws anchoring the front of the engine weren't as tight as I thought and worked themself off and the front of the engine was tilted to the left before I realized and ended up ripping the wiring right out of the box.

So I order a replacement cdi and a new magneto just so I would have it on hand. I'm going to check the seal behind the magnet since I have been getting a fuel leak from the screws used to hold the magneto in place.

Other than the minor set back all the bike needed was a new spark plug and some new fuel mixed up.

Thank you to those who did give suggestions.

 

[Theon]

Good on ya,
But by the sounds of things you should probably get some one to have a good look over the bike for you, Checking for lose nuts and bolts should have been the first thing you did.
The mag seal is a common problem with these and easy to do.
Personaly I'd strip the thing down and go right over it, but I've been told that not everyone has my aptitude. So I'd try and find someone local that does want to help you if you don't feel capable.

 

[azbill]

welcome from FH
if you can get out my way, I can usually help with these finicky little beasts
also, I am always looking for someone to ride with LOL

 

[Risingsunn]

Hey Wolfy and azbill, I am down in Maricopa and am also looking to find someone to ride with. PM me if you are interested.

I can understand where both you and KC are coming from. You just want to learn on what you have available and don't want to be too invested in a bike right now. That is how I started out. A good place to learn and a lot of learning to do to. But KC does have a very good point. These engines are questionable in quality to begin with, but getting a used motor that may or may not have been abused is a big crap shoot if you even be able to get it running the way it should regardless of how much you baby it. If you start with a new quality motor you will learn how things SHOULD run, and avoid the very big possibility that you will burn yourself out working on restoring a POS that is not even worth your time. Though I had fun at first learning from questionable motors from questionable vendors, I eventually invested in a DAX motor. I know that good mechanic worked on it and that he stands behind his work. Sure I payed more for it, but honestly I, like KC, think that it's well worth the extra few bucks.
Anyway, just my 2 Cents. Good luck and welcome...