Brand new 4 stroke, no power at all

[artmaker]

Got this from thatsdax.com (never should have done that.) Anyway, it's been a long time getting this together. Thought I'd upgrade my 2stroke to a 4 stroke. Well today I put in oil and fuel, fired it up, but this thing could't pull the bike by itself let alone with me on it. Just no power what so ever.

I thought a video might help, you can hear the motor and see how as soon as I set the tire down it just stops turning.

Anyone have a clue what the problem is here? I sure don't. Very frustrated now.

Here.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Do you have the choke on or off?

 

[artmaker]

I don't know. Forgot about the choke. Not sure which position is on or off but now I can't get it started at all in either position

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

lever to the right is choke on with plate blocking the carb throat.

You probably flooded it.

 

[artmaker]

Yea I bet I did. Watched a few videos. Do you suppose that could be all it was? I had the choke wrong?
I'll try again tomorrow.

 

[CRP]

I run one of my 4 strokes with the choke just on a little bit. Maybe 15 degrees? If I go no choke I will get no power. The engine will run but I need the choke on a little to get all the power. Fool around with the choke and see what happens.

The bike I have that I run a little choke is old and I can't figure what exactly is going on so I drilled holes in the air filter cover to let more air in and I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the air box in the cover for the carb. My own problem going on and I think my real problem may be oil being kicked back up in to the carb.

Any ways, play with the choke and see what happens. Bet that solves your problem.

Side note, if you have non ethanol marine gas available use that, my engines run better on it. I live by the ocean so gas stations around here sell it and I use it on all my small engines.

 

[crassius]

I didn't hear any change when wheel was on the ground - is clutch slipping, or just not running fast enough to engage

 

[artmaker]

It wont start. I don't know what position is on or off on the choke, tried first mid way, few pulls, nothing. Moved it straight back, nothing, Tried the other way, nothing. NADA. Piece of worthless garbage I blew hundreds of dollars on and countless hours for nothing.

I do have good gas in it. The non ethanal kind. Only a few places around me sell it but I picked up a two gal can off ebay (the kind that works) and keep it in stock for the chainsaw and weed wacker. I didn't plan on using it for the bike but figured until I actually have it running I'd start with that.
It wont' even try to start. Though sometimes the pull cord snaps right out of my hand.

I should have just replaced my old two stroke and been done with this. At least that worked.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

It wont start. I don't know what position is on or off on the choke, tried first mid way, few pulls, nothing. Moved it straight back, nothing, Tried the other way, nothing. NADA. Piece of worthless garbage I blew hundreds of dollars on and countless hours for nothing.

I already posted........
Sitting on the bike, push lever to the right is choke on with plate blocking the carb throat.

lever all the way to the left is off.

Take the air filter off and check for yourself?

A pic taken straight on off each side of the engine and carb would be helpful or you can keep venting.

The valves could be set way off or the air mixture screw could be off too.

 

[artmaker]

Ok, two pictures coming up.

So this would be the off position then??? Start with it off? yes?
Tried off, middle and over, no fire at all. Not even a burp.
I would think with all the time between my posts here if I flooded it the thing would be ok now.
Or do you somehow manually have to UNflood this thing?
I have flooded the lawn mower a few times and just walking away for a bit usually clears it up.

Anyway, here, not sure this is much help.

 

[motobike]

Pull the spark plug and make sure it's not fouled. Check for spark and fuel. That's for getting it running again, not for your power issue. They should run well straight out of the box.

 

[motobike]

Another thing, you should see gas, in the clear tube between the pet cock and carb ,at least part way up the tube. Choke will definitely affect the power output.

 

[motobike]

Noticed one more thing in your last photo. Your throttle cable seems to be improperly adjusted. It should be completely returned to the stop point and there is a black nut for adjusting the idle. Then check that you get full throttle with the twist grip. It should move that lever all the way to the max stop point again. You can also unhook the cable and move it manually. Mine starts without any throttle at all. Looks like you're flooding it without even touching it.

 

[CRP]

Yes your throttle is on, you are on half throttle from the picture.

The problem there maybe your throttle casing being snagged somewhere. You need to follow the throttle cable and find out where the problem is. That throttle cable should not be pulling the carb half open in the idle position. Make sense?

Also is the first pic a pic of your fuel line into the carb? If so you don't have fuel in it. That would be problem one if I get that pic right?

You need to fix those two items or it's not going to work.

Fuel line first, is fuel getting to the carb? It should be full.

Next, figure out the throttle issue, half throttle is not right at what should be idle.

Next, then fool with your choke if needed.

Post pics of your throttle linkage set up, maybe we can help.

 

[artmaker]

GOT IT RUNNING!!!!!!!

Took it across the street to my mechanic.
So… pulled the plug. No gas on it but it was LOADED with carbon. Probably my fault with the choke set wrong.
Put a gizmo on it where the plug goes, fired it right up. This tool (you guys probably know what I'm talking about) is suppose to light up. Well no light but the motor did start. (guessing that tool is designed for cars not this tiny motor.)

BUT it was running at full speed. Seems I had the throttle cable in too tight. Adjusted that and viola. I got a lesson in the darn choke. Basically leave it where it is unless cold starting and it wont fire. They said that's the only time to fool with it.

Now there was smoke, smelled like burning rubber, coming from the transmission. This worries me a bit, they said it's the belt, sure looks to me like it was coming from inside the bell.
Again NEVER EVER SHOP THATSDAX. (List of reasons… forgot parts, sent bent pedal crank, I'll replace that later. Worthless idiotic mounting system. Replaced that already. Transmission cover is cheap soldered tin with sharp edges and looks like sh*t. And possibly the transmission will prove to fail. Not to mention the guy has my money now and won't even answer my emails. WHAT A RIP OFF!!!!)
His patten pending design might just be flawed. I'm already thinking a whole new clutch system might be in order. (insert suggestions please.)

OR it just might need breaking in. We'll see.

Needless to say I won't go further than I want to push this thing home for awhile. My weekly trips to town for a concert aught to wait. (Not up for a 13 mi hike.)

So… how many miles is break in? And does anyone have a link to a good old fashion, analog, big face speedometer/odemeter? I had one on there when I first got this bike. Speedometer crapped out pretty fast but the odemeter was nice.
Digital ones suck so please don't even suggest it. Besides that big dial just looks cool.

So, I need to replace the clutch cover, hook up the handle kill button (he showed me on that too) get my mirrors, horn, light on and I'll put up some new pictures.

 

[CRP]

From the sounds of it you might want to see what the transmission does and check in here if there is a problem. You sound a little shaky on mechanical things?

You don't have the kill switch hooked up yet? How are you turning the motor off when it's running?

 

[artmaker]

YES on the I'm shaky with mechanical things. That's what mechanics are for.
Slowly figuring it out though.

Kill switch, the motor has one on the side. With ONE wire. now the mechanic explained how this thing works, even jammed one of the handle wires into the spot where the motor wire is connected to it's side kill button. He said connect those two, and just attach the other to ground on the bike somewhere. It works. I'll hook it up better later but at least I know how now.
Oh he also pulled the rubber cover off the button on the motor. Darn thing was sometimes preventing the button from lifting back out. Easy fix there. Put rubber bit in pocket. Done.

Now the transmission, what I'm thinking here, it was smoking when we first started it only the throttle cable was on too tight. So basically the motor was started at about half throttle while holding the brake. Just guessing here, but wouldn't that sure cause the clutch to smoke a bit???
I didn't smell or see any issues once we adjusted the cable and I took an actual ride around town. So for now I'll just wait and see how this goes.
Keep my rides close to home.

Still attaching misc stuff now. Mirrors, working on a better light bracket, horn… yada yada. Too hot all day, waited till evening and opened up the garage. Holy swarms batman…. bugs from **** invaded. June bugs are a bit late. And in my hair! Dang those things are stupid. Tomorrow will be even hotter. Beach for me. I'll get back to this later.


Ok, gotta share this. Totally off topic but so so cool.
I have robins nesting in a pergola in my yard. Today one of them fledged and is hopping around the back yard, doesn't even have tail feathers yet. Parents are following it trying to feed it. Well I'm sitting out there watching this and the little guy hops onto my foot, up my leg, and right on my chest. We sat there looking at each other for the longest. SO cool! I wish I had my camera in my hand. And mama was standing there with a worm in her mouth must have been convinced this baby was a total moron. lol. Very cool indeed. NEVER had that happen before.

 

[artmaker]

Hey thought you all would like to see the final result. The beast is up and running and still some summer to enjoy it. Still have to wire up the handle kill button, (and get RID of the thatsdax sticker. WORST place to buy anything. Never ever again.) No huge rush on that. All the real important stuff is done. (oh, yea, hard lesson here, the gas tank is NOT gas proof paint. Nuts. I cut a hunk of bubble wrap to lay over it when fueling.)

Keeping rides local until I'm sure everything is working right.

Thanks for the help. These forums are the best. I'd have been lost without the support I found on this and one other forum board.
Here,
enjoy.

 

[Kletus]

I have noticed that DAX has a lot of loyal customers on this board.

 

[artmaker]

Yea, one reason I bought from him. But now I have to wonder if they aren't all his friends. My kit was missing several key parts, namely the pedal crank. He shipped them out quick enough but that part is bent. Pedals go around wanky. That clutch cover is nothing but home made welded tin. But I just may need a new clutch at some point, guessing a new one would have a new cover too. The motor bracket is also a home made thing that might fit HIS bike but no way it would fit mine. Had to order one from somewhere else. And even that needed to be modified.

And he will NOT answer emails from me. Nothing like selling over 340.00 of stuff then treating the customer like dirt. Yea buying from him was a mistake.
But it's a done deal now. Finally got it running.

Now few rides tonight, darn muffler keeps working loose. I have the two bolts in as tight as I can and still, few times around the block and it's loose again. I don't suppose lock tite would work on something that gets so hot? He did send a U clamp I'm guessing was suppose to be for the muffler, little extra support, but it's WAY too small. Useless. So right now the only thing holding it on are the two mounting bolts.

 

[Kletus]

You might have better luck dealing with Gasbike.com next time.