Clutch won't engage. Help Please!

[NewbieRider]

Hello! I am new to all of this...sorta. At this point I have replaced almost everything on this bike!

Anyways, my problem is this....when I purchased the bike it did not have a kill switch on it. This being my first motorized bike, I listened to, and believed the *******s I bought it from, who told me to just let the clutch out, and the motor would stop. Well I quickly learned, this is not the proper way to stop the motor, and you can and will kill your clutch doing this. So I installed the proper kill switch, no problems, everything was working perfectly.

Well I was riding along, everything was fine, I needed to stop at a stop light, but my hand slipped and I let the clutch out, and the motor stopped. Not that big of a deal, happens right? You shouldn't do it, but sometimes your hand just slips. Well anyways, I went to restart the bike, and the clutch wouldn't engage the motor when I released the lever. I stopped to look at the bike, and I noticed the back tire was free wheeling without the clutch lever being pulled in.

I took it all apart, and nothing appears broken, very dirty, but not broken.
The clutch still will not engage the motor, and the back tire is free wheeling.
I just got through fixing a leaking carb, and I know there was gas pouring all over the thing. So I was planning to clean everything real well, and get all of the grease and gunk out, so the clutch works better, but it isn't even pretending to engage properly.

Any help?

 

[squirrel]

how far have you tore into the motor?
im assuming your running a standard china girl kit?
im not an expert but the experts here could use alot more detail.
i have a leaky carb as well, not that im worried about a lil residual 2stroke oil...but i guess if left long enough it could deteriorate the gaskets...
do you have experience rebuilding any sort of engine or doing major mechanical work?
i think your in for a learning experience if your willing!
take that china girl apart!

 

[nightcruiser]

Check the woodruff key that goes under the motor side sprocket, if that sheers the sprocket spins freely and the rear wheel is disengaged from the motor no matter what the clutch is doing....

 

[Tyler6357]

I agree with nightcruiser, it could be that the half moon shapped woodruff key broke or came out of the notch on the engine sproket.

 

[Wally]

Yes, I agree with the above sentiments, we will presume you have a china girl, 49 or 66 don't matter they are the same except for piston size. You removed the left side cover where the clutch cable is attached to the lever and turned the sprocket by hand and noticed that the back wheel did turn. You removed the right hand cover and turned the same left hand sprocket and noticed the two meshing gears and saw them turn. "I will be waiting for a reply"

 

[KCvale]

Disregard all the above about gears and woodruff keys for now.

Put your left cover on and make sure that when the clutch is released the cable to clutch arm is still taught.

Pull the right cover.
Remove the little set set screw in the clutch plate that keeps the flower nut from moving, DO NOT LOOSE THIS SCREW! It's easy to do.

Now pull your clutch lever in and lock it.
Push the clutch plate in with one hand and give the flower nut a turn clockwise, release the clutch and roll it, does the motor engage?

If so turn the flower nut until you get the lock screw back in and you are done, if not lock the clutch in again and turn the flower another turn, etc.

If you can screw the flower nut all the way until it is tight against the clutch pads then look at that other mechanical stuff like bad gears, pads or woodruffs but chances are that was it.

 

[Wally]

Looks like once again we are left hanging, one reason I very seldom get involved in answering messages. I admire those who do and thanks!

 

[fatdaddy]

I guess we'll see if he gets back. But in a way, everyone is right. It could be a sheared key or it could be a loose or oily clutch. The way he stopped it, HARD, I'm kinda going with sheared key. He was riding it fine untill then. But we won't know till, or if, he gets back to us.
fatdaddy.

 

[Natasha]

I had my left side cove to sprocket off wen I then took off right side cover and flower nut and lil screw and spring and now my pin is sticking way out... Wat do I do

 

[crassius]

if you mean the bucking bar on sprocket side is sticking out, just start the three bolts in the cover and then tighten them evenly a bit at a time to force bar back in - once that cover is tight, you can reach around from other side to pull the clutch arm toward you so flower nut can be easily turned to draw the bucking bar in until clutch arm has a bit of free play while pointing about straight back