the one time i impulse buy... (chinese motor kit)

[tire]

and i didn't do my homework... the more i read about the cheap chinese motor kits, the more wary i am of the one i bought. (2010 grubee gt5 slant head w/ upgraded carb)

is there a way i could get a laundry list of things to replace as preventative maintenance? or things to pay more attention to?

as it stands, i am going to gasket match the ports, put in a real brandname spark plug and wire, use an auto soft line for the fuel line instead of the plastic one provided, and replace the kill switch with something more solid. please chime in... i usually do tons of homework and find good deals, but for some reason this time i didn't. i want to keep the motor and system in good shape and at its most efficient.

thanks.

austin

 

[rockvoice]

nothing wrong with the kit you bought, done a few with that kit and they work great.
what i would do is lose the crap chain and run a 415 .

 

[tire]

can you dumb it down for me? what is a 415.

 

[Mind_Reader7]

415 size chain.

Go buy a "#41 chain"

Get about 6 foot of it.

 

[tire]

where do i get chain from, a bicycle shop maybe? is it #41 or #415, i'm confused. thanks.

 

[Mind_Reader7]

#415 is what it comes with

#41 is a much more standard, and much much stronger chain. It's a little wider, but still fits just fine.

A motorbike shop will sell it. A bike shop might sell it, if they deal with motors that is.

 

[tire]

thank you!

 

[Mac]

Lawn and garden shop, someplace that repairs mowers, normally you can get a 10' section for about 18 bucks, Get a few master links for spares. Plus you will have X-tra if you need to change sprocket size.

Mac

 

[killercanuck]

Keep in mind that any Chinese engine is subject to inferior quality control. Be happy that it runs; is the basic epitath, but there are alway performance upgrades available.

Fenders! Bolt them down like rabid children, there's the extra advice to your question.

 

[tire]

haha rabid children? is that implying that things will vibrate?

 

[killercanuck]

... and terrorize you until you eventually flip off your bike. Beware cheap fender mounts, they will(WILL)vibrate loose and jam your tire solid without warning. Do a search on 'fender mounts' and see how many people survived being in the hospital to be able to post here about shice fender mounts...seriously!!

 

[tire]

my fenders are flimsy and my bolts are crap. how about some loctite?

 

[killercanuck]

Nein! You should reinforce the brackets themselves or your looking for trouble:
fender mounts - Google Search The links come back to this site.

gl.

 

[r00t4rd3d]

Buy a sprocket adapter.

Manic Mechanic (Nothing New)

Or

Clamshell Adapters | Parts for Gas Powered Bicycle Motor Kits | Live Fast Motors - Gas Motorized Bicycles and Gas Powered Bicycle Motors

 

[TehInteractive]

1. Remove your fenders and throw them away, or you will die.

2. Upgrade the generic 415 chinese chain with heavy duty #41 chain. This is less of a "if you do this you'll get by" thing, and more of a required upgrade. Aside from having much higher tensile strength, the extra width of the #41 chain will allow for some side-to-side sprocket wobble. If there is wobble while using 415 chain, it will break into pieces overtime.

Farmex/Speeco 06411 #41 Roller Chain

This is enough for two full lengths of chain with a little bit of leftover.

3. Buy extra master-links, since they are the weakest link in the chain. I've broken two master links so far, one of which was directly my fault. You should carry these around with you.

Farmex/Speeco 66411 Roller Chain Connecting Link Pk/4

5. You will need a chain breaker to break the chain down to size. Do not skip this. You will not be able to break this beefy #41 chain with anything else.

Tusk Chain Breaker | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

4. Replace all of the crappy low-grade 4.8 grade bolts with high-grade 8.8 or higher metric bolts. This is best done at a local Home Depot or Menards rather than over the internet. Buy a couple extra incase the bolts do somehow snap.

5. Replace all of the supplied nuts with nylon lock-nuts.

6. Buy a bottle of blue 242 loctite. Use it wherever you can.

6. Buy yourself some sort of fuel filter, I use this one. When I was changing my fuel line out a few weeks ago, I shook this around and you could hear a BUNCH of little tiny what appears to be rocks or something. This will keep crap out of your engine.

ROTARY PART#20-6000 FUEL FILTER FOR BRIGGS & STRATTON - eBay (item 310235550256 end time Oct-19-10 02:21:51 PDT)

Also since you just got your engine, I would recommend you break the engine in with non-synthetic oil first, then upgrade to fully synthetic Amsoil Saber at a 50:1 ratio. Or for added protection (But more work) run it with 2 ounces of Amsoil Saber and 0.5 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil per gallon.

As far as keeping an eye on anything, that would be your chain tensioner. I've read stories about people throwing their tensioners into their spokes and stuff, but it's never happened to me. I simply replaced the crappy hardware with higher grade bolts and double nutted everything. I've never had a single problem. People will try to convince you to fabricate a make-shift tensioner out of a rollerskate wheel and stuff like that, but that's entirely up to you. I've tried running a straight chain multiple times, but I never could get it to work with my 44 tooth sprocket.

This is the most basic stuff in regards to the engine and the kit. Then of course, there's the bicycle itself.

 

[tire]

First of all, I appreciate your detailed response, and I will heed almost all of these warnings though I do have questions.

1. Remove your fenders and throw them away, or you will die.

I've seen pictures of a Cranbrook with a motor and fenders, why do you say this? Is there a way to reinforce the fenders? I want to keep the fender look (and function) ultimately.

2. Upgrade the generic 415 chinese chain with heavy duty #41 chain. This is less of a "if you do this you'll get by" thing, and more of a required upgrade. Aside from having much higher tensile strength, the extra width of the #41 chain will allow for some side-to-side sprocket wobble. If there is wobble while using 415 chain, it will break into pieces overtime.

Farmex/Speeco 06411 #41 Roller Chain

This is enough for two full lengths of chain with a little bit of leftover.

3. Buy extra master-links, since they are the weakest link in the chain. I've broken two master links so far, one of which was directly my fault. You should carry these around with you.

Farmex/Speeco 66411 Roller Chain Connecting Link Pk/4

5. You will need a chain breaker to break the chain down to size. Do not skip this. You will not be able to break this beefy #41 chain with anything else.

Tusk Chain Breaker | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Will do.

4. Replace all of the crappy low-grade 4.8 grade bolts with high-grade 8.8 or higher metric bolts. This is best done at a local Home Depot or Menards rather than over the internet. Buy a couple extra incase the bolts do somehow snap.

Are we talking head bolts, or can I get a more detailed account on what should be replaced? I remember 8.8's might be marked on the head of the bolt but I don't know if my bolts will say 4.8 or who knows what.

5. Replace all of the supplied nuts with nylon lock-nuts.

6. Buy a bottle of blue 242 loctite. Use it wherever you can.

6. Buy yourself some sort of fuel filter, I use this one. When I was changing my fuel line out a few weeks ago, I shook this around and you could hear a BUNCH of little tiny what appears to be rocks or something. This will keep crap out of your engine.

ROTARY PART#20-6000 FUEL FILTER FOR BRIGGS & STRATTON - eBay (item 310235550256 end time Oct-19-10 02:21:51 PDT)

Also since you just got your engine, I would recommend you break the engine in with non-synthetic oil first, then upgrade to fully synthetic Amsoil Saber at a 50:1 ratio. Or for added protection (But more work) run it with 2 ounces of Amsoil Saber and 0.5 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil per gallon.

As far as keeping an eye on anything, that would be your chain tensioner. I've read stories about people throwing their tensioners into their spokes and stuff, but it's never happened to me. I simply replaced the crappy hardware with higher grade bolts and double nutted everything. I've never had a single problem. People will try to convince you to fabricate a make-shift tensioner out of a rollerskate wheel and stuff like that, but that's entirely up to you. I've tried running a straight chain multiple times, but I never could get it to work with my 44 tooth sprocket.

This is the most basic stuff in regards to the engine and the kit. Then of course, there's the bicycle itself.

i'll do all that as well.

 

[tire]

Buy a sprocket adapter.

Manic Mechanic (Nothing New)

Or

Clamshell Adapters | Parts for Gas Powered Bicycle Motor Kits | Live Fast Motors - Gas Motorized Bicycles and Gas Powered Bicycle Motors

what's this needed for? it's expensive is why it is concerning me. i'm already over budget and i haven't even gotten the dang motor kit yet.

 

[Techbiker]

what's this needed for? it's expensive is why it is concerning me. i'm already over budget and i haven't even gotten the dang motor kit yet.

You WILL want one of those or a shift kit. Believe me! The stock rag joint is virtually impossible to true and puts undue stress on your wheel spokes. The disc mount sprockets weigh much less than the stock sprocket and will provide a solid, true track for your chain.

 

[tire]

i did some looking around, and i think that "TEH" is grounded and a good source, and hence bought those parts.

You WILL want one of those or a shift kit. Believe me! The stock rag joint is virtually impossible to true and puts undue stress on your wheel spokes. The disc mount sprockets weigh much less than the stock sprocket and will provide a solid, true track for your chain.

so will my sprocket (i'm assuming this means the gear of the rear wheel?) will break basically if i don't get this part?

from the MANIC site, there is an option for a 62 tooth something that i didn't understand nor was it explained. do i just need the basic part or the additional wahtever-it-is-62-tooth deal?

i'm beginning to regret doing this if i have to replace half of the parts in the kit. thanks for the info, not trying to kill the messenger. i'm just unhappy it is costing this much.

 

[hiker472]

You can reinforce those fenders. The mount for the fenders should have a good strong steel L-bracket connecting the fender to the post. There is a good thread somewhere here that shows what others have done, but YES, it can be done!

The brackets that mount the fender to the forks should also be replaced with something a little more beefy....like 1/4 rod....at least that's what I did, but anything will work.