Near new chinese 40 series sticking - considering a comet 40 or 44

[MTScott]

This new ebay purchased 40 series converter has maybe 3 hours on it and it sticks.... retracts about 3/4 of the way then seems to hang up I think it has been doing it since new. If we shut the engine totally down, after a second it will "pop" back to full retraction, but it is delayad a bit. I've also notice there is a bit of wobble in the "bell" (I'm not sure what else to call it), and I would guess that is related - maybe the sheave is hanging up on the bell.

I've seen a few reviews that indicated similar issues.... seems maybe 1 in 10 are just bad. I could take it apart and give it a go on a clean up and lube, or I can just order another chinese one, and potentially end up with the same issue. Or maybe this one just needs to "break it"? I dunno.... I'm interested if anyone else has had this same experience.

I'm also considering just springing for the comet model, and on the surface it seems the 44 should be the better one and more tunable, but they are the same price. Why would someone go with a comet 40 vs a 44?

 

[panchothedog]

Was it sticking when it was new? I only have one kart with a 40 series torque converter on it and since it's my newest build I only have about 4 hours run time on it, but it's still working properly. I have 4 other karts and bikes all with
30 series torque converters, and if you don't disassemble and clean them periodically they will STICK. By the way are you aware that you need to install a reverse wound spring in the 40series driven clutch. Have you done that ?

 

[Denny]

I would disassemble and clean and check for bent or broken pieces before I did anything.

 

[MTScott]

Was it sticking when it was new? I only have one kart with a 40 series torque converter on it and since it's my newest build I only have about 4 hours run time on it, but it's still working properly. I have 4 other karts and bikes all with
30 series torque converters, and if you don't disassemble and clean them periodically they will STICK. By the way are you aware that you need to install a reverse wound spring in the 40series driven clutch. Have you done that ?

Well, it is nearly new. Might have 5 hours on it. I built my driven pulley on a jackshaft, and installed it the way it was meant to be, so I don't think I should need the reverse wound spring.... as far as I know. (Red spring, sitting on the right side of the pulley as you look at the back of the engine).

Edit: Something I should point out - when we first ran this, I didn't realize it, but once warmed up the engine idled high enough to engage the clutch, and the boys ran it quite awhile like that, so it was always dragging on the belt. I made some adjustments to get the idle down around 1200, but until then I'm sure it put a lot of heat into it. The kids don't really tell me something isn't working right until they've run it that way for a an hour. "Oh yeah, it was making a bad noise, so we just kept running it".

 

[MTScott]

I would disassemble and clean and check for bent or broken pieces before I did anything.

maybe I'll order a second cheap chinese one so we have backup... couldn't hurt.

I am interested in thoughts on the 44 vs. the 40. If someone was going for true "comet" parts, they are the same price. Why wouldn't someone always choose the 44?

 

[Snaker]

"Well, it is nearly new. Might have 5 hours on it. I built my driven pulley on a jackshaft, and installed it the way it was meant to be, so I don't think I should need the reverse wound spring.... as far as I know. (Red spring, sitting on the right side of the pulley as you look at the back of the engine)."

This is where photo's come in handy.
The driven pulley movable sheave must be set so the sheave twists against the belt rotation when opening and twists with the belt rotation on closing.
The spring must wind tighter as the sheave opens and unwind as the sheave closes.

 

[MTScott]

This is where photo's come in handy.

 

[madprofessor]

I really despise both the solid and the single-split locking collars with those awful setscrews in them burrowing into the shafts. Looks like you used a proper double-split collar by the driven pulley outside, a single split by the right-hand bearing, and .................... another single-split by the driven pulley. Speaking of .......................
Did you watch the video? Did you see that collar appear to be going wiggle crazy and spinning on the shaft, trying to catch up to the higher speed of the shaft? Hope I was seeing an optical illusion, cuz everybody nose dat movies is magic. Hope the setscrews didn't girdle your jackshaft if it was really slipping.

 

[panchothedog]

You are O K without the reverse wound spring, seeing how it is flipped over.You can buy stiffer springs and lighter weights for the drive clutch. One raises engagement RPM by 400. The other 600, and together by 1000 to about 2600
RPM. I don't remember which is 4 and which is 6 but the literature that comes with it explains which is which. Mine was creeping more than I was comfortable
with in the stock configuration. Are you still running the govoner? Because if you install both the engine won't produce enough RPM to cause the converter
to shift into the higher range. I put in the springs and weights with the stock engine and the kart would only do about 12 mph, pegged on the govoner. After
modifying it ( which I had always intended to do ) the kart rips real good. Mid
40's with 2 full sized people on board. That's with a mildly built 301. You said the bell is wobbling. That leads me to believe it might not have been assembled
correctly. I would pull it apart, clean everything up with brake parts cleaner,and
carefully reassemble. They are pretty simple and even if you have never done
one before if you pay attention you won't have any problems. The reason that they stick is that the belt is always wearing and the rubber dust particles start
to build up and gum up the works. Some people advise to use a dry lubricant
when putting them back together. I have done 30 series clutches at least 20 times and always put them back together bone dry, with great success.

 

[MTScott]

... The reason that they stick is that the belt is always wearing and the rubber dust particles start
to build up and gum up the works. ...

This makes some sense. This belt took some abuse before I adjusted the carb. There is a lot of belt dust, and it is about done. I have a new comet belt, but I want to make sure I get this right and not chew it up immediately too.

I think this TC actually was smooth when brand new... You can see it move smoothly in that video, so maybe just a cleaning. I'll add graphite spray for good measure. Governor is still in, but it is on the chopping block.

 

[Denny]

The graphite spray is a great idea! It keeps the belt goobers from sticking to the slidey parts. (Technical terms, feel free to use.)

 

[SDcarting]

I am having this EXACT same issue on the exact same model of Kart. How did it go!

 

[SDcarting]

You are O K without the reverse wound spring, seeing how it is flipped over.You can buy stiffer springs and lighter weights for the drive clutch. One raises engagement RPM by 400. The other 600, and together by 1000 to about 2600
RPM. I don't remember which is 4 and which is 6 but the literature that comes with it explains which is which. Mine was creeping more than I was comfortable
with in the stock configuration. Are you still running the govoner? Because if you install both the engine won't produce enough RPM to cause the converter
to shift into the higher range. I put in the springs and weights with the stock engine and the kart would only do about 12 mph, pegged on the govoner. After
modifying it ( which I had always intended to do ) the kart rips real good. Mid
40's with 2 full sized people on board. That's with a mildly built 301. You said the bell is wobbling. That leads me to believe it might not have been assembled
correctly. I would pull it apart, clean everything up with brake parts cleaner,and
carefully reassemble. They are pretty simple and even if you have never done
one before if you pay attention you won't have any problems. The reason that they stick is that the belt is always wearing and the rubber dust particles start
to build up and gum up the works. Some people advise to use a dry lubricant
when putting them back together. I have done 30 series clutches at least 20 times and always put them back together bone dry, with great success.

I am going to try this. My bell wobbles!

 

[Denny]

If your bell wobbles you may have something installed incorrectly or loose.

 

[SDcarting]

I took it off the shaft and was able to open it back up by slamming it on the grass which unstuck it. I saw black dust on the bushing cleaned it up and put some WD40 on the bushing. It now works again but make a nasty snap. It wobbles far less. I think it will look wobbly once that inner pressure face starts to stick.

Will a hex impact driver be strong enough to remove the 1 3/4 inch bolt from the bell? I am about to buy a 1.75" socket to attempt this. I think I will need to clean it often from what I have been told.

This hobby is a bit of a rabbit hole at first.

 

[Master Hack]

This hobby is a bit of a rabbit hole at first

At first? I hate to tell ya, the rabbit hole is endless! It only gets deeper and deeper. Eventually it gets dark and ya realize yer lost and threre is no return.
So good luck, and enjoy!

 

[SDcarting]

I went and got the socket but couldn't find a reliable 3/4 adapter and after I thought about it will all the work and cost involved trying to maintain or gather tools to maintain a Chinese made 40 series TC. I could have just got the Comet and when it starts to stick then invest in the tools to fix both. I rode it today and it locked up again, but in an even higher position and now fully stalls out.

Not worth my life.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

I went and got the socket but couldn't find a reliable 3/4 adapter and after I thought about it will all the work and cost involved trying to maintain or gather tools to maintain a Chinese made 40 series TC. I could have just got the Comet and when it starts to stick then invest in the tools to fix both. I rode it today and it locked up again, but in an even higher position and now fully stalls out.

Not worth my life.

I run 2 40 series on my dingos. I cleaned them once and have had no issues in several years.

Start a new thread and post some pics of what your dealing with.
They are pretty simple. Something is missing or put together wrong.
We can help you not throw money at things that don't need it.
But you can always throw a few bux in an envelope and send my way.

 

[Master Hack]

It can get frustrating, for sure, but throwing money at a problem only works when you are 150% sure what the problem is. There are a bunch of those chinese CVT just in this group. They work when everything is right.
Step back, smoke a errraahh i mean relax have a beverage. Take some pics and bring 'em here. Our experts will solve your problems in no time. (Kart problems only. No personal problems)
AND the price Is right!

 

[panchothedog]

I use an 18" crescent wrench to open mine. I'm sure you know to bend down the locking tabs first. Took some pretty good pressure to open it, even with all the leverage provided by that great big wrench.