Engine Doesn't wanna get into gear

[woodmandan2]

Hey guys.
I put a old Suzuki 2 stroke engine into my go kart, Finally got it running, If i get it kick started and my foot is on the clutch it will die out as I slowly release the clutch. Anybody have a idea why this is happening?? Also is there any way I could prevent this from happening while I am going down the road
Thanks

 

[freakboy]

It sounds like the clutch is trying to grab??

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

You mean if you try to let out the clutch, it stalls? is it in gear when your letting out the clutch? and if so are you giving it gas?

It sounds like the clutch is trying to grab??

Why the hell would a clutch try to grab?...lol

 

[freakboy]

IDK im not a clutch guy man its engaging and stalling out???????

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I was joking...thats what a clutch is supposed to do.

 

[anderkart]

Also is there any way I could prevent this from happening while I am going down the road

So is your engine also stalling while your driving along at a steady speed without shifting, or pretty much anytime you let off the gas pedal to shift, stop or idle?

We need to determine if your clutch is acting up or possibly its just that your engine is running poorly. With dirt bike engines, typically you only need to use the clutch while either starting out or stopping in gear. Once your rolling they'll usualy shift up or down through the gears just fine without using the clutch at all.

 

[brendonv]

give it more throttle when u let out the clutch n see if that works. Might need to adjust ur clutch or clean it. Might be rusty.

 

[woodmandan2]

Well, I have tried multiple things. First I tried to slowly let out the clutch from first (what I had the engine started in), but it just kept stalling. Then I took the revs up a little bit and tried to let it out, but it stalled again. Then I too the revs WAY up to the point the engine sounded like it was gonna explode and well it still stalled. I am going to try again today and I will see what happens
Dan

 

[woodmandan2]

And I have never gotten the thing to move, as I cannot get it in gear to move lol...

 

[anderkart]

Does your kart seem to roll around freely with nothing binding up?

I was also wondering if the kart might be geared for extremely high top speeds causing this issue.

Make sure your clutch cable is properly adjusted (just a tiny bit of free-play) and also well lubed so it works smoothly.

Being its on a kart with possibly some sort of homemade clutch linkage, make sure your engines clutch arm is getting full movement. (maybe the problem is its only opening/disengaging the clutch half way)


Some time clutches can develop problems where they grab too much and instantly go from fully disengaged to fully locked in with no slippage inbetween to get rolling. Sometimes you can remove the clutch disks and either sand or bead-blast the glaze or oil soak-age off them instead of replacement.

Something you could try after you have it running in nutral is pushing the kart to get it rolling and then hop in and give it a shot.

Another thing, If you've never driven a stick before it takes everyone a bit of practice to get it down. Also It certainly wouldnt help if meyby the engine isn't running at its best, causing it to easly stall.

You might be fighting a combonation of serveral issues here.

 

[residentg]

+1 on all of the above. Take the chain off and see if the same thing happens (stalling), if so then you have a transmission issue or possibly a clutch issue. If it is ok, put the chain back on and try it with the rear wheels off the ground (put kart on jack-stands), if it stalls now, you have a drive-train issue (chain, wheel bearings, brakes...), if it does not stall, you have an engine issue. What size engine is it? Can you post a video?

 

[woodmandan2]

Hey
Thanks for all the help, but unfortuneately it's a little too late... the frame that it was in was given to me from a friend and I didn't fit in it, as well as not being able to touch the pedals properly without restricted movement, so today I completely disassembled the kart and now the engine is sitting behind my house and unfortunately because i do not have a garage the go kart (frame only) is in a parking lot with a cover over it nearby. I plan on getting a new frame made this week and then I will report back on how it runs then, but I am going to take all of this into consideration once I get it in the new frame. One more problem is that I can push it and get it somewhat started but once I hit the throttle it will die. If I push it in Neutral and then put the throttle into 1st it will start but again as I go to hit the throttle it will die . I can push it around quite easily if it's in neutral in any other gear the engine will be turning over making it somewhat difficult. Also the owner of the kart before me (he moved so he gave it to me) said that it would do 70km/h, which is about 40-35 miles an hour i suppose which isn't too fast outta a 100cc 2 stroke so I don't think it's geared too high. What he said though was that it hasn't been run for over 2 years so it's going to need a bit of work.

Edit: Ohh yeah btw the engine is possibly a 15 year old suzuki 100cc 2 stroke, which I believe is out of a suzuki AX100 but I honestly do not know as this is an asian market suzuki, which are extremely hard to find information on. Also I have managed to get it into gear today with my foot on the clutch from neutral, but then as I slowly let out it stalls... I also took the rev's way up till it sounded like it was going to explode but then it stalled again, trying to slip the clutch as well. but at least I managed to move a good 1 mile an hour before it stalled

 

[freakboy]

can you get a picture of the engine?

 

[jr dragster T]

give it more throttle when u let out the clutch n see if that works. Might need to adjust ur clutch or clean it. Might be rusty.

Most dirt bike clutch's are submerged in oil. Cleaning it really isn't ever needed.

 

[freakboy]

mabey it needs some new oil?

 

[woodmandan2]

Well I will get a picture tomorrow afternoon as it's night time here in Chinaland, but anyways I opened up the clutch and cleaned it out, and it is not submerged in oil (dry clutch) so I went ahead and cleaned it. I bolted it down to my bench and I started it, still couldn't get it to shift. I've also noticed that I cannot give it any throttle unless the choke is pulled... So I have decided that it is a carb/compression problem, and I suppose I will get a new carb as htey are only about 10 bucks here (yeah stuff is REALLY cheap here, I am tempted to get a whole new 250cc 4 stroke for about 300 bucks... )

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I dont know of any motorcycles that have a dry clutch. Did you put oil in it? (for the transmission/clutch). If it only revs with choke on than its most likely running lean, so clean carb, than adjust it if the problem is still there.

 

[freakboy]

ummm mabey the clutch is suposed to be a wet clutch and its causing problems now that its dry????????????????????

 

[woodmandan2]

Hmmm... that Might be the case... I will drain the oil out of the transmission I suppose that is what the drain plug on the bottom is for and I will see if anything comes out.. when I drain it out what weight oil should I refill it with? I have finally been able to find the original source of this engine, my driver told me that it's from an old moped from the late 80's to mid 90's, and there unfortunately is no tag on my engine. Also caz they build so fast here it seems the metal shop who is building my frame has relocated somewhere that I don't know of and they got my plans, metal, and money so I am hoping to god I can find it.... the metal shop is a small hole in a wall and they just knocked it down to build a kia dealer lol, so I might be a bit busier with that haha so this might have to wait...

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Is it a plate type clutch? if so its most likely a wet clutch, and every wet clutch i know of shares oil with the transmission. So definitely give it some oil, not sure what kind every engine is different.