Break In First time builder, engine won't idle, hard to start

[FurryOnTheInside]

Just pulled the spark plug and pedalled around like you said. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to know when to stop? I don't want to seize it.

No start with the clip moved. Might still be flooded. Have no earthly idea how to tell.

Where can I get a gasket from that doesn't involve waiting for a month for an ebay delivery from china?

Not an expert here but just so you can have a quick reply. I read that you keep doing it til the fuel&oil stops coming out. It won't seize, afaik.

No point in even trying to adjust the carburetion until the intake leak is fixed. Probably safer that it doesn't start.

Fiber gasket material can be bought as a sheet from any auto repair shop. Just cut out the shape of the intake manifold surface using a craft knife. The stock one is so cr@p you can't do worse.

Check for leaks elsewhere on the intake by spraying starting fluid on the outside of it, after/if you have the engine running.

 

[KB_UK]

I'm having a brain moment - me pedalling up and down the street to unflood it won't be doing any good if I've still got the carb attached, will it...

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I'm having a brain moment - me pedalling up and down the street to unflood it won't be doing any good if I've still got the carb attached, will it...

Good point. Petcock needs to be closed.

 

[KB_UK]

Too knackered now, will have a go in the alley in the morning.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I'm glad I'm not your neighbour LOL.

 

[KB_UK]

Late night experimentation... checked fuel was off off, took spark plug out, and pedalled all the way to the supermarket and back. Hard work. Still no idea if it's flooded. I feel like taking the engine out and just tipping the bugger over and seeing if anything pours out the intake.

upon return, fitted the spark plug and noticed the wire felt very loose no matter what. Tried putting the wire on the plug while it's not fitted to the engine... the only thing holding it on is the rubber around the bottom. As I feared, no spark now.

I'm amazed. Just unplugging/plugging the spark plug wire a few times has actually worn that out? Can I sleeve it with tinfoil or is this going to be expensive?

No idea where to get gasket materials from other than the internet. Halfords doesn't stock any, and if the exhaust gasket is anything to go by, the material I need is 4mm thick or so which doesn't seem to exist on ebay anyway. Surely these gaskets are actually just generic? It's a pipe with a bolt on each side, I bet if I knew what to search for I'd find one in 30 seconds. Putting in "80cc intake manifold gasket" or the like gets me Chinese sellers.

But what bugs me is that when turning the engine over, the throttle does change the tone of the engine. Which makes me think there's no significant leak from the lack of intake gasket. Or maybe that doesn't matter. It's 4am and after trying to get this thing to work, I know less about 2-strokes than before I built it.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

I think you have both gaskets on the exhaust side.. if that's even possible. The 4mm comment made me think that.

No one's saying that you don't have multiple/compound malfunctions. The carbs don't come adjusted properly, but to adjust it you must have a sealed intake first.

Im sure you have unflooded (or whatever the word is) it enough by now.

Is there a local independent moped & motorscooter shop or a lawnmower and garden tools hire shop that might have fibre gasket making sheets and a plug wire?

 

[crassius]

if you have a tube of non-hardening permatex form-a-gasket - that will work to seal the intake

if your plug cap is plastic, then you've probably lost the inner brass piece - It unscrews from the wire and can be replaced by a good NGK cap (I prefer a zero-resistance cap like the LZFH) - in a pinch, one can strip back the end of the wire a bit and wrap it around plug and hold it with a nut

 

[KB_UK]

Since its what passes for daytime I've took some pictures.

Blurry but the best I can do. Exhaust gasket looks very thick but I am sure it's only one. air filter is off because the choke was too loose and kept falling to the on position.

Brass part of spark plug socket thingie is still there. I removed the little rubber skirt thing that's supposed to keep water out so that I can check see how much grip it's providing. The answer is none. None at all. No wonder it's not sparking now.

EDIT: yep, both gaskets were on the exhaust. The intake was already fitted to the engine when I took it out of the box. Obviously that Chinese sense of attention to detail at the factory.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

Lose the front mudguard, like right now.
It's the worst kind (the wire support at the back, deadly), I would not trust it even with all the loctite in the world on the main (top) bolt.

Seriously.